Community Made Bonds
These bonds have been made by wonderul members of the /r/UnearthedArcana community.
Bond of the Nymph by /u/Etheraaz
There are times when nature needs an allies. Druids often fill these roles, taking time out of their lives to dedicate themselves to nature and protecting it. When the times ask for a further, deeper connection, a Dryad who has shown her potential will be asked to go find a partner. Whether this Dryad has found you to be a friend, useful ally, or even lover, you both can choose to cast a ritual, and become bound by soul.
Dryad Companion
Medium fey, neutral (may change overtime to reflect your allignment)
- Armor Class 8 + its Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers + your proficiency bonus
- Hit Points 1d8 (or 5) + its Constitution per soul binder level
- Hit Die 1d8 per soul binder level
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Senses Darkvision 60ft
- Languages Elvish, Sylvan, Understands the languages of its binder, but can't speak
- Wild Walk. The Dryad Companion has advantage on stealth rolls while in a natural environment.
Actions
Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: your proficiency bonus + its Dexterity modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + its Dexterity modifier bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage.
Nature's Essence. Ranged Spell Attack: your proficiency + its Charisma modifier to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + its Charisma modifier force damage.
Nature's Ally
When you choose this bond at 1st level, you make a bond with a beautiful denizen of nature. The Dryad is able to change her appearance to something that suits both yours and her preferences (but still resembles a Dryad), though they prefer their true form. The Dryad uses the Dryad Companion stat block.
Also, once you have bonded with this Dryad, you can learn one of her languages. You can speak, read, and write Sylvan.
Expanded Spell List
With the bond you and the Dryad have decided to make, you gain a further understanding of Nature's magic, learning new spells. These spells are always prepared and don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. They are soul binder spells for you.
Nymph Bond Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | charm person |
| 2nd | pass without trace |
| 3rd | speak with plants |
| 4th | polymorph |
| 5th | tree stride |
Disguised Form
Also when you choose this Soul Bond at 1st level, the only Hidden Form option available to you is Disguise, as a Dryad's true form is precious to her.
Adopted Essence
Beginning at 3rd level, your companion can learn, and take from different beings' essence to add to her own. Your companion can have one of these essences active at a time. You can spend a bonus action to change your companion's currently active essence.
Essence of Agility. Your companion has an additional 10 feet of walking speed, and opportunity attacks against her have disadvantage.
Essence of Perception. Your companion's Nature's Essence attack has an additional 30 feet of range.
Essence of Power. Your companion's Nature's Essence attack will deal an additional 1d4 force damage.
Energy Conduit
Beginning at 7th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage, you can choose to cast it through your companion as long as she isn't more than 60 feet away from you. When you do so, your Dryad is the origin of the spell, as if she were casting it (the range of the spell is from your companion).
After the spell resolves, she is imbued with magical energy. Your Dryad's attacks deal an additional 1d6 of the damage type the spell dealt (if the spell dealt two or more kinds of damage, choose one) until the end of her turn.
Also, choose one of the options from the Adopted Essence feature. This option is now always active.
Edicts of the Perserver
At 11th level, you can command your Dryad from the multitudes of nature itself. The following commands are added to your Edict options but they do not count against your total number of Edicts known.
Wild Spring. You command your Dryad to use her magic to help others. Until the end of her turn, she can use her action to bring up beautiful plants and flowing water from the ground to make a sort of oasis, no matter where you are. This oasis has a 15 foot radius originating on where the Dryad stood when she used this, and lasts for 1 minute. You can only have one wild spring up at a time. The wild spring aids you:
- Upon entering the wild spring for the first time (per Edict use), friendly creatures gain temporary hit points equal to 2d4 + the Dryad's charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
- Enemies that enter the wild spring are buffered by water and held down by overgrowth. They treat it as difficult terrain.
Elegant Skip. Until the end of her turn, your Dryad can use 10 movement speed to step into a tree, and appear outside of another three that is within 60 feet of the first. Both trees must be large or bigger.
Also, all Adopted Essence features are now always active.
Nymph's Prayer
At 15th level, you and your Dryad have become immensely close as your bond has strengthened. Your companion can use her action to pray to hidden forces of nature. After doing so, she becomes unfathomably beautiful as an avatar of nature, gaining these benefits:
- Your Dryad can target a creature with her Fey Charm. That creature must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, or be magically charmed. A charmed creature regards her as a trusted ally and friend to be heeded and protected. The creature isn't under her control, but will do all that it can to obey her. Your Dryad must hold concentration on this effect, as if concentrating on a spell. This effect lasts for up to 1 minute, or until your Dryad becomes incapacitated, dies, or reverts back to her normal form. She can only charm one creature at a time. Any creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to her Fey Charm for 24 hours.
