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Yes. It essentially refers to a skewed histogram - biased to the lower end of the range... Shannow Send a noteboard - 20/12/2009 09:53:18 PM
You know, the bell curve is symmetrcial. That means, channeler as strong as Lanfear should be rare, as rare as channelers as weak as Morgase. Somehow, I don't believe that is the case.

The bell curve describes human height reasonable well. But it is completely incorrect describing people's income or wealth. There, the power law distribution works much better. If you consider the 21 levels as an salary grade, the progression would be separated more and more, the higher you go up, like 30,000 40,000 55,000 75,000 100,000 150,000, 200,000 etc.

In that kind of scale, Egwene being as strong as two lower strength channelers combined do not post much problem at all.


But that's a seperate debate, because Darius disagrees that the majority of channelers are weak. He/she feels that the majority of channelers are clustered around the middle, as per a normal distribution. This despite the Guide unambiguously stating that in the Age of Legends the VAST MAJORITY of channelers were "fairly weak" and only a few were of great strength.

According to Darius's model, most women should be as strong as Moiraine. This is simply not supported by the evidence.
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I've been playing with some numbers since we've been having all of these OP strength debates darius_sedai - 20/12/2009 06:34:05 PM 1365 Views
There are 21 levels, not 100. More later. *NM* fionwe1987 - 20/12/2009 07:23:18 PM 489 Views
RJ has said a number of times that the 21 level scale darius_sedai - 20/12/2009 07:35:25 PM 755 Views
Few glaring errors... Shannow - 20/12/2009 09:04:55 PM 945 Views
Re: Few glaring errors... darius_sedai - 21/12/2009 07:52:18 AM 901 Views
You don't get it, do you... Shannow - 21/12/2009 08:19:00 AM 852 Views
Didn't you claim that Eggy+Rom+Lel cannot match a male forsaken? Now they can match Lanfear? fionwe1987 - 21/12/2009 04:14:32 PM 743 Views
That only strengthens my point. Shannow - 21/12/2009 06:23:39 PM 770 Views
No it does not. fionwe1987 - 28/12/2009 02:45:42 AM 831 Views
What you are missing is that darius_sedai - 21/12/2009 06:46:04 PM 788 Views
I'm not missing it at all.. Shannow - 21/12/2009 06:58:04 PM 819 Views
Let's try matching that with the actual text darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 03:01:36 PM 789 Views
Not correct... Shannow - 22/12/2009 03:29:24 PM 883 Views
Believe as you like, I'm not here to convince you to otherwise, I'm stating how I read the evidence darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 06:01:24 PM 782 Views
You're reading the evidence wrong. Shannow - 22/12/2009 06:27:17 PM 768 Views
RJ also pointed out that Alivia's skill set as a weapon came in handy darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 07:40:35 PM 717 Views
I thought a power law distribution is much more likely, TBH redhand - 20/12/2009 09:39:21 PM 849 Views
Yes. It essentially refers to a skewed histogram - biased to the lower end of the range... Shannow - 20/12/2009 09:53:18 PM 876 Views
Corrections Shadowkiller - 21/12/2009 01:48:43 AM 898 Views
No... Shannow - 21/12/2009 07:47:58 AM 777 Views
True, the application of this model is inconsistent *NM* Shadowkiller - 21/12/2009 02:34:26 PM 611 Views
Not if you point out that the average AS is not as strong as the overall average channeler darius_sedai - 25/12/2009 04:30:17 AM 754 Views
yet RJ has said flat out that OP strength is on an Bell Curve. Meaning the majority of channelers darius_sedai - 21/12/2009 07:36:22 AM 759 Views
Perhaps... Phelix - 21/12/2009 07:52:13 AM 842 Views
I've always hated bell curves Ryan - 21/12/2009 03:56:26 PM 777 Views
The most logical answer is that the average AOL channeler was stronger than the current average... Shannow - 21/12/2009 06:36:07 PM 767 Views
and that in no way maps to any kind of Bell Curve darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 06:02:41 PM 652 Views
Why? Shannow - 22/12/2009 06:34:25 PM 783 Views
Can you provide the quote where RJ tells us the darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 07:45:04 PM 695 Views
Always go back to the evidence... Shannow - 22/12/2009 09:03:42 PM 849 Views
I'll respond when you can actually provide a few actual quotes to support any of this darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 03:20:44 PM 765 Views
Name an item you dispute and I will provide the quote.... Shannow - 23/12/2009 05:19:49 PM 744 Views
it's addressed below darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:23:58 PM 749 Views
I've been looking into this a bit... and you really do overstate things to suit your arguments darius_sedai - 24/12/2009 06:15:44 PM 792 Views
And in looking for quotes for another thread I came across this gem darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 09:54:34 PM 763 Views
Nice! It proves what I've been saying for ages... fionwe1987 - 29/12/2009 10:13:41 PM 791 Views
Which is why I contend that they are about 80% of Lanfear darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 10:16:07 PM 768 Views
I wasn't trying to rip him a new one. Phelix - 22/12/2009 09:38:43 PM 678 Views
I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population RugbyPlayingAshaman - 22/12/2009 08:35:23 PM 817 Views
Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... Shannow - 22/12/2009 09:21:07 PM 800 Views
Re: Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... RugbyPlayingAshaman - 22/12/2009 11:32:21 PM 911 Views
I agree that it's practically impossible to determine strength darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 03:19:49 PM 792 Views
How convenient. And by the way, it is NOT tied to a Talent. Anyone who is strong enough, can Travel. *NM* Shannow - 23/12/2009 04:36:24 PM 449 Views
Seriously go re-read the series, how can you have missed that Traveling is a Talent? darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 04:54:51 PM 697 Views
It is a weave, the knowledge of which guarantees that you can use it, if you are strong enough... Shannow - 23/12/2009 05:35:36 PM 787 Views
Yet every AS can Heal to a degree and Cloud Dancing involves weaves too darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:41:42 PM 817 Views
Lews Therin can't Heal. Aginor can't Heal. If you don't have the Talent, you can't do it. *NM* Shannow - 23/12/2009 05:52:02 PM 445 Views
LTT and Aginor have "Little Ability" with Healing darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:02:13 PM 821 Views
Because the channelers THEMSELVES don't use Healing to judge each other's strength... Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:06:58 PM 741 Views
The Channelers state that there is a minimum level of strength to make the Weave work darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:11:55 PM 915 Views
Beonin's Gateway darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:30:25 PM 773 Views
No, it makes her 25% as strong as Rand! Thanks for proving my model to be virtually perfect! Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:36:53 PM 744 Views
Nope, Beonin shouldn't be that strong! darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:48:30 PM 720 Views
This is true, however... lyringlas - 23/12/2009 04:55:48 PM 820 Views
Aviendha's gateway size doesn't decrease. She is just less energy efficient in creating it... Shannow - 23/12/2009 05:30:17 PM 1091 Views
Aviendha is suffering from the second weave limitation darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:37:45 PM 862 Views
Conceded. My faulty memory is to blame in this case. But it doesn't change the rule... Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:01:33 PM 706 Views
I'll give you that there is a stength limitation to Traveling darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:06:41 PM 732 Views
Why do the characters in the books judge each other's strength on gateway size then? *NM* Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:08:17 PM 414 Views
Re: Why do the characters in the books judge each other's strength on gateway size then? darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:20:18 PM 751 Views
And there you have it...Thank you. Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:27:24 PM 742 Views
And linked with Romanda and Lelaine darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:34:42 PM 743 Views
Sorry. That's pure speculation on your part. *NM* Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:38:43 PM 424 Views
No more than yours is! darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:49:57 PM 771 Views
That entire passage is in the context of strength... Shannow - 23/12/2009 07:55:50 PM 655 Views
You need to re-read some of this stuff darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 11:01:15 PM 838 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population Abunderment - 26/12/2009 12:38:43 PM 759 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population *NM* Abunderment - 26/12/2009 12:41:01 PM 396 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population darius_sedai - 26/12/2009 06:37:50 PM 750 Views
Goodness Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:37:23 AM 776 Views
I'm working within the context of what we've been told by the author darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:43:31 AM 731 Views
Since you love Wiki so much darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:55:09 AM 739 Views
No you are not Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:58:28 AM 776 Views
Dude we're discussion works of fiction darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 04:08:12 AM 802 Views
Dumb Bell Distribution of Mongoloid Turings Abunderment - 31/12/2009 04:36:50 AM 867 Views
Back to school AS, and you will be able to do this Abunderment - 26/12/2009 12:34:39 PM 716 Views
The problem we're working with is that RJ says strength follows a Bell Curve distribution darius_sedai - 26/12/2009 03:29:26 PM 750 Views
And RJ knew his maths (and you don't) Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:22:09 AM 788 Views
I'm not the one who said OP strength followed a Bell Curve Distribution darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:34:55 AM 740 Views
You are the one who is MIS-USING his statement Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:44:26 AM 742 Views
darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:48:20 AM 1035 Views
The pathos of Darius Abunderment - 31/12/2009 04:26:15 AM 774 Views
Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) knightmarea7x - 29/12/2009 12:46:13 AM 687 Views
Re: Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 04:21:47 PM 759 Views
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