I struggled with whether or not to put David Wygant on the list this year.  The man will be the first to admit that he isn’t a “pick up artist,” so to speak.  And there are some traits about him that worry me a little.  However, I cannot argue that the man has game.

First of all, David is probably the OLDEST person on this list, being in his mid-to-late 40s.  Yet, he still is able to get some very attractive women.  The guy is also Mr. Charisma.  Give him a minute to talk your ear off, and you can’t help but be enraptured by the guy.

Out of all the people on the list, David Wygant is most like “Hitch” from the movie.  He doesn’t do bootcamps, focusing on the one-on-one dating doctor style.  David puts more of a focus on Day Game, and meeting women naturally as you go about your life.  He tends to stay out of the bar/club scene (a factor which is older clients really love).  In fact, he says the best place to meet women is while waiting in line!

Probably the biggest reason I decided to rank David in this year’s list is because 2008 saw him actively reaching out to the Seduction Community.  He’s begun to be more involved, not only as a guest speaker at seminars, but also in other people products, making a notable appearance in videos created by both Mehow and Johnny Wolf.

The one criticism I have of David’s game is that I’ve found he tends to rely too much on his dog as prop.  Seriously, he takes his dog EVERYWHERE.  His typical MO is to sit outside with his dog at a coffee shop and wait for girls to come up and start playing with his pooch.  That’s not to say he can’t get a girl without the dog, he certainly can, but this just seems like a lazy technique to me.

That being said, there is no denying David’s skill as both a PUA and a teacher.  His website is full of great information, ranging from his blog to his product.  David is also notable because he gives free lifetime email support to his clients.  The man spends most of his time on his Blackberry answering questions from frazzled clients, fer crying out loud.

I can also see David really striking a chord with the older crowd in the community, since he’s probably the oldest guy out there (legitimately) teaching this stuff.

Like Style, no Top 10 list would be complete without Mystery!  The original Grandmaster Poo-Ah of the community is still alive and kicking, though he did drop out of the #1 spot from last year down to number four.  Why such a drop?

Well, I don’t think anyone can argue that 2007 was Mystery’s year.  But 2008 saw very little of the man.  The second season of his TV show came and went without much fan fare, the only major product his company released wasn’t even made by him, and he lost the lawsuit against his former business partner, and his company was forced to admit they misrepresented their claims against them.

On the brighter side of things, Mystery actually was back out in the field teaching workshops again, however, because of his celebrity the argument can be made that he doesn’t have to work too hard at it anymore.

Plus, we have seen almost NOTHING new from Mr. Marchovich in 2008.  He’s still dressing in the same clothes he was three years ago, he’s still teaching the same method he was back in the day, and very little has changed.

However, when it comes to pure raw talent with the ladies, personality, and teaching, it is hard to say there is anyone better than Mystery.  The guy pioneered many of the techniques that have been used and co-opted in other people’s systems.  In fact, I’d say that about 85% of all the material taught out there can be traced back to Mystery.  So even if he falls short on innovation, he’ll always have a solid standing because of the fact that almost everything taught in the community stems from his teachings.

I would really like to see Mystery contribute more to the community in 2009, and have him show us something new.  I think if he could do that, he could re-claim the top spot next year.

Last year I debuted Adam at #3 in my Top 10 list, but this year he’s moved up to #2.  I must say, it was a hard decision NOT to give the guy the #1 spot this year, since Adam is, without a doubt, one of the hottest up-and-coming stars in the community in my humble opinion.

As some of you are well aware, Adam and I have become good friends since we first met in 2007, and he’s even co-hosted my podcast.  So surely, some people are going to cry fowl that I’m ranking him so highly.  To those people, I say – “If you don’t believe me, believe what you see for yourself.”

Adam has tons and TONS of video out on the internet that proves this guy’s skill.  Everything from a one-minute kiss close to getting a threesome, all with girls most guys would cut their right arm off to get a shot at.

