Trusk'our he/him Posted March 21, 2025 Posted March 21, 2025 Been dwelling on the nature of Resonances, and I found an inconsistency with a previous assumption of mine. Before, I thought that having a Resonance gave you a single, concrete effect. But the more I look into it, the less this feels true. Resonances have been described as a sort of "merging of the powers", where they start to act like one. Spoiler https://wob.coppermind.net/events/36-arcanum-unbounded-chicago-signing/#e1524 Argent So, the Edgedancer's resonance, the Perk? I think you've called it resonance at some point, is that still accurate? Brandon Sanderson Yeah, that totally works. The powers affect each other in interesting ways. Argent Right. Brandon Sanderson Um, so the thing about it is, calling it a Perk, that like saying-- Argent It's a side effect right? Brandon Sanderson It's less a side effect-- It's like, when the powers merge, they are always slightly different. For instance, Lightweaving from a Truthwatcher is different from-- Slightly. There will be things. So, you're gonna see that they all have access to the Surges, but in combinations, they act a little differently from one another. Questioner So is the Edgedancer's resonance something to do with communication? Because we see Lift-- Brandon Sanderson Yeah, yeah we'll RAFO that. Spoiler https://wob.coppermind.net/events/36-arcanum-unbounded-chicago-signing/#e1563 Argent Have we seen the resonances of either Wax or Wayne? Brandon Sanderson Yes, well, Wax is really good at sculpting bullets and things away from him. Argent The bubble. Brandon Sanderson Yeah and things like this. This is playing with the fact that he is-- Let's just say that the abilities make this happen, and I’ll let you theorize on why, but it's just an enhancement to what he can do. Argent I might be wrong, but I thought you said it was because he was becoming a steel savant. Brandon Sanderson A savant, yeah, definitely, but this is what this is coming from. Argent But being a savant has to do with being really good with one power-- Brandon Sanderson Yes. Argent --and resonances-- Brandon Sanderson Being a savant has to do with using Investiture a lot, and it's starting to permeate your soul. Like we've ta-- Argent So he's more a savant with both of-- Brandon Sanderson He's used them a lot, and they are changing his soul, and so the powers are morphing and changing. Just in slight, little ways. You're not gonna see a whole bunch. But you can imagine these two separate powers are kind of becoming one to him. Argent Yeah I can see that. And Wayne? Brandon Sanderson So Wayne's is not as obvious. I'll go ahead and RAFO that right now. They've also been described and shown as side perks, an additional, separate effect in the Ars. Arcanum. Spoiler The effects here are more subtle than they are when mixing Surges on Roshar, but I am convinced that each unique combination also creates something distinctive. Not just two powers, you could say, but two powers. . . and an effect. TLM pg. 506 I believe both are true. Following up on my previous hypothesis on how Resonances form as a result of the practitioner's Spiritweb attuning to multiple powers, I think that this is what causes a separate "perk" to manifest itself. Windrunner's Squire Connection, Lightweaver's mnemonic traits, and Wax's preternatural aim fall into this category by tweaking the natural attributes within the Spiritweb. However, if Investiture always attunes other Investiture to its own Pulse, then the powers should affect one another as well, which we see. Windrunners have Reverse Lashing, which feels like Gravitation tweaked by Adhesion's traits. Lightweavers can add mass to their illusions because of their Transformation Surge. Wax's bubble was once going to be cannonized as a Resonance after Savantism didn't pan out (and I think might still be). I don't think that these hybrid power tweaks are completely unavailable to those with only one power though. Just more difficult. Wax fought with a Coinshot that used a Steel bubble in BoM and while ranged Soulcasting is easier for Elsecallers (presumably because of their Transportation Resonance) it can be used by Lightweavers too. Spoiler https://wob.coppermind.net/events/402-starsight-release-party/#e13399 Questioner Is Jasnah being able to Soulcast at a distance the resonance of her two Surges or is that just a Radiant thing that's not with the fabrials. Brandon Sanderson Jasnah's Order is better at that than others. It is not impossible that you could imagine a Lightweaver being able to do it. As an example, let's consider a Pewterarm/Bloodmaker Twinborn's plausible Resonance effects. If both powers affect one another, burning pewter might focus on healing the Twinborn more than what a typical Pewterarm might receive. Their Feruchemy might conversly begin to broaden what it stores, adding a smidge of extra energy or physical power on top of health. Their perk, a separate modification of their base attributes, might revolve around health as both powers overlap in that regard. Maybe an easier time restoring Spiritweb cracks? 5
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