Bigmikey357

I happen to subscribe to the theory that all possible powers in the Cosmere are a part if a Spiritual ideal, that the more power one acquires of a particular ability the closer one comes to that ideal. So a Bondsmith/Duraluminum Ferring will be better able to form Connection or even create connections between things not normally connectable. Each time one gains a complementary power from a different Shard they are closer to what Adonalasium could accomplish. Makes Hoid even more scary if you ask me.

Healing may have been an imprecise example considering how aluminum mucks up the conversation. So let's try something else. Transportation. Say I'm an Elantrian and I've found a way to make my abilities work off planet. I make it to Roshar and attract a Lightspren. That gives me two forms of Transportation. How does this affect my travel? Does it increase my range or precision because I have more connection to the ability or make it easier for me to traverse the Spiritual Realm? Or does it register as two abilities and I get a bonus Resonance? Can I use one form of Transportation to fuel the other as circumstances change?

Brandon builds unique magic systems. This is known; it is probably the thing that drew many of us to his works in the first place. But despite the unique nature of Cosmere magics it is still magic. By that I mean the purpose of magic is to do things one cannot do normally. Supernatural abilities will tend to overlap from world to world. You wanna fly? Manipulate emotions? Cast illusions? Divine the future? Multiple magic systems provide these abilities to a greater or lesser degree. In Mistborn we have seen what happens when attributes are stacked with Vin and copper clouds. By this example we know that the power from two different magic systems are stackable. Yet those are two different systems in the same family. Does it work for different families? Would an Edgedancer with F-Gold be invincible for example? We know that getting similar abilities via different magic systems is possible, we've even seen it on screen. Hoid has both Yolish and Rosharan Lightweaving now. So do they stay separate? You draw from different wells depending on which fits the situation better? Do the powers blend and create a Resonance? Or is there something like a Spiritual ideal of each ability and one gets closer to that Ideal the more one gathers that ability from other systems?

The major implication that I see with regards to warfare on Roshar with mixed forces is that despite the tech level siege warfare never really gets a chance to develop. There's no such thing as year long sieges on a planet with highstorms. You cannot starve them out or have them succumb to sickness. Sanitation isn't a problem as all waste gets Soulcast to smoke. Fortification is really important as it gives the defenders much more advantage than earth armies, many of the disadvantages negated by both local climate and manipulation of surges. Therefore the most effective mixed armies are raiders. Small squad tactics pay huge dividends.

I know that if I were in line to receive a spike I'd want the guy performing the procedure to be as knowledgeable as possible, and a license would reassure me greatly. I know I don't want some amateur you tuber spiking me under nearly any circumstance. In every book instance we've seen someone recieving a spike it has been through either Shardic intervention or practitioners who have performed the procedure dozens of times at least. Harmony hates the practice so Shardic intervention is likely out, and nobody knows enough about Hemalurgic practices to ensure that one is getting the desired attributes. There are over 300 bind points in a human body and intent is a hit or miss process when it comes down to it. I mean I know I'd be pissed to have someone die to give me strength and I end up a bronze ferring for instance. Still weak but I'll never be cold again. Great if I know what power I got. Not so great if I never discover my new gift.

Conversely Harkeylain could be the head of his Order, like Kaladin for Bridge 4. I don't believe that Bondsmiths have that kind of control over what is essentially a personal bond, though the possibility of me being mistaken obviously exists. Really anyone that can help guide a Radiant into the proper mindset should be able to help a Radiant achieve or maintain Plate. Syl does this for Kaladin on occasion, Hoid serves that purpose for Shallan, Navani and sometimes Adolin help Dalinar in stages. Given the nature of bond formation and the types of people the spren typically pick, it's probably wise to have a therapist on permanent staff in Urithiru.

Well how about this as a addendum or counterpoint to the theory. What if the process of creating plate is the same but the materials in the crafting are different? For example, for us that subscribe to the plate as lesser spren theory, say I'm a Windrunner of sufficiently high Oath as to form Shardplate. My plate is made of Windspren, or at least the framework is made of Windspren. My buddy is a Lightweaver and his plate is made of Creationspren. There's only one way to create that framework, but the spren that make up that framework precipitate small changes like different color or glyphs. The differences of the plate between Orders is minimal because there's only one way to make plate and have it be plate. Because the spren that make up the framework aren't sapient they don't have the cognition to confer extra abilities like live Nahel spren do. When they hit the Physical Realm they are directed by their parent type spren and that spren builds off of one universal blueprint.

