Character Bonds (D20)
From AdamWiki
A character bond is a strong tie between your character and something else. That "something else" can be another character (PC or NPC), an object, a place, or even an emotion. Really, it can be anything that can be connected to your character somehow. You can create character bonds to anything that you think is important to your character's definition or story. You can strengthen, weaken, and even destroy existing character bonds.
A character bond represents something that you feel is a vital part of your character's identity. As such, you invest experience points (XP) to grow your bonds. When you ignore your bonds, you may lose XP.
You will be rewarded for exploring stories that test and showcase your character bonds. These rewards come in the form of bonus experience points (XP), in addition to great stories.
Further, you may draw upon your bonds to gain situational bonuses for actions that are closely tied to your character bonds. The stronger the bond, the more bonus potential you'll have.
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Care and Feeding of Bonds
Bonds change throughout the game. A player should be sure to back up all changes with relevant role-playing. Bonds are rated from +1 to +20 and can never go higher.
Creating a Bond
To create a character bond to something, you invest your XP in it. Each +1 for the bond costs 100 XP. You can raise a bond as high as +20. The more important it is to you, the more you will spend. There is no limit to the number of bonds a character may create.
When you spend XP, subtract it from your current XP total. You cannot spend XP that you do not have. You can spend XP if it will lower your current XP total below the minimum required for your current level, but this does not change your level at all (and you do not advance in level when you cross that same threshhold again).
For example, a 2nd level rogue with 1250 XP meets the Master of Thieves and works out a deal where the master will teach him skills in exchange for the rogue doing odd jobs. The player decides to create a +3 bond with the mentor. He subtracts 300 XP for an adjusted total of 950. He remains a 2nd level rogue despite the 1000 XP required for 2nd level. When he earns 50 XP later that session, he does not level again, but he'll level normally when he meets the 3000 XP required for 3rd level.
Strengthening a Bond
To strengthen a character bond, you invest more XP in it. This can be done at any time. You cannot spend XP you do not have but you can reduce your current XP below the minimum required for your current level as long as it is greater than 0. The maximum to which you may strengthen a bond is still +20; realize, however, that the DM will definitely test your largest bonds!
For example, our rogue has advanced to 3rd level with 3400 XP and has a +2 bond to his mentor, the Master of Thieves. The minimum XP for 3rd level is 3000 XP. He decides to increase it by 1 to a +3 bond (cost: 100 XP). His current XP total drops to 3300 XP. He could spend 500 XP (+5) on the bond and lower his current XP to 2900 without losing a level.
Weakening a Bond
To weaken a character bond, you reduce its number. Each +1 that you remove from the bond gives you back 50 XP (half of what you spent on it). If the additional XP increases your total enough to meet the minimum for the next level, you advance in level.
For example, our 3rd level rogue has earned 5900 XP has a +3 bond to his mentor. He needs 6000 XP for 4th level and he's 100 short. If he weakens the bond by just +2, he'll get 100 XP back. The player decides that the rogue is having doubts about the value of the education the Master of Thieves offers, and this insight frees him to finally see how he can learn on his own. The bond is reduced by 2 to +1, representing a small remaining connection to the mentor.
Destroying a Bond
To destroy a character bond, reduce it to +0. You cannot reduce a bond to a number less than 0. Just follow the rules for weakening a bond, above.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Character Bonds
Having a character bond or a bunch of them has a good side and a bad side.
XP Bonuses
Over time, the investment you make in a character bond will pay for itself, and more. Every time your character does something significant related to that bond, you'll get an XP bonus. This bonus is expressed as multiplier of the bond (e.g., "10x"). Multiply this number times your bond to determine how many XP you earn. For example a 10x reward for a +2 bond nets 10x2 = 20 XP.
"Significant" generally requires one or more of the following to be true:
- The action represents a conflict of interest.
- The action is difficult for the character.
- The action makes a really great story.
- The action represents a sacrifice of some kind.
For example, during a session, our rogue faces his mentor and explains to him that he's had a sudden rash of individualism and no longer needs to be trained, but he's still willing to do odd jobs for him. Since the character is giving up mentoring opportunities, this is a sacrifice. The DM immediately awards the player a typical 10x bond award. The rogue has a +1 bond to the mentor, so this works out to a 10 XP award. The XP is granted immediately, not at the end of the session.
