Shardblade

A Shardblade is a type of Invested weapon found on Roshar. They are usually used with Shardplate, Invested armor that also exists on Roshar, as Shardblades are so large that they are unwieldy on their own. Those who are bound to a Shardblade are referred to as Shardbearers.

Abilities

While there are a few differences between the various types of Shardblades, they all share a few common traits. All are larger but lighter than any normal sword, often at or approaching six feet in length, while simultaneously extremely light. All Shardblades that are bound to a specific owner can be summoned and dismissed at will. When summoned, they appear in one's hand, coalescing out of mist, with the shape the mist. Additionally, water condenses along the length of the Blade when it appears. They can appear inside liquid, shoving it out of the way, but cannot be summoned inside of a solid object. When a Blade is dismissed it also vanishes into mist. The tensile strength of Shardblades is very high; while they can bend a small amount, Shardblades appear to be unbreakable. Shardblades are said to have a sort of magnetism to them, anyone who sees one is drawn to it.
Shardblades can cut through non-living objects, such as wood or stone, as if they are passing through water. Even though they can cut through nearly any material, there is still a slight bit of resistance even when cutting through inanimate objects. When cutting through an object, Shardblades leave behind distinctive perfectly clean cuts. However, when swung at a person or other living object, the edge of the Shardblade will fuzz, leaving the physical body unharmed, and cutting the being's soul. It is still possible to Soulcast a person killed by a Shardblade. The wielder of the Blade feels a small tug of resistance as the Blade passes through living material. If the Blade cuts the core of a person's limb, the person feels a flash of incredible pain and then the limb turns gray and becomes limp and numb. If an internal organ is pierced by a Shardblade, it may be killed or cease to function. If the Blade strikes the spine or head, the eyes of the person blacken and burn out with a dark smoke rising from them. When a person is killed this way by a Shardblade, death is not instantaneous; it often takes a few moments for the person to be completely dead. Once a person or other living thing has been killed, its remains can be cut like any other inanimate object. This applies to plants as well; it takes two swings of a Shardblade to sever a plant, one to kill the soul and another to cut it. Non-living portions of a living thing, such as hair or nails can be cut with a Shardblade before the creature itself is killed. Parts of a body that have been damaged by a Shardblade are typically referred to as Blade-dead. Blood continues to flow through them, and they do not rot.
Shardblades cannot be blocked by any typical weapons or armor, but they can be halted by a few things. One Shardblade can block another Shardblade, and when the two collide they may produce sparks. Shardplate can also stop a Shardblade, although two blows to a section of Shardplate is typically enough to shatter it. The half-shards of Jah Keved are also designed by more modern artifabrians to be resistant to Shardblades. These are shields with an Augmenter attached, allowing them to withstand two blows from a Shardblade before breaking. The final known way to block a Shardblade is with aluminum, which is a rare material on Roshar as it can only be obtained through Soulcasting. It is worth noting that the aluminum only nullifies the supernatural sharpness of the Blade, so a thin sheet of aluminum foil would be sheared through easily by a Blade.
When the holder of a dead Shardblade is killed, the Shardblade appears on the ground next to them. A dead Shardblade may also be given up willingly. This process of breaking the bond requires willing the bond to break with intense concentration while touching the gemstone of the Blade. When the bond is severed completely, the gemstone on the pommel flashes, and the former wielder feels a sensation of icy cold wash through their body. If someone who was previously a darkeyes breaks their bond with a Blade, their eyes return to their original coloration. A person may be bonded with multiple dead Shardblades but they have to be summoned individually.

Politics

“This weapon is worth fortunes. Cities, palaces, kingdoms.”

