Editing Shardplate

{{culture
|image=Shardplate.jpeg
|related=[[Knights Radiant]]
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]], [[The Sunlit Man]]
}}
{{update|sa4}}
{{spoilers|tsm}}
{{quote
|Shardplate wasn't merely armor. It was so much more.
|[[Dalinar]]{{book ref|sa1|12}}
}}

'''Shardplate''' is an ancient and magical type of full-body armor found on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} Shardplates used by Radiants are [[Spren#Lesser Spren|lesser spren]] who have taken a physical form, and as such are [[Splinter]]s of [[Shard]]s [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]].{{book ref|sa2|87}}{{wob ref|11211}} They are usually used with [[Shardblade]]s, Invested swords that also exists on Roshar,{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} as Shardblades are so large that they are unwieldy on their own.{{book ref|sa1|13}} Those who are bound to a Shardplate are referred to as Shardbearers.{{book ref|sa2|16}}

== Abilities ==
=== General Characteristics ===
{{for|/Gallery|more images of Shardplate}}
{{image|Scroll of Stances.jpeg|side=right|width=250px|A section of scroll, collected by [[Nazh]], depicts a Shardbearer successfully using [[Stances#Ironstance|Ironstance]].}}
{{quote
|A single man with Plate and Blade was almost an army unto himself.
|[[Dalinar]]{{book ref|sa1|52}}
}}

A set of Shardplate is constructed of individual pieces that, when assembled, protect the entire body. There are no gaps between sections of the armor, only increasingly small overlapping Plates.{{book ref|sa1|26}} Shardplate helms have visors with eye slits that may be lifted up to expose the face. Although similar in appearance, each individual suit of Shardplate has a unique look,{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa2|51}} and because it conforms to the shape of its wearer,{{book ref|sa1|68}}{{book ref|sa2|51}} the same suit may appear unique on different individuals. Suits of Shardplate can weigh over 100 stoneweights.{{book ref|sa1|58}}{{ref|group=fn|text=Assuming the modern definition of [[wikipedia:Stone (unit)|stone]] as a unit of weight, dead Shardplate weighs about 630 kilograms, or 1400 pounds.}}

Shardplate does not dent or bend. Instead, sections of the armor can crack after heavy or repeated impact and will eventually fail.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} When a section of the armor fails, it will explode into bits of molten metal. Damaged sections will leak Stormlight. While enough leaks will deplete the gemstones and cause the armor to lock up, individual leaks, even large ones, will eventually "seal over" on their own, preventing further loss of Stormlight, even if the damage hasn't fully healed yet.{{book ref|sa1|15}}

The Shardplate helmet has a face shield with a horizontal eye slit for visibility. In some instances, the face shield can adapt to protect the wearer's vision from the brightness of a lightning strike.{{book ref|sa2|81}} It is implied that when closed, the edges of the visor meld into a single, unbroken surface with the rest of the helm in a small puff of mist.

Shardplate also greatly enhances its users' strength and speed. It provides the ability to jump great distances,{{book ref|sa1|26}} heave objects of great weight, and run at high speeds. The strength that is granted by Shardplate is such that Dalinar Kholin is able to catch a chasmfiend's swinging foreclaw and hold the creature at bay long enough for Adolin to further weaken it, although his Plate was severely damaged by the strain.{{book ref|sa1|13}} The extra support of Shardplate can assist the wearer in overcoming physical injuries that might otherwise leave them incapacitated.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}} Shardbearers require extensive training to be able to control this strength and move smoothly without damaging everyday objects.{{book ref|sa1|12}}{{book ref|sa2|44}} Agility and dexterity are increased by Shardplate. A person armored in Shardplate acquires faster reflexes and is more responsive in battle.{{book ref|sa1|58}} Shardplate urges those who wear it to move and take action.{{book ref|sa4|64}}

=== Protection ===
Shardplate provides protection from impact caused by a weapon or from a fall.{{book ref|sa1|12}} The individual wearing the Plate is able to feel impacts from within the armor, but their force is greatly reduced. The sensation of touch, however, is transferred through the fingers of the gauntlets, allowing the wearer to feel fine detail.{{book ref|sa1|69}} Shardplate is durable enough to withstand gunshots.{{wob ref|3561}} Shardplate is also highly conductive and transmits electricity like a Faraday cage -- allowing electricity to flow through the plate and not the body -- protecting the wearer from attacks by [[Regal#Stormform|stormform Regals]].{{wob ref|10969}} Shardplates are very heavy and thus it is hard to trip or stumble the Shardbearer.