XP Penalties
On the other hand, if you fail to play your character's bonds correctly, you may face XP penalties. The DM will warn you that you're ignoring a certain bond. You can still take the action you want, but it will cost you an XP penalty, also expressed as a multiplier (e.g. 100x).
For example, the Master of Thieves asks his rogue to run a mission for him. The mission is dangerous but not of much value to the rogue. The rogue refuses. The DM warns the player that the +1 bond to the Master of Thieves compels the rogue to take the mission; there's a 100x bond penalty for refusing. The player can either send the rogue on the mission or take a 100 XP penalty.
A small penalty is 100x. A medium penalty is 500x. A large penalty is 1000x. A small penalty is typical for things that are only vaguely related to the character's own goals and have no other consequences. A large penalty is typical for things that relate directly to the character's own goals or have dire consequences (such as death or loss of something to which the character is bonded).
For example, let's say the rogue has a +2 bond to his mentor, the Master of Thieves. Refusing a minor mission from the mentor is a small penalty (100 x +2 is a 200 XP penalty). Refusing a mission that aligns with the character's own goals is a medium penalty (500 x +2 is a 1000 XP penalty). Refusing a mission that would save the life of the mentor is a large penalty (1000 x +2 is a 2000 XP penalty).
Clearly, it's expensive to ignore your bonds!
Prevention of Loss
If you create a bond to something, it's your way of saying that thing is important to your character or important you your concept of the character. Because you've invested actual XP in it, the bond also has measurable value. To reflect this, a bond discourages the DM from messing too much with the thing you've bonded to. First of all, the bond lets the DM know how sacred the bond is to you. Second, there is compensation to you if the bond is tampered with.
The compensation comes in terms of an XP bonus. The DM must "pay" you 50x bond to take the subject of the bond away from you for one game session. The DM must pay you 500x bond to take away its subject permanently.
For example, the rogue has a favorite longsword named "Sliver." He's invested 500 XP in a +5 bond to it. The DM wants to have it stolen by a competing thief. Since it's bonded, the DM knows the longsword is core to the rogue's concept. He can still steal it, but he must pay 50x +5, or 250 XP, to the player every game session that the item is gone. Of course, the player must have the rogue attempt to get it back: failure to do so would bring about a large penalty (1000x +5 is a 5000 XP penalty); so the rogue can't just sit back and rack up free XP.
Situation Bonuses
Your character bonds give you strength when you need it. Each game session, you can draw on your bonds to improve rolls of any kind. Each +1 of bond gives you a +1 that you can add to a roll relating to that bond. You can use as many points at once as you like. You can declare the use of bond points before a die roll or even after.
Note how many you have remaining to use. When the unused points reach 0, you cannot call on that bond any more that session. All the points refresh at the end of a game session. Using bond points doesn't actually diminish the size of a bond for purposes of other rules regarding XP and bonds.
Bond points can be used only in specific situations. You may only draw upon bond points to influence a die roll for an action dedicated to protecting one of your character bonds or to fulfill a destiny that is part of that bond's story. The player is responsible for providing a suitable explanation of how the situation ties to the bond.
For example, our rogue's mentor is attacked by an assassin from a rival guild. The rogue springs into action, trying to protect his master. His initiative roll is a 10. The assassin's is 11. The rogue's player decides to burn both points of the +2 character bond to his mentor to improve his initiative roll to a 12. He cannot draw on the spent +2 bond to the mentor for the rest of the game session.
Types of Bonds
You can bond to people. The person is in some way connected to you in a way that defines who you are. Typical bonds include family members, friends, mentors, students, traveling companions, informants, hirelings, followers and cohorts.
You can bond to animals. The animal has become a close companion and in some ways part of you. Typical bonds include pets, animal companions, and familiars.
You can bond to items. You feel that the item has become part of your identity and do not like to be apart from it. Typical bonds include favorite weapons or magic items, family heirlooms, personal jewelry, and spell books.
You can bond to places. You feel a connection to that place and would be upset if anyone disturbed it. Typical bonds include the place you grew up, your current home, a favorite spot in the forest, or an orphanage you sponsor.
You can bond to emotions. The emotion is so much a part of your composition that it defines you. Typical bonds include anger, impatience, happiness, and hunger. The DM is encouraged to push situations that test the character's abilities, where their bonded emotion gets in the way of goals.
Really, anything you can think of, you can bond to it. Keep in mind that a bond represents an investment of identity in that thing. It becomes part of who you are, not just a useful thing.