Shardblades are often one of the most tangible expressions of power between various nations. Kingdoms with many Shardblades are often considered to be more politically powerful than the others. Those without Shardblades, especially the smaller kingdoms, live in fear of those with Shardblades. In the major Vorin kingdoms, Alethkar and Jah Keved, Shardblades are sign of nobility and power. The highprinces of these nations and oftentimes their children or favored highlords typically have a Blade or two. With perhaps twenty or so Blades each, Jah Keved and Alethkar have the most Blades of any kingdom on Roshar. These Blades are passed down family lines, although if a Shardbearer is killed, their Blade goes to their killer.
Even within the Vorin kingdoms themselves, those with Shardblades were usually seen as more powerful. Highprinces of Alethkar and Jah Keved jostle with one another for position and influence, and Shardblades are just another tool and indication of power and authority. Duels for Shards can be used to embarrass political enemies as well as to weaken their military strength. As most Blades are won by those who already have their own Shards, not all Blades are kept by the person that wins them. Oftentimes they are bestowed upon an heir or relative, a worthy warrior, a loyal officer, or even sometimes promised to an ally. It is worth noting though that even if a person is said to own a Shardblade, it is considered treasonous to sell the Blade or defect to another kingdom. However other than this exception, when a person is able to claim and bond a Blade without having it taken from them, no one will question their ownership of the weapon.
Outside of Vorin Roshar, other regions usually have far fewer Blades and they deal with them quite differently. The Thaylens have only five Blades, which they keep in the hands of their Royal Guards. The Herdazians have but a single Blade, which is kept in the royal line, passed from each king to his heir. In the Makabaki regions, the Prime Aqasix of Azir controls the Imperial Shardblades which he rents to the smaller kingdoms. The Selay have several Blades of their own as well. Even the listeners have their own Shardblades, although their numbers have dwindled down to a single Blade as the Alethi gradually killed the listener Shardbearers in the War of Reckoning and took their Blades for themselves. Smaller and weaker nations such as Kharbranth, however, have no Shardblades, leaving it to the mercy of the kingdoms with Shardblades. It is generally believed that the island people of the Reshi Sea do not have any Blades either, which leaves them at a disadvantage to the Alethi during border conflicts. The Unkalaki of the Horneater Peaks do not have any Shardblades, but the first man to gain a Blade would be able to unite the Peaks as king.
A less common use for Shardblades is in assassination. Shardbearer assassins are by no means commonplace, but the Weeper and Szeth-son-son-Vallano used Shardblades in assassinations. A potential strategy made use of by Shardbearer assassins is to give the Blade to a woman. Centuries after the last female Radiants, Shardblades are rarely carried by women, so no one would expect to have to defend against, for instance, a washerwoman wielding a Shardblade. Other Shardbearer assassins, such as the Weeper, remove the burned out eyes of their victims, to hide the fact that they make use of a Shardblade.

Culture

While Shardblades are certainly renowned for their use in combat, that is not to say that they do not have any impact on culture. Rather, they are one of the most important drivers of Rosharan culture, most noticeably in the Vorin nations. They have influenced theology, mythology, society, and even introduced the sport of dueling into Alethkar and Jah Keved, two of the most powerful kingdoms on the face of Roshar.

Fabrial Science

One of the primary goals of artifabrians and their research is the reproduction of Shardblades and their complement, Shardplate. The kingdom that gained the ability to manufacture Shardblades and Shardplate would quickly become the most powerful in the entire world. It is commonly said that artifabrians are only a few years away from managing to recreate Shardblades, but this has never proven true. In fact, no artifabrian has ever come close to duplicating the effects of a Shardblade. For many years, artifabrians have believed that the supernatural qualities of a Shardblade are due to the gemstone in their hilts, which they believed to be a fabrial. In 1173, artifabrians discovered that the gemstones were not originally a part of the Blade and are only important in allowing for the Blade to be summoned and dismissed. The most important Shardblade-related fabrial development are the half-shards of Jah Keved, which were a groundbreaking development in combating the Blades, but are still nowhere near the real ones.

Theology & Mythology

“We have strength and power granted by the Almighty. It's a great responsibility, and it's our duty to use it for the protection of our men.”

