A question I once asked Brandon about Plate

[Gloom]

I saw a quote recently where someone asked Brandon if Shards could be other weapons besides swords and he said yes. No idea where that quote went, but hopefully someone will source it for me.

 

Knowing that a Shard can take the form of any weapon opens the possibility that something like this may very well be the case.

[Kurkistan]

I saw a quote recently where someone asked Brandon if Shards could be other weapons besides swords and he said yes. No idea where that quote went, but hopefully someone will source it for me.

 

Knowing that a Shard can take the form of any weapon opens the possibility that something like this may very well be the case.

 

Hello. Where is this wonderful new quote?!

[Argent]

Somebody told me that it was confirmed that Shardspears could exist. I couldn't find anything though.

[Shardlet]

I couldve sworn I saw something back in June before shardspears were a big topic.  But I haven't been able to find it and now that shardspears has been written about so much, it is all the more difficult.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Shardlet

[Kurkistan]

I just did an advanced search from May 15 up to the end of August with little luck.

 

We've got this big discussion about the possibility, but no WoB.

 

Then we have Peter saying that the UK cover is non-canon.

 

Might this be another case of the infamous "everyone knows" as relates to shardweapons? Like how "everyone knows" that they're stored in the Spiritual Realm despite there being no WoB on it?

 

EDIT: Oh yes, and this.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Kurkistan

[Gloom]

No, I saw an actual quote. It was in a transcription from a reading I believe.

 

It said something like is it possible for a shardweapon to be something other than a sword?

Brandon answered that it was definitely possible.

[marianmi]

I do not know of WoB, but I can't see why other weapons cannot be. If the blades and plates are invested objects, nothing can stop you investing in other type of object. Heck you can have a lasso as a shard if you want. 

Probably the KR had a school of fencing, and everyone was using blades. If you come to radiant school, and you learn there how to fight, you would learn with a sword, so you would want a Blade later on.

[Guest Alaxel]

Unless you made a Shardspear with a triple sized blade on it, what's the point? The reason Shardblades are so effective is because they cut through everything nonliving with ease, and they cut through souls.

It's the cutting that makes them awesome weapons, and spears are thrusting/stabbing weapons with the added possibility of bludgeoning people with the haft. A Shardspear wouldn't be much more effective than a regular spear. It'd probably have a nigh indestructible haft, which would be nice. But consider this: whoever originally made Shardblades likely knew what they were doing and decided that the sword was the most effective form of Shardweapon. I trust and agree with their judgement.

If Kaladin were to obtain a Shardweapon, I believe he would be best served learning how to use a sword as well as he handles the spear. It honestly wouldn't be very difficult for him, either.

Edit: spelling.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Alaxel

[Argent]

I think you are working under the assumption that a Shardspear would be used in a manner similar to that of Shardblades, @Alaxel. In which case I would probably agree with you. In a duel between Shardbearers, however, I think a spear would be far more effective than a blade. I imagine that size of the Shardblade would make it difficult to parry with, while the length of the Shardspear would allow its wielder quickly shatter his enemy's Shardplate while staying out of range of his Blade.

[Guest Alaxel]

@Argent

A fair point.

Then, again...Shardplate and Shardweapons were designed to fight Voidbringers and Thunderclasts etc, not other Shardbearers, so I suppose we can't just have one all encompassing verdict on the effectiveness of the weapon. I think you're right about the Shardspear being better suited for combat between Shardbearers. I think Shardswords are better at supporting Infantry by sweeping through enemy ranks. And who knows what would be best against Voidbinders or Thunderclasts, who are evidently strong enough to kill Heralds.

[Gloom]

Nothing says the Shardspear has to be modeled after a traditional spear. Give him a ShardFauchard, or a ShardGlave, and he'd be capable of cutting deep while maintaining the ability to wield it as a spear. In fact, ShardGlave sounds decent.

[marianmi]

Not as good as ShardSpear

[Argent]

Gods below, a Shardglave would be a horrid weapon for big battles. A Shardblade can already sweep through half a dozen enemies with a bit of lucky - three or four being the norm. A glave... I can't see a non-Shardbearer getting close enough to harm the wielder of one of those.

[deddinty]

I so want Kaladin with a shard polearm of some sort, be it a spear or a glaive or anything like that.  It would just seem wrong to me if he suddenly gets a blade or learns how to use a sword with the same prowess as his spear.  Unfortunately it almost feels sort of like fanfiction level, him getting a shardspear. 

