Can you lash something towards a moving target?

[CognitiveShadow he/him]

So I understand you can lash yourself in specific directions and can lash other people or objects in the same way. BUT - can you lash an object with the intent that its gravitational force is specifically tied to another object or person? Sort of like a heat seeking missile. 
 

In practice, I think the simplest use case would be launching an arrow into the air but first lashing it towards the person you want it to hit. Not just in their general direction, but so that even if they move the arrow will adjust and move that direction. Do we know if this is possible? My gut says no just because I feel like we’d have seen this in practice already by now.

I had this thought because I was wondering who would be the better and more dangerous person with a gun - a Windrunner/Skybreaker using their lashings to enhance their aim and firing power, or a steel pusher like Wax? Curious if anyone has any thoughts on this as well. Obviously if the radiants are able to lash things to make them lock on to a target then they are more dangerous for sure- way better aim that way.

Edited November 8, 2024 by CognitiveShadow

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, CognitiveShadow said:

can you lash an object with the intent that its gravitational force is specifically tied to another object or person? Sort of like a heat seeking missile. 

No, you cannot. WoB:

Spoiler

Balyne

In WoR, when Kaladin is chasing Szeth through the storm, could he have just Lashed himself to Szeth and followed automatically? I realize he was new to his abilities and may not have thought of it, but is it possible?

Brandon Sanderson

One thing about Lashing that is counter-intuative to people who know physics is that Lashings are usually in a direction, not toward an object. It means that physics wise, it's not actually increasing the gravitational pull of an object--but sending you a direction. I did this because of just this type of question; it made the magic too powerful.

Stormlight Three Update #5 (Nov. 19, 2016)

However, in a different application (such as Lift and Szeth during the Battle of Thaylen Field) you could use a reverse lashing on someone or thing, then throw/shoot in that direction so the reverse lashing pulls it to target.

Referencing the above example, if Szeth still had the Honorblade, he could have used a reverse lashing on Lift (more likely something she carried) and himself - then as they tossed the gem to each other avoiding the fused, the reverse lashing would help them catch it.

Less martial applications, but more "take a third option" applications.

Hope that helps

Edited November 8, 2024 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Dunkum he/him]

36 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

However, in a different application (such as Lift and Szeth during the Battle of Thaylen Field) you could use a reverse lashing on someone or thing, then throw/shoot in that direction so the reverse lashing pulls it to target.

Reverse lashing requires maintaining contact, so I don't think that would work. if you had a windrunner or skybreaker near the target, they could reverse lash him to draw fire, but from a distance you couldn't really do anything with that power.

[Treamayne]

37 minutes ago, Dunkum said:

Reverse lashing requires maintaining contact, so I don't think that would work

That was believed to be true by Szeth, but Kaladin shows in RoW that correct Intent does not require that . . .(RoW Spoilers)

Spoiler

. . . when he lashes Lezian to the window, reverse lashes the floor and walks away - before The Pursuer has his head ripped off.

RoW Ch 106:

Quote

In that moment, Kaladin did something to the window. As he stepped back, he left the Pursuer stuck to the glass, immobilized and lacking the Voidlight to eject his soul. Kaladin didn’t attack. Instead he reached down and infused the ground, but with power that didn’t glow as strong as she thought it should.

The Pursuer’s head … it was pulling forward against his neck, his eyes bulging. He groaned, and Venli realized that Stormblessed had infused the ground, then made it pull on the Pursuer’s head. But his body was stuck to the wall.

Kaladin turned and strode toward the watching Heavenly Ones as the Pursuer’s head ripped from his body and slammed to the floor with a crunch.

 

Since we already saw Szeth misunderstand Intent with summoning his Honorblade, I take early WoK info with a splash of crem.

[Dunkum he/him]

2 hours ago, Treamayne said:

That was believed to be true by Szeth, but Kaladin shows in RoW that correct Intent does not require that . . .(RoW Spoilers)

  Reveal hidden contents

. . . when he lashes Lezian to the window, reverse lashes the floor and walks away - before The Pursuer has his head ripped off.

RoW Ch 106:

 

Since we already saw Szeth misunderstand Intent with summoning his Honorblade, I take early WoK info with a splash of crem.

forgot about that scene. still required an initial contact though, and if he is making contact with someone, then basic lashings are in play and probably more effective.

[Terrisman]

On 11/8/2024 at 4:34 PM, CognitiveShadow said:

So I understand you can lash yourself in specific directions and can lash other people or objects in the same way. BUT - can you lash an object with the intent that its gravitational force is specifically tied to another object or person? Sort of like a heat seeking missile. 
 

In practice, I think the simplest use case would be launching an arrow into the air but first lashing it towards the person you want it to hit. Not just in their general direction, but so that even if they move the arrow will adjust and move that direction. Do we know if this is possible? My gut says no just because I feel like we’d have seen this in practice already by now.

I had this thought because I was wondering who would be the better and more dangerous person with a gun - a Windrunner/Skybreaker using their lashings to enhance their aim and firing power, or a steel pusher like Wax? Curious if anyone has any thoughts on this as well. Obviously if the radiants are able to lash things to make them lock on to a target then they are more dangerous for sure- way better aim that way.

In regards to your question about who is more dangerous, a steel pusher is limited by their weight and so would need to be increasing weight like Wax if they want to use a gun with a lot more force. a Windrunner can lash things multiple times without an issue of recoil

[Lopens Tenth Cousin he/him]

 

On 11/8/2024 at 5:53 PM, Treamayne said:

That was believed to be true by Szeth, but Kaladin shows in RoW that correct Intent does not require that . . .(RoW Spoilers)

  Hide contents

. . . when he lashes Lezian to the window, reverse lashes the floor and walks away - before The Pursuer has his head ripped off.

RoW Ch 106:

 

Since we already saw Szeth misunderstand Intent with summoning his Honorblade, I take early WoK info with a splash of crem.

Instead, could this be a part of Resonance between the Windrunner powers that wouldn't be present with the limited capabilities of the Honorblades?

Spoiler

For example, in WaT, it is mentioned that the Nahel bond had side effects that the Heralds themselves couldn't even replicate.

 

[Treamayne]

28 minutes ago, Lopens Tenth Cousin said:

 

Instead, could this be a part of Resonance between the Windrunner powers that wouldn't be present with the limited capabilities of the Honorblades?

  Hide contents

For example, in WaT, it is mentioned that the Nahel bond had side effects that the Heralds themselves couldn't even replicate.

 

It wouldn't be a Resonance, as the Windrunner Resonance is Squires - but it could be a change in the application of the Reverse Lashing between Honorblade and Bonded Radiant. It could also be a difference of capability by Oath level. Honorblades only have one static version of the surges, but Radiant Surges increase in efficiency and effect with higher Oaths.