According to Vorin doctrine, the Shardblades were gifts from the Almighty, used to fight the Voidbringers, who were said to have skin of stone. As humanity was barely making spears, and their metalworking was incredibly basic, they needed the aid of their god to drive the Voidbringers from Roshar and the Tranquiline Halls and back into Damnation. While the Radiants were initially a force for good, it is said that over time they became corrupt and eventually betrayed mankind in some way, possibly helping the other side. Thereafter they were known as the Lost Radiants, and some began to say that their powers had been a curse or merely fanciful tales. The Honorblades have been elevated to a place of legend, considered to be mythological treasures. In Vorinism, it is not believed that being killed by a Shardblade destroys the soul, likely due to their connection to the Radiants. There are legends of a light, silvery metal that falls from the sky and has the capacity to block Shardblades.
Stories of heroes wielding Shardblades were pervasive among the peoples of Roshar, particularly the Vorin darkeyed. Young children play at having Shardblades, and dream of growing up to join the army and win one for themselves. Young lighteyed children often have wooden toy swords, carved to look like Shardblades. Some young men carry fine daggers carved in the likeness of Shardblades. In rural towns, the tales of Lanacin the Surefooted, Evod Markmaker, and Raninor of the Fields, legendary and revered darkeyes who won Shardblades, inspired men to go off to war in hopes of winning a Shardblade, and thus riches and fame for themselves and their loved ones. However, a darkeyes winning a Shardblade is so incredibly uncommon that it has not happened in over a lifetime. Given the preponderance of Blades in the Vorin kingdoms, some see it as a sign that the nations themselves have been blessed by the Heralds.

Society 

Even though the Radiants are a distant memory of the past of Roshar, their influence still permeates Vorin society. Indeed, it is the memory of the Radiants, whose eyes were lightened upon bonding their Blade, that led to the stratification of Vorin society into castes based on eye color. Even some titles may be passed with Shards; for instance in Thanadal's princedom, the owner of a certain set of Shards is typically given the title of Royal Defender. The cardinal rule of Shardblades is that any person who kills a Shardbearer is entitled to the Shards that person possess, regardless of their social status. Any person in Vorin society that gains a Shardblade is instantly raised to the level of a fourth dahn lighteyes if they were not already at that rank or higher. This grants that person the title of highlord, as well as lands of their own and incomes from those lands. Upon being raised, they may make their own noble house or ask permission to join another house. Anyone that bonds a Shardblade instantly becomes one of the most influential people in the kingdom, and their presence is expected at all social events of note. They are so important that they become, to some extent, above the law. For more series crimes, Shardbearers are either pardoned or executed, as it is impossible to imprison a Shardbearer against their will. This is true whether the Shardbearer is lighteyed or dark, but far more lighteyes become Shardbearers than darkeyes.
When someone bonds a Shardblade, most commonly they maintain that bond up until the point of their death or it is lost in a duel or some other way. It is worth noting though that to win a Blade fairly requires a true contest, in most cases. Doing something like taking one from a child who cannot defend themselves may be frowned on or cause for rebellion, although there is oftentimes no way to force the Blade to be returned. The only circumstance that a person would willingly give up their Blade is when they become to weak or ill to be able to use it themselves, and even then it is uncommon and done with reluctance. In Vorin kingdoms, upon a Shardbearer's natural death, a Blade is most commonly passed on down their family line. While passing the Blade from father to son is the most common, every person who owns a Blade has the right of bestowal, the ability to chose their successor themselves. Most Shardblades have a detailed history and lore of their own as well of drawings done of them. Royal records done by scholars track the lineage of Blades down through the generations as they are passed down families or change hands between brightlords and kings. Oftentimes they also are given a name, such as Firestorm or Sunraiser, although some Shardbearers prefer not to name their Blades.

