Bonds
Momenta Core Rules · Moment 2 · Characters · Chapter 10
A Bond is a relationship that has become a part of who you are, written as a freeform descriptor, nurtured through play, and strong enough to change what you can do. If Threads are considered chapters and lived experiences of your past, Bonds are the chapters and new experiences still being written.
Holding Bonds
- You can hold up to your Max Bonds at a time (see Characters at a Glance).
- Bonds represent relationships between the player character and another character, either a fellow PC, or a named NPC of consequence (for enemies, only Champion and Nemesis-class villains should qualify). With GM approval, a Bond may instead target an institution, place, or even a treasured object (e.g., a fallen kingdom, a father’s sword).
- Bonds are one-directional. Your Bond toward someone is yours alone, and may not be reciprocated. In the case when both sides of a relationship hold Bonds toward each other at a high enough intensity, they may unlock new abilities and benefits.
- During character creation, you start with 3 Strands (see below) to allocate across any number of Bonds, subject to the GM’s approval of targets.
GM Note: While not mandatory, it is highly encouraged that at least one of the starting Bonds is towards a fellow party member.
Describing Bonds
Every Bond is described with a freeform descriptor, written like a Thread: a short phrase naming what this relationship is, in your character’s own terms. There is no fixed list of Bond types. Whenever certain abilities care about a Bond’s flavor, apply the Threads fiction-first test: if the descriptor plausibly qualifies, it qualifies.
Some example Bond descriptors:
- Towards a character - “My one and only rival, and the only one allowed to beat me.”
- Towards a character - “I find her cat ears cute, and I’m curious about her kind.”
- Towards a treasured object - “I must protect this sword at all costs; the fate of my kingdom depends on it.”
Bonds can be built on affection, loyalty, rivalry, mistrust, or anything in between. The rules treat them all the same — the fiction is what differs. Whenever you invoke a Bond, you explain how it applies, and the GM adjudicates whether the explanation holds.
Growing a Bond
Bonds are measured by their intensity level, and they grow by accumulating Strands. By default, a Bond intensity of 0 means that there is no Bond in place.
| Intensity | Total Strands Needed | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - Fleeting | 1 | You may invoke the Bond (instead of a Thread) for a Momentous Development if you can explain how the Bond applies. You may also Invoke the Bond on action rolls, in narrative play or in combat, by spending 1 Resolve (see Bonds in Combat). |
| 2 - Rooted | 3 | You may Assist the target’s narrative rolls without having a relevant Thread. You can also choose to Carry them during group rolls. You gain the Stay With Me! maneuver toward the target (see Bonds in Combat). |
| 3 - Enduring | 6 | For the purposes of determining whether your character possesses knowledge, you are considered to be Familiar with all subject matters central to the target’s life or existence. If two characters hold mutual Bond 3 toward each other, they may perform Tandem Maneuvers during combat. |
| 4 - Profound | 10 | You and the target (if it is a creature, or any other entity that can reasonably communicate) can communicate simple intentions without needing to speak or verbalize within SEN distance (GM adjudicates on what is considered a simple intention). If two characters hold mutual Bond 4 toward each other, they may perform Combo Limit Breaks, and gain the Come Back to Me! maneuver toward each other (see Bonds in Combat). |
| 5 - Unbreakable | 15+ | Unbreakable Bonds no longer count towards the maximum number of Bonds that a character can hold. In addition, whenever you Assist on an action roll and the result is a Catastrophic Failure, it will resolve as a Failure instead. Some Combo Limit Breaks may require Bond 5 as a prerequisite. |
When describing Bonds, you can say a Bond 2 or a Rooted Bond, which mean the same thing.
Once a Bond becomes an Unbreakable Bond, it no longer counts towards the maximum number of Bonds that a character can hold.
Earning Strands
| Situation | Strands |
|---|---|
| A Bond Vignette interlude scene that resolves meaningfully with the Bond target | +1 |
| A Bond Montage downtime action that resolves meaningfully with the Bond target | +2 |
| A major story event that centers the relationship between you and the Bond target: a rescue, betrayal, secret shared, promise kept or broken, realization, etc. | +1 / +2 (GM discretion) |
| A defining combat moment between you and the Bond target: they save your life; you fall defending them; you finally wound your sworn enemy, etc. | +1 / +2 (GM discretion) |
Changing Bond Intensity
Whenever a character earns enough Strands to rank-up their Bond intensity with a target, the GM may wish to play out a narrative scene to describe or explain why the Bond has ranked-up.
Similarly, there could be situations where a Bond is strained (usually as a consequence from narrative play). If that happens, the Bond intensity decreases by 1, and the character’s number of Strands are adjusted to the minimum value of the new intensity level (Example: Going from Bond 4 to Bond 3 will reset the Strands value to 6).
Also, each time a Bond changes its intensity, its holder may rewrite the descriptor in a way that befits the fiction and represents the increased (or decreased) intensity, For example, “Rival” may become “Rival I’d bleed for”.
Releasing Bonds
If the number of Bonds you are holding is already at max, and a new one demands room, you may release a bond at any time. Released Bonds lose all accumulated Strands, and they are not refunded to the player. Releasing a Bond 3 or higher will require a narrative scene, where the character describes or explains why their perspective or feelings have changed.
Releasing an Unbreakable Bond is a defining story beat, the kind of scene a campaign is remembered by. The name is a dare, not a rule (especially since Unbreakable Bonds no longer count towards the maximum number of Bonds that a character can hold).