Pick an Allomatic power

[WolfThomas]

So I've just started reading Brandon Sanderson Mistborn series, which is reasonably enjoyable. In the series there are Allomancers or people who can derive powers from ingesting certain metals. People who have only one power are called Mistings.

Lets say in a hypothetical world 1% of the population gets one of the following powers and you are one of them. Which do you choose?

The eight "basic" metals (ignoring "higher" and "god" metals)

Spoiler: Iron

An Allomancer burning Iron is able to Pull on nearby metals. This can allow them to make metallic objects that weigh less than they do to fly through the air toward them. For metallic objects which weigh more than they do, this can cause them to be pulled toward the object.
A Misting who can only burn Iron is known as a "Lurcher".

Spoiler: Steel

An Allomancer burning Steel is able to "Push" on nearby metals. This can allow them to make metallic objects that weigh less than they do to fly through the air away from them (using coins, for instance, as weapons). For metallic objects which weigh more than they do, this can cause them to be pushed away from the object.
A Misting who can only burn Steel is known as a "Coinshot".

Spoiler: Tin

An Allomancer burning Tin is able to enhance all five of their senses. A major flaw of burning Tin is that if a sudden loud noise or bright light appears it can render an Allomancer stunned for a short time. Mistings burning Tin are often used as lookouts and scouts because they can see in near-darkness.
A Misting who can only burn Tin is known as a "Tineye".

Spoiler: Pewter

An Allomancer burning Pewter is able to greatly enhance their physical capabilities. While burning pewter, an Allomancer can fight or perform physical labor longer than any normal person, and is also many times stronger than his or her normal self; this applies not only to their muscle strength, but to the strength of their bones, skin, etc. This enhanced strength also allows an Allomancer to shrug off wounds that would kill or incapacitate a normal person. Pewter-burning also provides an Allomancer with an increased sense of balance and vastly increased speed and dexterity.
One danger for someone burning Pewter is when carrying something that they normally couldn't carry and they run out of the metal, the object they are carrying will crush them, causing serious injury. Another danger is that an Allomancer who shrugged off earlier wounds could succumb to said wounds when they run out of Pewter to burn.
A Misting who can only burn Pewter is known as a "Pewterarm" or "Thug".

Spoiler: Zinc

An Allomancer burning Zinc is able to inflame the emotions of those nearby. This can be used to incite riots (hence the name zinc Mistings go by) or to enhance any emotion of the target. An Allomancer can affect a single person or all the individuals in a particular area.
A Misting who can only burn Zinc is known as a "Rioter".

Spoiler: Brass

An Allomancer burning Brass is able to soothe or guide emotions in a particular direction. An Allomancer can affect a single person or all the individuals in a particular area.
A Misting who can only burn Brass is known as a "Soother".

Spoiler: Copper

An Allomancer burning copper is able to hide themselves and others from "Seekers" by hiding Allomantic vibrations caused by burning metals. The radius of effect around an Allomancer burning copper is known as a "coppercloud" (Hence the name copper Mistings go by) In addition, by burning copper, one is immune to emotional Allomancy (though this immunity is not shared by others within the coppercloud).
A Misting who can only burn Copper is known as a "Coppercloud" or "Smoker".

Spoiler: Bronze

An Allomancer burning Bronze is able to determine if someone else is using Allomancy in the immediate area. With practice, an Allomancer can determine the location of the other Allomancer, which metal the other Allomancer is burning, and to what extent the other Allomancer is burning his or her metal.
A Misting who can only burn Bronze is known as a "Seeker".

Personally I think I would go Pewter. Bursts of superstrength would be pretty useful.

EDIT: I had a poll...

 

[Vicarious Reality]

What the fnck is Pewter?

Zinc would be fun

 

[WolfThomas]

What the fnck is Pewter?

Zinc would be fun

It's an alloy of tin with small amounts of copper, antimony, bismuth and lead.

Each power in the series has an element metal or an alloy of it that usually does the opposite. Iron and Steel for example.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

I want to burn Atium! Why can't I burn Atium?!

Actually though, there's another metal I want to burn, but because it's a plot point in the later books (which you probably haven't read yet)...

Spoiler: In here are SPOILERS!

Lerasium, which in turn allows me to burn every single metal by turning me into a Mistborn. Limits? What limits?

 

[Ruedyn]

Brass. It sounds like the one that'll further my plans to conquer the world the best. That and I troll quite abit, and that sounds like it'll keep people from sodomizing me with a pitchfork.

Also, dafuq is the difference between iron and steel? It seems to be only in name

 

[Lizardon]

I haven't heard of this before, I may have to look these books up. They sound interesting.