- Her Wild Spring Edict grants 2d6 + her Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus temporary hit points.
- After using the feature Energy Conduit, she deals an additional 2d8 of the damage type of the spell rather than 1d6.
The transformation ends after 1 minute, or if the Dryad uses her bonus action to end it. She can only transform again after finishing a long rest.
Credit
Creator:
This subclass was made by Etheraaz (https://www.reddit.com/user/Etheraaz)
For u/FragSauce 's class, Soul Binder https://www.reddit.com/user/FragSauce/
Artists:
-
The Forest Nymph by seventypercentethanol https://seventypercentethanol.tumblr.com/
-
Forest Nymph by Galina Loky https://www.artstation.com/loky
Bond of the Contracted Devil by /u/EinarTheBlack
Unlike most soul binders, these soul binders give up part of their soul to enter a contract with a powerful devil. This devil is far stronger than other binded creatures, but is generally unwilling to put in effort on your behalf, and only works within the bound of the contract between you two.
Contracted Devil
medium fiend, lawful evil
- Armor Class 12 + Its Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus
- Hit Points 6 (1d10) x Soul Binder level
- Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2)
- Languages Infernal, Understand its summoner's languages, but wont speak any
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: (your proficiency modifier + Its Strength modifier) to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit (1d10 + Its Strength modifier) slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage.
Deal with the Devil
At 1st level, you enter a contract with a powerful devil. This devil will only act within the bounds of the contract formed between you two. The devil's hitpoints represent it's willingness to stay as per the contract, and once used up it vanishes, returning to the Nine Hells. It returns when you complete a long rest.
This powerful contractual soul binding has stripped the devil of its innate defenses against magic, which is possible the reason for its unwillingness to fully cooperate.
As per the initial contract, you choose one of the Addenda at the end of the subclass description. These Addenda have both a Boon and a Cost, shaping how you want the devil to act.
Additionally, you can add an another addendum at 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Renegotiate
Beginning at 3rd level, you can renegotiate your contract with the devil, switching out one addendum for a different one at the end of a long rest.
Filibuster
Upon reaching 7th level, as a reaction to your Contracted Devil's hitpoints dropping to 0, you can use a clause in the contract to force it to stay, bringing it's hitpoints back to 1 and healing it for additional hitpoints equal to your Soul Binder level.
Devilish Edict
At 11th level, your contract now allows for two specific commands to entertain the devil more. You can command your devil with the entertainment of the Nine Hells. You learn two edicts. These edicts functions like your "Edict" and will follow the same rules. You learn two new edicts which do not count toward your total known edicts:
Torture. You command your devil to torture the enemy. As an action, the devil inflicts a focused attack. If the target is unharmed the damage inflicted is equal to 1d10 + its Strength modifier + your Charisma modifier. If the enemy is wounded, increase the damage by 1d12. If the enemy is below half its total hitpoints then double the Charisma modifier bonus damage.
Instill Fear. You command your devil to attempt to instill the fear of the Nine Hells into an enemy. As an action the target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure it become frightened, and its movement speed is reduced to 0. On a success, the enemy is not frightened and becomes immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Devil's Advocate
Starting at 15th level, you have gained the begrudging respect of the devil. When you Renegotiate the contract after a long rest, you may remove a total of two costs from your chosen Addenda. You cannot have more than two costs removed from your chosen Addenda.
Addenda
The following Addenda are available to be chosen for your contract with the Contracted Devil.
Without Mercy
The devil allows you to further guide its already great attacks, but it refuses to put in additional effort than it has to.
Boon. The Contracted Devil may add your Charisma modifier to its attack rolls.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will refuse to make use of its bonus action.
Spell Warrior
You manage to convince the devil to use some of its innate powerful magic, but it counters that it wont attack as hard.
Boon. The Contracted Devil gains a single spell slot. The spell slot starts at 1st level and increases along with your highest spell slot available. This spell slot can be used to cast on of the following spells, so long as the spell slot is at a level that it can cast the spell: hellish rebuke, darkness, fireball, wall of fire, insect plague.
Cost. The Contracted Devil doesn't want to have to cast spells and be a physical as you would like. It will put less power into its physical actions and takes a -2 to its Strength score.
Hell Knight
You manage to slip into the contract that the devil must be more active in it's self defense, but it states that that kind of effort is too much of a pain, so it wont stay as long in a fight.
Boon. The Contracted Devil puts their hell knight training to good use and its AC increases by 2.