Shardplate differs from ordinary armor in that it can stop blows from [[Shardblade]]s or other highly Invested attacks.{{wob ref|6927}}{{book ref|tsm|47}} This capacity is not unlimited, as damage can still crack and even break the Plate with repeated blows.{{book ref|sa1|58}}{{book ref|tsm|48}} But Shardplate is one of the few materials that can block or resist a Shardblade strike to any degree, apart from another Shardblade or a [[half-shard]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}{{book ref|sa1|22}} Sharplate is also designed to maintain temperature and life support, and is strong enough to protect a user from heat that could burn a person alive in seconds.{{book ref|tsm|47}}

Due to its heavily Invested nature, Shardplate protects the user from most forms of [[Investiture]], including Surgebinding, though this effect is weakened if parts, such as the helm, have been removed.{{wob ref|3830}}{{wob ref|6254}} It is not possible to use any lashings against someone armored in Shardplate. It is also not possible for a wielder of an Honorblade to Surgebind while wearing Plate, due to interference from the gemstones.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} The helmet also protects the wearer from emotional [[Allomancy]].{{wob ref|15717}}

=== Vulnerability ===
{{image|Ancestral Shard.jpg|side=right|width=250px|A Shardbearer leaping into battle}}

Although incredibly strong, Shardplate is not invincible. Repeated impacts to the same areas can cause that piece of the armor to crack and leak Stormlight,{{book ref|sa1|65}} depleting it at a higher rate.{{book ref|sa1|68}} Once the Stormlight is exhausted, the armor will "freeze up" and be rendered immobile.{{book ref|sa1|56}}

Individual sections of Plate can be cracked to the point of failure. Upon failure, the piece of armor explodes into bits of molten metal, leaving that area of the warrior exposed. A Shardbearer can remain in combat with some pieces of armor missing, but, for example, destroying a [[wikipedia:greave|greave]] can incapacitate a Shardbearer by rendering them unable to support the armor's weight.{{book ref|sa1|58}}{{book ref|sa1|68}} Also, the breastplate is a central support structure for Shardplate; destroying the breastplate alone will cause the armor to stop functioning fully, making it difficult to move the limbs.{{book ref|sa1|69}} It is possible to stand up from the ground with a broken breastplate, but the maneuver requires some experience with Plate.{{book ref|sa2|14}}

In close combat, the single most vulnerable spot on Plate is the eye slit.{{book ref|sa4|64}} With luck or skill, or by somehow restraining the Shardbearer, a knife, arrow, or spear can be stabbed through the slit; at that specific spot, many wounds will be instantly fatal.{{book ref|sa1|47}} When charging against arrows, Shardbearers usually cover their eye slit with their arms to prevent lucky hits.

There are also a number of tactics that can be used by prepared enemies against Shardplate. The armor is incredibly heavy; though it will protect the wearer from a fall, the fall can still damage the Plate. One tactic used against Shardbearers is to force them to fall a great distance, either by directly pushing them over an edge{{book ref|sa2|84}} or by putting them in a position where their great weight, or perhaps some other mechanism, will cause whatever they're walking on to fall apart, dropping the Shardbearer.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}{{book ref|sa3|11}}

Another common tactic is to bind the Shardbearer with hooks or ropes. Though a Shardbearer's strength is enhanced, enough people holding them back with hooks or ropes can slow them down enough for blows to be struck; ropes can also be strung horizontally to attempt to trip the Shardbearer.{{book ref|sa2|82}}{{book ref|sa3|26}}

Massive, blunt projectiles can also be used against Shardplate. At the [[Battle of the Tower]], [[listener]]s use two-handed slings to hurl head-sized rocks at Dalinar; a single blow is enough to make cracks in an unharmed section of Plate.{{book ref|sa1|65}}

Bladed or pointed weapons (arrows, spears, swords) typically don't carry enough force to damage Plate, but if Plate is already cracked and an edge catches it, the blow can widen the crack. It's conceivable that a Shardbearer, used to ignoring spear strikes that would normally barely scratch their paint, might be unprepared to respond to an effective use of this weakness.

