Hiromu Arakawa's smash hit anime series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an action fantasy series in an Edwardian world of alchemy, steampunk cars and trains, deadly Homunculi, and more. The heroic brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric are on a quest to restore their bodies, and they meet many new allies and enemies on the journey. Many are fellow alchemists, from Roy Mustang and Alex Armstrong to scientists like Dr. Marcoh and the widely-reviled Shou Tucker.
Meanwhile, there are many non-alchemist soldiers, villains, and even civilians who prove themselves in combat, and they can turn the tide of a battle like any alchemist. Homunculi are counted as alchemists here, since they use the Philosopher's Stone to heal. With that in mind, who are the top 10 non-alchemist fighters?
10 Jean Havoc
He's a Lieutenant in the Amestris military and a country boy with a great deal of courage and a heart of gold. He's not just a goofball; he earned his rank, and he's a vital ally of Roy Mustang's early on.
He helped Roy do battle with the deadly assassin Lust, and he survived a few finger-spears to the chest. He also provided vital logistical support during the final battle on the Promised Day.
9 Maes Hughes
His story is a tragic one, as this Colonel was shot dead by a shape-shifting Envy who assumed his beloved wife's form. Maes was killed to protect Father's secrets, but really, Maes isn't defined entirely by his tragic demise.
He survived the Ishvalan Civil War as a regular soldier, and he was able to injure Lust badly enough to escape her temporarily. It's not just anyone who can deliver a knife to the forehead and escape a foe like that!
8 Barry the Chopper
He starts out as a minor villain, but Barry somehow ends up as a supporting character for the good guys, with Lieutenant Falman keeping a close eye on him. Like Alphonse, he's a soul bound to armor, which makes him immune to all sorts of things, from poison gas to blood loss.
Barry wields two butcher knives in melee combat, and he's skilled enough to incapacitate his enemies without killing them. It took the homunculus Lust to put him down for good.
7 Buccaneer
This is a burly captain of the Amestris armed forces, stationed up north at the Northern Wall of Briggs. While Briggs is a place where only the toughest survive, Buccaneer is still a standout; a burly bear of a man with a terrifying automail right arm.
He can fight evenly against Edward Elric, and he can swap between the Crocodile and Bear arm models as needed. Like some other characters on this list, Buccaneer proved his worth even against a Homunculus. In this case, Wrath.
6 Lan Fan
All three members of Prince Ling's group are highly capable fighters, even if they can't perform an ounce of alchemy. Lan Fan is one of Ling's dedicated bodyguards, and she can escape any foe that she cannot defeat. Her acrobatic abilities are impressive, and she can even escape a human-sized snare in a matter of seconds.
She outran both Wrath and Gluttony when she severed her left arm and used it as a decoy to make her escape. Later, Lan Fan had an automail arm fitted on, and she completely turned the tables on Gluttony during the night battle before the Promised Day.
5 Prince Ling Yao
Now the prince himself appears. He is, in fact, the embodiment of avarice, which is why he so easily accepted the essence of Greed into his body. Even without that, though, he's a skilled boy, learning to defend himself against countless assassins.
He fought well against Envy at some point, and even sliced off that Homunculus' arms and legs. When Greed borrowed his body, Ling offered all kinds of combat tricks to boost Greed's battlefield effectiveness even more, such as exploiting Wrath's blind spot.
4 Fu
Now for the final member of the Xingese party. Like Lan Fan, Fu is one of Ling's bodyguards. Age hasn't slowed him down much, though: he's a deceptively acrobatic and fearless fighter.
He couldn't slay Wrath, but he gave the Homunculus a real challenge on the field of battle, and he was ready to give his life (with dynamite) to destroy Wrath for good. He can also hold his own against Gluttony.
3 Sig Curtis
Sig isn't an alchemist like his wife is, and he doesn't get many action scenes. What we do see of him is impressive, though. Sig is a butcher and he handles large butcher knives with great skill.
On the Promised Day, he easily helps Alex Armstrong seize an airborne Sloth (courtesy of Izumi Curtis) and slam the huge Homunculus onto a spike to destroy it once and for all. Most of all, the powerhouse Alex Armstrong easily acknowledges Sig as a brother of bodybuilding!
2 Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye is an impressive soldier on all fronts. She survived the Ishvalan Civil War as a sniper and sharpshooter, taking out many targets while suffering nothing in return. Hawkeye learned to detach her soul and emotions from battle, and that has served her well ever since.
Even the master alchemist Roy Mustang relies on her to watch his back, and Riza can take on Homunculi with the best of them. Soldiers on the battlefield don't stand a chance against her deadly aim.
1 Olivier Armstrong
Finally, it's the #1 non-alchemist fighter of all. She is the embodiment of "the Northern Wall of Briggs," and her very presence makes that wall impossible to breach. Not only is Olivier a smart and practical commander, but she inspires and empowers her soldiers through a show of strength.
Her sword skills are top-tier and she's a good shot, too. Off-screen, Olivier pummeled Alex into submission to gain ownership of the Armstrong mansion, and she fought well with her brother against Sloth. All of the defending Central City commanders, in the final battle, recognized her as the most important and dangerous enemy they faced.