Editing Allomancy

{{magic system
|image=Table of Allomantic Metals.jpeg
|world=Scadrial
|related=[[Preservation]]
|focus=Metal
|prereq=Genetic ability, [[Snapping]]
|type=End-Positive
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]], [[The Stormlight Archive]]{{wob ref|6933}}
}}{{update|book=mb6}}
{{quote
|Allomancy is brutal, raw, and powerful
|[[Khriss]] in "On the Three Metallic Arts"{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}}
}}
'''Allomancy''' is the most widely used form of [[Investiture]] on [[Scadrial]],{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} and is locally known as one of the three [[Metallic Arts]]. People who have one or more Allomantic abilities are called '''Allomancers''' with each Allomantic power being paired with a type of metal, which must be ingested and "burned" to activate.

== Mechanics ==
{{quote
|Allomancy, obviously, is of Preservation. The rational mind will see this. For, in the case of Allomancy, net power is gained. It is provided by an external source--Preservation's own body.
|[[Harmony]] on Allomancy{{epigraph ref|mb3|32}}
}}
{{image|Mistborn by Manuel Castanon.jpg|[[Vin]] pushing on coins with the Allomantic power of [[steel]]|side=right|width=250px}}

Allomancy is an End-Positive magic system, which draws on the power of Preservation, channeled through a metal when it is burned. This differs to how Feruchemy works, as Allomancy is not being powered by the body of the Allomancer, but instead by an external force.{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} Like the other Metallic Arts, Allomancy as a magic system formed through the natural interactions between the two Shards that inhabit Scadrial, Preservation and Ruin, and the planet itself, instead of being created by a specific Shard.{{wob ref|5269}} This magic system, however, is generally tailored and fuelled by Preservation,{{epigraph ref|mb3|32}} although specific cases will involve an Allomancer drawing upon Ruin's essence instead.{{epigraph ref|mb3|78}} Like other forms of Investiture, Allomancy does not necessarily reflect the intent of the Shard which it is associated with.{{wob ref|4032}}

Allomantic metals are the [[focus]], but not the source, of Allomancy's power.{{wob ref|7708}} When an Allomancer burns a metal, that metal's specific molecular structure acts as a conduit to Preservation, and then the Allomancer is granted an ability corresponding to the metal, allowing the metal to "focus" Preservation's power to the user. Each metal is the only way a mortal can access Preservation and the power of creation,{{wob ref|6072}} after which it is vaporized.{{wob ref|10097}} However, this is only true for the base sixteen Allomantic metals and not God Metals or their alloys. 

Allomancers feel a reserve of power in their stomach when they have ingested a metal they can burn. The metals are usually ingested by drinking specifically prepared metal vials, which contain metal flakes suspended in an alcohol solution or other such liquid, e.g. cod oil. While swallowing metal is the most common way of getting metal into the body, other ways such as injecting or snorting will also work.{{wob ref|13947}} When using their powers, many Allomancers describe a warm feeling in the stomach, hence the term "burning metal".  An Allomancer can also burn their metals at an accelerated rate, which is called "flaring." Flaring grants more power, but the reserve of metals depletes much faster, too.{{book ref|mb1|7}} Allomancers can burn metals from any [[Cosmere#Planets|planet]] in the cosmere.{{wob ref|12692}}{{wob ref|2702}}{{wob ref|361}}{{wob ref|402}} This is due to the presence of Preservation in the Spiritual Realm. 

Allomancers can suffer side-effects from leaving metal in their bodies for too long, and they normally burn their remaining ingested metals before sleeping to avoid this.{{wob ref|8949}} Despite this, due to their physiology, Allomancers are generally immune to metal poisoning.{{wob ref|14804}} 

Advanced Allomancy can be combined with Feruchemy to gain faster-than-light travel.{{wob ref|4697}} It is possible to use Allomancy in the Cognitive Realm.{{wob ref|1835}} 

Burning metals containing [[BioChromatic Breath]] has no effect on the Allomancy, although if the Breath belongs to the Allomancer it will be regained.{{wob ref|8055}} If an Allomancer burns an Invested metal which is Allomantically inert, it will not have any special effect apart from possibly killing the Allomancer.{{wob ref|10589}} Allomancers will still feel a reserve of power in their stomach from badly mixed alloys, and burning them will make them sick, giving them a blinding headache.{{book ref|mb2|5}}