== Types ==
There were two main types of Shardplates used on Roshar during the [[Era of Solitude]]. They were the Shardplates of the typical Radiants, and the dead Shardplates of the Radiants who abandoned their oaths at the [[Recreance]].{{book ref|sa4|110}}{{book ref|sa4|i|1}}

=== Radiant Shardplates ===
{{quote
|I’ll assume none of you have seen Shardplate in action before. Stand back and enjoy this next part.
|[[Zellion]]{{book ref|tsm|48}}
}}
Radiant Shardplates are granted to people who are on the path to becoming a full Radiant and have sworn a particular oath of the [[Immortal Words]].{{book ref|sa4|110}} Most Orders acquired Shardplate after swearing the Fourth Ideal.{{epigraph ref|sa3|86}} At that point, the Radiant will gain the ability to pull [[Spren#Lesser Spren|lesser spren]] into the Physical Realm to create the Shardplate. Each Order has its own lesser spren, whcih are associated with their Nahel Spren, for example [[windspren]] for [[honorspren]]{{book ref|sa4|110}} or [[logicspren]] for [[inkspren]].{{wob ref|14477}} The lesser spren will perpetually accompany the Radiant, though invisible, and manifest when called on.{{book ref|tsm|45}} Radiants are able to hear their lesser spren howl in pain or annoyance when attacked.{{book ref|sa4|64}}

A Radiant cannot summon their Shardplate for the first time if they are not on [[Roshar]], but can summon it off-world if they have done so before.{{wob ref|15786}}{{book ref|tsm|45}} Plate will automatically feed off their Surgebinder's Stormlight to power and heal itself.{{book ref|sa2|57}}{{book ref|sa4|64}} At least some Radiants are able to Surgebind while wearing their armor.{{book ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|sa4|64}}

It shines brightly with glow of Stormlight and gleaming glyphs, although the Radiant can will it to appear as "dead" Plate.{{book ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|sa4|64}}{{book ref|sa4|114}} In semi-dismissed state, the Plate is only visible as a faint outline, and can't be felt by touch.{{book ref|sa4|110}} From the inside, the helmet is as transparent as glass and the eye slit is not necessary and can be sealed.{{book ref|sa4|64}} Radiants can control their Shardplate with more precision -- for example, will only part of it to appear or disappear or change in shape to some degree.{{book ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|sa4|64}} Moreover, [[Windrunner]]s are able to form their Plate around others at least temporarily.{{book ref|sa4|111}}{{wob ref|14506}}

=== Dead Shardplates ===
Dead Shardplates are Plates that were once owned by members of the Knights Radiant. If a Radiant that has a Shardplate betrays their oaths, their lesser spren are killed and their bodies are trapped in the shape of the Plate. Dead Shardplates lose some of the functionality that they once had. Contrary to dead Blades, which scream upon being touched by a Radiant, dead Plate emits a feeling of contentment and doesn't feel as wrong as dead Blades.{{book ref|sa4|i|1}}

There is some manner of bond between Shardplate and its wearer that will cease if the owner of the Plate is to die, thus causing the Plate to begin to fall off.{{wob ref|6758}} The augmented abilities of Shardplate are fueled by Stormlight from gemstones attached to the inside of the armor. Cracking sections of the armor causes Stormlight to leak out; eventually, the Stormlight can be depleted entirely, rendering the armor useless and the wearer immobile. In situations of extreme stress, the gemstones may crack.{{book ref|sa1|54}} Ten gemstones, larger than broams, power every set of Plate.{{book ref|sa1|54}} Five are beneath the breastplate,{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} and one is in each sabaton.{{book ref|sa1|26}}

Dead Shardplate has the ability to use Stormlight to regenerate itself when damaged.{{book ref|sa1|15}} If sections of a suit of armor are destroyed or abandoned, they can be regenerated later by using Stormlight from the suit's gemstones. Once the Shardplate regenerates an abandoned piece, the previous piece will crumble to dust.{{book ref|sa1|69}} If someone got a small piece of a shardplate, they can feed it stormlight and try to grow the whole plate back, but the original owner with bigger portions of the plate could feed it more stormlight and would usually win in the growing competition. Repairing a heavily-damaged set of Shardplate can be costly, as it commonly cracks the gemstones used during the process.{{book ref|sa1|56}} Through some unknown method, common spheres may also be used to recharge and reinforce drained Plate.{{book ref|sa1|69}}

The natural color of dead Shardplate is slate-grey,{{book ref|sa1|12}} similar to unfinished steel.{{book ref|sa2|16}} In current times, however, it is extremely common to change the appearance of one's Shardplate by painting it or adorning it with decorative details or even gemstones.{{book ref|sa1|12}} From the inside, the helmet's face shield 
becomes translucent to the wearer, but not totally clear, similar to dirty glass. The eye slit is therefore still needed for full vision, but even the partial translucence is very useful.{{book ref|sa1|13}}

