Difference between revisions of "Shardplate"
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|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}{{update|book=sa3}}
'''Shardplate''' is an ancient and magical
== Appearance ==
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
Shardplate worn by Radiants of the past is said to have shone brightly with the glow of Stormlight and with glowing glyphs.{{book ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|sa1|26}}{{book ref|sa2|4}} It also appears likely that Radiants were able to control their Shardplate with more precision
<gallery caption="Images of Shardplate">
-->depicts a Shardbearer successfully using [[Stances#Ironstance|Ironstance]].]]
The augmented abilities of Shardplate are fueled by Stormlight from gemstones attached to the inside of the armor.
Shardplate provides protection from impact caused by a weapon or from a fall.{{book ref|sa1|12}} The individual wearing the
Shardplate differs from ordinary armor in that it can stop blows from [[Shardblade]]s. This capacity is not unlimited, as shardweapons can still crack and even break the
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
Agility and dexterity are increased by Shardplate. A person armored in Shard acquires faster reflexes and is more responsive in battle.{{book ref|sa1|58}}
The Shardplate helmet has a face shield with a horizontal eye slit for visibility. When lowered, the shield becomes translucent to the wearer
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|68}} 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 can also be used to repair Plate.
Shardplate protects the user from Surgebinding. 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
== Acquiring and Donning ==
As the technology used to create Shardplate has been lost, a limited number of suits exist. The only way to acquire a set of Shardplate 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
Because of its weight,
Removal of Shardplate is done in pieces
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}}
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.
In
There are also a number of tactics that can be used by prepared enemies against Shardplate. The armor is
Another common tactic is to bind the Shardbearer with hooks or ropes. Though a Shardbearer's strength is enhanced, enough people holding him back with hooks or ropes can slow him 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}}
▲In conjunction with the above, the one vulnerable spot on Plate is the eye slit. With luck, skill, or by somehow restraining the Shardbearer, a knife or arrow can be stabbed through this slot; at that specific spot, many wounds will be instantly fatal.
▲Effective tactics used against Shardplate include massive, blunt projectiles. At the Battle of the Tower, listeners used two-handed slings to hurl head-sized rocks. A single blow was enough to make cracks in an unharmed section of Plate.
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 his paint, might be unprepared to respond to an effective use of this weakness.
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