=== Gaining Allomantic Abilities ===
Allomancy is a spiritually hereditary trait, that does not follow the same principles of dominant and recessive physical genetics.{{wob ref|12576}} Scadrians with mixed skaa-noble heritage generally must have a noble in the previous five generations in order to be born an Allomancer.{{book ref|mb1|21}} The ability lays dormant until an Allomancer undergoes [[Snapping]], which will activate their Allomantic abilities. The abilities can be used instinctually, including while unconscious,{{book ref|mb1|15}} once awakened if the user is to ingest the correct type of metal, though training is required to use these powers well. Snapping does not affect the chances of having an Allomancer child.{{wob ref|2733}} Twins are more likely to have the same metal, especially if they are identical instead of fraternal.{{wob ref|345}}

It is possible to gain Allomancy through the use of Hemalurgic spikes where the spiritual DNA associated with Allomancy is transferred from one soul to another. If an Allomancer attempts to burn a [[Hemalurgic]] spike, the Allomancer's spiritual DNA will be spliced to that of the person's contained in the spike. The consequences of this are as of yet unknown.{{wob ref|4616}}

Additionally, consuming a bead of lerasium will hardcode Allomancy into a person's spiritweb and grant them Allomantic abilities. The size of the bead that is consumed is proportional to the strength of their Allomancy.{{wob ref|10116}}

==== Snapping ====
In the [[Final Empire]], children of confirmed noble bloodlines often undergo a planned beating as a test to see if they [[Snap]], as Snapping commonly occurs when a Misting or Mistborn undergoes heavy stress and pain, often in a near-death situation, causing them to trigger latent Allomantic abilities.

According to [[Realmatic Theory]], this creates a crack on the soul which the power can fit into. There are some similarities on this to other magic systems, such as the [[Knights Radiant]] all being "broken" as indicated by [[Syl]].{{wob ref|5469}}{{book ref|sa2|68}}

It was possible for Allomancers to Snap from intense positive emotion, but this is much less common.{{wob ref|8025}} It is also possible to Snap from false emotions, caused by Soothing and Rioting.{{wob ref|3871}} It was said that the more powerful the Allomancer, the more intense the trauma had to be to Snap.{{wob ref|7526}} 

After the [[Final Ascension]], [[Harmony]] changed the way Snapping operated, but it is unknown how it was altered.{{wob ref|6888}}{{wob ref|4242}} After an Allomancer has Snapped, they will have access to their full power, and do not have to build to reach their full potential such as with Surgebinding.

===== Mist Sickness =====
In the run up to the [[Catacendre]], however, the mists cause sickness in people, triggering their own Snapping; this process is started by [[Preservation]], but is manipulated by [[Ruin]] into killing people, thus raising superstitions about the mists being dangerous.

The length a person has "mist sickness" relates to their Allomantic powers and abilities. The most powerful [[atium]] mistings are sick for the longest time.

During the time the mists are Snapping people in [[The Hero of Ages]], they also raise the Allomantic potential of the people they Snap so that exactly 16% are Snapped.{{book ref|mb3|21}} The number is a hint left by Preservation for humans to understand.

=== Savantism ===
Allomancers who flare their metal intensely for extended periods of time may be physiologically altered by the constant influx of Allomantic power. These people are known as Allomantic '''[[savant]]s'''.{{epigraph ref|mb3|16}} These people experience heightened ability with, and heightened dependence upon, whatever metal they are burning in such a manner. Under most circumstances, this was considered irreversibly damaging.

== Types of Allomancers ==
{{quote
|Never try to burn a metal that isn't one of the ten. I warned you that impure metals and alloys can make you sick. Well, if you try to burn a metal that isn't Allomantically sound at all, it could be deadly.
|[[Kelsier]] to [[Vin]]{{book ref|mb1|7}}
}}

{{anchor|Mistings}}{{anchor|Mistborn}}Allomancers are categorized based on if they can burn a single metal, '''Misting''', or if they can burn all metals, '''Mistborn''', with Hemalurgy being the only known way to access a combination powers that falls outside of this categorizations structure. Each type of Misting was given a particular name depending on their ability, such as Lurcher, Coinshot, or Soother. An Allomancer's lineage does not usually play a factor in which kind of Misting they are.{{wob ref|12582}}