So the ultimate Fully Truthed Lightweaver should in theory be able to construct fully touchable and interactive illusions responsive to all 5 senses as long as the Stormlight holds out. If the Midnight Mother can be used as a reference, say the dark mirror of Lightweaving, then I suppose it should be possible. It doesn't violate Realmatic rules as far as I can tell, and it makes Shallan and her ilk much more dangerous as an Order than their name and nature implies. That of course raises some questions about the constructs, namely what is the threshold of force needed to dispel or shatter such an illusion. Also, Stormlight consumption. How many of those solid illusions could one make given an average amount of Stormlight? How quickly would one burn through its fuel? If one is shattered by whatever means, is the non used fuel recoverable and does the Shattering hurt the caster?

Szeth is immune to Nightblood killing him offhand and will probably always know where he is, just like Vasher. However Nightblood is an equal opportunity eater. Nobody holding him is safe from him once he's unsheathed, bond or no. At most he'll gobble up Investiture reserves before feeding directly on the person if he's bonded to them.

Two Orders do the Soulcasting, Lightweaver and Elsecaller. I think for the reasons you state, it would be difficult for children to draw Inkspren, children not named Jasnah Kholin aren't big on logic. So your Soulcaster children are most likely coming from the Lightweaver order. Perception is a huge part of surgebinding so I could see children with their limited filters being better able to communicate a change to a spren. However, most children have limited mental defenses as well. The CR is a dangerous place for those who are mostly defenseless. They may be too good at Soulcasting. If they see something in the CR that spooks them they could unintentionally create monsters.

Detecting a presence in the CR isn't the same as knowing exactly where the person is well enough to point to them, but let us say that makes a difference. Even if they could, even if all went perfectly, the Mistborn can see the Radiant perfectly, walking or running towards them in the CR, then what? Tranversing realms isn't in the Mistborn skill set. But the Elsecaller can strike from there, is especially equipped to effect people and objects from one realm to the other. If the Mistborn cannot detect the Radiant with fighting precision they won't even get a chance to run. And the beauty of it is, they don't even have to attempt to Soulcast the Mistborn, just turn all their metals, all their weapons, to smoke. If they're subtle and possess any knowledge of metallurgy they could even change the composition of their metals, make them think they have their metals and end up making them sick. And they don't have to touch the Mistborn at all.

@Llstml Elsecallers get no love? Nightcrawler who can Soulcast at Range or from the CR? What can a Mistborn do to defend against that?

If you don't believe Stormlight grants a Pewter-like effect, reread the 4 v 1 duel in WOR. Kaladin's performance in this demonstrates the advantages granted by Stormlight, increases in speed, dexterity and precision but not power so much. A Stormlight enhanced punch won't likely kill an unarmored man like a Thug would but it would hurt him pretty bad. And speaking of that duel, Kaladin lashed himself many times to fall toward the Shardbearer, hitting hard enough for him to break both his ankles and both his legs. How high a building would you have to jump off of to shatter both legs and ankles upon falling? 5 + stories maybe? Anyway I think people may be downplaying the force applied by that kick. An unarmored man taking that kick in the back dies instantly, his spine shattered. It only cracked the Plate, not shattered it. @Tglassy I think you're giving Atium a tad too much credit. If it were a regular Radiant going up against an Atium Misting, the Radiant wins because there's too many ways to checkmate them. No maneuverability, no defense against surges. A Mistborn burning Atium has a better chance because they can move in ways that increase their options. You have a chance of the one shot with the right weapon (their traditional fighting load, glass knives and coins won't be sufficient). It still would be difficult. Future sight is all well and good but atium only sees a couple seconds into the future. Prolonged battles aren't going to favor the Mistborn using Atium as a crutch. A Knight in full armor? The guy doesn't have the weaponry to one shot the Radiant. I'm sorry but Vin trying to headbutt a guy in armor leaves Vin with a split skull, pewter or no, duraluminum plus pewter or no. So what does the Mistborn do once they get in close, hit that one in a million shot and the Radiant doesn't die?

