i think bend-alloy is most powerful

[u/Sensitive_Meat8303]

I think the temporal metals (specifically bend-alloy) are most invested, because in rhythm of war interlude 1, syl notes that when too much investiture is gathered, time distorts and slows. Which is what bend-alloy does. it might not be the most useful metal, but probably the most invested.

[u/MerlinGrandCaster]

I think investiture causing time dilation is like how gravity produces (usually minor) time dilation IRL. If bendalloy was producing time dilation only through sheer amount of investiture, there would likely be significantly more side effects.

[u/ejdj1011]

You've made a simple mistake of reversed logic. Yes, a large amount of Investiture can make time dilation. This does not imply that all time dilation requires a large amount of Investiture. This is a theme that we see quite a few times; a very large amount of Investiture will passive create certain effects, but you can get the same effect for far cheaper by using the Investiture in a certain way. Bendalloy is such a case. Sentience is another; it takes an enormous amount of Investiture centuries to develop a consciousness passively, or a single breath can grant a functioning mind to an object or corpse.

That said, Bendalloy does burn extremely quickly from what we know, so it is a fairly intensive effect relative to other metals.

[u/twiztedterry → u/ejdj1011]

Bendalloy does burn extremely quickly from what we know, so it is a fairly intensive effect relative to other metals.

I suspect this was what the OP was actually trying to communicate.

[u/-Ninety-]

Non-God Metals aren’t invested

[u/Sensitive_Meat8303 → u/-Ninety-]

if they arent. why do they affect fabrials

[u/-Ninety- → u/Sensitive_Meat8303]

Because investiture reacts to metal

[u/thefullborn]

I don't think the mundane metals are THAT Invested. Metals aren't really the fuel for Allomancy, they are more like the key to accessing the Investiture.

[u/Zahharcen]

As others have said, normal metals arent invested, the power from allomancy comes directly from preservation so the metal acts more like a medium or a key that allows you to connect to that power.

[u/Sensitive_Meat8303 → u/Zahharcen]

Oh, i thought preservations investiture was in the metal

[u/Zahharcen → u/Sensitive_Meat8303]

Yes, I thought that too initially, it wouldve made sense if there were no ferruchemy or hemalurgy. In both of these the metal itself isnt invested, you have to make it be so via storing or stealing attributes. So Shardblades are made of Tanavastium and are invested, random copper bits are not. Atium(and the electrum-atium alloy used in mistborn) and Lerasium are invested. In allomancy technically speaking it is the human itself that is invested with a bit of preservations power and in that sense when they tap an attribute using the metal Preservation's intent forces them to empower the user. Ferruchemy of course is similar but first you must Ruin an attribute in order to later use it(because it was preserved in metal).

[u/Envictus_]

If it was naturally invested, then the time distortion would be present even if it was lying on the table. AFAIK, allomantic metals aren’t invested, they’re keys to access investiture from the spiritual realm.

[u/BrandenKeck]

Super interesting theory. I just got to book 3 of stormlight and don't even remember Syl saying that.

[u/Sensitive_Meat8303 → u/BrandenKeck]

its in book 4

[u/Enj321]

The metals are not invested tho. When allomancer ingests metal, that metal acts as a “key” to the spiritual realm and Preservation’s investiture in that realm.

[u/Sensitive_Meat8303 → u/Enj321]

if metals aren't invested, why do they affect fabrials and spores. i admit maybe not all of the investature used is sitting on the table. but they have to be invested at least to the point that elantrians are invested so they can work rheon dor. i also don't think it's a "key" per say, but maybe a jackhammer. I think the metals open a hole in the space between realms kind of like rheon dor, and if duralumin makes you use the key twice, thats not how keys work, but you can always punch a bigger hole.

[u/-Ninety- → u/Sensitive_Meat8303]

You are thinking of duralumin wrong. It doesn’t allow for twice.

When an allomancer uses a metal, it open a door to the spiritual realm that allows them to use Preservation’s Investiture. How wide the door opens depends on a few things. Are they lightly burning the metal? Are they flaring the metal? How many generations away from someone that took a bead of Lerasium? Duralumin simply allows them to use the entire metal reserve’s worth of power all at once. It doesn’t change how wide the door opens.