I don't know if it really says that. I mean yes, I agree that smaller circles could sometimes do better than a larger circle. So a smaller circle with AS strong in say spirit could do a better job than a large circle with less skilled AS. I believe you are right.

The problem I have with this idea is that with such a humongous amount of channelres available, why not go with a circle of 72, that ALSO contained talented spirit channelers.

Oh and here is another quote:
"The most powerful circle potentially, depending on the strengths and gifts of those linked, would be one containing thirty-five men and thirty-seven women, achieving the maximum possible size of seventy-two members as well as the greatest possible balance of male and female."

I don't think people skilled in spirit were THAT rare. Not in a world with FAR more people and channelers than the current WoT world. So why did LTT not want a full circle of 72 of those gifted and strong channelers from the start? Why just 13? My idea was that it was not strength(which is more common) but rather a rare talent like foretelling or seeing ta'veren (which could be FAR rarer than mere strength) that was the reason. A guess I admit.

I could be wrong, but it seems off to me that it really was a question of something like strength in Spirit. Is it said anywhere that people in Spirit really are that rare that even with a low-estimate of 500K channelers, there would be barely any for LTT to find?



I don't think strength in spirit is rare enough in a world with 500K channelers. And there are angreal and sa'angreal available in large quantities.



But they could make angreal and sa'angreal so any strength weaknesses could be countered.

And at the end of the day, LTT did it alone. Why? Surely any woman would be better than NONE?

Would it make sense that LTT, upon realising that he could not get a woman of Lanfears strenght decided that rather than just going at it with a woman like Nynaeve&angreal he would just go at it alone. Why? Surely some help would be better than none.