Greatshell Hunts

Shardblades are often used in greatshell hunts, enormous Vorin sporting events. Typically the Shardblades are used in the very final stages of the hunt, after the beast has been wounded by volleys of arrows and shots from a grandbow. In the case of the chasmfiends of the Shattered Plains, the Shardblades are used on the beasts's legs. Shardbearers ride around beneath the greatshell, cutting through one leg at a time until the remaining legs cannot support the chasmfiend's weight and it collapses. The creature is then killed with the Blades and its gemheart is harvested. Some consider the Blades to be so effective that the greatshell hunts are unsportsmanlike.

Dueling

“Fighting with Shardblades, though, that could be like a dance. The large weapons took a great deal of skill to swing properly, and Plate was resilient, so exchanges were generally drawn out. The fights were filled with grand motions, wide sweeps. There was a fluidity to fighting with a Shardblade. A grace.”

The Vorin kingdoms of eastern Roshar have a proud tradition of dueling, particularly with Shardblades. A duel between Shardbearers was not just a contest of skill, but an art form all its own. Lighteyes and darkeyes alike gathered in arenas, to view not only a simple battle, but a grand spectacle. While there were rules and regulations as to what was permitted and forbidden during a duel, oftentimes certain actions were forbidden by traditions stronger than law. Duels are supposed to be fought slowly and gracefully, both opponents testing one another before dueling in earnest. Duelists nearly always make use of traditional dueling styles, such as Windstance or Smokestance. Duels that are instead fought quickly with fast, brutal blows are nontraditional and unpopular with both highjudges and audiences, if not technically forbidden. While Shardblades typically do not need to be swung at full strength in combat, it is useful during a duel with someone also wielding another Shardblade. Some duels are fought without a Shardblade, but even many of those are fought without a shield evoking the classical ideal of a duel with Shardblades.
Duels are moderated by a highjudge, who has absolute authority over what occurs during a duel within the arena. Both duelists agree to terms in front of the highjudge before a duel. Duels are usually fought until a specific number of sections of Plate are Shattered. The typical number of Plates duelists fight for is one, but higher stakes duels can go for more two or three, but this can prove dangerous. Some try to jam their Blade in gaps between the sections of Plate, hoping to break them. This is a dangerous move though, and risks seriously wounding an opponent. A duel can also go until surrender, which allows a man to keep fighting until he feels he is bested or is rendered incapable of further fighting. If a highjudge feels a duel has gone too far, she can end the duel herself. Duelists can also agree to a paired duel, in which one man fights two or a disadvantaged duel wherein the disadvantaged side need only have fewer duelists than the other side. Specific language when challenging another person to a duel is crucial as other duelists will use any flaws in the wording of the challenge to skew the duel to their own advantage.
Duels can be fought for a variety of reasons. One is for sport, fighting to duels to practice and display skill. Someone dueling can choose to compete to become the dueling champion of the kingdom. This is determined by statistical dueling rankings, which prevent just any Shardbearer from challenging one ranked far higher. Typically, a dueling champion will only agree to fight someone close to him in the rankings. Working ones way to the top of the rankings can typically take a year or two. Another reasons someone can challenge another to a duel is in recompense for an insult or some sort of wrongdoing. This usually only applies to people of a similar rank, a subordinate is typically not permitted to challenge his superior to a duel. Duels can also be fought wagering Plate, Blades or both. These duels are uncommon and usually something of a spectacle. This is one of the few ways that Shards change hands outside of actual combat. Duels to the death are very rare, although accidental death or serious injury are not unheard of in duels. One of the few ways that a duel to the death is permitted is by the Right of Challenge, which is sometimes granted by a boon from the king. The Alethi Codes of War forbid dueling in times of war, to avoid injuring officers, although few modern Alethi keep to the codes.
Duelists themselves have their own strongly held set of traditions, both as individuals and as a whole. Some are borne out of necessity, such as how a Blade is held to avoid slicing something by accident or how to think of an enemy in combat. Others are less practical and seem almost mystical or spiritual. The manner in which they show respect to the traditions and institutions of dueling itself is one. Many duelists feel that the Blade itself is a part of them, a tradition perhaps dating back to the Radiants themselves. Some also believe that a Blade cannot fail its wielder, a loss occurs only when the duelist fails the Blade.