I think I'd pick either Pewter or Tin. Being able to suddenly increase my strength would have so may applications. But then having heightened senses would be very useful as well.

If you force me to choose just one, I'd say Pewter, simply because it doesn't leave you vulnerable to loud noises.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Coinshot, Soother or Coppercloud for me I reckon.

Biggest problem would be where to consistently find good quality steel/brass though. Copper's everywhere.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I go with Pewter since you said I have to eat the said metal inorder for me use the power. That mean I can use my super strength powers whenever I want to when I eat pewter.

 

[Tethalaki]

Also, dafuq is the difference between iron and steel? It seems to be only in name

Think Force Pull and Force Push (but both only can be used on metal). Iron pulls, Steel pushes.

As for me, I'd have to go either Brass or Zinc. Emotional allomancy is by far the best for general day-to-day events.

 

[Keoul]

Oh boy I am totally picking zinc
-cue evil laughter- it will be ever so fun

 

[Skipper zammo]

So you eat metal? Dentists must be making a killing in that world.

I'm going to have to go with pewter, it seems by far the most useful and awesome, I could be batman.

Also if you eat lead do you get a power or just lead poisoning?

 

[WolfThomas]

So you eat metal? Dentists must be making a killing in that world.

It's only small amounts, shavings and such

Also if you eat lead do you get a power or just lead poisoning?

lead poisoning.

 

[loc978]

Steel. Human firearm without the need for an explosion to power it. Why do I carry all of these bags of ball bearings/lead shot/et cetera around, you ask?

 

[wintercoat]

Steel. Human firearm without the need for an explosion to power it. Why do I carry all of these bags of ball bearings/lead shot/et cetera around, you ask?

My thoughts exactly. I'd carry around a few pouches of steel bearings so that, if my primary source of steel runs out, I can always use some of my ammo.

 

[Bassik]

Plutonium for me, mate.

I do not live a very healthy life...

 

[gigastar]

Well... later in the series you will learn that...

Spoiler: Yeah, spoilers. This is actually a pretty big plot point for the third book.

That every 1/16 people have an allomantic power.

Also filling in some gaps now by providing the rest of the known allomantic metals in the sequel/spinoff The Alloy of Law. Some of theese are also in the Mistborn trilogy, but are of little consequence, bar one exception.

Spoiler: Cadmanium

An allomancer burning Cadmanium will make time pass slowly in a small area around them.

A misting able to burn Cadmanium is a Pulser.

Spoiler: Bendalloy

An allomancer burning Bendalloy will make time pass quicker in a very small area around them.

A misting able to burn Bendalloy is a Slider.

BTW- Bendalloy is an alloy of Bimuth, Lead and Tin. Or so the book claims.

Spoiler: Gold

An allomcaner able to burn Gold is able to see themselves if they had taken a different path in life.

A misting able to burn Gold is a Augur.

Spoiler: Electrum

An allomancer burning Electrum is able to see thier own immeadiate future.

A misting able to burn Electrum is an Oracle.

Spoiler: Chromium

An allomancer burning Chromium will dampen another allomancers power if they are in physical contact. It will also eat at the affected allmancers metal reserves.

A misting able to burn Chromium is a Leecher.

Spoiler: Nicrosil

An allomencer burning Nicrosil will boost another allomancers power if they are in physical contact. This will use up the affected allomancers metal eserves at a greater rate.

A misting able to burn Nicrosil is a Nicroburster.

Spoiler: Aluminium and Duralumin

A Mistborn burning Aluminium will lose all thier metal reserves.

A Mistborn burning Duralumin will gain an incredible boost in power, at the cost of thier remaining metal reserves of the metals boosted.

A Misting burning either of the two will exhibit no effects at all.

A misting able to burn either Aluminium or Duralumin are Gnats.

Anyway i would tke Gold... and its Feruchemical equivalent. Anyone who has read the books will know why.

Also fun fact, Aluminium hats will block mental allomancy. Guess the reference and break down in laughter.

 

[FalloutJack]

I will eat silver and crap Laconium. Dunno what that is? Play Phantasy Star 4.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Reminds me of that episode of Monkey Magic, "A Shadow so large", with Lord Gold, Lord Silver and Lord Copper.

Also, Lord Uranium who could x-ray people to see if they were really magic people in disguise, but he didn't do much.

 

[WolfThomas]

SNIP

I chose the basic metals because it fit well with the poll...back when I though there was a poll.

 

[gigastar]

SNIP

I chose the basic metals because it fit well with the poll...back when I though there was a poll.

Well by the time you finish Hero of Ages you will see why i left out the rest of the metals. Notably they have a certain quality that means they cannot be grouped with the other 16 metals at all.

Also, serial escalation [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SerialEscalation], expect it by the truckload.