I'll throw my hat in the ring again regarding the 2 arguments going on right now. Mistborn has Atium. Mistborn hits Radiant while burning Atium. Then what? Does that hit kill the Radiant filled to the brim with Stormlight? Nope, that guy is going to heal, nearly instantly depending upon how much Stormlight held and severity of the wound. Atium could be effective but if I were a Mistborn I'm doing my best to pick my moment, watch the glow, keep my distance. Atium only helps me if I can one hit kill my opponent. A bladed Radiant is going to be hard enough to do that to. One with plate too? Only the best of my kind (Vin) stands even a glimmer of a chance. Re: Kaladin vs Yelig namaram Anytime you fight someone outside your weight class there is little chance that you will dominate them. David beating Goliath is only notable because that isn't the usual outcome. Therefore, saying Kaladin only got his hits in because of Amaram's guilty conscience is denying Kaladin's initiative in taking advantage of a tactical edge, one that he in part created by verbally challenging Amaram. End of the day, he won. He had help but he won. If I recall correctly, Vin is in the same spot when she faced TLR. Fighting out of her weight class? Definitely. Did she take advantage of a tactical edge? Yes, TLR's overconfidence. Did she have help? Marsh was there and she got a not insignificant boost from the mists. Was she at the height of her powers at the time? Nope, and neither was Kaladin. They're roughly at the same point in their development. Last, we don't know how good Kaladin really is yet. We don't have the finished product. Vin kills him now, who is to say he loses after his 5th ideal?

I wouldn't see it being a problem for an Honorblade to transverse the CR. The power of the Honorblades come directly from the Spiritual Realm where all places are one. Being connected in such a way should mean that they aren't restricted by location as spren, natives of Roshar and the CR obviously are. Only problem that I can see is that you won't get surges out of them unless you also have a direct plug in to the SR. The properties of soul severing and dismissal should still be intact but without Stormlight you just get a really really sharp sword. Something intriguing to me, if someone from another world, someone like a Returned with a direct feed to a different shard got ahold to an Honorblade, would it grant it's user Rosharan surges by other fuel, grant different types of power depending upon which Shard is doing the fuelling or would it not work at all? I'd probably want to see Vasher steal an Honorblade and run off to Nalthis just to see what happens.

I believe that's where he kept Glys.

That's why I said Vin isn't the ideal baseline for Mistborn. She has accomplished things before ascending than anyone in history, plus she had 2 Shards siding her at times. Kaladin isn't atypical yet but has a fair chance to be as well, so although he's going to be the most visible Windrunner he probably shouldn't be considered baseline either.

Luckily there's no such thing as a naturally occurring Fullborn. I have to believe that any attempt to create one gets squashed by Shardic intervention. I'd be more worried if Odium was running Scadrial though.

Let us note that at the time Kaladin fought Amaram he'd already been fighting for hours on very little Stormlight. He got refilled when Dalinar went God mode but he was still fatigued, fighting against a fresh opponent, and unfamiliar with Surges other than his own. I dare say the fight is different if he'd come at Amaram at the start of the day rather than at the end.

Things I hope to see but probably won't: Cultivation's name All of the Nahel Spren Advanced fabrial tech Someone on screen being bad chull with living Shardplate, as well as the once and for all settlement of what living Shardplate is comprised of (non sapient spren vs solid Stormlight) All the Orders' 1st unique Oath More hidden worldhoppers Vivienda Clarified history of Roshar What the black sphere is

The Hemalurgic alluminum frag grenade method won't work to strip power; hemalurgy works by intent only. It could make wounds that will be difficult to heal until the fragment is extracted but it will not take the powers away. We're going to need a traitor in his midst to get close enough, an ettmetal bomb strapped to the guy's body, strong cologne to attempt to mask the smell of explosives, and a hug similar Brutus, aluminum knife in hand. Go in for the hug, stab the Fullborn, detonate the bomb. No monologues, soliloquies or last words allowed. Only by disintegrating the Fullborn can he be killed. I'm also holding out hope that a super powered Elsecaller can Soulcast his metals away from the CR to make him at least a little more manageable.

