Binder Discipline

Also called the Inspiration Discipline, this deals with the forging of bonds and the inspiring of hearts. Invest in this Discipline if:

• You want to play your party’s masterful leader, wise guide, or emotional heart.

• You want to be a support character that grants Resolve and cures Control effects.

• You want to bring your allies closer together and motivate them with words.
  
  

DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW

BASIC SKILLS

Bond of Blood (ATN): Bind yourself to one close ally

Ignite Inspiration: Inspire two allies, curing Strikes or imbuing Resolve

Shielding Binder: Guard an ally from melee attacks.

COMPLEX SKILLS

Bond of Oaths (ATN): Bind yourself and a small fellowship, warband or cadre.

Forceful Inspiration: Inspire one or two allies to ignore their wounds.

Inspiring Aspect (ATN): Assume an Inspiring Presence

Inspiring Assistance: Assist in a crafting task

ERUDITE SKILLS

Bond of Command (ATN): Bind yourself and a large group,

Ceremonial Binding (ATN): Perform ceremonies to strengthen your bonded allies

Greater Inspiring Aspect (ATN): Improve your Inspiring Aspect

Imperious Voice: Allow your inspiration to affect distant allies.

Supreme Inspiration (1/P): Rally all of your Bonded allies 

BASIC SKILLS

BOND OF BLOOD

(Basic Binder; Active-Task/ATN, Bond)

You can emotionally tether yourself to one willing family member, romantic partner, best friend, or battle sibling. This allows the both of you to share in Resolve and tenacity during difficult times. Using this skill requires the process below:

• Step 1: Designate 1 nearby ally

• Step 2: Neither you nor that person may already have a Blood Bond

• Step 3: Label an unoccupied ATN as “Bond of Blood (other character’s name)”

• Step 4: Spend 5+ minutes (aka a Long Task) forging or celebrating your bond via formal or informal, public or private ceremony

Effect (1 ATN): Both characters are now Blood bound/bonded to each other, This Bond occupies 1 ATN and lasts until either person decides to terminate it. Take note, a PC can have a maximum of 1 Oath/Liege Bond and 1 Blood Bond.

Benefits:

• Bonded Resolve: When receiving “Resolve”, invoke and imbue it to your Blood Bonded ally via hand/weapon touch.. This must originate from neither of you.

• Bonded Resilience: As above but with “Cure Strike” and similar limits.

• Guard (-Focus): You can use the Guard defense (see below) on your Blood bond.

• Miscellaneous: Some abilities have special effects when used on Bonded allies

• Prop Requirements: A token to represent the bond such as matching tattoos, rings, bracelets, etc. This Bond Token must be unique to the two of you and it must be distinct and unhidden. It is encouraged but not required that it is obvious and easy to identify.

IGNITE INSPIRATION

(Basic Binder; Active-Focus, Imbue-Resolve, Remove Pain Strike/Wound)

With mere words, you can snap your allies back into action or brace their Resolve.

• Step 1: Speak an motivational/commanding quip to your allies

• Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 3: Invoke “Ignite”

• Step 4: Tap one or two allies without moving your feet with a hand/weapon

  • Option 1: Invoke “Resolve 3” with each tap to imbue them with it.

  • Option 2: As above except Invoke “Cure Strike”

  • Option 3: As above except invoke “Cure Pain Wound”

You may not affect yourself with your use of this skill and you may never imbue more than Resolve 5.

Oathbound Ignition (requires Bond of Oaths): You can augment and invoke Ignite Inspiration as “Bonded Ignite”. This allows you to affect up to three allies by hand/weapon touch or by packet/dart. At least one ally must be Bonded to you (by Blood/Oath/Liege).

Commanding Ignition (requires Bond of Command): This is similar to Oathbound Ignition except that you invoke it as “Commanding Ignite”. You have 5 seconds to distribute these effects to up to 5 people via touch within the next 5 seconds or until you move your feet, whichever comes first.

Relevant Rules - Resolve: is a special resource pool that persists until depleted, until 10 minutes pass, or until the current combat ends. Receiving any damage depletes Resolve before it depletes HP. Some effects can increase this amount. Receiving Resolve always overlaps with and never adds to your current Resolve total.

SHIELDING BINDER

(Basic Binder; Active-Focus/Resolve, Defense)

You gain the ability to intercede on the behalf of someone who is bound to you via the “Guard” defense.

Guard (-Focus): This defense allows you to negate melee attacks upon a nearby ally. You must be wielding a melee weapon and your ally must be within your weapon’s reach.

