Stats and Skills

In *Bastard Bonds*, skills are either intrinsic to the character (e.g. Bato begins with Robust, which grants him additional hit points) or obtained through allocation of skill points at level-up. Skills obtained through level-up belong to two categories (traits) on a 3x3 grid; Force, Guile, and Magic are on the left going down, and Attack, Defense, and Utility are across the top going right. Each stat in the 3x3 grid belongs to two traits. For each stat on the grid, there are six pips which indicate the skills for that stat, and a pip will light up when the character has enough of a stat to obtain the corresponding skill. First pip is awarded at 50, second at 120, third at 280, fourth at 600, fifth at 1200 and last one at 2000 stat points. The above image depicts a level-up screen in which a skill point is being allocated. Right now, the only skill this character has is ActiveDefense, which is represented by the lit leftmost pip in the box of the Guard stat.

Improving stats on the Guile axis improves combat initiative.

Skills below are grouped by stat and ordered in the order that they are learned.

## Fight

Fight improves your melee damage, and helps you cripple and kill your enemies faster.

Strength: Increases physical damage proportional to your fight statistic.

Overpower: Your physical attacks increase your targets' risk.

Counterstrike: Taking physical damage reduces your risk. Stacks with "Advantage".

Wielder: Doubles the physical bonus of your equipped weapon.

Intimidating: All enemies will hesitate more frequently. Your attacks cause enemies to recoil and lose their combat initiative.

Warlord: Raises base physical damage for you and all allies.

## Guard

Guard reduces incoming damage, and makes enemy attacks less effective. Putting a skill point into Guard increases your hit points by 4, the highest gain of all stats.

ActiveDefense: Attackers generate more risk when attacking you.

Longevity: Gain additional maximum hit points equal to your level.

SecondSkin: Doubles the protection bonus of your equipped armour.

MeatShield: Reduces all enemies' base physical damage.

Indomitable: Adds temporary 'Invulnerable' status when you first start bleeding.

Toughness: Regenerate some hit points whenever you gain 'Defense' status. (Interaction with HealingAura unknown)

## Labour

Labour is used to perform strength, or endurance-based tasks. Requires skill "Hardworking" to attempt. Putting a skill point into Labour increases your hit points by 3.

Hardworking: You can attempt labour challenges.

Stamina: Reduces the damage you receive from a failed labour attempt. Doubles your manpower contribution.

Mule: Your carrying load increases by one. Stacks with 'ExtraPockets' and 'MagicBag'.

GetPumped: Regenerate some hit points whenever you complete a labour challenge with a 'Good' or better result.

Healthy: Gain additional maximum hit points equal to your level. Food is twice as effective for you.

DownToEarth: Your weapon attacks cannot kill enemies unless they are already near death. Greatly improves the success rate of conscription attempts.

## Hunt

Hunt improves the frequency and power of critical hits with both weapons and magic, as well as improving your combat initiative. Putting a skill point into Hunt increases your hit points by 2.

Dangerous: Improves your chances of landing a critical hit and increases the damage it deals. Works with both weapons and magic.

Graceful: Generates less risk when you make physical or magical attacks.

Fleet: Your movement rate increases by one. You can take another action immediately after using a dash action.

Butcher: Unintelligent enemies will drop food if you strike the deathblow with a weapon.

Merciless: You deal dramatically increased damage to bloodied enemies.

Staggering: Whenever you score a critical hit, your target immediately gains the 'Fumble' status.

## Dodge

Dodge is used to entirely avoid damage from both weapons and magic, and improves combat initiative. Putting a skill point into Dodge increases your hit points by 3.

Sidestep: Improves your chances of evading physical and magical attacks.

Battledance: Your enemies' risk dramatically increases whenever you evade their physical attacks.

Untouchable: Your chances of evading physical and magical attacks dramatically improve whenever you have the 'Defense' status.

Advantage: Taking physical damage reduces your risk. Stacks with 'Counterstrike'.

WhisperWalk: You do not generate risk while moving, even when enemies are nearby.

Stealthy: Line of sight to neutral creatures will not cause them to become hostile.

## Thwart

Thwart is used to perform tasks requiring dexterity and improvisation, and improves combat initiative. Requires skill "Crafty" to attempt. Putting a skill point into Thwart increases your hit points by 2.

Crafty: You can attempt Thwart challenges.

ExtraPockets: Your carrying load increases by one. Stacks with 'Mule' and 'MagicBag'.

Repurpose: You gain a piece of junk when you complete a thwart challenge with 'Good' or better result. You gain some money when attacking enemies with weapons.

Shrewd: Greatly improves the success rate of ransom attempts.

Reflexive: Reduces the damage you receive from a failed thwart attempt. Increase your manpower contribution by one thousand points.

LuckOfTheDevil: Whenever a reckless action would result in a fumble, another attempt at that action is made. Reduces risk when successful. Stacks with comradery.

## Blast

Blast spells attack from a range and apply status effects to both enemies and allies. Putting a skill point into Blast increases your hit points by 2.

Arcus: You can cast the spell 'Arcus' when enemies are outside of weapon range. Arcus can be influenced by the mana of equipped weapons.

LifeDrain: whenever your spells deal damage to an enemy, you regenerate hit points equal to a portion of the damage.

PsychicRipple: Enemies fumble and lose defensive stance whenever they fully ward against your spells.

Imarcus: The primary target of your spells gain lingering ailments. You can also energize allies to heal them and grant enhancing effects.

Arximum: Your offensive spells explode, damaging enemies in a tight radius.

Archmage: Your spells generate considerably less risk than before and can be cast at shorter range.

## Ward

Ward is used to resist and counter offensive magic, and ward spells heal and invigorate allies. Putting a skill point into Ward increases your hit points by 3.

HealingAura: You and adjacent allies regenerate some hit points whenever you gain the 'Defense' status.

Dispersal: The base damage of spells cast against you is reduced by a random amount. This can reduce the spell to zero damage.

Conversion: The power of your Healing Aura is improved. Whenever you fully ward a spell, you regenerate some hit points.

Backlash: Whenever you fully ward a spell, the enemy who cast it immediately gains the 'Fumble' status.

EnegyWave: When you gain the 'Defense' status, all allies' risk is eliminated. Your healing aura now purges all curses from adjacent allies.

Apothecary: When you consume a potion, it affects all party members.

## Weave

Weave is used to perform magical or academic tasks. Requires skill "Ritualist" to atttempt. Putting a skill point into Weave increases your hit points by 2.

Ritualist: You can attempt Weave challenges.

Lambent: Personal light level increases dramatically.

Alchemy: You create a potion whenever you complete a weave challenge with a 'Good' or better result.

MagicBag: Your carrying load increases by one. Stacks with 'Mule' and 'ExtraPockets'.

Mindspeak: You can attempt negotiation with any creature, regardless of intelligence. Increases your manpower contribution by an amount equal to your level times your band size.

Telekinetic: You can manipulate items, objects, and doors at long distance. In combat, you and your allies can change equipment on each others' turns.

## Intrinsic Skills

Intrinsic skills are the skills which characters have from the start regardless of their stat spread. Created characters start with intrinsic skills based on their accusation while the unique bastard companions have individual intrinsic skills.