A vigilant bond actively watches out for the welfare of its ward, as well as those nearby. While vigilant beings are often associated with goodness, they could just as easily be providing protection for nefarious purposes. ### Level 1: Protector *You act as a guardian, extending your protection to others.* You can intervene on friendly creatures within 30 feet of your ward, and can use *shield* on your ward once as a special intervention without requiring a trigger. Additionally, you can choose to intervene if a friendly creature within 30 feet is critically hit or falls to 0 hit points. Choose either the *light*, *mending*, or *spare the dying* cantrip. You can cast it as a bond action on a target your ward is aware of within 30 feet of them. ###### Possible reasons why your bond is protective: a sense of duty, compassion, or just because you asked nicely. \columnbreak ### Luxury: Guide (Manifest Symbol) *You catch a faint glimpse of a creature's soul.* While you appear to a creature, you can detect if its morality (e.g. "good") is the same as yours. If it is, you can add a d4 to one ability check it rolls per round (until you leave). ###### Think of this as your bond brushing up against the essence of another creature. Creepy? Yeah, slightly. ### Level 2: Keep from Harm *You have a nose for danger.* When your ward presents you two distinct possibilities, you instinctively know which one is less dangerous. If both are similarly risky, you choose the one which offers a greater reward. If your ward chooses the risky option or neither option, you take protective measures against being slighted, and won't help again until the next day. ###### Inspired by the 4e ritual Hand of Fate! Your DM is responsible for the bond's answer. ### Level 3: Insulating Aura *You serve as a buffer, anticipating potential threats.* Gain a pool of points equal to your bond level * 5. When your ward takes damage, you can spend these points to reduce it by up to half. Also, choose a damage type, which you can change when your ward finishes a long rest. If any friendly creature within 30 feet takes that type of damage, you can spend points on it, and also grant temporary HP equal to the points you spent. ###### This uses all levels you've invested in the bond, so if you're Level 3 with 1 Luxury level, gain 20 points. ### Level 5: Gentle Nudge *By extending your influence to others, you subtly shape their destiny.* As a bond action, grant a creature the ability to reroll three d20 rolls of its choice at any point from now until it dies. You can't grant this boon to the same creature twice. ###### The lucky feat for anyone that your bond decides deserves it, but can only be granted once. Ever. ### Vigilant Intervention List - ##### **1st:** Sanctuary, Heroism, Cure Wounds, Absorb Elements - ##### **2nd:** Warding Wind, Silence, Lesser Restoration, Calm Emotions - ##### **3rd:** Daylight, Spirit Guardians, Dispel Magic, Beacon of Hope - ##### **4th:** Fire Shield, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Aura of Purity, Aura of Life \pagebreakNum ## FORCEFUL *Likely origins: dragon, elemental, fiend (devil), ~~toddler~~*
A forceful bond is full of power, and often eager to use it. One problem: the vessel can be overwhelmed by it. And being exhausted by raw energy is seldom fun. ### LEVEL 1: Power at a Cost *By pushing the constraints of your vessel, you exceed your own limits.* If you've already used an Intervention, you can use it one more time. If you do, a drawback occurs. If two drawbacks occur before your ward finishes a long rest, the effects of feedback occur until a long rest is finished. Additionally, you can choose to intervene if a hostile creature within 30 feet is critically hit or falls to 0 hit points. Choose either the *control flames*, *shape water*, or *shape earth* cantrip. You can cast it as a bond action on a target your ward is aware of within 30 feet of them. ###### The strongest base ability comes from forceful bonds. However, the consequences can be devastating. To figure out your drawback, roll a 1d6 on the drawback table. | 1d6 | Drawback | Description (from player perspective) | |:---:|:-----------|:------| | 1 | Drained | Roll again. If you roll this twice, gain a level of Exhaustion. | | 2 | Numb | Become blind, deaf, or mute for the next hour (roll 1d3: 1=blind, 2=deaf, 3=mute). | | 3 | Awestruck | Disadvantage on saving throws for the next hour or until your health falls to 0. | | 4 | Recoil | Lose a hit die and take damage equal to the result. | | 5 | Feedback | Lose all features granted by your bond for the next minute. | | 6 | Withstand | Roll again. If you roll this twice, you suffer no penalty. ### LUXURY: Analyze (Manifest Symbol) *You are able to identify a creature's defenses.* When your ward finishes a long rest, choose a damage type. While you appear to a creature, you know how that damage type affects it, as well as if there are any spells cast on it. If it is willing, you learn what the spells are. ###### Good for checking a creature's defenses. Or to see if the bard used *enhance ability* to beat you at arm wrestling. ### LEVEL 2: Unleashed Strength *When circumstances align, you are able to unleash your full might.* When your ward lands a critical hit, the target suffers a drawback. If the roll is a 4 or 5, stun the creature until the end of your next turn instead. \columnbreak ###### Great with champion fighters and eldritch blasters. Not so great with mages that cast saving throw based spells. If you're in a situation where this feature is kind of underwhelming, consider changing it to a once per long rest feature that can be used when you damage a creature. Still not very good, but not bad either. ### LEVEL 3: Focused Blow *Your force enhances attacks, causing them to hit with extreme prejudice.* When you gain this feature, choose a damage type. You can change the damage type when your ward finishes a long rest. Once per turn when you or your ward hit a creature with that type of damage, increase the damage roll by 1d8. ###### Notice that it says "per turn," meaning this benefit can potentially be used multiple times per round. ### LEVEL 5: Overwhelming Power *Your companion is now resilient enough to channel your full power and survive.* When you use an Intervention, you can reroll any number of damage dice once, using the new result. Also, your companion can suffer 3 drawbacks before entering its feedback state. ###### Power level: maximum. When you read features like this, you might think "Wow this is insane for a level 5 feature," and you'd be right. However, this is really a level 17 feature due to minimum level requirements. ### Forceful Intervention List - ##### **1st:** Earth Tremor, Dissonant Whispers, Thunderwave, Command - ##### **2nd:** Earthbind, Phantasmal Force, Darkness, Blindness Deafness - ##### **3rd:** Fear, Hunger of Hadar, Erupting Earth, Slow, Fireball - ##### **4th:** Phantasmal Killer, Wall of Fire, Compulsion, Conjure Minor Elementals