but you are the person quantifying the actual strength levels. - Edit 1
Before modification by darius_sedai at 18/12/2009 12:19:20 AM
based on nothing other than you believing that Lanfear is more than 2x stronger than Elayne... there is no evidence that she is that much stronger. The 1-100 system plays no part in the text or in any quote I've ever seen from RJ.
In fact the best evidence we have of how much stronger she is than Egwene is Moiraine's estimation that Egwene and Aviendha combined could match Lanfear. This makes Lanfear less than 2x these women as neither is at 100% strength when this quote is made.
The next best thing we have is that it takes 3 AS (one very weak the others above average) to hold Semirahge's shield. And 2 to hold Egwene's. Again, making Egwene more than 50% of these women.
Based on this I believe Egwene to be closer to 75% the strength of the Forsaken. I haven't seen a quote or a quantifiable Channeling experience to convince me that she is any weaker.
As for "typical" or "average" AS, I do think the majority of the Tower women are much much weaker than Egwene et al. As in less than 50% of Egwene. But those in the upper ranks are consistently pointed to as strong, even by women who have been around the Forsaken level channelers.
Elayne comments any number of times that Sheriam level and there abouts is strong for a woman. There are plenty of "not many women possessed so much strength" when she discusses this tier of women... and of the women in the series she would know, having been exposed to Kin, WO, damane, AS and Forsaken she's seen a vast cross-section of female strength. However, even these women are farther from Egwene than Egwene is from Nynaeve...
The shielding of Sheriam points to this. Egwene slaps a shield on Sheriam with no effort at all. Nynaeve on the other hand had trouble shielding Elayne... no doubt she CAN shield her, but she obviously has to put effort into the shield or it CAN fail.
In fact the best evidence we have of how much stronger she is than Egwene is Moiraine's estimation that Egwene and Aviendha combined could match Lanfear. This makes Lanfear less than 2x these women as neither is at 100% strength when this quote is made.
The next best thing we have is that it takes 3 AS (one very weak the others above average) to hold Semirahge's shield. And 2 to hold Egwene's. Again, making Egwene more than 50% of these women.
Based on this I believe Egwene to be closer to 75% the strength of the Forsaken. I haven't seen a quote or a quantifiable Channeling experience to convince me that she is any weaker.
As for "typical" or "average" AS, I do think the majority of the Tower women are much much weaker than Egwene et al. As in less than 50% of Egwene. But those in the upper ranks are consistently pointed to as strong, even by women who have been around the Forsaken level channelers.
Elayne comments any number of times that Sheriam level and there abouts is strong for a woman. There are plenty of "not many women possessed so much strength" when she discusses this tier of women... and of the women in the series she would know, having been exposed to Kin, WO, damane, AS and Forsaken she's seen a vast cross-section of female strength. However, even these women are farther from Egwene than Egwene is from Nynaeve...
The shielding of Sheriam points to this. Egwene slaps a shield on Sheriam with no effort at all. Nynaeve on the other hand had trouble shielding Elayne... no doubt she CAN shield her, but she obviously has to put effort into the shield or it CAN fail.