Savantism

Savantism is a condition caused by the overuse of Investiture,Book signing, Chicago, IL, 12/6/16 so much so that it has an affect on one's soul, thereby warping it.Book signing, Salt Lake City, UT, 3/29/14
Savants can use allomantic strength more efficiently than other Allomancers because they are more Connected to the Shard of each their worlds (i.e., closer to the Spiritual Realm).Book signing, Warsaw, Poland, 3/18/17
However, using the power so much that it permeates one's soul can be dangerous, a kind of uncontrolled version of a spren bond.Miscellaneous 2016, 1/1/16 (Kaza is one such individual who sought a cure for her Soulcasting savantism, yet slowly gave in to the desire of smoke transcendence while Soulcasting rather than dying.)
On the other hand, if one is a Knight Radiant, the event of Soulcasting, potential savantism, and how Soulcasting affects one who is a Soulcaster is much less pronounced. Still, to cause savantism is a process of years or even decades, depending upon how often one Soulcasts and upon each person individually.Book signing, Leeds, UK, 12/1/17
The magic changes individual souls over time.Book signing, San Francisco, CA, 11/15/17 It's physiological in a cosmere sense, but that can also involve one's cognitive and spiritual aspects. Similarly, a Soulcaster's spirit is slowly being merged and infused with Investiture that is having physical ramifications when s/he Soulcasts.Book signing, Chicago, IL, 12/6/16 Being a savant also has to do with using Investiture a lot, and that is what permeates one's soul.Book signing, Chicago, IL, 12/6/16
According to Brandon, a savant happens because persistent use of the power warps one's soul.Book signing, Salt Lake City, UT, 3/29/14
==Types and Effects==
Aluminum savants are able to somewhat heal each their spiritwebs, healing them of the cracks, sort of healing them of allomancy.Book signing, Orem, UT, 3/16/19 However, one would have to be burning aluminum consistently, and aluminum just kind of goes away in a burst ... .Book signing, Idaho Falls, ID, 6/21/09
A cadmium or bendalloy savant is able to impact the amount of time that they can compress or expand.Book signing, San Francisco, CA, 11/8/18
No one has found out the effects of being an atium savant.Book signing, Provo, UT, 11/2/16 However, if one was to become an atium savant, s/he could see further into the future than normal.17th Shard Interview, 10/3/10
It is possible for a Seeker savant to tell the difference between regular allomancy and compounding.General Signed Books 2016, 1/1/16
Savantism can be simulated through hemalurgy, as in if one were to be spiked, one would be able to call it savantism.Book signing, Chicago, IL, 11/16/16Book signing, San Diego, CA, 11/7/18 However, when one is spiked, one is also always harmed (via each their spiritweb) despite however much one might benefit from such a spike as a savant.Book signing, Salt Lake City, UT, 9/6/16 Still, an allomantic savant cannot actually be transferred through hemalurgy.Book signing, Lansing, MI, 10/15/13
Brass and copper Allomancers can become savants and never even notice. Despite that most savanthoods have extreme effects, some of them are just not as noticeable. It can warp one's soul without one really even paying that much attention to it. In this case, these are two that one could become that would not be very debilitating in one's life.JordanCon 2021, Atlanta, GA, 7/17/21
==Notes==
Brandon has said that he is tweaking savantism. He suggests readers watch how it evolves in future books.Boskone 54, Boston, MA, 2/19/17
* Wax is really good at sculpting bullets and things away from him via the allomantic bubble. His abilities as a Crasher - a Coinshot and Skimmer Twinborn - make this happen - readers are invited to theorize on why - but it's just an enhancement to what he can do. He is becoming a steel savant, but this is what it's coming from.Miscellaneous 2016, 1/1/16
==Trivia==
* Hoid's spiritweb would be weirder than that of a savant.OdysseyCon 2016, Madison, WI, 4/8/16
* A savant would look different in the Spiritual Realm than a human.OdysseyCon 2016, Madison, WI, 4/8/16
* A bronze savant should be able to pierce copperclouds, though this depends on the strength of the coppercloud and the strength of the savant.Book signing, San Francisco, CA, 10/19/15
* There were other savants before Spook.Book signing, Salt Lake City, UT, 1/31/15
* The Lord Ruler lived long enough and used his metals enough (particularly Soothing) to become nearly a savant in every area, if not a full savant.r/fantasy AMA, 4/15/13
==Q&A with Brandon==
Q: So say you go to Roshar and you give somebody a hemalurgic spike for some allomantic power, don't care what, and you use it to become a savant. Does that qualify them as 'broken' enough to become a Radiant? As long as they are also following the Ideals to attract a spren.
A: So becoming a Radiant is a spectrum of terminologies. It ... probably, but you would have to find a Radiant who would, or a spren who would be willing to touch that, okay? It's going to drive them back.
Q: So would it also affect your probability of becoming an Elantrian?
A: Yeah, it would affect your ability to become anything else, yes.
Q: Okay, so would it be a positive effect, negative effect ... ? Because I was like, it gives you cracks in your spiritweb.
A: It does give you cracks in your spiritweb.
Q: So it's easier for Investiture to get in. Does it make it easier for other Investitures to get in?
A: It would make it ... yes. It's going to drive spren away. So what it's really going to make easier for, there, is spren and Investiture that doesn't care.
Q: Okay, so Investiture doesn't care but spren do.
A: Investiture might care depending on if it's part of a Shard - if it has Intent and things like this.
Q: So it might let Stormlight in easier than a Breath, type thing.
A: I'm saying it might let Odium in easier than Syl. Because Syl would care, and Odium would not care.Book signing, Salt Lake City, UT, 9/6/16
Q: What about a lerasium savant? Or would that require so much lerasium that the person attempting it would ascend to become a new Shardholder?
A: Basically, this is what Ascension is.17th Shard Forum Q&A, 9/27/12
==References==
Category:Concepts
Category:Conditions