• Step 1: An ally is hit by an attack while within your step and arm’s reach

• Step 2: As a Reaction, expend 1 Focus. If you have 0 Focus, you can’t use this Skill.

• Step 3: Tap your ally via melee touch (i.e. melee weapon or hand)

• Step 4: Invoke “Guard” which negates all melee attacks on them within the last second.

• Step 5: As with all defenses, stop forward momentum and/or take 1 step away from your ally

This Skill cannot be used if any of the attacks are prefixed with “Master”, which indicates an especially powerful indefensible attack.

Shielding Guard (-Resolve): If you have Resolve, you can waive the Focus cost of Guard when you use it. When you do this, remove all the Resolve you currently have and invoke Guard as “Shielding Guard”. This prefix augments this specific use of Guard, preventing it from being Augmented further.

COMPLEX SKILLS

BOND OF OATHS

(Complex Binder/Channeler; Active-Task/ATN, Bond)

Requires: Any two Basic Binder or Channeler skills

Forge a fellowship, warband, coven, or similar group with 1-4 willing allies, swearing toward a purpose, a faction, or yourselves. Using this skill requires the process below and has additional subfunctions beyond this:

• Step 1: Designate 1-4 nearby allies

• Step 2: Neither you nor them may be Oath Bonded to a different group

• Step 3: Label an unoccupied ATN as “<Group Name> Bond of Oaths”

• Step 4: Spend 5+ minutes celebrating your bond via formal or informal, public or private ceremony.

Effect (1 ATN): All participants are now Oath bonded/bound to each other and to you. A person is Bonded permanently unless they decide otherwise or the bond is removed via this Skill - either way the ATN becomes inert but persists until the end of Event. A person can have only 1 Oath/Liege Bond and 1 Blood Bond.

Alternatively, this Skill can add/remove members to/from your roster (maximum of 5 members, see Bond of Command). An absent member can be removed from the group.

Benefits: Being Oath bonded means that certain skills have bonuses when used upon those you are Bound to. Furthermore, This Skill has other subfunctions, depending on what skills you possess:

Ignite Inspiration: Affect an additional extra Bonded ally or affect distant allies.

Inspiring Aspect: Augment “Inspire” to affect an additional Bonded ally.

Oathbound Spells: Use “Infuse Armor”/”Restore Vitality”/”Transmute Flesh”, Augmenting and prefixing it with “Bonded”. This now affects two allies instead of only one. At least one of them must be Bonded to you (by Blood, Oath, or Liege).

Prop Requirements: Each member must display an identifiable and obvious token or symbol (e.g. facial tattoos, tabards, shields, uniforms, cloaks, warbanner, etc.). Channelers have extra/alternate requirements for their allies.

Animancy: A mantle/cloak/scarf/mask similar to their Animus Crown.

Diablerie: Two of the Diabolist’s runes as tattoos or on clothing/items.

Talismanry: Two pieces of matching jewelry with the Talismonger

No Tradition: No extra requirements

FORCEFUL INSPIRATION

(Complex Binder; Imbue-Aug, Resolve, Cure-Wounds)

Requires: Any two Basic Binder skills

You may inject power into your words, allowing those who hear them to ignore their wounds or affect enemies with them.

Forceful Words (-Focus): When you use “Ignite”, you may opt for “Cure Wounds” or “Painful Revive” instead.

Forceful Scorn (-Focus, Skill Aug): Pair a shot with mockery or a reprimand.

• Step 1: Be wielding a ranged weapon or wearing a Knife Pack

• Step 2: Instead of a Targ-5 count, say a short demoralizing/chastising quip.

• Step 3: Expend 1 Focus and Invoke “Scorn”

• Step 4: Perform a ranged weapon attack, augmented with this skill

• Step 5: Mid-attack, invoke one of the options below. Whatever you hit takes the effect, instead of damage.

-- Option 1: You’re a fool-- “Piercing Pain”

-- Option 2: Get me --”Piercing Pull”

-- Option 3: Shut up -- “Piercing Silence”

-- Option 4: Go away -- “Piercing Knockback”

INSPIRING ASPECT

(Complex Binder; Active-Task/ATN, Aspect)

Requires: Any two Basic Binder skills

You may enter into a mental state that enhances your ability to inspire allies to victory though it leaves you vulnerable

• Step 1: Have no other Aspect ATNs on your person

• Step 2: Write your chosen Aspect below on two empty ATN slots

• Step 3: Perform 5+ minutes of meditation in private

• Step 4: Gain the benefits and limitations below. This Aspect lasts for 1 Event but you lose the benefits of it if either slot is rendered inert.

