The following is a list of all One Power strength rankings given in The Wheel of Time Companion along with notes and corrections on errata appearing in that book. For more general information see One Power.
Robert Jordan's Ranking System[]
The notation of Robert Jordan's ranking system can be somewhat confusing because he expanded his initial system of 60 levels to 72 levels of One Power strength for female channelers, and again to account for levels of males above that. The notation can be described briefly as follows:
- The first number is according to his 72-level scale. 1 is the strongest a female channeler can be.
- The second number (in parentheses) is according to his 60-level scale. 1 in this scale is the strongest Aes Sedai in the White Tower at the beginning of the first book.
- There is a difference in 12 levels between the two. Elaida, for example, would have a strength level of 13(1).
- Women stronger than the 60-level scale allows are denoted by the number of levels above level 1 they are. Egwene, for example, is marked as 8(+5), being five levels of strength above Elaida.
- Men can be stronger than the strongest female. This is accounted for by six extra strength levels with their own notation. ++1 is the strongest a man can be. We only have strengths for a few men, however, with the weakest being level ++4.
21-level scale[]
Robert Jordan had an older system that had only 21 levels.
I have said that in my notes I have such a scale that I use to keep track of everyone, but its main use is for the lesser characters, in particular Aes Sedai, so that I can check on who should defer to whom, who should only listen a little more attentively to whom, and so forth.[1]
An attempt to recreate using this scale can be read online.[2] There are several discrepnancies that arise between the two, mainly because it allows for a lot more levels for weaker channelers, but also because the point of views needed as evidence from the books is necessarily subjective. This is particularly true among the Forsaken, who both exaggerate their own opinion of their strength and measure themselves in ways that are not restricted to just raw strength. Direct quotations from the books can also only show an incomplete picture. Discrepnancies between the books and the numbers in the Companion are noted in their own section.
Rankings Table[]
- ↑ Robert Jordan on his blog
- ↑ 21-level Scale at Thirteenth Depository blog
- ↑ Lanfear was rumored to be the second most powerful of the Forsaken[verify], but this does not necessarily mean in raw strength as women have an increased level of skill that adds to their raw strength.
- ↑ The Companion lists this as Elayne's potential strength, not actual strength.
- ↑ The Companion lists Cadsuane's strength as 5(+8), but elsewhere she is mentioned as having the same potential as Nicola Treehill. This level is more consistent with the references in the books.
- ↑ Bode's exact strength level is not stated in the Companion, though she is described as having a potential almost as strong as Egwene's.
- ↑ The books state that Viendre's strength stronger than that of Elayne. Elayne may not have reached her full potential at this point, howwever.
- ↑ The Companion gives this as her current strength. As per the books, Aviendha, Elayne and Egwene have equal potential.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Wheel of Time Companion gives her strength as either 17(5) or 18(6).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Companion gives her strength level as either 18(6) or 19(7).
- ↑ Vandene's potential is stated in the Companion to be 20(8), but she never fulfilled it because she did not want to eclipse her sister Adeleas.
- ↑ in TWoTC Sorilea's level of strength is described as 57(35) but it is clearly a mistake because such level does not exist, it could be either 47(35) (most likely) or 57(45).