Ishar's fighting abilities (cosmere spoilers)

[Dreamwa1ker she/her]

In RoW chapter 111 Unchained, there is a point where Ishar easily defends himself from 5 Windrunners at once. While the Stormfather attributes this to the Heralds thousands of years of experience in warfare, I think there could be a little more going on. Here's the line that made me pause:

Quote

"Despite earnestly trying, none could land a blow. It was as if … as if they were trying to hit where Ishar was, while he was able to move in anticipation of where they would be."

This sounds really similar to descriptions of Allomancers fighting while burning Atium, because they are doing exactly that. 

Now, I do not think Ishar is an Allomancer. However, Investiture across the Cosmere seems to often have some similar mechanics. Could there be a use of Bondsmith abilities that is similar to Atium effects?

EDIT: realized I probably should have posted this in the RoW lore forum - how would I move the thread?

Edited November 29, 2020 by Dreamwa1ker
Should move to lore forum

[Realmatic Shadow]

1 hour ago, Dreamwa1ker said:

EDIT: realized I probably should have posted this in the RoW lore forum - how would I move the thread?

You've got to wait for a Mod to come along and move it for you. Saying you would like to know how should be enough that they move it for you

1 hour ago, Dreamwa1ker said:

Now, I do not think Ishar is an Allomancer. However, Investiture across the Cosmere seems to often have some similar mechanics. Could there be a use of Bondsmith abilities that is similar to Atium effects?

I think that this is Ishar being able to read the Connections in the Spiritual Realm, and use those to pre-empt what people will do. Atium works on a similar principle, so it is correct to consider this two forms of Investiture having similar effects (like Pewter in Allomancy and Feruchemy affecting strength, though in different manners).

[Karger he/him]

I think the amount of investiture Ishar has to work with along with all the ways he can work with it safely put him into the "can do basically what he wants" category.  Other then the shards I think we can safely say he is one of the four most invested people we have ever seen in the cosmere.  Unlike LTR he is not limited to a single, well defined, magic system and unlike Dalinar and the God King actually knows how to use it.  There is a decent possibility he is using fortune in some way or maybe he is just impossibly good as sword fighting after thousands of years of practice.  Either way he is very very dangerous and a total BA.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Karger

[Rorzikel]

He is called the Herald of Luck, that may just be a byword for Fortune.

That or the fact that he’s been alive and fighting for seven thousand years, and has likely seen every trick in the book enough times that he’s just 5 moves ahead of mortal fighters.

[Shardbearer he/him]

Well he can manipulate Connection so probably he can Connect himself to Fortune or whatever property atium uses to see into the future.