"I equate Vin's level of power being somewhere near Moraine's. Quite strong for her time, but not even near the strength of the original nine Allomancers."
So are you saying that Vin's power level (OVER 9000!) is below average? With the developments of WoT, ie the Asha'man, the windfinders, etc., Moiraine is towards the lower end of the spectrum. Think, recent characters would skew the average upwards, and Asha'man would definitely have an impact...
(note: I am leaving Seanchan and Shara out of this. While there are likely numerous channelers in each, they'd offset each other-Shara breeds for channelers, while Seanchan removes them from their gene pool. Additionally, we don't really know how their populations...)
Vin is capable of killing mistborn and inquisitors alike, and if she's aproximately equal to Moiraine, the average mistborn would be equal to the average Aes Sedai. And we've seen how they faired against just about everything...
"But instead, we're debating whether or not a Mistborn could defeat a Channeler, if all else was equal. "
"Also, a few months/years training in the White Tower compared to a few months/years learning things on your own is hardly an equal field."
Are we trying to make things a equal field? Personally, I don't think it is. The point is not to have a fair contest here, but to compare the magic systems for raw power/usefulness.
"A few year's training in Allomancy could more roughly translate to Nynaeve's skill with the One Power before her formal training began. She had been using the One Power for years to heal people, and had become quite proficient at it, but she still had her block and any Aes Sedai could run her up one end and down the other."
I say that a Vin, pre training, is more in this area. They both didn't know what they were doing, neither used the full extent of their power, both were proficient, and neither could truly stand up to a trained counterpart.
"As for the building scenario, it's true too much force could splatter a Mistborn, but most of that force would either be absorbed by the weaves or used to break them. (Side note: I seem to remember that weaves of air are designed to not hurt those encapsulated in them.)"
I recall people thrashing around in air-this implies that they come up against something solid. While Mat describes this as a thick jelly(TDR), there are also examples of damage being done to a person while held. In the mini contest between Nynaeve and Siuan, Siuan is launched back, slammed against a wall, and held there. This does not seem to protect the person held.
There is, however, question as to how the weave works-channelers can lift people up into the air, but there is no mention of what happens if an outside force pushed on the held person then. Perhaps they would fly off, but the holding would keep, (Picture a mistborn, stuck in one pose, flying around) or my splatter theory would be proven. If you can find a passage where it notes that weaves of air are designed not to allow hurt-not just not to directly hurt, but also to stop indirect damage-please post.)
"I believe Elayne equates lifting things with air to be similar to lifting them with your arms, and could you imagine lifting something pressing down with the force of a building?"
I do recall something like this, but I thought it was more simile, rather than actual force. I think that there are strength limits to how much can be lifted, though whether your average mistborn could overcome this and break the weave would be up for grabs. (And they'd need to do it repeatedly, as channelers can weave quickly)
"Side Note II: Feruchemists?"
There's also true power...
Poll