Highstorm doubt

[Xabben]

In chapter 71 of RoW, the Stormfather mentions that the stormlight of a Radiant gets recharged after the "centerbeat" of the highstorm. However, we have seen Windrunners constantly charging their stormlight by just flying near the stormwall... Am I misunderstanding something?

[Schizoposting]

Presumably they are flying in and out of the ceneterbeat as needed.

[Treamayne]

On 6/9/2026 at 7:25 PM, Schizoposting said:

Presumably they are flying in and out of the ceneterbeat as needed.

The "centerbeat" is a not 100% physical realm phenomon and not something you can enter repeatedly (e. g. WoK - Kal tied in the highstorm; WoR - in the cave with Shallan, etc. )

WoB: 

Spoiler

Argent

Both times when Kaladin has had to survive a Highstorm outside, he finds himself in an area of unnatural calm. Is the eye of the Highstorm not entirely in the physical realm? I've had this feeling that the calm area pulls people into Shadesmar, at least a little...

Brandon Sanderson

This is not 100% physical realm.

/r/books AMA 2015 (May 24, 2015)

On 6/9/2026 at 4:12 PM, Xabben said:

In chapter 71 of RoW, the Stormfather mentions that the stormlight of a Radiant gets recharged after the "centerbeat" of the highstorm. However, we have seen Windrunners constantly charging their stormlight by just flying near the stormwall... Am I misunderstanding something?

Stormfather did not say "centerbeat" - RoW Ch 71:

Spoiler

“Blood of my fathers,” Dalinar whispered. “Stormfather, do you see him?”

I … feel him, the Stormfather said. Through you. He seems to be waiting for the center of the storm, where his spheres and Stormlight will renew.

Dalinar drew close to the young man, who had buried his head into his shoulder for protection.

The center of the storm is when Spheres typically recharge, a Windrunner flying the Stormwall is able to gain some Stormlight from leakage that far forward. It is possible (but not confirmed) that Windrunners have an edge in this due to their Order's affility with Wind Spren and the Storms. Afterall, we see Szeth do it, but only with the Windrunner Honorblade, and we have not yet seen a Skybreaker do it at all (that I can recall - i'll search in case I have forgotten). Either way, in the heart of the blockage in the Tower, it's unlikely Kaladin could have picked up leakage from the Stormwall.

Hope that helps 

Edited 22 hours ago by Treamayne
SPAG/Clarity

[Schizoposting]

1 hour ago, Treamayne said:

The center of the storm is when Spheres typically recharge, a Windrunner flying the Stormwall is able to gain some Stormlight from leakage that far forward. It is possible (but not confirmed) that Windrunners have an edge in this due to their Order's affility with Wind Spren and the Storms. Afterall, we see Szeth do it, but only with the Windrunner Honorblade, and we have not yet seen a Skybreaker do it at all (that I can recall - i'll search in case I have forgotten). Either way, in the heart of the blockage in the Tower, it's unlikely Kaladin could have picked up leakage from the Stormwall.

Hope that helps 

From what I remember, when Kaladin was strung up before the Highstorm, his spheres were only charged during the centerbeat.

[Treamayne]

21 hours ago, Schizoposting said:

From what I remember, when Kaladin was strung up before the Highstorm, his spheres were only charged during the centerbeat.

Correct - but my point was that the centerbeat is a perception thing for one person being partly pulled across Realms. Bridge Four did not experience it. In WoR Shallan did not experience it, despite being in the same cave and laying right next to him. 

Edited 22 hours ago by Treamayne
SPAG

[NameIess]

When Windrunners fly near a storm, are they not flying above the storm? I assumed they would be flying above the center of the storm, which could explain the discrepancy.

[Frustration]

Kaladin specifically mentions that he can draw stormlight while in front of the highstorm.

 

I would say that the answer is that while Radiants can draw stormlight from the Highstorm at various points, gemstones cannot and will only be recharged in the center.

[Returned he/him]

It may also be worth noting that we don't know how large the radius defining the center of the storm is. Also, regions where all three realms are pierced may exhibit oddities when trying to consider them from the perspective of just one realm (such as, physical distance is mostly a physical idea, less stable in the cognitive realm and totally meaningless in the spiritual realm).

I agree that Radiants' ability to draw Stormlight might give them the ability to "pull" it from farther away than a gemstone's passively being filled can, which may explain why gems only fill at a particular point and all at once. It would be an easy experiment to put out lines of gemstone clusters and measure the effect, but that may not be important enough for anyone in the books to bother doing.