Adam is, for lack of a better word, absolutely crazy.  He is the “mad genius” of pick up, willing to do whatever just to see if it works, so as an innovator, he’s at the top.  Most of this stems from the fact that Adam, more than any other PUA I’ve met, likes to have FUN, and as we all know, fun is attractive to women!

Speaking of which, Adam has been criticized by some because he’s one of the prominent PUAs out there with a real, live girlfriend.  The typical argument is “How can a guy with a girlfriend possibly teach me how to get girls?”  Well, speaking from experience, relationship game is like the uber-high-level mark of a master PUA, so a guy who’s in a healthy relationship with a girl is probably more qualified to teach others about women than most love-em-and-leave-em PUAs.

Adam has also been hard at work teaching workshops all over the world, and is a staple in the lairs and various events within the community.  This probably makes him the most accessible PUA out there for many.  He’s a prolific poster, and he’s willing to meet pretty much anyone.

Adman’s new website, is just getting going, but it’s sure to be a great resource with Adam teaching everyone through video instruction.  In fact, Adam has also appeared on a number of other products released in 2008 – none of which were his own!  So its obvious that not only does he have a lot to offer, but we’ve only scratched the surface of what Adam is going to be contributing to the community.

And when it comes to his students, very few others inspire such loyalty and devotion.  The fact is, much like Brad P., Adam’s students actually get RESULTS, which is the best indicator of whether a PUA is legit.  Adam’s “no game” game is easy to learn, effective, and super-fun to do.

Adam is also a great guy, who’s always got something fun and positive to say.  That great attitude, combined with his skills as a teacher and a pick up artist, make him one of the best out there in my opinion.  It will be interesting to see how he fares in 2009, especially against the likes of Brad P.

Pick up artists will posses certain qualities which will put them far ahead of the rest…

1. Innovations.  This is what new outlook or techniques the PUA brings to the table.  It’s easy for any new guy to get good using Mystery Method or any other school of seduction, but then again, that stuff is designed to work!  So being innovative and bringing a new twist, spin, philosophy, technique, or whatever to the mix is also a big deal, because that means the PUA actually has something to contribute to his students and the community as a whole that no one else does.
2. Likability.  One of the things I base my ranking on is whether I actually like the PUA or not.  This is a subjective thing, but I feel its important, because there’s usually a reason I don’t like someone, and that reason has to do with them being a fake, fraud, evil bastard, or what have you.  I like to think I have a fairly decent “B.S. Radar,” so when I meet a PUA in person, I can usually tell if they are legit or not after getting to know them, which is why I tend to rank PUAs I have actually met in real life.  If I haven’t met them, I need to get good feedback from at least 3 sources I trust to make the decision to rank them in this category.
3. Contributions To The Community.  This is a measure of how much the PUA “gives back” to others in the seduction community.  This factor is all about the PUA’s willingness to help others, the knowledge and experience he’s willing to share, and the compassion he shows to those who need help.  Too many PUAs look down on people not as successful with women as they are, and that’s not what the seduction community is about, so giving back to it should play a factor, in my opinion.
4. In-Field Performance.  This is basically the skills the PUA displays in the field with women.  Most Top 10s deal with this factor exclusively, but I’ve found that just looking at a guy’s in-field performance can be misleading, since people have off-nights or can get lucky.  That said, their ability to use the techniques in field repeatedly and consistently to get results is a big, big factor in the ranking process.
5. Philosophy.  This comes down to the PUA’s outlook on life, women, and other men in general.  It’s about how they live their lives, and whether they’re consistent with it.  Some PUAs spout great philosophy, but don’t really believe in it or practice it.  But it’s that core foundations which will influence their students, so I believe this is important in factoring the rankings.
6. Teaching Ability.  This is how effectively the PUA can teach what he does to other people, and have them get similar results.  This is another important factor, because it weeds out the people who are just the lucky naturals, and finds the PUAs who have something to offer humanity as a whole.  After all, I don’t care if a guy gets laid a lot.  I care if that guy can get ME laid a lot – and I think the same is true for you.  That is why I factor in the PUA’s ability to teach others into the ranking.

Next time I’ll be telling you my opinions on the best pick up artists!