Heralds vs. Radiants

[Windrunner88]

Hello everyone! So i'm new to the community and a HUGE cosmere fan, i spend at the very least 45 min  a day searching forums and sites for anything cosmere related (i know, i know, i might be a tad bit obsessed).  I've been wanting to connect with some like minded people, so here goes nothing...

So this past weekend i got wind that Brandon was going to be in town (NYC) and could not pass up the opportunity to meet him in person. I've never done anything like this before so i assumed that i could just show up and buy tickets. I ended up arriving a little later than i intended (3p.m.) and figured i could just catch him at the signing which was scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.  What i was NOT aware of was that you had to purchase SEPARATE tickets to go to the signing, and (of course) they were sold out! I decided to buy a pass into book con anyway on the off chance that by some miracle i would bump into him somewhere in the building. And sure enough (like one of the Heralds themselves!) I saw him standing at the entrance to the auditorium that held the conference that just finished surrounded by a flock of fans waiting to ask him questions. Out of all the authors present that afternoon he was the only one who stayed behind to interact with his fans, which confirmed just how AWESOME he is! Anyway, i got to take a picture with him and ask him a few questions. Which brings me to the topic I've been looking to talk about. I've been wondering how the Heralds differed from the radiants of their order prior to their abandoning of the oathpact in terms of strength and abilities. So i asked Brandon this:

Windrunner88- So far during the stormlight archive we've seen that the spren bond appears to have some distinct advantages (i.e. armor, more efficient stormlight consumption, access to a variety of weapons) over what Tanavast via the oathpact provided the Heralds. With the exception of Nale, and the fact that the Heralds had no need for stormlight, can you please tell me one way in which a Herald had a distinct advantage over a level 5 radiant of their corresponding order?

Brandon Sanderson- Rebirth; (and after seeing what must have been a crestfallen look on my face added) The heralds had access to raw levels of power that no radiant could ever achieve. 

I'm still trying to rap my head around what that would look like in terms of magical abilities.. I would love to hear your guys opinions on this!

[Archer he/him]

Nice WOB! (https://Wob.coppermind.net). My SA knowledge is pretty sketchy, so I'll just say Welcome to the Shard! and note that if you don't get any interest here with your post, the Stormlight Archive subforum would be a good place to post this. Cheers! 

[Barbarian AL he/him]

Hey, Welcome to the shard!! .... That's a great contribution to the community you posted there, every tidbit will enrich our knowledge of the cosmere. Cheers  

[I think I am here. he/him]

Welcome! I don't know what else to say, but welcome!

As for the raw levels of Herald power, I can only imagine what the Surges would be on steroids.

Adhesion: I'm not sure, how one would do this physically, but maybe spiritually Connect to an entire country, knowing every single person in that's country's life story, know everything about that country, death customs, religions, and, of course, the language.

Gravitation: Disconnect a mountain from it's gravitational connection to the Earth, instant floating island.

Division: Reduce a mountain to dust, or spiritually divide everyone within thousands of kilometers.

Abrasion: Make things more than friction-less, make them negatively affected by friction? (If friction was 1 and friction-less was 0, maybe the power would be to make things have a friction level of -1? is that even possible? What would that do? Make things go faster?)

Progression: Effectively growing a mountain out of nowhere made of vines? Accelerate growth of plants above what the plant can actually handle, effectively creating incredibly large plants? Maybe completely heal everyone within a certain range?

Illumination: Making a mountain-sized illusion.

Transformation: Mountain-sized-soulcasting of anything, instantly.

Transportation: Instantly go anyplace, no pesky Shadesmar middle-ground.

Cohesion: We actually haven't seen what this does, so...?

Tension: That 'make stone liquid' thing except massive, like mountain-sized.

Edited June 6, 2018 by I think I am here.

[Windrunner88]

@I think I am here.

Great examples! I honestly can't wait for the back 5 books to see the Heralds backstory fleshed out and see them in action! Evaporating an ENTIRE mountain in an instant?!? WICKED!!

[Snorkel]

On 06/06/2018 at 10:35 PM, I think I am here. said:

Welcome! I don't know what else to say, but welcome!

Welcome!  Welcome to Shard 17...it's safer here?