While thusly Attuned, you become able to gain a special status called "Valorous", provided certain conditions are fulfilled. The purpose of having the Valorous status is so that you can spend it to gain a special benefit -- how you become Valorous and what you spend it on is dependent on the specific type of Aspect you pick below (choose one)

— Warbanner: If you wield a warbanner that bears your sigils, heraldry and/or holy symbols, expending Valorous may imbue “Resolve 3” (instead of Resolve 1) to an ally. Furthermore, special Warbanners exist that grant magical or technological effects.

— Oathbound Inspiration (requires Bond of Oaths): When you imbue Resolve upon others via the Inspiring Aspect skill, you may grant it as a Wave 2 if at least one of your targets was a Bonded ally. Invoke this as “Bonded Inspire”

Prop requirements for War-banner: A combat-safe warbanner with a 3-5 ft long pole and with a prominent flag/banner. If you belong to an Archfaction or Subfaction, it may reflect this alignment. This is not a weapon and may not be wielded as one. In fact, all attacks that strike it while you hold it are considered to have struck you.

INSPIRING ASSISTANCE

(Complex Binder; Active-Craft,, Aug-Craft, Bond)

Requires: Any two Basic Binder skills

Your words and assistance can bring the best out of your Bonded allies while they are crafting or performing rituals.

• Step 1: Assist 1-5 Bonded allies in filling out their Craft-Ritual sheets

• Step 2: Assist those allies’ 10+ minute Ritual or Craft actions

• Step 3: Expend your Craft action for the Period and partake in their role-playing, acting as a guide and an assistant. You cannot use another Craft or Ritual until the next Period.

• Step 4: Their Craft./Ritual action is Augmented and they may choose between that skill’s Bonus Output Augment or Bonus Quality Augment.

Alternate Use: Alternatively, when one Bonded ally would perform a Craft-Ritual action, they can opt to use your Craft-Ritual action instead of their own. You have to be physically present and active during the Craft or Ritual involved.

ERUDITE SKILLS

BOND OF COMMAND

(Erudite Binder;Active-Task/ATN, Bond)

Requires: Any two Complex Binder skills and any two Basic Binder skills, including Bond of Oaths

You expand the amount of individuals that your group can have and your ability to bolster them also expands in turn.

Expanded Bonds (Bond): When you use Bond of Oaths, you may forge a special bond between yourself and up to 9 other individuals, This is otherwise the same as the Bond of Oaths except the ATN is labeled as “Bond of Command <group name>”. This Skill can also be used to add new members to the group if they are present or remove members if they are present or absent.

Commanding Inspiration (see Ignite Inspiration): This is similar to Oathbound inspiration except that it affects to up to 5 people,

Commanding Spells: When you use “Bonded Spellcraft” you can affect 3 people instead of 2 people. Prefix the spell with “Commanding” instead of “Bonded”.

Token Requirements: See Bond of Oaths skill.

Guild Leader/Subleader: When you form a Guild, you get a limited version of this Skill and Bond of Oaths. You only get the ability to form Bonds and it requires a Craft action to use -- you do not get Commanding Inspiration or any of the other subfunctions without actually learning Bond of Command.

CEREMONIAL BINDING

(Erudite Binder; Active-Task/ATN, +Smite, +Heal, +HP)

Requires: Any two Complex Binder skills and any two Basic Binder skills, Bond of Oaths

Through rite and ceremony, you can alter the Bonds of a group to enhance their strengths.

You can use the Bond of Blood, Bond of Oaths or Bond of Command skill to alter said emotional tethers upon willing Bonded allies or yourself. This changes how that specific Bond is labeled -- however, a character cannot have 2 Bonds altered in the same way (e.g. a Battlebond of Blood and a Battlebond of Oaths). Their benefits are as below as are a few examples for recommended role-play for each ceremony:

• Battlebond: +1 to Smite, Spell damage, and Basic Ranged Attack damage

  • Ceremony examples: ceremonial sparring, athletic exercise, feasting

• Heartbond -- +1 to Healing dealt to others.

  • Ceremony examples: prayer, guided meditation, ceremonial blood-letting

• Shieldbond -- +1 to max HP

  • Ceremony examples: feasting, endurance test, ceremonial torture

Tweak Armor: You can also use Bond of Oaths or Bond of Command to reinforce your armored allies. Upon completion, you may also clarify that your Bonded allies wearing armor receive the Lasting Patch status (see Tinker’s Strengthen Item). This represents your rite reinforcing them for their future tribulations.