Throughout the ages, the strength of an Allomancer has slowly decreased, weakening a bit with each generation.{{epigraph ref|mb3|21}}{{epigraph ref|mb3|22}} This dilution of power eventually caps and cannot decrease any further; there was no apparent power dilution between Era 1 and Era 2, and it was confirmed that the dilution has completely capped by [[Mistborn_(series)#Era_3|Era 3]].{{wob ref|10873}} People who use [[lerasium]] can gain the strength of ancient, powerful Allomancers.{{wob ref|10116}}

=== Twinborn and Compounders ===
After the [[Final Empire]], Terris and those of noble descent began to interbreed, so it became possible for their descendants to have one Allomantic ability and one [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]] ability. People with such powers were called '''[[Twinborn]]'''. Like Mistings, Twinborn were each given a name depending on their specific combination of abilities.{{book ref|mb4|1}} The interaction between the two abilities creates a new, secondary effect, known as a [[Resonance]].{{book ref|mb5|part=ars}}

A '''[[Compounding|Compounder]]''' is a special type of Twinborn--a person who uses the same metal for both their Allomantic and Feruchemical abilities. A Compounder can Allomantically burn their Feruchemically charged metalmind, gaining a massive burst of the stored Feruchemical attribute. Compounders were considered immensely powerful. Though the term "Compounding" first appeared in Scadrian vocabulary ''after'' the Final Empire, perhaps the most famous Compounder was the [[Lord Ruler]] himself--by constantly Compounding atium, pewter, and gold, he was eternally young, supernaturally strong, and basically unkillable.

== Allomantic Metals ==

The following is the modern Table of Allomantic Metals, from some point after the [[Catacendre]].

{{/table}}

{{quote
|There are two metals for every power. One Pushes, one Pulls--the second is usually an alloy of the first. For emotions--the external mental powers--you Pull with [[zinc]] and Push with [[brass]]. You just used pewter to Push your body. That's one of the internal physical powers.
|[[Kelsier]] to [[Vin]].{{book ref|mb1|7}}
}}
{{for|:Category:Metals|more information|the individual pages for each metal}}

{{image|Mistborn by Hunter Bonyun.jpg|[[Vin]] as [[Preservation]] fuelling [[Elend Venture|Elend's]] Allomancy|side=right|width=350px}}

There are sixteen basic Allomantic metals. The metals come in pairs: one metal is a periodic element, while the other is the alloy of that base metal. These pairs have complementary effects. [[Iron]] Pulls on nearby metals, while its alloy, [[steel]], Pushes on metals. Similarly, each elemental metal is classified as a "Pulling" ability, whereas each alloy is classified as a "Pushing" ability.{{wob ref|2478}} The purity of the metal corresponds to its effectiveness and alloys require precise compound percentages for maximum power. Burning an impure alloy may cause sickness,{{book ref|mb1|7}} while metals that are not Allomantically viable cannot be burned after being ingested.{{wob ref|13503}}

In addition to Pulling and Pushing classifications, there are external and internal metals. External powers influence things outside an Allomancer's body, while internal powers influence the Allomancer. This naturally divides the sixteen Allomantic metals into four groups of four metals each: physical, mental, temporal, and enhancement powers. Each quadrant has a metal and alloy pair of an external power, and another pair of internal powers. 

The Allomantic effects of metals are most similar to the effects of [[fabrial]]s on [[Roshar]].

=== God Metals ===
[[God Metal]]s do not fit in the modern Allomantic Table, and Scadrians appear to only know of the metals that correspond to the Scadrian Shards; [[lerasium]], [[atium]], and [[ettmetal]], the last of which could only be burned theoretically, as it explodes upon contact with liquids.{{wob ref|9321}}{{book ref|mb6|22}} Unlike the standard Allomantic metals, which are regular metal elements and compounds, God Metals are a condensed, solid form of pure Investiture. Alloys of God Metals can lead to additional abilities.{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}}

== History ==
At some point, Preservation altered Allomancy to insert Ruin's God Metal, atium, instead of one of the other metals{{wob ref|5971}}{{wob ref|2524}} in order to execute his plan to defeat Ruin using atium Mistings.{{wob ref|8063}} The Shard's plan eventually came to fruition during the [[Battle of Hathsin]] when Elend's army consumed a large proportion of the existing atium, preventing Ruin from accessing his full power. 