Since the power of Shardplate is provided by a continuous infusion of Stormlight from gemstones attached to the armor's interior, many modern Rosharans believed that Shardplate may be some sort of [[fabrial]].{{book ref|sa2|16}} Gemstones began being added around the same time as they were added to Shardblades.{{wob ref|5724}}

== Acquiring and Donning ==
As the knowledge of creating Shardplate has only resurfaced with the return of the Knights Radiant, a limited number of suits exist. The only way to acquire a set of Shardplate aside from swearing Radiant oaths is from another person. This can be done through battlefield combat, by dueling,{{book ref|sa2|5}} by borrowing it from the owner or by inheritance.{{book ref|sa1|12}} It is common for Shardbearers to loan their Plate to others. Even the King's own Shardplate can be borrowed at a heavy price.{{book ref|sa1|58}}

Because of its weight, dead Shardplate cannot be donned without assistance. The Shardbearer often has a team of armorers to assist with putting the armor on.{{book ref|sa2|14}} The armor must be applied from the ground up, starting with the sabatons, or the wearer would be unable to support its weight.{{book ref|sa1|26}} Regular clothing, boots, and additional padding are worn underneath the Plate. When applied, each individual piece of Shardplate tightens to fit itself to the contours of the wearer.{{book ref|sa1|26}}{{book ref|sa2|14}}

Removal of Shardplate is done in pieces; the wearer can mentally command each section to release and fall away. Damaged sections can be shed during battle. In order to eliminate the need to remove one's entire set of Shardplate during extended battle, other soldiers provide assistance with the toileting needs of the warrior in Plate. Sometimes, however, such assistance is not available, and Shardbearers have been known to relieve themselves inside their armor.{{book ref|sa2|49}}

Although most suits of Shardplate known to exist are possessed by the human inhabitants of Roshar, [[Parshendi]] used to own Shards, though they have lost most of them in battle with the Alethi.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}

The old Knights Radiant associated acquiring Shardplate with swearing the Fourth Ideal.{{epigraph ref|sa3|86}}

== Cosmere ==
=== Origin ===
Shardplates are made out of a mixture of the unnamed [[God Metal]]s of Honor and Cultivation. The precise proportion of the two differs depending on the type of spren that forms the Blade, or the order to which the Plate belongs; as such, there are at least ten alloys.{{wob ref|11211}}{{wob ref|11949}}{{wob ref|2541}} Like all God Metals, they are [[Allomancy|Allomantically]] viable, and thus burnable by a [[Allomancy|Mistborn]], although it's yet to be seen what the effects would be.{{wob ref|13315}} Presumably, they would also have [[Hemalurgy|Hemalurgic]] and [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]] effects.{{wob ref|6082}}

== Known Suits ==
* [[Kaladin]]'s suit, living. Made of windspren and emblazoned with the Bridge Four glyph{{book ref|sa4|111}}{{book ref|sa4|110}}
* [[Jasnah]]'s suit, living. Made up of logicspren.{{book ref|sa4|64}}{{wob ref|14477}}
* [[Dalinar Kholin|Dalinar's]] suit, unpainted, later given to [[Renarin]]
* [[Adolin Kholin|Adolin's]] suit, inherited from [[Evi Kholin|his mother]], painted Kholin blue
* [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas's]] suit, painted crimson red
* [[Elhokar Kholin|Elhokar's]] suit, painted gold
* [[Relis Ruthar|Relis's]] suit, painted black
* [[Jakamav]]'s suit, painted green
* [[Abrobadar]]'s suit, later given to [[Moash]] after Adolin's duel with Relis, [[Elit Ruthar]], Jakamav, and Abrobadar, painted orange with blue accents
* [[Eshonai|Eshonai]]'s suit, painted silver{{book ref|sa1|68}}
* [[Cvaderln]], which belongs to [[Hrdalm]] of [[Thaylenah]], painted gloss black
* [[Cord]]'s suit, found in the [[Akinah#Caverns|caverns]] of [[Akinah]], which is said to be reserved for guardians of the [[Dawnshard]], unknown color.{{book ref|sa3.5|19}}
* [[Amaram]]'s suit, taken from [[Kaladin]] who took it from [[Helaran Davar]], when in Helaran's possession it was painted gold-yellow

== Trivia ==
* They were originally planned to have circular eye holes instead of visors, however, this was specifically rejected in the end. There is a specific reason for the choice of visors in the end.{{wob ref|16154}}

== Notes ==
;Footnotes
<references group=fn />
;References
<references />
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