Versatile Fate Binding (requires Skill Kit and any Counselor Aspect): Bind a Weaponry, Weaver, or Skill Kit item to a willing owner. This is similar to the Brewer’s Eldritch Elixirist skill.

Guild Augment: Members of Warband Guilds can turn their Bond of Oaths or Bonds of Command into Battlebonds.

GREATER INSPIRING ASPECT  

(Erudite Binder; Active-Task/ATN, Aspect)

Requires: Any two Complex Binder skills and any two Basic Binder skills, including Inspiring Aspect

While you have the Inspiring Aspect attunement, you constantly radiate a presence of inspiration and motivation that improves your healing abilities.

You gain the following benefits:

• Inspired Healing: Whenever you use Treat Injury or a Healing-type spell to imbue a heal to an ally, its effects are improved by 1. This may not exceed a “Heal 5”.

• Inspired Ignition: Ignite Inspiration affects up to 3 targets instead of 1-2

• Bonded Revive: Whenever you use “First Aid” to revive someone who is Bound to you or of the same faith, it only requires a First Aid-5.

• Inspire Life: You can use Bond of Oaths or over 1-5 dead allies to imbue a Greater Revive on them. This is similar to the Doctor’s Medical Redemption skill.

• Unbound Assistance: When you use the Inspiring Assistance skill, you may use it on people that are not Bound to you.

• Unflinching Presence: You can use the Soother’s Unflinching Spirit skill as though you had it. If you do actually learn it, you can apply it on a nearby ally when they receive an applicable effect.

IMPERIOUS VOICE

(Erudite Binder; Imbue-Aug, Vocal, Tanged)

Requires: Any two Complex Binder skills and any two Basic Binder skills, including Ignite Inspiration and Inspiring Aspect

Your voice carries across the battlefield and lights a fire in your comrades’ souls. This affects Ignite Inspiration and other skills as per below

Imperious Inspire (-Focus, Vocal, Skill Aug): Allow your voice to carry your inspiration.

• Step 1: Mentally target a Bonded ally you can see and within 20 feet.

• Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 3: Invoke the name of your target and point at them

• Step 4: Invoke “Imperious Ignite”

• Step 5: Invoke an effect from Ignite Inspiration or Forceful Inspiration (if you have it)

Imperial Inspiration (requires Inspiring Aspect):

• Step 1: Expend your Valorous status

• Step 2: Tap or touch an ally

• Step 3: Invoke “Imperial Inspire”

• Step 4: Clarify to them that their next melee attack inflicts X damage, where X is equal to the Resolve you normally grant with Inspire. If you have anything that alters the damage-type of spells, you can use it to alter this damage-type as well.

Imperious Scorn (requires Inspiring Aspect and Forceful Inspiration):

• Step 1: Expend your Valorous status

• Step 2: insult or reprimand a foe, replacing a Targ-5

• Step 3: Invoke “Imperious Scorn”

• Step 4: Attack them with a packet/dart.

• Step 5: Invoke one of the Control effects from Forceful Words, but it cannot be Piercing. They receive that effect instead of damage if the packet/dart successfully connects.

SUPREME INSPIRATION

(Erudite Binder; Active-Periodic, Vocal, Mass, Bond)

Requires: Any two Complex Binder skills and any two Basic Binder skills

You can put immense power into your voice, energizing your Bonded allies into action or cowing enemies into submission.

Once per Period, choose one of the options below to use this Skill. As a Periodic Skill, it cannot be used again until the next Period and after you have completed a 10 minute Rest.

— Option 1: Turn the Tide — Invoke the name of your Liege bond or Oath bond group followed by “Supreme Inspiration! XX”, where XX is one of the following:

• “Cure Strikes”

• “Cure Wounds”

• “Heal 5”

• “Painful Revive”

The affected allies must repeat the effect to gain it. You can also choose to receive it. Take note that this is an active skill and therefore cannot be used while you are Downed or Critical.

— Option 2: Hail of Vitriol — Invoke “Supreme Mockery” and throw/shoot up to five packs/darts within the next 10 seconds. You cannot move your feet for this attack but you may target whichever foes you wish. With each attack, you can invoke and inflict any of the options below:

• Piercing Blind Wound

• Piercing Silence Wound

• Piercing Pain Wound

• Piercing Knockback 20