Go Go Gadget Shardspear

[Hakusho Slick he/him]

Quick idea here--

Something of note to me is the fighting styles used by modern Radiants. Kaladin obviously uses spear fighting with the Sylblade, and Shallan is learning Alethi Shardblade stances from Adolin. However, Radiant Blades are wickedly versatile, as Kaladin demonstrates while fighting Szeth. It's interesting that Sanderson has mainly shown existing fighting styles adapted to Radiant Blades. This led to an interesting idea. 

If a Radiant Blade can change shape on the fly, what is to prevent someone from extending a spear from, say, 4 feet to 6 feet during a fight? If the extending action happened above your hands, the spear tip would simply extend out 2 feet. If the spear tip is still useable while being extended, a Radiant could potentially Go Go Gadget Arms stab somebody without moving any limbs-- a hell of a surprise attack. There might not be much power behind the thrust, but that's irrelevant unless your opponent is in Plate. 

If this has been used in the books (it's been a minute since I read the Kal/Szeth fight in WoR), or has been discussed or WoB'd already, please let me know. If not, what fighting style would YOU employ with a transforming weapon?

[Pathfinder]

35 minutes ago, Hakusho Slick said:

Quick idea here--

Something of note to me is the fighting styles used by modern Radiants. Kaladin obviously uses spear fighting with the Sylblade, and Shallan is learning Alethi Shardblade stances from Adolin. However, Radiant Blades are wickedly versatile, as Kaladin demonstrates while fighting Szeth. It's interesting that Sanderson has mainly shown existing fighting styles adapted to Radiant Blades. This led to an interesting idea. 

If a Radiant Blade can change shape on the fly, what is to prevent someone from extending a spear from, say, 4 feet to 6 feet during a fight? If the extending action happened above your hands, the spear tip would simply extend out 2 feet. If the spear tip is still useable while being extended, a Radiant could potentially Go Go Gadget Arms stab somebody without moving any limbs-- a hell of a surprise attack. There might not be much power behind the thrust, but that's irrelevant unless your opponent is in Plate. 

If this has been used in the books (it's been a minute since I read the Kal/Szeth fight in WoR), or has been discussed or WoB'd already, please let me know. If not, what fighting style would YOU employ with a transforming weapon?

So although this is not concrete, from what I recall it seems each time Syl transformed she puffed to mist and then reformed into the weapon in question. Then again I am recalling that pattern changed his length for Shallan, so I will need to pull up the scene to see how it is described. 

 

edit: found the scene. So with Kaladin Syl did keep puffing to mist before each transformation, but in Shallan's case, Pattern did actually shrink in her hand

 

Words of Radiance page 863

Standing on one and clinging to the highest one, she summoned the Blade again and tried to cut a step even higher, but the thing was just so blasted long. Obligingly, it shrank in her hand to the size of a much shorter sword, really a big knife. 

Edited October 9, 2019 by Pathfinder

[Hakusho Slick he/him]

3 minutes ago, Pathfinder said:

So although this is not concrete, from what I recall it seems each time Syl transformed she puffed to mist and then reformed into the weapon in question. Then again I am recalling that pattern changed his length for Shallan, so I will need to pull up the scene to see how it is described. 

I don't have a copy of the book handy, since I've loaned em all out, so thanks for checking up on this one. My rough guess is that more-demanding transformations like Kal does require an unform/reform-- but I definitely remember Pattern simply changing length at will. Even if required to dissolve and reappear, imaging swinging an axe at someone, but your axe puffs/unpuffs midswing to line up the blade with a vital area. Not quite as funny as Go Go Gadget Stab, but definitely a strong technique.

[Karger he/him]

3 hours ago, Hakusho Slick said:

I don't have a copy of the book handy, since I've loaned em all out, so thanks for checking up on this one. My rough guess is that more-demanding transformations like Kal does require an unform/reform-- but I definitely remember Pattern simply changing length at will. Even if required to dissolve and reappear, imaging swinging an axe at someone, but your axe puffs/unpuffs midswing to line up the blade with a vital area. Not quite as funny as Go Go Gadget Stab, but definitely a strong technique.

This probably works.

[Hakusho Slick he/him]

4 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

Words of Radiance page 863

Standing on one and clinging to the highest one, she summoned the Blade again and tried to cut a step even higher, but the thing was just so blasted long. Obligingly, it shrank in her hand to the size of a much shorter sword, really a big knife. 

Thanks for digging up the exact quote! Looks like Go Go Gadget Stab actually works!

1 hour ago, Karger said:

This probably works.

Sweet.

I'd love to see Brando involve some unconventional fighting in the upcoming books-- maybe in the back 5 as people have more time to experiment with Radiant Blades.

[Aon Tia she/her]

that can be a huge advantage on the battlefield!!

[Wander89 he/him]

anyone else sing this in the Power Rangers song?

[TheWadehart he/him]

On 10/9/2019 at 2:15 PM, Pathfinder said:

 

edit: found the scene. So with Kaladin Syl did keep puffing to mist before each transformation, but in Shallan's case, Pattern did actually shrink in her hand

 

Words of Radiance page 863

Standing on one and clinging to the highest one, she summoned the Blade again and tried to cut a step even higher, but the thing was just so blasted long. Obligingly, it shrank in her hand to the size of a much shorter sword, really a big knife. 

I have a feeling this has to do with the mind of both of them.  Kaladin's mind is much more concrete and thinks of weapons as distinct types and forms. Whereas Shallans mind is more artistic and fluid and thinks about shape and function.

[Hakusho Slick he/him]

3 minutes ago, TheWadehart said:

I have a feeling this has to do with the mind of both of them.  Kaladin's mind is much more concrete and thinks of weapons as distinct types and forms. Whereas Shallans mind is more artistic and fluid and thinks about shape and function.

Oh that's a very interesting thought. I think you might be right.

[Hakusho Slick he/him]

4 hours ago, Wander89 said:

anyone else sing this in the Power Rangers song?

It's an Inspector Gadget/Power Rangers/Stormlight Archive mashup. Now that's what I call pod racing.

[Wander89 he/him]

26 minutes ago, Hakusho Slick said:

It's an Inspector Gadget/Power Rangers/Stormlight Archive mashup. Now that's what I call pod racing.

Soundtrack confirmed!

[Edgedancer_of_spirits]

8 hours ago, Wander89 said:

anyone else sing this in the Power Rangers song?

Yes. I did not realize that.

[Wander89 he/him]

13 hours ago, Edgedancer_of_spirits said:

Yes. I did not realize that.

 it's not a bad thing. Definitely got a Shardblade theme song now!

[IllNsickly he/him]

On 10/12/2019 at 5:53 AM, Wander89 said:

anyone else sing this in the Power Rangers song?

No... 
 

I immediately sang a bar or 2 of the Inspector Gadget theme song.

[Wander89 he/him]

12 hours ago, IllNsickly said:

No... 
 

I immediately sang a bar or 2 of the Inspector Gadget theme song.

Well, that too!