Gandalf Beats Dumbledore Even Though His Magic Looks Weaker, Says DanCo

If this matchup came down to spells alone, Dumbledore wins fast. He can teleport, transfigure objects, manipulate fire and water, animate statues, and create magical restraints, all improvised in the moment. As I put it, "if we're just counting spells here, Dumbledore could probably win it in about 30 seconds."

Dumbledore's Fight With Voldemort Shows Off Real Versatility

Dumbledore's duel with Voldemort is the clearest proof of how much he can do at once. Voldemort is throwing killing curses at him, and Dumbledore is teleporting around the room, blocking attacks, bringing statues to life, and eventually trapping Voldemort entirely.

What stands out to me is that he is doing all of this while holding back, fighting with basically one hand tied behind his back. Compare that to Gandalf, who spends half of The Lord of the Rings fighting people with a sword, and on pure spellcasting variety, Dumbledore looks like the clear winner.

Gandalf Isn't a Human Wizard, He's Essentially an Angel

That is where the trap in this matchup lies. Gandalf isn't really a human who learned magic. He's essentially an angel who existed for thousands of years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, and he belongs to the Maiar, the same order of immortal spiritual beings as Sauron.

The old man walking around Middle Earth is basically Gandalf operating through a physical body. The Istari were sent there with restrictions. Their job wasn't to conquer Sauron by unleashing all their power. It was to guide everyone else into defeating him.

The Balrog Fight Reveals Gandalf's True Power

We only get a glimpse of what Gandalf is actually capable of when he goes up against another immortal being like the Balrog. They fall into the deepest parts of Moria while fighting, and Gandalf chases the Balrog back up through the mountain.

They battle for two straight days at the peak before Gandalf finally kills it. Gandalf does die in the process, but he comes back right after.

My Verdict: Two Different Rulebooks, and Gandalf Wins

Dumbledore definitely shows off the more impressive magic. He's more versatile, and he can hold his own in a fight. But eventually Gandalf has to kill an unkillable being with no horcruxes to help him out, and he does it.

Both are powerful, ancient wizards, but they're playing by two different rules. Because of that, Gandalf wins.