Amplifiers are animals, humans, or any of their physical remains that increase a Grisha's power.
Overview[]
Amplifiers usually consist of bones, scales, or teeth as the animals must be killed first in order to obtain their ability to increase power. This power is only available to the individual who killed them. The part of the animal that was used for the amplifier was usually sturdy enough to last for the entire Grisha's life, as they would wear it constantly; the usual amplifier would be a bracelet or a necklace. These could not be removed, but they were not fused with the Grisha's body.
Grisha are only able to use one amplifier. The only known exceptions to this were Alina Starkov and Zoya Nazyalensky.
Some Grisha can also be born as living amplifiers, able to magnify the power of other Grisha with just a touch. Living amplifiers are rare. They also have the ability to detect Grisha power in a person through touch. However, a Grisha wishing to hide their power can block this ability with a layer of paraffin wax between themselves and the amplifier.[1]
Only the Darkling's most favored Grisha possessed amplifiers.
According to Juris, in ancient times, the proper way to make an amplifier was that the Grisha let their amplifier kill them while they killed it. This way not only made more powerful amplifiers but also granted the Grisha the ability to transform into the species of their amplifiers as the two become one.
Known amplifiers[]
Regular amplifiers[]
| Amplifier | Owner |
|---|---|
| Dragon scales | Zoya Nazyalensky and Juris |
| Kestrel feathers | Genya Safin |
| Morozova's collar (destroyed) | Alina Starkov |
| Sea whip's fetter (destroyed) | Alina Starkov |
| Shark teeth | Tolya Yul-Bataar and Tamar Kir-Bataar |
| Sherborn bear claw | Ivan |
| Northern seal tooth | Marie |
| White tiger tooth (destroyed) | Zoya Nazyalensky |
| Swarm of bees | Elizaveta |
| Bear skin | Grigori |
| Bear in the Fjerdan borderlands[2] | None |
Living amplifiers[]
- The Darkling
- Baghra
- Malyen Oretsev (formerly)
- Ilya Morozova's second daughter
- Grisha examiners for the Second Army
- Grisha amplifiers at the Ice Court
Known amplifiers (TV)[]
Regular amplifiers[]
| Amplifier | Owner | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Morozova's collar embedded on her collarbone | Alina Starkov | 
|
| Sherborn bear claw on the back of his hand | Ivan | 
|
| White tiger tooth on her wrist | Zoya Nazyalensky | 
|
| Shark tooth behind the ear | Tamar Kir-Bataar | 
|
| Baghra's pulverized fingerbone |
|
Living amplifiers[]
- The Darkling
- Baghra
- Grisha examiners for the Second Army
Trivia[]
- There are differences in the mechanics of harnessing the power of an amplifier in the books and in the show. In the books, it's explained that the amplifier belongs to the person who killed the animal, so the Darkling only needs to fuse the ends of the antler's necklace around Alina's neck to control her amplified powers. However, in the show, Kirigan makes sure that a Fabrikator fuses the antlers with Alina's collarbones at the same time as he gets a round slice of antler fused on the back of his hand. That way, the amplifier becomes one with Alina, and the Darkling, through his tether, can puppeteer both of them. In the books Alina only had to realize that the Stag had chosen her to take back control of her own body, but the show establishes a much more physical connection between the Darkling and the amplifier, she has to cut the antler out of his hand to be completely free, at which point her body completely absorbs the antler necklace that was poking out of her skin, and Kirigan loses all power over her and her amplifier.
- Additionally, Baghra's finger bones are not used to amplify one Grisha that killed her, but are instead taken from her while she's still alive to create amplifiers for multiple Grisha.