Cost. The Contracted Devil is unwilling to stay as long as normal, its hitpoints is reduced by 1 per your character level.
Prolonged Fight
You demand that the devil stay longer for fights, so it slips in a hidden agreement that it won't try to dodge as often.
Boon. The Contracted Devil is willing to stick around longer, its hitpoint total increases by 1 per Soul Binder level.
Cost. The Contracted Devil doesn't see the need to dodge, making full use of the fine print of your contract to not actually have to stay around longer. Its AC decreases by 2.
Protector
You persuade the devil to protect you and your allies more, but it reasons that it doesn't need to attack as often then.
Boon. The Contracted Devil will defend allies near it. Enemies who attack allies within 5ft. of the devil do so at disadvantage.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will only attack once per attack action.
Greater Effort
You notice that the devil is only putting minimal effort into its attacks and add that it must do more. It takes offense to this, and states that it will attack with its tail too, but it will not try to cast spells for you.
Boon. The Contracted Devil may now use its bonus action to make a tail attack, dealing 1d6 + Its Strength modifier slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will not cast spells even if another addendum allows it to.
Helping Hand
You ask the devil to be more helpful, so it states it will only help others and wont attempt do do things on its own.
Boon. The Contracted Devil can use the Help action as a bonus action.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will refuse to perform skill checks.
Swift Attack
Prerequisite: 7th level
Your time together has proven one thing: This devil puts very little effort into its attacks, and can attack at least one more time. It says that it is true, but it will only walk anywhere.
Boon. The Contracted Devil can perform one more extra attack than normal.
Cost. The Contracted Devil's movement speed is reduced to half its normal amount.
Swift Step
You have seen the devil capable of moving quicker and slip into the contract that it needs to run more often. It says it hates running so it wont be sprinting anymore.
Boon. The Contracted Devil gain 15ft. of movement speed.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will no longer perform the dash action.
Retaliation
Prerequisite: 5th level
You convince the devil to not let the enemy get away with attacking it so often. It reasons that it will no retreat from enemies to make better use of this new contract.
Boon. The Contracted Devil can no perform a reaction attack against an enemy within range when that enemy makes an attack agains the Contracted Devil or the Soul Binder.
Cost. The Contracted Devil refused to move in a direction away from enemies while in combat.
Cantrip Caster
You have determined that the devil should use its magic more often, but that is more effort than it feels you deserve, so it is not going to put in as much moment to moment effort.
Boon. The Contracted Devil can cast two cantrips, firebolt and eldritch blast.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will refuse to make use of its bonus action.
Spellslinger
The devil allows you to help guide its magic attacks through the link, but it wants to be a stationary magical cannon, so it isn't willing to move as fast as you would like.
Boon. The Contracted Devil can add your Charisma modifier to its spell attack and spell damage modifiers.
Cost. The Contracted Devil's movement speed is reduced to half its normal amount.
Skillful
You demand that the devil pull its own weight and perform different tasks, however, it reasons that if it is pulling its own weight, it wont help anyone else pull theirs.
Boon. The Contracted Devil gains proficiency in 3 skills of your choice.
Cost. The Contracted Devil will no longer use the help action.
Credits
- "Alkrom, The Lord of the Night" by Antonio J. Manzanedo - For the devil
- "41 - oF4JQBz" by flamableconcrete - For the stylized template for the image
Design
Theme and Base Class
Designing this subclass was interesting because there a couple of core pillars. The first was that the Bond of the Demonic Pain fit completely with a Demon in a normal D&D universe, but did not fit a Devil at all. So I set out to create a devil based Bond and pretty quickly knew what I wanted from it. Law and contracts are the core of Hell's society so a Bond that was based on a Contract seemed fitting and became the core pillar. The other idea was that there doesn't seem like a ton of benefit to have a contract with a weak devil. As such, the devil would be portrayed as very strong, but only works exactly within the bounds of the Contract.
The Contract
Next was designing how the contract works in function. I used the idea of the Order of the Mutant Blood Hunter (by Matt Mercer)'s benefit and penalty system to allow the player to choose the strengths of their devil but must find ways to counteract the negatives. In playtesting, I ended up binding magic items such as boots of striding and springing to counteract movement speed reductions. I also ended up with a nine lives stealer so it was a little hard to gauge strength, but it felt fine as I had to split our actions a lot. Filibuster was a fun legal term to find to force the devil to stay a little longer.
The Edicts
The Edicts were fun as at the time I was playing around with ideas similar to the toll the dead spell and it dealing different amounts of damage based on how much health the enemy has. The instill fear is a nice utility to help your devil and yourself out of a pinch.
