how do you resist Balefire?

[Telzen]

I think that the high amount of the power flowing through the sword was enough to stop the balefire. I doubt many people had ever tried to stop balefire with a sa'angreal full of the one power before.

 

 

[Luckers]

There are three viable options to my mind to explain this.

 

1. Despite the similarities in the description, Ishamael did not use Balefire.

 

2. Rand spontaneously discovered a method of blocking Balefire with the Power--it would not be the only 'impossible' weave he made--take, for instance, the weave he used to detroy the shadowspawn in tSR. He also frequently described such weaving as simply 'drawing more on the power' in the early days, without any description of the weave.

 

3. Callandor is made of cuendillar--we've seen ter'angreal made of cuendillar--stuff that looks nothing like the normal clay-like appearence.

 

Between the three i think the third is most likely, then the second. One thing i don't think likely is the idea that simply drawing more of the power stopped the balefire... I think someone would have employed sa'angreal in attempting to protect cities from balefire during the early days. That had not backing, but yeah....

[General Cauthon]

I think someone would have employed sa'angreal in attempting to protect cities from balefire during the early days. That had not backing, but yeah....

 

I agree, but Callandor is one of the strongest sa'angreal, and it didn't stop balefire, only deflect it. Which means two bars of balefire instead of one. Had they used this during the War of Power, they would have increased the damage, not prevent it.

 

And didn't Cadsuane say something about Callandor not having any upper limit? It's possible that Rand channeled more of the One Power than any single person ever had before him.

I believe it was Rands channeling that deflected the  balefire. When the Black Ajah used balefire against Nynaeve in Tanchico, the cuendillar items didn't alter the direction of the balefire.

 

[Gentled Ben]

No, she said the buffer was flawed and did not work properly, so the Taint is magnified through Callandor. If Callandor had no upper limit, it would be stronger than the Choeden Kal. It's more like it is a car that has no brakes, although there is a limit to how fast it will go, if that makes sense.

[Hybrid]

It doesn't, but it is stated that anything balefire touches, simply cease to exist.

 

Singing is not ceasing to exist.

I don't have the book in front of me, but I don't believe the balefire actually touched Rand's coat.  But I could be mistaken.

[Thor]

I also don't remember it touching him at all, though somebody did claim it singed his clothes.

[Luckers]

I agree, but Callandor is one of the strongest sa'angreal, and it didn't stop balefire, only deflect it. Which means two bars of balefire instead of one. Had they used this during the War of Power, they would have increased the damage, not prevent it.

 

True, but i still think it would have been attempted--even if it did increase the damage.

 

And didn't Cadsuane say something about Callandor not having any upper limit? It's possible that Rand channeled more of the One Power than any single person ever had before him.

 

She said it didn't have a buffer--that means that Rand could have indeed used it to draw more power than he should, but had he done so it would have killed him. The buffer is what stops you from drawing too much of the power.

 

Effectively, since he survived intact, we know that didn't happen.

 

I believe it was Rands channeling that deflected the  balefire. When the Black Ajah used balefire against Nynaeve in Tanchico, the cuendillar items didn't alter the direction of the balefire.

 

They weren't sharp edged with planes to guide the flow. They stopped the balefire flat when it hit them because it hit them flatly--the sword sliced them.

 

 

[ROB_88]

It doesn't, but it is stated that anything balefire touches, simply cease to exist.

 

Singing is not ceasing to exist.

 

we have seen what happens to people when other people nest to them get hit.

people who didn't actually get hit were getting injured by it, maby it was something like that.

the air was hit and a small amonut of whats around would get effected, in this case: a signed coat

[mb]

Another possibility: maybe Rand got out of the way of the path of the balefire.

 

[Gentled Ben]

The book doesn't indicate that he got out of the way.

[Mr Ares]

It doesn't, but it is stated that anything balefire touches, simply cease to exist.

 

Singing is not ceasing to exist.

we have seen what happens to people when other people nest to them get hit. people who didn't actually get hit were getting injured by it, maby it was something like that. the air was hit and a small amonut of whats around would get effected, in this case: a signed coat

When do we see people injured by balefire?

[ROB_88]

It doesn't, but it is stated that anything balefire touches, simply cease to exist.

 

Singing is not ceasing to exist.

we have seen what happens to people when other people nest to them get hit. people who didn't actually get hit were getting injured by it, maby it was something like that. the air was hit and a small amonut of whats around would get effected, in this case: a signed coat

When do we see people injured by balefire?

 

in Caemlyn when the whole army races to save Elayne from the Black Ajah, they have a Ter'angreal that shoots Balefire.

i don't have the exact qoute but it is meentioned that more people are hurt than there should be based on how thw BF hits.

because of how BF deletes them from a few secinds ago. i don't know how to put it in words, it is all very complicated. anyone else want to try?

[Mr Ares]

i don't have the exact qoute but it is mentioned that more people are hurt than there should be based on how thw BF hits. because of how BF deletes them from a few secinds ago. i don't know how to put it in words, it is all very complicated. anyone else want to try?

I re-read that section, and it doesn't mention anyone wounded by balefire. I does mention that there were fewer fatalities than might be expected, but there was a lot of OP being thrown around, mostly in ways other than balefire - such as lightning or fireballs. The balefire was wiping people out of existence in swathes, but where fireballs and lightning hit, people were going down, but most of those got up again afterwards - fewer fatalities than might be expected. Believe it or not, that's actually quite realistic.

[ROB_88]

did i read that part all wrong? oh dear

[Ortham.Vega.]

sorry didnt read all the posts but i have a way. this may be cheesy but it would work

now balefire is a flash of light, that is quick, but the action to create it must , or someone that can use balefire would possibly know its pattern , and be able to see what enemy is channeling before it is done , it is also a bar of light so i will toss somthing in frnt of me , this object/person will then be destroyed by the balefire, also i may be mistaken but didnt rand deflect balefire with the sword in the stone?

 

 

[ROB_88]

did i read that part all wrong? oh dear

 

i just read it again and it seems i just read it the wrong way the first time.

at first i thought the aftereffect (or beforeeffect) of the BF injured people who were not directly in the way, but it seems as if it actually saved people from dying from fire and lightning

[pxnsolid]

this is from memory, but the bars of light passed so closely that they singed the wool of his coat. think of it like a piece of paper being ignited by being very close to but not in contact with a flame. the heat of the passing balefire is enough that, even without direct contact, it singed his coat.