Training Shardbearers

A Shardbearer is typically trained in a specific way among the Alethi. Lighteyed boys of appropriate rank around the age of ten are chosen by an ardent swordmaster for training. These boys typically already have at least some training with the sword. The swordmasters train in training grounds run by the ardentia. The swordmaster's job is teaching them the ten Shardblade Stances, which are used in both dueling and regular combat. They train with Blades in two ways. If the trainee has no Blade of his own, they can make use of wooden practice swords that approximate the balance and weight of a real Blade. They may also borrow one of the King's Blades. Either way, when training with real Blades a guard is used to blunt the cutting edge. The origin of these guards is unknown, but they are believed to come from long ago. As the Blades of the original Radiants could naturally dull themselves to prevent injury, it seems likely that they were developed at some point following the Recreance. The guards are made of metal and conform to the edge of any Blade. The guards themselves are useless and fragile on their own, but they are perfect for training. A swordmaster also coaches their student on how to control the Blade with their mind, commanding it to remain in place so it can be loaned to others.

King's Blades

One of the strongest traditions in Alethkar is the loaning of the King's Blade. In Alethkar, both the king's Blade and his Plate are available to be used in a duel by those who have the favor of the king and are without Shards of their own. Borrowing the Blade does cost a hefty amount of spheres, but it is not uncommon. Oftentimes kings dislike or are uncomfortable with this tradition, but they still follow the tradition. Kings will also make their Blades available for trainee Shardbearers to practice wielding an actual Blade. This tradition is one of the reasons the Alethi have the best trained Shardbearers on Roshar. Whenever a Shardbearer is killed or dies, there is always someone prepared to bond their Blade and use it right away. On some occasions, a king will even allow their Blade to be used in actual combat, but it is uncertain how commonly this occurs. If a king has multiple Blades, he will sometimes bestow one of the King's Blades on someone who he thinks is deserving of a Blade of their own. Before the monarchy was restored in Alethkar, the highprinces carried on the tradition of the King's Blade by lending their own Blades.

Battle Tactics

Shardblades are such an effective tool on the battlefield that they have inspired their own tactical and countertactical uses. Combat in a battle against a vast number of regular soldiers differs significantly from a duel, and so the tactics that a Shardbearer makes use of are also quite different as well. Shardblades are typically most effective when they are used by a person that is also wearing Shardplate, as the Blades are so large that they are unwieldy without Plate. The tactics discussed below typically assume the person wielding the Shardblade is also wearing Shardplate. It is worth noting however, that dueling knowledge may also come into play on the field of battle, if a Shardbearer faces an enemy Shardbearer.

Shardblade Tactics

“A Shardbearer wasn't just a force of destruction; he was a force of morale and inspiration. The men fought more vigorously as they saw their brightlord felling foe after foe. Shardbearers changed battles.”

