The Aes Sedai probably should use more finesse....
Mats imaginary friend Send a noteboard - 06/01/2010 05:41:03 AM
3. Multi-flow weaving. Egwene tells us that most AS cannot handle more than 2 or 3 flows at once. The most skilled people can split their flows in 12+ ways allowing for far more effect dueling.
5. Conditioning that Strength is the key. The AS system lends to a poor belief that simply piling on more power will "fix" the situation in their favor ... despite being wrong on many occasions as you noted above!
In short most AS (regardless of strength) don't have the skill to be effective duelers. LTT/Rand and the Wondergirls would take apart most AS circles in a matter of minutes despite giving up strength advantages because they all seem to know that they can attack with multiple flows, slice stronger weaves than they can themselves create and get "creative" in the middle of a fight if necessary ... I'd be shocked if most AS ever thought to do something other than attempt a shield or single flow attack in a battle. Nynaeve showed us that she's a thinker when she tickled Talaan with a flow of air to distract her...
The Merean/Moiraine battle was kind of the same ... each wielding one big flow at a time toward one another (despite Merean holding a second flow of Air to bind her prisoners). AS seem to have the "HULK SMASH" approach to fighting, when they should really be looking to be more elegant warriors and using their opponents strengths against them... we've seen how off balance people get when a flow is cut or how little most think of the area around them (Adelorna notes that one Green was killed by Damane when they attacked the wall behind her).
The Merean/Moiraine battle was kind of the same ... each wielding one big flow at a time toward one another (despite Merean holding a second flow of Air to bind her prisoners). AS seem to have the "HULK SMASH" approach to fighting, when they should really be looking to be more elegant warriors and using their opponents strengths against them... we've seen how off balance people get when a flow is cut or how little most think of the area around them (Adelorna notes that one Green was killed by Damane when they attacked the wall behind her).
Like you said, they should probably rely more on finesse, but what incentive have they had to do so in hundreds of years? They are forbidden to use the one power except in self defense so offensive use of the power is limited to necessity and minimally trained, they haven't openly fought the BA until recently, and the only other channeling adversaries they've had for centuries are men who are reliably subdued by a circle 13 with little need for finesse. The Aes Sedai's reliance on power over finesse and skill in battle seems less a purposeful institution and more a product of a world which has provided no significant challenge that would allow them to sharpen their skills. When two untrained fighters go against each other the bigger stronger one would most likely win, and since the Aes Sedai have no real training or first hand experience against a channeling foe for so long it is only logical that they would fall back to the "Hulk Smash" mentality with no alternative being available or apparently needed.
Lews Therin's power
- 05/01/2010 03:11:06 PM
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Generally speaking I think you are spot on with this analysis
- 05/01/2010 11:37:48 PM
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The Aes Sedai probably should use more finesse....
- 06/01/2010 05:41:03 AM
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Indeed ... it makes a sad sort of sense given the last 3000 years!
- 06/01/2010 05:43:18 AM
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