 

I can see a shardspear being useful in battle, just as a real spear is useful in different ways to a normal sword.  But I don't imagine a simple spear if it's a shardweapon.  I imagine something more like this (I'm not an artist, these are just rough ideas).  What I see a shardblade as on the right (with Mr. Person for perspective) and how I would picture a shardspear on the left.  

[Arran]

I would also like to see Kaladin remain with the spear, or at least a polearm-type weapon, throughout the series. In most fantasy series, the "male warrior hero"-type main character traditionally wields a sword of some sort, so when I first read TWoK, I found it quite refreshing to see one with a very different weapon instead. Besides, we've already got an expert swordsman with Adolin.

 

And yes, a Shardglaive would be awesome.

[Haxors]

I have a feeling that the Plate glows when the person wearing it has bonded a Honorspren, as I think the Plates and Blades are probably related to Honor. Furthermore I also think that stormlight is part of Cultivation's Investiture, I just feel there is more a feeling of growth after a highstorm, so I think that the highstorm's and stormlight could be from Cultivation? Please proceed to poke as many holes in this theory as required!!

[Aether]

There is a common belief on this forum that the Highstorms are of Honour and that the Crem it carries are of Cultivation. As you yourself point out, life sprouts out after a storm, and it would be reasonable to assume some of it could be because of Cultivations touch through for example the cream, which plants use as nutrients, Cremlings eat and most crustaceans use to make their shells.

[Haxors]

It just doesn't seem like something Honor would do? After reading one of the forums on the Oathpact, I think I should change my post abit. I now propose that the Highstorm's are from Odium, and that Honor and Culitvation have 'invested' of themselves into the storms? I mean we are repeatedly reminded throughout the book of how powerful and destructive a Highstorm is, so is it not then possible that the storms are of Odium and the beneficial traits of the storm are kind of like Honor and Cultivation's way of trying to make something good out of a bad situation? Please tell me if I'm way off base here? I'm not entirely convinced by my own theory so if you can prove me wrong or whatever please don't hesitate to do so

Edited December 4, 2013 by Haxors

[Gloom]

I'd propose that the Highstorms are a natural phenomenon of Roshar, a world with a single supercontenant and 2/3 normal earth gravity. I'd propose that when the Shards invested themselves in the planet that some of their investiture was placed in the Storm. At the very least Stormlight is an investiture spread by the storms. I would find the ecosystem far to advanced and adapted to life on Roshar and its extreme climate to have existed for less than a billion years.

[Edgedancer]

I just realized thar Highstorms coud be an creation from all 3 shards or.

 

The destruction of the land comes from Odium.

The Magic and possibility to fight against the evil of the world comes from Honour.

The growth after the storm Comes from Cultivation.

 

I´m admidetly not sure about Honours part.

[Haxors]

Quick question how would I put a spoiler tag to a post? Cos my next post has references to the end of Mistborn? Sorry still very new to forums and such

Edited December 4, 2013 by Haxors

[Kurkistan]

It's fairly easy: Just enclose the text in <spoiler>HIDDEN STUFF!!!</spoiler>, with square brackets ('[' and ']') instead of arrows.

 

EDIT: Yes, I am a ninja. 

Edited December 4, 2013 by Ookla the Inveterate

[Aether]

Use this tag (but spell it "spolier" not "spolier"): [spolier]your text[/spolier].

 

EDIT:

Ninja'd!!

Edited December 4, 2013 by Aether

[Haxors]

Normally I would agree with you,

but if you take into account what Sazed did on Scadrial, when he changed the planet to be better suited to habitation and also changed the people's DNA if not mistaken, then I think that my theory is not only plausible but also very probable

And a huge thank you to both Ookla the Inveterate and Aether for teaching me how to do something which is actually rather simple. Up votes to both of you beautiful people!

Edited December 4, 2013 by Haxors

[Aether]

And please use the "Quote" or "MultiQuote" function when you are responding to something that is situated further back in the thread. I am having difficulties finding who you normally "would agree with", and what your said theory is. Are you addressing Gloom and defending your "Highstorms are of Odium" hypothesis?

 

EDIT: And you're most welcome. Nice to see former lurkers taking an interest and having their say=)

Edited December 4, 2013 by Aether