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The most logical answer is that the average AOL channeler was stronger than the current average... Shannow Send a noteboard - 21/12/2009 06:36:07 PM
Yet, to be fair it is a beginning...how about someone take what has been started and elaborate on it instead of trying to rip Darius a new one?


Think about it. It has been stated many times throughout the series that channeling strength has decreased over the last 3000 years. The Forsaken scoff openly at the strength of modern Aes Sedai. They are in fact amazed that these women are even allowed to call themselves Aes Sedai.

This implies that there weren't any Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends that were as weak as a modern sister, else the Forsaken wouldn't be so surprised at the fact.

Now, if Lanfear was the strongest female channeler in the AoL, and if a Bell Curve is indeed applicable, then it means that Lanfear had to be exactly twice as strong as the average Age of Legends channeler. But it is foolish to try and suggest that the average woman of the Age of Legends is the same as the average woman today.

What the evidence in the books points to is that the average strength woman in the Age of Legends was probably about as strong as Egwene. Meaning that Egwene wouldn't be scoffed at by the Forsaken, as she was of normal strength in the Age of Legends, but not of above normal strength.

And what it means for our strength scale, is that Egwene is half as strong as Lanfear. This makes sense because Egwene is almost twice as strong as Moiraine. Therefore, Moiraine, Lelaine and Romanda would each be 25% as strong as Lanfear.

And therefore, if you take Egwene's 50%, Lelaine's 25% and Romanda's 25%, you get to 100%, which is roughly equal to Lanfear in strength. Take away the linking loss of 10% or so, and their circle has a strength of about 90. Which would give them a chance against a male Forsaken, but by no means assure them of victory. Fitting nicely with Egwene's thoughts about their chances if they had to face a male Forsaken in Salidar.

This is the solution that best satisfies all the evidence in the books. Nothing in the books supports the idea that Egwene is 80% as strong as the strongest woman of the Age of Legends.

I challenge anyone to point out anything in my suggested placing of Egwene that contradicts the evidence in the books. I think you would be hard pressed to find anything.
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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 1460 Views
There are 21 levels, not 100. More later. *NM* fionwe1987 - 20/12/2009 07:23:18 PM 542 Views
RJ has said a number of times that the 21 level scale darius_sedai - 20/12/2009 07:35:25 PM 840 Views
Few glaring errors... Shannow - 20/12/2009 09:04:55 PM 1035 Views
Re: Few glaring errors... darius_sedai - 21/12/2009 07:52:18 AM 980 Views
You don't get it, do you... Shannow - 21/12/2009 08:19:00 AM 956 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 831 Views
That only strengthens my point. Shannow - 21/12/2009 06:23:39 PM 882 Views
No it does not. fionwe1987 - 28/12/2009 02:45:42 AM 923 Views
What you are missing is that darius_sedai - 21/12/2009 06:46:04 PM 899 Views
I'm not missing it at all.. Shannow - 21/12/2009 06:58:04 PM 924 Views
Let's try matching that with the actual text darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 03:01:36 PM 891 Views
Not correct... Shannow - 22/12/2009 03:29:24 PM 972 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 869 Views
You're reading the evidence wrong. Shannow - 22/12/2009 06:27:17 PM 870 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 865 Views
I thought a power law distribution is much more likely, TBH redhand - 20/12/2009 09:39:21 PM 940 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 961 Views
Corrections Shadowkiller - 21/12/2009 01:48:43 AM 1001 Views
No... Shannow - 21/12/2009 07:47:58 AM 873 Views
True, the application of this model is inconsistent *NM* Shadowkiller - 21/12/2009 02:34:26 PM 657 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 872 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 844 Views
Perhaps... Phelix - 21/12/2009 07:52:13 AM 947 Views
I've always hated bell curves Ryan - 21/12/2009 03:56:26 PM 860 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 897 Views
and that in no way maps to any kind of Bell Curve darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 06:02:41 PM 739 Views
Why? Shannow - 22/12/2009 06:34:25 PM 888 Views
Can you provide the quote where RJ tells us the darius_sedai - 22/12/2009 07:45:04 PM 784 Views
Always go back to the evidence... Shannow - 22/12/2009 09:03:42 PM 935 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 843 Views
Name an item you dispute and I will provide the quote.... Shannow - 23/12/2009 05:19:49 PM 839 Views
it's addressed below darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:23:58 PM 841 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 878 Views
And in looking for quotes for another thread I came across this gem darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 09:54:34 PM 853 Views
Nice! It proves what I've been saying for ages... fionwe1987 - 29/12/2009 10:13:41 PM 871 Views
Which is why I contend that they are about 80% of Lanfear darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 10:16:07 PM 874 Views
I wasn't trying to rip him a new one. Phelix - 22/12/2009 09:38:43 PM 769 Views
I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population RugbyPlayingAshaman - 22/12/2009 08:35:23 PM 909 Views
Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... Shannow - 22/12/2009 09:21:07 PM 894 Views
Re: Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... RugbyPlayingAshaman - 22/12/2009 11:32:21 PM 996 Views
I agree that it's practically impossible to determine strength darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 03:19:49 PM 877 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 486 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 786 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 880 Views
Yet every AS can Heal to a degree and Cloud Dancing involves weaves too darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:41:42 PM 905 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 506 Views
LTT and Aginor have "Little Ability" with Healing darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:02:13 PM 923 Views
Because the channelers THEMSELVES don't use Healing to judge each other's strength... Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:06:58 PM 838 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 999 Views
Beonin's Gateway darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:30:25 PM 864 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 824 Views
Nope, Beonin shouldn't be that strong! darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:48:30 PM 806 Views
This is true, however... lyringlas - 23/12/2009 04:55:48 PM 922 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 1242 Views
Aviendha is suffering from the second weave limitation darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 05:37:45 PM 969 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 803 Views
I'll give you that there is a stength limitation to Traveling darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:06:41 PM 811 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 455 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 829 Views
And there you have it...Thank you. Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:27:24 PM 851 Views
And linked with Romanda and Lelaine darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:34:42 PM 835 Views
Sorry. That's pure speculation on your part. *NM* Shannow - 23/12/2009 06:38:43 PM 468 Views
No more than yours is! darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 06:49:57 PM 856 Views
That entire passage is in the context of strength... Shannow - 23/12/2009 07:55:50 PM 755 Views
You need to re-read some of this stuff darius_sedai - 23/12/2009 11:01:15 PM 942 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 850 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 438 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 860 Views
Goodness Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:37:23 AM 868 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 810 Views
Since you love Wiki so much darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:55:09 AM 815 Views
No you are not Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:58:28 AM 867 Views
Dude we're discussion works of fiction darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 04:08:12 AM 925 Views
Dumb Bell Distribution of Mongoloid Turings Abunderment - 31/12/2009 04:36:50 AM 955 Views
Back to school AS, and you will be able to do this Abunderment - 26/12/2009 12:34:39 PM 827 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 844 Views
And RJ knew his maths (and you don't) Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:22:09 AM 894 Views
I'm not the one who said OP strength followed a Bell Curve Distribution darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:34:55 AM 854 Views
You are the one who is MIS-USING his statement Abunderment - 31/12/2009 03:44:26 AM 838 Views
darius_sedai - 31/12/2009 03:48:20 AM 1117 Views
The pathos of Darius Abunderment - 31/12/2009 04:26:15 AM 880 Views
Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) knightmarea7x - 29/12/2009 12:46:13 AM 766 Views
Re: Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) darius_sedai - 29/12/2009 04:21:47 PM 848 Views
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