Are dragons too invested that even Shardblade does not hurt?

[Sythrin]

They seem to be seemingly indestructable with the exceptions of Anomolities. Can somebody outside of that and Shards (and maybe nightblood) even kill them?

[Onironte he/him]

It's just a theory, but I think that, since their souls are so intrinsically connected to the Spiritual Realm as to make them unable to receive a nahel bond, they should be able to stand against Shardblades, their Investiture being replenished constantly. Probably Nightblood would be different. Or maybe not—maybe a dragon could stand against the weapon that destroyed Rayse. Rayse was Connected to a Shard, and that Shard was Connected to the Spiritual Realm, where the Shard's Investiture came from. Dragons are directly Connected to the Spiritual Realm. That could make Nightblood reach the "saciated" state before consuming the dragon soul/mind.

[Lenth]

I think Nightblood would probably be able to overwhelm a dragon, though, if we’ve already seen it can consume a Vessel. The Spiritual Realm might be limitless, but a dragon’s ability to draw upon it doesn’t seem to be–especially considering how the Dakwara was able to interfere with Starling’s healing. 

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

11 hours ago, Lenth said:

I think Nightblood would probably be able to overwhelm a dragon, though, if we’ve already seen it can consume a Vessel. The Spiritual Realm might be limitless, but a dragon’s ability to draw upon it doesn’t seem to be–especially considering how the Dakwara was able to interfere with Starling’s healing. 

Even the deathants were. Nightblood would definitely kill a bound dragon, and probably an unbound one, but… there’s only one of Nightblood. Even Vivenna’s blade isn’t like Nightblood.

Edited July 29, 2025 by SpiritOfWrath

[Onironte he/him]

On 7/30/2025 at 12:23 AM, SpiritOfWrath said:

Even Vivenna’s blade isn’t like Nightblood.

Is there any evidence that Vivenna’s blade is a Type IV BioChromatic Entity (an awakened inorganic object with true sentience like Nightblood), rather than just a Type III?
It would make sense that, once Vasher realized the dangers of a truly Awakened inorganic sword—particularly one capable of killing Vessels—he would have advised Vivenna against making another like Nightblood, and instead suggested she simply Awaken a wooden sword, or even a sword soulcast from wood.

[Treamayne]

On 7/23/2025 at 7:03 AM, Sythrin said:

Are dragons too invested that even Shardblade does not hurt?

Even if a Shardblade could cut into their soul by passingn through flesh, it's likely that it could not cut through the Dragonsteel that is part of their body and bones.

On 7/29/2025 at 7:48 AM, Lenth said:

On 7/29/2025 at 7:42 AM, Onironte said:

Dragons are directly Connected to the Spiritual Realm. That could make Nightblood reach the "saciated" state before consuming the dragon soul/mind.

I think Nightblood would probably be able to overwhelm a dragon, though, if we’ve already seen it can consume a Vessel. The Spiritual Realm might be limitless, but a dragon’s ability to draw upon it doesn’t seem to be–especially considering how the Dakwara was able to interfere with Starling’s healing. 

Nightblood, however, consumes Investiture and pierces all three realms, so it likely represents a real danger to Dragons. Whle getting overfull is possible, keep in mind that Nightblood collapsed a perpendicularity without reach Satiety, so it's not just about an active link to the Spiritual Realm. 

Hope that helps. 

[Valigus]

Here’s another good question, if a shardblade cannot cut a dragon (frankly I find this unlikely at least in terms of its bare flesh. They can cut heralds for example and I suspect heralds are at least as invested if not more invested than (most) dragons. 
 

would a honorblade be able to? Do honorblades have higher cutting potential as a result of being much more invested entities?

[LockDown Ammo he/him]

On 8/2/2025 at 7:05 PM, Treamayne said:

Even if a Shardblade could cut into their soul by passingn through flesh, it's likely that it could not cut through the Dragonsteel that is part of their body and bones.

But it is a part of them only in Dragon form, in human form its only in their iris I think iirc, (I don't remember where I got this from, it's just there in my mind)? Is there somewhere that says that the bones are also dragonsteel in human form? Also wasn't tamukek supposed to be their bones and the description does not seem like that of Dragonsteel.
 

On 8/2/2025 at 7:05 PM, Treamayne said:

Nightblood, however, consumes Investiture and pierces all three realms, so it likely represents a real danger to Dragons. Whle getting overfull is possible, keep in mind that Nightblood collapsed a perpendicularity without reach Satiety, so it's not just about an active link to the Spiritual Realm. 

Yes it does present a real danger. Also the rate at which it consumes Investiture is far higher than the rate at which Starling seems to be able to replenish it, as I think there was a line saying "it takes time" (though that maybe due to her being bound) so that would result in a dead dragon.
 

19 hours ago, Valigus said:

Here’s another good question, if a shardblade cannot cut a dragon (frankly I find this unlikely at least in terms of its bare flesh. They can cut heralds for example and I suspect heralds are at least as invested if not more invested than (most) dragons. 
 

would a honorblade be able to? Do honorblades have higher cutting potential as a result of being much more invested entities?

I don't think Heralds are more Invested than dragons. Dragons are said to be so Invested to the point that they cannot gain access to Invested Arts or Nahel Bond. Their flesh could probably be cut with a Shardblade but their soul? Most definitely not, metaminds, spikes and other Invested objects cannot be cut with Shardblade so Dragons definitely not. So it can probably start cutting flesh but then will stop (I am assuming that since it pierces all 3 realms it stops moving in all 3 if blocked in any one).

I don't think Honorblades have "higher cutting potential"

[Nitpicking]

On 8/8/2025 at 2:12 PM, LockDown Ammo said:

But it is a part of them only in Dragon form, in human form its only in their iris I think iirc, (I don't remember where I got this from, it's just there in my mind)? Is there somewhere that says that the bones are also dragonsteel in human form? Also wasn't tamukek supposed to be their bones and the description does not seem like that of Dragonsteel.

In Dragonsteel Prime

Spoiler

Tamu Keks (the original spelling) are Sho Del bone, not dragon bone.