With that in mind, Hoid won't count, as he's more of a general Cosmere character. Characters from both Mistborn eras 1 & 2 count, though era 1 characters are generally more powerful, as Allomantic power dilutes through generations, and era 2 takes place 300 years later. Still, there are many variables from character to character that determine their capabilities. Sanderson creates fascinating systems, but a character's individual feats are the best indicator, as they can often push the limits he sets.

Otherwise, general rules apply to power rankings based on the Mistborn magic system. General Mistings like Breeze or Hammond fall short in comparison to a Twinborn who has an Allomantic ability and a Feruchemical power. Poorly trained Mistborn like Shan Elariel will generally be higher. A steel inquisitor would go up a level in power, though a highly trained Mistborn like Kelsier or Elend could defeat them. The most powerful Mistborn characters also include various Shards, god-like beings in the Cosmere, several of which have been seen orchestrating events on Scadrial.

10 Wax

Wax Is A Powerful Mistborn Era 2 Character

The primary representative of Mistborn era 2 is Wax, who narrowly sneaks in. While a legend in his era on Scadrial and one of the most powerful metalborn in centuries, his powers are naturally diluted over several generations. A descendant of Breeze and Allrianne Cett, Wax serves as an excellent protagonist for the four volumes in Sanderson's second series, but he isn't an immense powerhouse like Vin, Kelsier, or other heroes from the earlier era.

Wax has some aptitudes from his era that make him a valuable asset, including firearm shooting skills and expertise in metallurgy, which can be helpful in battles on Scadrial from a technical standpoint. Plus, being a Twinborn gives him some extra perks and ways to customize his powerset. In of craftiness, Wax's abilities speak to Brandon Sanderson's ingenuity in expanding the Mistborn magic system in era 2, but he still lacks in overall might.

9 Kelsier

Kelsier Was An Incredibly Skilled Mistborn But Didn't Live To See His Full Potential

In The Final Empire, the best Mistborn book, Kelsier is portrayed as the most powerful Mistborn, excluding The Lord Ruler, and has the incredible feat of defeating a Steel Inquisitor. He's trained for years, survived horrible circumstances like the Pits of Hathsin, and can contend with several Mistings simultaneously. He trains Vin, setting her on her path to becoming the hero of the original Mistborn trilogy. However, comparatively to how strong other characters become throughout the trilogy, Kelsier dies too soon to reach his full potential.

With that being said, it's important to note that Kelsier's narrative doesn't end when he's killed by The Lord Ruler in The Final Empire. Sanderson's novella, Mistborn: A Secret History, touches on Kelsier's story after his death, implying that he returns to life in some form. His narrative is heavily implied to continue into The Stormlight Archive series, a fantasy book series every Mistborn fan should read. There's insufficient clarity on Kelsier's happenings after The Final Empire to determine his power level, so in of his alive form in the first book, he falls short of other human characters.

8 Elend

Elend Has Immense Power For A Mistborn But Isn't As Skilled

Elend Venture takes his sweet time to get to the point of physical notability, as he's not really a fighter in any sense in The Final Empire or The Well of Ascension. However, after becoming a Mistborn, Elend becomes incredibly strong with his new abilities and training from Vin. In of raw, untapped power, Elend has an uncommon level of strength compared to other Mistborn, though he isn't as skillful as Vin.

If Elend had more time to work on his abilities, he might have been able to his wife, though both of their untimely deaths on The Hero of Ages mean Vin died the superior Mistborn. His power is stronger as it's given to him by the lerasium bead in book 2, meaning that it hasn't been diluted by breeding. Being an unnatural Mistborn comes with an advantage, as his power comes directly from the cosmere's energy source.

7 Vin

Vin Is Incredibly Powerful, Skilled, And Has The Most Experience

Vin is the lead protagonist of the original Mistborn trilogy and the point-of-view character readers have spent the most time with throughout all seven books. She's a beloved fantasy character, though one of her most common criticisms is that she's overpowered. However, given the drastic situations Cosmere characters find themselves in against god-like beings, it's an absolute necessity for Sanderson's heroes to obtain a certain level of strength.

In a series titled Mistborn, Vin is the most powerful natural Mistborn, which has to stand for something. Ultimately, she defeats key antagonists like The Lord Ruler and Ruin, who are more powerful than her, though it's due to outside circumstances like the mist intervening. She may not have Elend's raw power from lerasium, but she's been trained by one of the most skilled Mistborn in Kelsier, and has the time and experience against powerful foes like Koloss, Inquisitors, and more, to cultivate that skill into something extraordinary.

6 Marsh

Marsh Has 22 Hemalurgy Spikes, Making Him An Ultra-Powered Inquisitor

The Steel Inquisitors are incredibly powerful during the original Mistborn trilogy, particularly under Ruin in The Hero of Ages. Inquisitor power comes from Hemalurgy, which is granted by spikes. With 22 spikes and some Allomantic powers, Marsh is insanely powerful in book 3, and the only reason he doesn't kill Vin is that the human part of him retains control for a brief moment. Otherwise, Marsh's capabilities sur any normal Mistborn.

