Elza says that Cadsuane must be using an angreal because she's drawing more than she and Merise combined. This leads me to believe that Cadsuane is less powerful than 2 Sisters.



Yes, but I'm saying that people aren't going wild about her strength. Your quote is valid though.



Be'lal may have a way to feel their strength - we know that Rahvin described the strength of an Aes Sedai he was using to Lanfear. Then again, Demandred relies on Mesaana to tell him about Cyndane. On the other hand, perhaps it requires a weave and he would not risk channeling directly at Cyndane. Many possibilities

Moghedien addresses Elayne and Nynaeve, but it's Nynaeve who takes most of her notice. If you're a normal sized guy and you come across two men, one 6"5 and one 8", then you correctly remark that both are very tall, but especially the 8" guy. There's no way that the 6"5 person would elicit that degree of shock even if he is uncommon.



And yet Kiruna is confident that six Aes Sedai could not overwhelm him. This is confirmed by historical texts that show that six women could not overwhelm a strong male.

Strength is an issue in dueling. You merely saw the extremes fighting one another - one with incredible skill, and one with incredible strength but little skill. There are countless examples in the series where strength is a large issue when estimating an opponent. The best would be in NS when Moiraine duels Merean, and says that the stronger woman is much harder to fight.



Conjecture. Egwene isn't even as strong as six linked Aes Sedai. If 3 or 4 linked women could match the Forsaken at the cleansing, you're effectively saying that Egwene could overwhelm one of them, which is clearly not true. Egwene has never claimed to be on that level, and never could be. Egwene may be the most skilled Aes Sedai by a long shot, but it's probably that most, if not all, of the Forsaken are still vastly more skilled in saidar.



We don't know what Semirhage saw when she evaluated Cadsuane.



KoD (Embers falling on dry grass) - ... Silviana was far from weak; there was no hope that she could break the woman's shield."


Amy's strength varies between Sheriam's and Moiraine's.



No it doesn't. It shows that concentration and preparation are essential in channeling and can greatly weaken a weave. Nynaeve saw herself naked and lashed out at Elayne and failed. Meanwhile, we know that she can shield women even of her own strength.

It's similar to Moghedien's chapter where she weaves Compulsion on the innkeeper prior to balefiring Nynaeve. She says it's a hasty web with precipitous effects that could leave the woman dimwitted, but she has no time for finesse. A weave isn't just a weave. By preparing a shield too well, Egwene actually stilled Amico.