Shard amputation

[maklbarry]

In the prologue to Way of Kings, it is mentioned in Szeth's narration that Stormlight would not heal a limb severed by a Shardblade. "The tempest within Szeth gave him many advantages—including the ability to quickly recover from small wounds. But it would not restore limbs killed by a Shardblade." 

Is this just some facet of his power that Szeth is ignorant of or can he not heal a shard wound?

[Yata he/him]

33 minutes ago, maklbarry said:

I've read Way and Words. Working my way back through them before I start Oathbringer. I know there are different orders of Radiants with different surgebinding abilities. I am asking because I remember at one point in Words, Kaladin heals a Shard wound with Stormlight. I know he has similar surgebinding abilities as Szeth. 

Ok so Szeth's surgebinding can't heal a Spiritual Wound (A shardblade cuts the soul) while a Radiant could heal Spiritual Wounds (you see this in the books)

Edited May 4, 2017 by Yata

[Argent he/him]

Why don't we start by telling us how much of the Stormlight Archive you've read. Because how far into the series you are will shape the way we answer your question.

 

[maklbarry]

I've read Way and Words. Working my way back through them before I start Oathbringer. I know there are different orders of Radiants with different surgebinding abilities. I am asking because I remember at one point in Words, Kaladin heals a Shard wound with Stormlight. I know he has similar surgebinding abilities as Szeth. 

[+Extesian he/him]

So i think this is cognitive, Szeth doesn't believe an Honorblade can heal it which is why it doesn't work, but he's wrong. That theory is based on these WoBs.

Quote

QUESTION

How did Kaladin heal his shardblade wound without the power of Regrowth?

BRANDON SANDERSON

That’s partially a RAFO. Remember that healing in the cosmere usually has to do with how you view yourself. And as long as there is some outpouring of Investiture you are usually capable of healing. More the weird thing is not that Kaladin healed it’s that Szeth couldn’t.

Quote

QUESTION

What about Kaladin getting sliced with the Shardblade and then being able to rejuvenate?

BRANDON SANDERSON

That is a clue for what is going on with Szeth and his understanding of Shardblades and the Shardblade he has.

QUESTION

Which is an Honorblade, right?

BRANDON SANDERSON

I can't say, but Szeth says in book one you can't heal a Shardblade wound with Stormlight. There are other very big but subtle discrepancies between what Szeth does and what Kaladin does.

Quote

OUTIS

Szeth in the prologue of book one says he can't heal from a Shardblade wound, but Kaladin can. What is the distinction there?

BRANDON SANDERSON

You should be looking to see if you can find other distinctions between what Szeth says and what happens to Kaladin, because there's three or four big inconsistencies.

Quote

OUTIS

In Shallan, in the beginning and middle of the book it's 10 heartbeats, and in the end of the book it's none...?

BRANDON SANDERSON

The 10 heartbeats is required to revive a dead shardblade

OUTIS

But he wasn't dead the whole time.

BRANDON SANDERSON

He wasn't. But perception--all magic systems in the Cosmere are based on perception-what you think you can do. For instance, Kaladin can't get healed because he sees himself as having a wounded forehead with the scars and that can't vanish because his perception is in the way.

So I believe they can heal Shardblade wounds but only if the bearer believes they can. Happy for anyone to point out evidence against that though. 

[Yata he/him]

4 hours ago, Extesian said:

So i think this is cognitive, Szeth doesn't believe an Honorblade can heal it which is why it doesn't work, but he's wrong. That theory is based on these WoBs.

So I believe they can heal Shardblade wounds but only if the bearer believes they can. Happy for anyone to point out evidence against that though. 

Actually It's not the case, Honorblade's Stormlight Healing can't heal the Soul, It's something indipendent by Szeth's believe. There is a WoB about, as Soon as I find It I will post it here.

We don't know the proper reason or if is something limitated to random Honorblade's holders and if the Heralds could actually gain that ability with an Honorblade

[+Extesian he/him]

4 minutes ago, Yata said:

Actually It's not the case, Honorblade's Stormlight Healing can't heal the Soul, It's something indipendent by Szeth's believe. There is a WoB about, as Soon as I find It I will post it here.

We don't know the proper reason or if is something limitated to random Honorblade's holders and if the Heralds could actually gain that ability with an Honorblade

Cool, I couldn't find any definitive WoB but if there's one I'll certainly defer to that and dash that theory

If that is the case, could it be that an Honorblade is not integrated properly with the bearer's spiritweb in the same way a spren is and this prevents healing the soul? 

[Yata he/him]

2 minutes ago, Extesian said:

If that is the case, could it be that an Honorblade is not integrated properly with the bearer's spiritweb in the same way a spren is and this prevents healing the soul? 

This is funny because Link XD

[+Extesian he/him]

12 minutes ago, Yata said:

This is funny because Link XD

Ha! Sorry @Yata I almost certainly got that idea from that post of yours, which I remember now (and I had even upvoted it) but forgot about it and thought it was my own idea

edit: aaah I think I found the WoB you're referring to, this one?

Quote

Question

Szeth says in the first stormlight book that he can’t heal from a shardblade--

Brandon Sanderson

He can’t.

Question

So when he got cut he couldn’t heal that…

Brandon Sanderson

No. Not with his powers.

Question

Not from an honorblade.

Brandon Sanderson

Not from an honorblade.

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Extesian