Marsh has several bonus abilities granted to him that expressly make him ultra-powerful while under Ruin. Before becoming an Inquisitor, Marsh was a powerful rebellion leader, but in of physical strength, he was only a Seeker Misting. Regardless of where it comes from, it's hard to deny Marsh's power, though he's easily one of the more obscure cases in the Cosmere, complimenting his complex character arc.

5 The Lord Ruler

The Lord Ruler Is A Sliver, Giving Him Some God-Like Powers

The Lord Ruler is one of the best villains in Brandon Sanderson's universe and one of the reasons why Mistborn era 1 is a better saga than era 2. Known also by his birth name, Rashek, the Lord Ruler is an immortal being, already giving him significant advantages over other characters. Until Vin finds a unique way to do so, the Lord Ruler is believed to be unkillable, capable of decimating armies single-handedly, surviving beheadings, and more. As for non-shard beings, Rashek is as powerful as can be in Mistborn.

The Lord Ruler's overwhelming power makes him such a compelling villain in The Final Empire, contrasting the desperation of the Skaa and the Rebellion. As a Terrisman, Rashek was born with Feruchemy to compliment his later-obtained Mistborn powers. So, while he wasn't born a Twinborn, he became one, and an ultra-powerful one at that. He's also a "Sliver," which gives him a fraction of the god-like power possessed by the Shards of the Cosmere.

4 Preservation

Preservation Is The Shard Responsible For The Mists And Allomancy

Out of the four Shards in Mistborn, Preservation is the weakest, though it does play an enormous role in Scadrial. Preservation is responsible, however, for powering Allomancy and Feruchemy, which are ultimately used to defeat Ruin in The Hero of Ages. The mists on Scadrial are also a physical form of Preservation, which is pivotal to Vin in her defeat of the Lord Ruler in The Final Empire.

Like in many fantasy stories, the more benevolent being is slightly underpowered compared to its malevolent counterpart, and the events of Mistborn era 1 see Ruin having a slight edge. Preservation is practically incapable of causing pain or destruction, and ivity has a hard time co-existing with power in such a harsh world as Scadrial. Preservation is necessary for the heroes of Mistborn to thwart the villains, but in and of itself, it's not as strong as the other Shards.

3 Ruin

Ruin Is A Powerful Malevolent Shard, Capable Of Great Destruction

For many of the same reasons as Preservation, Ruin is one of the most powerful existences on Scadrial, though its destructive and change-seeking nature makes it far more of a threat and, therefore, stronger. Ruin co-powers Feruchemy with Preservation and is also the fuel for Hemalurgy, which powers the ultra-threatening Inquisitors. While Preservation's effects are a bit more scarce, Ruin's impact in controlling the Steel Inquisitors is highly present in The Hero of Ages.

Being the big bad of Mistborn era 1, Ruin has to be incredibly powerful to pose a threat to heroes like Vin and Elend. An interesting catch with Ruin is that its vessel actually underpowers it, as its human carrier withholds much of the destructive nature that Ruin could have in its raw form. Still, Ruin's powers are highly effective, prompting natural disasters like eruptions, reading and altering any written text, and manipulating characters like Zane and Vin through their internal monologues.

2 Autonomy

Autonomy Is Immensely Powerful, Able To Operate From An Entirely Different Planet

Originally a Shard from the graphic novel White Sand, Autonomy differs in that it doesn't actually originate from Scadrial but rather from the planet Taldain. In that sense, Autonomy is operating as a villain in Mistborn era 2 from an entirely different location in the Cosmere, making it a unique threat compared to Ruin. Autonomy is a god-like being infiltrating Scadrial from afar, which is a fascinating premise.

It gets complicated comparing Autonomy to Harmony or Ruin and Preservation. Harmony's control of two Shards creates a natural contradiction, allowing Autonomy to meddle with Scadrial without his noticing. In that sense, Autonomy has some power over Harmony, but Harmony's sheer power and authority in the Cosmere is unmatched, and it's noted that Autonomy and other shards are concerned about it.

1 Harmony

Harmony Is The Potentially The Most Powerful Being In The Cosmere

One of the most genius aspects of The Hero of Ages is that old faithful Sazed is not only the titular hero but also the one who ascends and becomes a Shard. Therein, one of Mistborn's most beloved characters becomes a long-term player in Sanderson's overarching narrative. While human Sazed isn't one of the most powerful characters, he deserves props for his abilities as a warrior, which he'd never it to. As Harmony, however, he's one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, beings in the Cosmere.

Seeing as Harmony has two Shards, Preservation and Ruin, it's referred to as the most "Invested" being in the Cosmere. Investiture is a term used in Sanderson's Cosmere novels, which is essentially the force of energy in his universe, which the magic systems draw from. Harmony having two of the sixteen Shards is meaningful for the broader scale of Brandon Sanderson's universe, and he is undoubtedly the most powerful being in the Mistborn series.