The Bell Curve often gets ignored with these comparisons. It's clear even women at Moiraine's level are not particularly common, in the series thus far we've seen what 20-30 women with more strength, if women of Moiraine strength were as common as 1 in 10 there would be more than 5 in 1000(ish) in the WT.
IMO even Moiraine is likely in the "flattening" area of the curve. Let's also not forget that there are several levels Sidious left out between Moiraine and Cadsuane so Egwene/Nyn/Forsaken levels are probably more rare still.
I'd say Verin/Alanna etc are more likely to be 1 in 10, and even they may be more rare since they are strong enough to Travel, which seems to separate the Average from the Strong.
I think the strength levels work in powers of ten...
- 1 in 10 - Moiraine strength
- 1 in 100 - Egwene strength
- 1 in 1000 - Nynaeve strength
- 1 in 10 000 - Graendal strength
- 1 in 100 000 - Lanfear strength
Nor do I think it makes sense that there's such a vast difference in numbers from Lanfear to Graendal.
While Lanfear strength women are surely rarer than Graendal strength women, they cannot be that much rarer given the bell curve distribution. As we move towards the upper echelons (and the lower) the curve is getting flatter, and closer to zero.
Its more likely one in 100,000 for Lanfear, 1 in 95,000 for Grandal and 1 in 90,000 for Nynaeve (assuming the old list is still true).
IMO even Moiraine is likely in the "flattening" area of the curve. Let's also not forget that there are several levels Sidious left out between Moiraine and Cadsuane so Egwene/Nyn/Forsaken levels are probably more rare still.
I'd say Verin/Alanna etc are more likely to be 1 in 10, and even they may be more rare since they are strong enough to Travel, which seems to separate the Average from the Strong.
I think the strength levels work in powers of ten...
- 1 in 10 - Moiraine strength
- 1 in 100 - Egwene strength
- 1 in 1000 - Nynaeve strength
- 1 in 10 000 - Graendal strength
- 1 in 100 000 - Lanfear strength
Nor do I think it makes sense that there's such a vast difference in numbers from Lanfear to Graendal.
While Lanfear strength women are surely rarer than Graendal strength women, they cannot be that much rarer given the bell curve distribution. As we move towards the upper echelons (and the lower) the curve is getting flatter, and closer to zero.
Its more likely one in 100,000 for Lanfear, 1 in 95,000 for Grandal and 1 in 90,000 for Nynaeve (assuming the old list is still true).
I don't think the numbers are exact. Linda once made a list of all the channelers on her proposed 21-level list, and while it's not necessarily accurate, RJ merely wanted to show some sort of bell curve distribution.
When I say 1 in 10, I mean women of higher than average strength i.e. Moiraine, Suian, Romanda, Lelaine, Elaida, Kerene, Mylen, Nicola, Bode and Cadsuane.
The next level above that is a strong woman i.e. Egwene and Elayne.
I don't think the bell curve is ignored. It's not linear after all. I think Lanfear is a few levels stronger than Graendal and thus much rarer. It's like a comparison between Logain and Rand. I think some men might reach Logain's level, but I find it very unlikely that anyone will reach Rand's. For each climb in strength you become more of a statistical anomaly.
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Fan of Lanfear
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Is Nynaeve of "very rare" strength?
- 21/11/2009 02:53:22 PM
1435 Views
BS said...
- 21/11/2009 02:57:58 PM
777 Views
Actually, you are adding a word that isn't there.
- 21/11/2009 03:47:48 PM
990 Views
IMO, it's self evident that the female list only contains named characters
- 21/11/2009 03:58:33 PM
653 Views
IMO, the above post by "Logain" is trolling and not worth the debating!! *NM*
- 21/11/2009 04:01:08 PM
236 Views
Re: IMO, it's self evident that the female list only contains named characters
- 21/11/2009 04:09:58 PM
506 Views
I don't know
- 21/11/2009 04:17:02 PM
474 Views
I find it unlikely that a super strong channeler would end up being unimportant to the plot *NM*
- 21/11/2009 11:54:43 PM
229 Views
she's in the top 0.1% of channelers we know of
- 21/11/2009 03:01:02 PM
537 Views
She's in the top 0.05% *NM*
- 21/11/2009 11:41:42 PM
226 Views
Re: Is Nynaeve of "very rare" strength?
- 21/11/2009 06:00:29 PM
495 Views
So, in terms of Nynaeve's power, do you think she is VERY rare? *NM*
- 21/11/2009 06:23:14 PM
233 Views
Yes. She is so rare that she is mythic. A foiled Nynaeve can prolly fetch $100. 
*NM*
- 21/11/2009 09:59:28 PM
228 Views
*NM*
- 21/11/2009 09:59:28 PM
228 Views
So what's the point? Why the quotes? *NM*
- 21/11/2009 10:24:37 PM
212 Views
Well...
- 21/11/2009 11:44:40 PM
534 Views
I really doubt Nynaeve strength channelers are one in thousand...
- 22/11/2009 12:09:15 AM
531 Views
I agree with you!
- 23/11/2009 12:48:35 AM
458 Views
Re: I agree with you!
- 23/11/2009 03:56:14 AM
494 Views
Re: I agree with you!
- 25/11/2009 05:50:06 PM
483 Views
Re: I agree with you!
- 26/11/2009 05:10:22 PM
586 Views
Re: I agree with you!
- 26/11/2009 07:22:30 PM
477 Views
Re: I agree with you!
- 26/11/2009 07:36:38 PM
432 Views
Hmmm...
- 26/11/2009 10:38:44 PM
486 Views
Re: Hmmm...
- 27/11/2009 04:36:59 AM
516 Views
Re: Hmmm...
- 27/11/2009 05:40:50 AM
530 Views
Re: Hmmm...
- 27/11/2009 04:42:36 PM
540 Views
Re: Hmmm...
- 27/11/2009 05:53:11 PM
488 Views
Re: Hmmm...
- 30/11/2009 04:44:41 AM
532 Views
Don't forget Therava. She's stronger than any woman in the tower according to Galina.
- 28/11/2009 09:41:10 PM
429 Views
Re: Don't forget Therava. She's stronger than any woman in the tower according to Galina.
- 29/11/2009 12:40:02 AM
647 Views
Fionwe1987 is right. We do have a large enough sample. And the linking examples are good. *NM*
- 28/11/2009 09:32:14 PM
214 Views