The first tactical decision made using Shards is often deciding where to deploy them. As Shardblades are as rare as they are effective, generals and tacticians must decide where they are most useful. Shardbearers typically only fight in the most important battles. For instance, no Shardbearers were necessary when the Alethi fought the Reshi in the wastescum skirmishes, but every single Shardbearer has been deployed to the Shattered Plains for the War of Reckoning. While sending as many Shardblades to a conflict as possible may seem a simple solution, it may leave an army exposed elsewhere or leave its homeland defenseless. Another consideration is the fact that sending Shardbearers to a battle may serve as a deterrent to one's enemies, but it may also escalate the conflict and provoke one's enemies to send their own Shardbearers into battle.
Shardbearers often lead formations themselves, cutting a hole in enemy ranks with their overwhelming force. This creates a gap that well-trained men can exploit, which can allow for an army to overcome superior numbers. The usefulness of this tactic is twofold. Few regular men can put up an effective resistance against a Shardbearer, allowing them to lead a spectacularly effective charge, and also this tactic puts the Shardbearers at the front of the regular soldiers, often giving them a boost in morale as well. Shardbearers will also sometimes be used in defensive fights to bolster the gaps in their own lines, moving quickly between weak places to give soldiers a chance to recover and return to their formation. When a Shardbearer has Plate and Blade, they can also easily cut their way behind enemy lines, where they can wreak havoc with impunity and cause confusion that their own soldiers can then exploit. Unlike fighting in a duel, the most effective way to combat large groups of soldiers is to maintain momentum and keep the Shardblade in constant motion, always cutting. Practiced Shardbearers will use their control over their bond with their Shardblade to make use of it unexpectedly. They may throw their Shardblades in a more ranged attack than an enemy is used to and then dismiss it once the damage is done so that they can summon it back to their hands. Another uncommon tactic is unexpectedly dismissing the Blade, which can surprise an enemy who is preparing to dodge the Blade or parry it. This works particularly well when the Shardbearer is wearing Plate.
Due to their awesome power, Shardbearers fighting together often have to be careful that they do not inadvertently hurt one another or their own men. Fighting in tandem with Shards is a skill all its own, keeping close enough to support one another but just far enough away to avoid interfering in the other's fight. While the skill is uncommonly practiced, two Shardbearers supporting one another in combat can achieve incredible success. Many times a Shardbearer will wade into enemy lines, bolstered by an honor guard fighting a few steps behind them. The honor guard does not spend time defending the Shardbearer directly, but rather stays nearby to support the Shardbearer, so if his Plate is severely damaged or he is seriously injured, the Shardbearer can retreat to safety and not risk their life or their Shards. Bolder Shardbearers will leave this honor guard behind and will attack enemies alone, either on foot or horseback. Such a move is a tactical risk, as an isolated Shardbearer is at his most vulnerable and the loss of a Shardbearer in combat may prove disastrous for their own forces. Shardbearers may also fight alone when capturing a wall or taking down some other fortification. Narrow wall tops are ideal for Shardbearers, as they are able to easily kill the clustered soldiers. They must take care when scaling walls however, as some handholds are designed to be retracted by the defenders. Unexpectedly pulling in a ledge that a Shardbearer is hanging from can be enough to send them spilling to the ground, cracking their Plate or killing them.
As Shards are often passed down family lines, many times it ends up in the hands of someone that prefers not to be involved directly in combat. Aged warriors, those who lack a talent for fighting, or those who prefer to lead tactically from the rear may not desire to engage directly in combat themselves, but also do not want to deprive their army of a Shardblade. Shardbearers can will their Blade to remain and still remain fully bonded to the Blade. This has lead to the practice of highprinces and other lighteyes lending their Blades to skilled officers. This tactic relies on a great deal of trust on both sides though. As the owner of the Blade has the ability to recall the Blade at any moment, the person fighting with it must trust that the owner will not dismiss the Blade, leaving them unarmed. For their part, the owner of the Blade must trust that the person wielding it will not interfere with the gem on the Blade or allow it to be damaged, which would prevent the true owner from being able to summon it until it is replaced with a new gemstone.
The Shardblade is such a powerful weapon that its versatility is often only limited by the creativity of its bearer. An experienced Shardbearer can find a multitude of ways to use a Blade to his advantage in battle beyond the tactics in which they are typically trained.

Countering Shardblades

The most effective way of countering a Shardblade is to send another Shardbearer against them. By leveling the playing field in this way, the overwhelming power of a Shardblade is negated and victory is left to the most skilled of the fighters.  However, when going up against a full Shardbearer, a person with both Blade and Plate, a Blade is often not enough to ensure victory. In fact, in a duel between someone with only Plate and someone with only a Blade, the person with Plate will more often be successful, as they only need to get in one good strike on their opponent. This is why most Shards are won by people who are already full Shardbearers.

“In fighting a Shardbearer, everything became about that Blade. The Blade that nothing could stop, the Blade that didn't just kill the body— but severed the soul itself.”

