Leecher/Nicroburst vs Aviar

[Cocoa]

How do you think a misting with an external enhancement metal would (or wouldn't) affect an Aviar's abilities? It doesn't seem that they keep any particular store of investiture in their bodies that could be burned/wiped away, so would it work a bit like how a Leecher burning chromium while holding onto a shardbearer can keep them from summoning their blade, but actually destroying a shardblade with leeching is near-impossible?

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, Cocoa said:

How do you think a misting with an external enhancement metal would (or wouldn't) affect an Aviar's abilities? It doesn't seem that they keep any particular store of investiture in their bodies that could be burned/wiped away, so would it work a bit like how a Leecher burning chromium while holding onto a shardbearer can keep them from summoning their blade, but actually destroying a shardblade with leeching is near-impossible?

I think it depends on the Aviar and their ability. AFAIK, A-Chromium and A-Nicrosil only affect Kinetic investiture. WoB:

Spoiler

Questioner

Nicrosil and chromium, do those have any interaction with people using Feruchemy, or other Investiture in general? Leechers or Nicrobursts.

Brandon Sanderson

Could you use those on Feruchemists? You should be able to, yes.

Questioner

Would that only work while they're tapping it?

Brandon Sanderson

If it's active Investiture, probably yes. You'd probably need it to be kinetic Investiture in order for them to do anything about it.

Dragonsteel Mini-Con 2021 (Nov. 22, 2021)

So, an ability like Kokerli's is (based on current understanding) a passive connection-based ability and is unlikely to be affected. However, an ability like Sak's seems to be Active (Dusk even has Sak "show her" and bestow the ability on Vathi) - so maybe it could be blocked like the Shardblade scenario (probably not the Aviar sensing danger - but the Aviar showing that danger to the bonded human)?

[Cocoa]

1 minute ago, Treamayne said:

I think it depends on the Aviar and their ability. AFAIK, A-Chromium and A-Nicrosil only affect Kinetic investiture. WoB:

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Questioner

Nicrosil and chromium, do those have any interaction with people using Feruchemy, or other Investiture in general? Leechers or Nicrobursts.

Brandon Sanderson

Could you use those on Feruchemists? You should be able to, yes.

Questioner

Would that only work while they're tapping it?

Brandon Sanderson

If it's active Investiture, probably yes. You'd probably need it to be kinetic Investiture in order for them to do anything about it.

Dragonsteel Mini-Con 2021 (Nov. 22, 2021)

So, an ability like Kokerli's is (based on current understanding) a passive connection-based ability and is unlikely to be affected. However, an ability like Sak's seems to be Active (Dusk even has Sak "show her" and bestow the ability on Vathi) - so maybe it could be blocked like the Shardblade scenario (probably not the Aviar sensing danger - but the Aviar showing that danger to the bonded human)?

I agree with your first point, but I disagree that Kokerlii's power being passive/constantly on means that it's not kinetic investiture. It always seemed to me that he was projecting something like a coppercloud, and Allomantic copper is a kinetic ability.

[alder24]

On 12/9/2023 at 3:10 AM, Cocoa said:

How do you think a misting with an external enhancement metal would (or wouldn't) affect an Aviar's abilities? It doesn't seem that they keep any particular store of investiture in their bodies that could be burned/wiped away, so would it work a bit like how a Leecher burning chromium while holding onto a shardbearer can keep them from summoning their blade, but actually destroying a shardblade with leeching is near-impossible?

Aviar's power comes from their soul and bond, thus Leeching applied directly on them would make them fully unable to use their powers (but won't "destroy" those abilities), just like with a person summoning their Shardblade. This includes Kokerlii's mind protection because it works like a Coppercloud. It's kinetic investiture. 

Aviars probably draw investiture directly from SR, thus Lecching won't be able to drain their storages away. It might get them weaker for a time after Leeching is done, but they still should be able to activate their powers after you stop draining them. This is a bit speculative as we don’t fully know how they fuel their invested art, or if they have some investiture storage in them, like for example from metabolizing food directly into investiture, which serves as their fuel (then a Leecher would drain that and make them unable to use their powers after they replenish their stores).

Nicroburster would work as well. For Sak it would create something akin to Elend burning Atium with duralumin, which showed him Preservation's plan and his role in it. For Kokerlii it probably won't be anything spectacular. It would make a momentary, impenetrable cloud on minds around him. Not that useful tbf. Other Aviars, depending on their powers, would be affected as well and might produce more practical results. 

Spoiler

Wigginns

What would a Hemalurgic spike granting atium do for an Allomancer already able to burn atium? Does it function similarly to bronze, granting enhanced atium-ing? Along this line of thought, would enhancing electrum burning via spike be of any advantage?

Brandon Sanderson

A spike of something you have would enhance your ability, giving your more strength. With atium, more strength makes for a minimal edge--the length you can push out the atium shadows. However, there's a certain breaking point where you kind of crack the whole system, peer straight into the [Spiritual Realm], and kind of have a "It's full of stars" moment.

Electrum could reach this same moment, potentially, though there's more interference to fight through. Extra strength in electrum isn't going to be terribly useful up to that point.

Alsadius

Is that what happened when atium was burned with duralumin?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Footnote: In his original response Brandon mistakenly said burning atium and duralumin would cause the Allomancer to peer into the Cognitive Realm, rather than Spiritual Realm. He has since confirmed that this was a mistake.
/r/books AMA 2015 (Aug. 1, 2015)

 

Spoiler

Sylos

I was happy when Elend finally burned duralumin with atium. I was holding my breath hoping that someone would eventually do it. However we didn't really get any info as to what Elend experienced. Does a duralumin-enhanced atium burn allow a person to see significantly farther into the future? If so, being that Elend's army was dying all around him did he get to see into the afterlife? Also if you could tell us what he saw that would be awesome. Did something he saw make him not want to avoid Marshes strike?

On a similar note if someone burned electrum with duralumin would they get to see significantly into their own future?

Brandon Sanderson

There is much here that I can't say, but I'll give as much as I can. Elend saw Preservation's ultimate plan, and Elend's own part in it. What he saw made him realize he didn't want to kill Marsh, and that his own death would actually help save the world. Like a master chess player, he suddenly saw and understand every possible move his enemy could make. He saw that Ruin was check-mated, because there was one thing that Ruin was not willing to do. Something that both Elend and Vin could do, if needed. And it's what they did.

So, in answer to your question, Elend stayed his hand. This is one of the reasons why I changed my mind and decided that Marsh had to live through the end of the book. Elend spared him; I needed to too.

Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide (Oct. 15, 2008)