How generous of you. - Edit 1
Before modification by TheCrownless at 12/11/2009 07:54:54 PM
And how wonderfully vulgar your manner to others is.
I'm not going to go back and look for quotes that we've discussed scores of times over the last 10 years, but I will give you a quick recap on the basics, this once.
Rand himself says in the first few chapters of Book 5, and I quote from memory: "He had thought he was strong before, but Asmodean's teachings were making him stronger."
This is proof that he was not at full strength yet in Book 4.
Secondly, it is stated numerous times in the series that physical exhaustion reduces the amount of Power you can channel. During the confrontation with Asmodean at the end of Book 4, Rand himself states that he hadn't gotten enough sleep in recent days, and that he was exhausted. Even holding on to the Source, was a struggle for him.
Those are two clear pieces of evidence that Rand is significantly below his full potential when he confronts Asmodean in Rhuidean.
Now, regarding the multiplier effect in angreal and sa'angreal:
How does the "additive" effect in sa'angreal explain the minimum strength threshold for their use any better than the multiplier effect does?
Surely, if sa'angreal simply gave you access to a predetermined reservoir of the Power, your unaided strength level would be irrelevant?
I see no problem with the fact that angreal are pure multipliers of One Power strength, as are sa'angreal, with the added requirement that the most powerful sa'angreal can only be accessed by channelers of a certain minimum strength.
The problem with your argument, is that the minimum strength requirement is not in any way a diferentiator between the multiplier and additive models of sa'angreal operation.
Rand himself says in the first few chapters of Book 5, and I quote from memory: "He had thought he was strong before, but Asmodean's teachings were making him stronger."
This is proof that he was not at full strength yet in Book 4.
Secondly, it is stated numerous times in the series that physical exhaustion reduces the amount of Power you can channel. During the confrontation with Asmodean at the end of Book 4, Rand himself states that he hadn't gotten enough sleep in recent days, and that he was exhausted. Even holding on to the Source, was a struggle for him.
Those are two clear pieces of evidence that Rand is significantly below his full potential when he confronts Asmodean in Rhuidean.
Now, regarding the multiplier effect in angreal and sa'angreal:
How does the "additive" effect in sa'angreal explain the minimum strength threshold for their use any better than the multiplier effect does?
Surely, if sa'angreal simply gave you access to a predetermined reservoir of the Power, your unaided strength level would be irrelevant?
I see no problem with the fact that angreal are pure multipliers of One Power strength, as are sa'angreal, with the added requirement that the most powerful sa'angreal can only be accessed by channelers of a certain minimum strength.
The problem with your argument, is that the minimum strength requirement is not in any way a diferentiator between the multiplier and additive models of sa'angreal operation.
How do you know Rand was not talking about his skill? I know using the power does make you reach your potential quicker, but it's hardly like Rand wasn't using it before then.
Sounds to me like Asmodeans teachings are helping with his skill in handling the one power, not dramatically increasing his core power. Strength in the context he was using it could reffer to either his brute strength in the power or his ability with the power, which is a combination of both power and skill.
My "theory" on angreals was that they offered a buffer to use an excess amount of power, this buffer would only be effective to people over a certain strength in the case of a sa'angreal like the CK.
For me the multiplier effect goes against this idea because then you would need a smaller buffer for weaker people, meaning that weaker people could use it instead.