As swords and arrows are practically useless against a Shardbearer, heavy weapons such as war hammers and axes are often used in an attempt to shatter the plate. The most common tactic is to simply drown a Shardbearer in enemies. Enemy forces attempt to attack from all directions, hoping that the Shardbearer may grow distracted or disoriented. Despite the fact that most regular soldiers are afraid to face a Shardbearer, when they attack in large groups the weight of the army can force even the reluctant forward, and there is always the chance that someone will get in a lucky blow. Shardbearers are vulnerable if they can be separated from the soldiers supporting them, so if an army can separate a Shardbearer from their honor guard and limit their mobility, they have a decent chance of killing him. One tactic to reduce a Shardblade's effectiveness is to get in close to the Shardbearer, staying within the Shardbearer's reach and taking advantage of the Blade's long, non-lethal hilt. Fortifications may be constructed with this principle in mind, keeps built with narrow corridors to prevent a bulky Shardbearer from maneuvering. There are also soldiers trained specifically to deal with Shardbearers. They utilize ropes and hooks to try to unbalance or trip the shardbearer, though this isn't always successful as shardplates are heavy. As the Shardblades cut through corpses instead of knocking them away like a normal weapon would, Shardbearers often become surrounded in corpses, which can lead to unstable footing and decreased mobility. In extended battle, Shardbearers are rarely the last fighting, their enemy focuses on bringing them down first so that their Blades can be turned on their own men once they have fallen. This means when a Shardbearer is killed, recovering their Blade and Plate are a higher priority than even retrieving the highlord's body.
One common vulnerability a Shardbearer has is their own arrogance. In fact, oftentimes Shardbearers allow their combat skills to dull or never bother becoming terribly skilled in the first place, as they become used to being near-invincible and fantastically stronger than any of their opponents. This can be the undoing of a Shardbearer who faces a more practiced opponent or a Surgebinder. One specific move to counter a Shardblade that makes use of this weakness is called a lastclap. Oftentimes Shardbearers do not swing at their full strength as they typically do not need to do so when fighting in large battles, as they have a Blade that can cut through any material. This means that when they are swinging downward at an enemy with an overhead blow, the person they are swinging at can sometimes catch the Blade between their palms. Some see this as a dumb move, only useful as a last resort, because it relies fully on an enemy's lack of care.
One uncommonly exploited weakness in a Shardblade is the gem at its hilt. If the gemstone on the hilt of a Blade is damaged or removed and the Shardbearer is somehow disarmed, he will be unable to summon the Blade to himself. However, if someone can get close enough to a Shardbearer to disable his Blade in such a way, they are likely close enough to either kill the owner or be killed by him, making this tactic often impractical. Oftentimes, a surprise attack is the quickest way to kill a Shardbearer. If they are not currently on the battlefield, and therefore not in their Plate, a Shardbearer can be attacked before they have a chance to summon their Blade. In close quarters fighting, such as hand-to-hand or with a knife, Shardblades are too long to be useful and are only a liability if summoned, eliminating the advantage of a Blade.

Combat on the Shattered Plains

Shardblades also are helpful when dealing with the Shattered Plains in particular. When attempting to cross from one plateau to another that is held by an enemy, full Shardbearers will often leap the chasm between the two plateaus and establish a "beachhead" for the men setting bridges behind them. This strategy is often followed by a cavalry attack across the bridge to push back the enemy. Those who fight against the Shardbearers often attempt to push the Shardbearers off the plateau and into the chasm, killing them instantly, so this tactic is incredibly dangerous for unskilled Shardbearers. Shardblades are also useful in harvesting gemhearts rapidly from chasmfiends. A Blade can be used to kill the pupating chasmfiend, cutting through its chrysalis easily. Once dead, a Shardblade can easily be used instead of mallets to break open the chrysalis and remove the gemheart, allowing the Alethi to retreat quickly.

Item type

Weapon, Melee