The Capstone
Finally, the capstone of the Bond was to signify that the devil has become a little more lenient with you (probably because you have fed tons of souls to it over the course of leveling) and doesn't negotiate as hard for the contract.
Bond of the Lost Soul by /u/Modstin
When a dear loved one passed away, you chose to take any means necessary to bring their essence back, in doing so, you tore your soul apart to make their's whole. Though not as powerful as a specter held to the material plane by natural causes, this spook is still a formidable opponent in battle. Whether for good or bad, they are now bound to you for eternity, and feel obligated to protect you.
It is your friend, your loved one, your family member, or anyone you decide. By giving them Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws, you can flesh them out into an interesting Semi-PC you (or your DM) roleplays as outside of combat. It's almost unfortunate that you're the only one who can see them.
Revived Companion
When you choose this Bond at 1st level, you create a semi independent ghost-like entity that is a mix of your own soul and the spirit of one you have recently lost. They are invisible to everyone except you, have their own personality and can communicate with you directly through mundane means.
They gain proficiency with two skills of your choice that use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the ability score.
Expanded Spell list
As you bind with this spectral being, you are able to have more spells available, these spell are always prepared and don’t count towards your maximum number of prepared spells.
Bond of the Lost Soul Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | False Life |
| 2nd | Blindness/Deafness |
| 3rd | Blink |
| 4th | Greater Invisibility |
| 5th | Raise Dead |
The Spirit Realm
When you reach 3rd level, you and your spiritual companion gain a better connection with the ethereal realms, being able to better interact with the spirit world.
As an action, you can open your eyes and be able to see into the Ethereal Plane out to 60 feet. This effect lasts for one minute, and once you use it, you must take a long rest before doing it again. Once you reach 11th level, the range increases to 120 feet.
Also, your Lost Soul can use its action to disappear into the Border Ethereal. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Lost Soul Companion
Medium Undead, Unalligned
- Armor Class 10 + Its Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus
- Hit Points 1d6 (or 5) + Its Constitution modifier) x your Soul Binder level
- Speed 0 ft, fly 30 ft (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned, restrained, petrified, grappled
- Senses darkvision 30 ft
- Languages It's summoner's primary language and one from it's past life
Bound Form The Lost Soul cannot be more than 120 ft. away from the Soul Binder at any time
Incorporeal Movement. The lost soul cannot interact or touch anything not in the Ethereal plane. The lost soul can move through objects/walls no more than 10 feet thick as if they were difficult terrain, if it tries to move through more than 10 feet, it takes 6 (1d10) force damage per 5 feet traveled. If it ends it's turn within an object, the soul binder takes 5 (1d10) force damage and the Lost Soul is forced back to it's starting point, or the closest empty space if that space is taken.
Actions
Invisbility. The Lost Soul magically turns invisible until its concentration ends. This effect ends if the lost soul attacks or casts a spell.
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 (your proficiency modifier + Its Charisma modifier) to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit (1d4 + It's Charisma Modifier) necrotic damage
Specter's Rend
Also at 3rd level, you become more in tune with your ghostly companion's combat style.
When your lost spirit uses the help action to give you advantage on an attack against a creature and you hit, you may add an amount of force damage to the damage roll equal to your level.
You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier, after which you must take a long rest to do so again.
Talking to Spirits
Starting at 7th level, you can communicate with your lost soul telepathically as long as you are on the same plane of existence. This continues to work when one of you is on the border ethereal. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your Lost Soul's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
Ghastly Edicts
At 11th level, you gain access to a series of commands that you have learned by observing your companions undead form. The following commands are added to your Edict options but they do not count against your total number of commands known:
Nightmarish Visage. You command your lost soul to spook all around it. Each hostile creature that can see it within a 15 foot cone must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the Ghost until the start of its next turn. A creature that fails this save by 5 or more ages 2d6 years.
Possess. You command the lost soul to possess a humanoid within 10 feet of it. The target must make a Charisma saving throw or be possessed. Until the end of its next turn, you control it as you would the Lost Soul, after which the Lost Soul is forced out. The Lost Soul is also forced out by any effect similar to dispel evil and good and cannot attempt to possess creatures under an effect like protection from evil and good
Ethereal Form
You become somewhat more ghostly, and the form of your spooky companion becomes far more hardened. As an action, you and your lost soul can fully enter the ethereal plane, as per the etherealness spell. Except that you can see 120 feet into the plane, and the effect lasts for up to 10 minutes, and must be concentrated on.
Also, your Lost Soul Companion gains resistance to nonmagical nonsilvered bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, as well as immunity to the Charmed, Frightened, and Paralyzed conditions.