User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 439: Albareth Empire, Review./@comment-1153699-20150608231059/@comment-1776824-20150609005212

Okay, Warrod is easily one of the strongest wizards in the whole world, because as you've said, people of his caliber are rare. Him being past his prime is also a moot point as far as I'm concerned. But you don't see me going around going "Rogue is this, Rogue is that" at any given chance. I know Rogue is not the strongest wizard ever. Is he one of the strongest in the series? For sure. He's an immensely powerful person who has most definitely gotten stronger and has done lots of intense training from jobs and his spare time, and other various bits. There are only a handful more powerful than him, just like how there are a handful more powerful than Laxus. If an entire country is planning to wage war on Ishgar, and Makarov himself considers Fairy Tail, which includes himself, Laxus, Gildarts, Erza, Mira, Natsu and others, the equivalent to the threat a newborn poses to an adult's security, as well as adding onto the fact that it took the firing of Etherion and the threat of Face to get them to back off, then they must have extremely powerful wizards. More powerful than Laxus and someone of Gildarts-tier there; one of each, at least.