The purpose of the OP was to illustrate the Mistborn combat mastery over any other being in the Cosmere. We came up with several examples of those that could beat a Mistborn in all their glory, but of all these the Radiant is the one that comes into question the most. The entire post is about speculation because some of these groups have never been seen let loose in combat against equivalent opposition. The Mistborn is the only group that we've seen fight at the height of their power. Vin is, in my opinion, not a good baseline for the average Mistborn. She killed a Fullborn, something that should have been impossible. She took on 13 Steel Inquisitors at the top of Kredik Shaw, Inquisitors who were as close to Fullborn as Ruin was willing to make them, and broke them all. So could she beat Kaladin, someone who currently has no Shardplate and isn't at full power? Of course she could. Then again, with his importance to the storyline, he has a fair chance to become atypical as well. Really what we should be looking at is what the average Mistborn could accomplish given all Era 1 knowledge (no Mistborn in Era 2 so far). So let's say Shan Elarial has to take on the best and brightest the Cosmere has to offer. Could she perhaps beat a Radiant without Shardplate? Not sure, it's probably close. Is Shan beating a Radiant with Plate and super efficient with Stormlight? To me that's a hard no. So if we're talking average, who wins in a fight, Shan or Teft? Kelsier's old teacher or the Lopen? Elend or Malata?

Let's start off with what we know, or think we know, about Investiture. It rides along with matter and energy as a force that cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or changed. Adonalasium built the Cosmere and is/was the ultimate source of Investiture. Investiture generally flows from the Spiritual Realm down to the Physical. It can be naturally drawn or willfully drawn by intent. Investiture is coded. Shards code Investiture through Connection, while users of Investiture code their specific uses of Investiture through Identity. Blank Investiture's natural inclination is to seek Connection as a means to direct itself. If one does not code blank Investiture then the magic will eventually forge its own entity with which to connect. I throw this list out to serve as a framework for the questions I ask the fandom to ponder upon. I have no theories, yet I hope this post sparks a couple, or at the very least some good discussion. These deal directly with the history of the Cosmere. As we know, Uncle Addie built the Cosmere, to what purpose if any is unclear. With the exception of Scadrial, all the Cosmere planets were built before the Shattering. We also know that magic existed pre Shattering. First question, did all the magics we've seen on screen so far exist then as well, in one form or another. We already know Lightweaving had a Yolish variant and that it can still be performed if one has the knowledge (thanks Hoid). Are there others? And if there are, did they require an original Connection to Adonalasium or can those magics still be done today? Next came the Shattering, an event that changed both everything and nothing. The Shards decided to go their separate ways and they kinda did that. How much of a hurry were they to go and invest a planet? Did those planets already have magic systems and if so, who was controlling magic access before the Shard got there? How does magic change once a Shard gets involved? And are Shards drawn to planets where their Intent is expressed more strongly (Cultivation on Roshar for example)? And what about planets with magic but no Shard present. Who controls access to magic there? Or is there a default condition set up under Adonalasium, one that changes once a Shard becomes involved?

Addressing the Shardblade issue word_thief What would happen if a Mistborn ingested the metal of a Shardblade/Plate? Brandon Sanderson A Shardblade is Invested. A Mistborn isn't likely to have a tie to that type of Investiture. So probably nothing would happen… General Twitter 2013 (Oct. 24, 2013) So the Mistborn could try it but, well, his eyes are smoke. For the Atium alloys: In a thousand years people have only come up with one alloy. The metal is too expensive and rare for people to experiment with. And now it's completely unavailable, Marsh has the only stash left (good luck taking it from him). So if we're doing a fair fight we can do it one of two ways. Either the Mistborn gets Atium like an Era 1 guy, or he gets medallions guns and primer cubes like era 2. Having both is unrealistic without Shardic intervention, ie Sazed puts the Pits of Hathsen back into production. On the dominance of Atium: Atium is great but I can think of several ways to checkmate it were I a Knight of 4 or 5 Oath. Soulcast their metals into smoke, Transport to a realm they cannot enter, turn their weapons to rubber, throw something big enough so that they cannot dodge, make them decay at a touch. I'm not saying a Radiant cannot be killed by someone burning Atium, but their margins for error are nearly nonexistent. But I respect your opinion as well as everyone else who believes as you do. We can agree to disagree.

What Godmetals are available to Vin? Atium and Lerasium are functionally extinct and no other Shards have an investment in Scadrial so that they'd provide a burnable metal. About the only Godmetel that anyone could get ahold of currently is Trellium and who knows what it can do (can't burn Harmonium and it will not distill into Lerasium/ Atium). As for the Temporal metals, Vin had Atium and electrum already. For combat they are far superior to Bendalloy and Cadmium. Nicrosil may be of some use but I am not sure how much. In short, Vin's natural arsenal cannot be improved upon imo.