Non-humanoids Wearing Shardplate

[Raven Wilder]

Shardplate changes size/shape to perfectly fit whoever wears it. We've seen that even if you put a helmet on your hand instead of your head, it'll still morph to fit your hand perfectly.

But what about someone who doesn't fit the standard human bodyshape? Like, if you put it on a Ryshadium, or a Sleepless's hordeling, or some off-world speices like an Ula Da or a boneless kandra? What are the limits to how far the Plate is able/willing to change?

[Treamayne]

54 minutes ago, Raven Wilder said:

Shardplate changes size/shape to perfectly fit whoever wears it. We've seen that even if you put a helmet on your hand instead of your head, it'll still morph to fit your hand perfectly.

But what about someone who doesn't fit the standard human bodyshape? Like, if you put it on a Ryshadium, or a Sleepless's hordeling, or some off-world speices like an Ula Da or a boneless kandra? What are the limits to how far the Plate is able/willing to change?

Well the first Prelude of the first book (combined with the back cover text) implies that Sleepless were Radiant before Aharietiam (confirmed by WoB)?

So, in the past, any of them to reach the correct Oath would have their own Shardplate - and we already know that they are bad at imitating human forms now (much less 4500 yrs ago). As for other forms, we have this WoB:

Spoiler

Robert

It is established in The Way of Kings that standard Shardplate forms to fit the wearer perfectly. Would this work if you put it on a dog or horse?

Brandon Sanderson

Within reasonable limits, how about that? Depends on the size of the dog or the horse. There are dogs that you could fit Shardplate with, there are probably horses that you could too.

Emily Sanderson

But they would be axehounds, right?

Brandon Sanderson

Well, yeah. If you brought a dog to Roshar.

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Hope that helps

[Raven Wilder]

Thanks! So it sounds like only horses on the smaller end of things would be able to fit into Shardplate - I guess that rules out going into battle on a Shardbearing Ryshadium.

 

Unless a Ryshadium were able to become Radiant and swear the Fourth Ideal on their own, maybe, but that's a whole different query.

[Treamayne]

On 1/1/2025 at 9:04 PM, Raven Wilder said:

Thanks! So it sounds like only horses on the smaller end of things would be able to fit into Shardplate - I guess that rules out going into battle on a Shardbearing Ryshadium.

Unless a Ryshadium were able to become Radiant and swear the Fourth Ideal on their own, maybe, but that's a whole different query.

Well, it may also apply based on the size of the Shardbearer. We see in WoR that Eshonai's shardplate expanded to fit her Warform. So a large individual like Rock, might be able to expand their Shardplate for a small Rhyshadium (depending on surface area difference). I agree it is unlikely. Though, for a Radiant of the fifth ideal, there may be more leeway because the plate is "living" and being a higher ideal might attract a greater qty of Plate Spren. . .

However, I feel if this was really possible, we would have seen or heard about it before now. Also, consider that using Plate correctly takes significant training, which may be hard to accomplish with/for an animal companion.

Edited January 21, 2025 by Treamayne
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