Ranged Shard weapons

[DoctaDajman]

I know there are instances of radiants throwing their shards. 

Im trying to think of the best options on a ranged sort of shard weapon. 

I think throwing knives, javelin, axes etc. would work just fine but as an avid archer I am curious about an arrow shape. 

How does the javelin throwing of shards work cutting the soul? How would an arrow work? Does it have to hit the spine or does it just destroy any organ it hits? While not severing the spine, nearly any torso hit would likely pass through at least one vital organ. But how fast will that kill an enemy?  A gut shot could take a long long time to kill. 

I say arrow because I assume it cant be made into a functioning bow. And even if it could its the arrow that cuts not the bow itself right? 

Wouldnt this offer so much more range and projectile speed compared to the others. I dont imagine mass matters so much when you sever all living souls and non living with ease. 

How well would it work for the spren to form and reform over and over again in the ideal arrow shape?  

Also... do shards all weigh less out of choice or is it the fact of the metal they are formed from regardless?  

I ask because it wouldnt ve the arrow you have to worry about breaking or retrieving in this case but your bow needs to be sturdy enough to launch it. Perhaps this would allow you to shoot a laughably low poundage option and get all the same effectiveness as far as penetration goes? 

 

 

[Qianweilian He/him]

1 hour ago, DoctaDajman said:

Im trying to think of the best options on a ranged sort of shard weapon. 

I'll give a full response later, but IoTE spoilers

Spoiler

The radiant has a shardgun.

Quote

The alien thrust out his armored hand, and smoke—or mist—coalesced there out of nowhere. It formed into a gun, longer than a pistol, shorter than a rifle. Wicked in shape, with flowing metal along the sides like wings, it was to Saplings’s pistol what a shadowy deep beast of the ocean was to a minnow. The alien raised his other hand, snapping a small box—perhaps a power supply—to the side of the rifle, causing it to glow ominously.

[Treamayne]

9 hours ago, DoctaDajman said:

I say arrow because I assume it cant be made into a functioning bow. And even if it could its the arrow that cuts not the bow itself right? 

WoBs:

Spoiler

Quote

Questioner

*inaudible* with the spren, like, with the *inaudible* would it have infinite ink?

Brandon Sanderson

The way it works in my head canon right now, which I haven't written it so if it changes, no. The other thing is getting complex systems is going to be harder for a lot of Spren. There are legends that reference that they were able to do bows in the past, which includes a string. Everyone is like "but they're not metal, how does that work." Complex structures, even the mechanics of a pen is not something that we have proof that they could even do. If they did do it, they wouldn't have infinite ink, you would fill them up with ink.

Footnote: The question was likely about if Shardpens could exist
Barnes & Noble B-Fest 2016 (June 11, 2016)

Quote

Questioner

Is there a limit to what the spren can become, like we've seen them become a blade or a spear or a shield, can they become, like-- I've heard hints of a bow and arrow. Can they become a sword and a shield or just one main thing?

Brandon Sanderson

Um, it is more expansive than people guess it is, but it is limited.

Oathbringer release party (Nov. 13, 2017)

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Questioner 1

So, it's been established when Syl transformed for Kaladin that a living Blade can become any weapon, right?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, based on the perception of the wielder.

Questioner 1

Right. So, why is it that there are only dead swords?

Brandon Sanderson

That's a good question that will be answered in the future.

Questioner 2

Could they make a lightsaber?

Brandon Sanderson

Could they make a lightsaber? W-- They could make metal weapons of a similar style to that, so no, we're not talking lightsabers because… Creating plasma is not something that we're looking at.

Moderator

But like a bow, for example?

Brandon Sanderson

They could create, probably--Well, let's RAFO that one, I'll show you what's going to be happening.

JordanCon 2016 (April 23, 2016)

 

Also, have you read The Sunlit Man? If not, do you intent to read it?

[Mattel]

Something that doesn't seem to get talked about often is the fact that Kaladin forms a massive hammer and it breaks Szeth's shoulder in the fight at the end of WoR. Then, in RoW when Kaladin seeks out Zahel near the start of the book to see if he could become an ardent, before they fight he tells Kaladin to "dull the blade, idiot." Syl then physically changed shape become less sharp per Kaladin's request. So then there's the interesting dynamic between the perception of a weapon and the physical quality of a weapon. To your question about how a shard-arrow would physically affect a person, I really could see it going either way, either like a normal arrow with ordinary piercing qualities or needing to physically hit some important part of nervous system to deal damage. 

 

Also hear me out: A shard weapon Frisbee.