Prior to the Ascension of the Lord Ruler, Allomancy was rarely found among the general population. The Lord Ruler's Ascension, and his subsequent distribution of the lerasium beads, increased the strength of the Allomantic spiritual DNA in the Final Empire, which had long lasting effects through the subsequent generations. Rashek, and his Steel Ministry, also suppressed knowledge of several of the Allomantic metals, so that only the four physical, four mental, gold, and atium, were known of by the general populace. Malatium became known through legend as ''The Eleventh Metal'', a rumor that may have been started by Ruin to help facilitate the downfall of the Lord Ruler. Prior to its destruction, atium and malatium were incorrectly classified as temporal metals instead of God Metals by The Lord Ruler and his government. 

Following the Final Ascension, [[Harmony]] altered Snapping to act differently.{{wob ref|4242}}{{wob ref|6888}} The Allomantic Table also changed at this time to remove Ruin's metals, with advances in technology also making [[cadmium]], [[bendalloy]], [[chromium]], and [[nicrosil]] more available.

== Notable Allomancers ==
{{for|:Category:Allomancers}}
{{columns|
*[[Vin]]
*[[Elend Venture]]
*[[Kelsier]]
*[[Marsh]]
*[[Waxillium Ladrian]]
*[[Hoid]]
*[[Spook]]
*[[Rashek]]
*[[Edgard Ladrian]]
*[[Ham]]
*[[Wayne]]
*[[Marasi Colms]]
*[[Clubs]]
*[[Allrianne Cett]]
*[[Miles Dagouter]]
*[[Gemmel]]
*[[Zane]]
*[[Straff Venture]]
*[[Ranette]]
*[[Demoux]]
*[[Jak]]
}}

== Development ==
Allomancy was present in the original version of Mistborn (now known as [[Mistborn Prime]]). In that version, Allomancy only had Mistborn and no Mistings.{{wob ref|2287}} Mistborn Prime was never published, and Brandon later repurposed its good ideas into [[Mistborn: The Final Empire]]. To give this new Mistborn book a heist novel feel, Brandon added Mistings, so that he could have a team of specialists with their own unique strengths.

The metals themselves changed over time. Brandon had been misled by employees of a hobby shop in his childhood that pewter was an alloy of silver, so in the original draft of Mistborn, silver and pewter were paired, and he named silver Mistings Silvereyes. When he realized the factual error, he was forced to change it to tin and Tineye.{{wob ref|2391}} Brandon always thought Silvereye sounded much "slicker" than Tineye. And so silver just happened to not have any Allomantic effect in the final form of Allomancy.

After the original trilogy and Brandon's reveal that atium and malatium did not belong on the true Table of Allomantic Metals, Brandon chose the true external temporal metal to be cadmium, as it was particularly dangerous and hard to acquire, so it made sense that only Scadrians with the technology after the Final Ascension could discover it.{{wob ref|4883}} Brandon originally had cadmium's alloy named cerrobend,{{url ref|url=https://mistborn.livejournal.com/111534.html|text=Poster Near Final Version|site=Brandon's LiveJournal|date=2008-12-12}} but that name happened to be trademarked, so Brandon was forced to change it to the generic word, bendalloy. The error was present on an early version of the Table of Allomantic Metals.{{url ref|url=https://mistborn.livejournal.com/111534.html?thread=714158#t714158|text=Thread on "Poster Near Final Version"|site=Brandon's LiveJournal|date=2008-12-12}}{{url ref|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107231629/https://www.brandonsanderson.com/graphics/mb_table_v13.jpg|text=MB Table v13|site=Brandon's website|date=2008-12-12}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.crafty-games.com/shop/mistborn-adventure-game/ ''Mistborn Adventure Game (Crafty Games)'']
*[https://store.brandonsanderson.com/collections/art-prints/products/allomantic-table-poster ''Allomantic Metals Poster'']

== Notes ==
<references />
{{partial}}
{{Mistborn|metals}}
[[category: Metallic Arts]]
[[category: Allomancy| ]]
[[es:Alomancia]]