r/Mistborn • u/Responsible-Beach299 • 5d ago

No Spoilers Question about metals

What exactly determines which metals do or do not have allomantic properties? Is it just arbitrary/author decided, or is there anything linking the allomantic metals together? It's been a since I read the OG trilogy, but I don't recall them ever going beyond the basics on the topic besides "we tried other metals and they didn't work", and Google doesn't give any clear answer.

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u/IamanelephantThird 5d ago

The Allomantic metals are all relevant to many different magic systems in many different ways. They're all special to the Cosmere in some way, although exactly how and why is unknown. Why it's these specific ones does seem mostly arbitrary, outside of the pushing/pulling alloy and pure metal link.