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	=Empathic Bonds=		=Empathic Bonds=
-	Bonding to a familiar is handled through this faculty, this means it can work independently of guild and associations (somewhat like [[Psychic Wild Talents|Wild Talents]])	+	Empathic bonds are asymmetrical, reciprocal connections shared between beings that confer extraordinary benefits and abilities to both the familiar (the bonded), and consort (the bonder) that grow along with the strength of the bond.
-	Bonds are no longer dependent on skills or stats. They build up like a skill, starting at 0 and ending at 100. Your skills/stats affect how quickly the bond builds. Bonding can do many things: give you limbs, chakras, maneuvers, organs, change your combat rating weights, and all sorts of other craziness.	+	Benefits for consorts include:
		+	*For non-anthropic familiars: the ability to perform [[:Category:Standard_Charms_(Empathic_Bonds)|standard charms]], which give them some degree of control over their companion.
		+	*Skill bonuses and specialty access.
		+	*Attribute bonuses.
-	There are no help files whatsoever, you can however <code>think about my ability to form empathic bonds</code>	+	Depending on the type of familiar, consorts may gain a large variety of additional abilities such as:
		+	*The ability to perform additional, more [[:Category: Charms_(Empathic_Bonds)|advanced charms]].
		+	*Regular influxes of [[Chakra]] energy.
		+	*Additional limbs or organs.
		+	*Traits such as [[Order Favour|order]]/[[Chaos Favour|chaos]] favour, [[Luck]], [[Regrowth]], and more.
		+	*Combat maneuvers.
		+	*Modified [[Combat]] rating weights.
-	The text of the ingame [[Empathic Bonds Book]] is probably worth reading.	+	Benefits for the familiar include:
		+	*A limited form of immortality, the destruction of their physical form will be only a temporary setback so long as the bond persists.
		+	*For non-anthropic familiars: An aura that increases their capabilities in key aspects far beyond that of ordinary examples of their race, the exact nature of this aura is dependent on the type of familiar.
		+
		+	The ability to form an empathic bond is a [[:Category: Faculties|faculty]], which simply means it is an ability that is not specifically tied to a guild or association.
		+
		+	One who possesses the faculty may <code>think about my ability to form empathic bonds</code> to view information about it.
		+
		+	There is also a [[Empathic Bonds Book|book]] on the topic that merits a read.
	== Familiars ==		== Familiars ==
-	[[:Category: Empathic Bond Familiars|List of Familiars]]	+	There are many types of familiars to discover, their documentation is an ongoing task by the community.
-	=== Forming a Bond ===	+	=== Familiar Types ===
-	To fulfill an unused bond, you must find a suitable creature and: <code>concentrate on forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means></code>.	+	[[:Category: Empathic Bond Familiars|Known familiar types are listed here]].
-	You may size up a potential bond-mate with: <code>imagine forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means></code>, rather than concentrating on it.	+	=== Specialty Access ===
		+	[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/108sEl-OF2uPsyuFA0ZtYIE7ViJLIMx0-9pz8XPhsNLw Specialty access by familiar type is tabulated here (for 100% bond strength)]. Sourced from [[Bond Info Twi Gave On OOC|this ooc dump]].
-	=== Breaking a Bond ===	+	=== Player Notes ===
-	When a bond with a familiar is broken, the familiar always dies, and the [[Spiritual disjunction]] effect is applied for some length of time as well as one or more [[mental illness|mental illnesses]]. The duration of the spiritual disjunction effect is inversely scaled to the strength of the bond; i.e. if the bond is completed (maximum) then the duration will be shortest. The severity and number of mental illnesses is also inversely scaled with the strength of the bond, although the duration has been said to be permanent. The mental disorders can be cured by a [[Devonshire Cleric|Cleric's]] Cure Permanent Madness spell, or by other means (e.g. a golden [[unicorn horn]], or an experienced [[POEE]] character, or [[Phyrra]]).	+	*Not all familiars are equal. Empathic bonds have powers and abilities that suit them thematically, and come with no guarantee of mechanical power in game.
		+	*These articles are written and maintained by players, and may not be 100% accurate. Don't hesitate to correct them or add to them if there is new information you know to be accurate.
		+	*Changes [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6002 6002], [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6499 6499], and [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6513 6513] state that Skills not categorized as Magickal, Psionic, or Power Control receive bonuses as follows:
		+	**Specialty access to skills come with a flat skill bonus from +10 (formerly 20) at 4 spec access, up to 37.5 (formerly 75) at 15 spec acces.
		+	**At 16 spec access, that skill receives a percentile skill bonus starting at 5% (formerly 10%) that increases by an additional 1% (formerly 2%) for every 1 additional spec access granted. This percentile growth may be small, but it is unbounded and with sufficient specialty investment, can be extremely powerful for bond strengths in excess of 100%.
		+	**It appears that the flat bonus is applied before the multiplicative bonus. It can be difficult to isolate buffs however so I could be wrong, if anyone cares to verify this I'd appreciate it.
		+	**Until someone takes the time to do it. The individual bonds pages and tables, do not yet reflect the new flat and percentile bonuses from change [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6513 6513]. As they have been halved across the board.
		+	*[[Combat Meditation]] and [[Supernal Durability]] have a [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6003 further 50% penalty] to skill bonuses that may or may not be refleced in the wiki. Reducing their flat bonus range to 5-18.75 and the percentile bonus to 2.5% at 16 access, +0.5% per point of access beyond that (Note that in order to unlock the percentile bonus at all, bond strength will need to be well in excess of 200% or or possibly 400% depending on the bond).
		+	*Many bonds provide boosts to the combat ratings (dodge/deflection/attack/damage) of the consort. These bonuses often scale with different [[Skills]] and their associated [[Attributes]], and may be applied to [[Fox_(Empathic_Bond)|all]] [[Cadagion_(Empathic_Bond)|attacks]], all attacks using [[Flycatcher_(Empathic_Bond)|particular]] [[Leopard_(Empathic_Bond)|weapons]], tied to [[Heron_(Empathic_Bond)|specific]] [[Shlyma_(Empathic_Bond)|maneuvers]] [[Jing_Shen_(Empathic_Bond)|granted]] by the familiar, or even more specific scenarios such as being [[Spider_monkey_(Empathic_bond)|grounded]], [[Gryphon_(Empathic_Bond)|mounted]], [[Phoenix_(Empathic_Bond)|on fire]], or [[Hedgehog_(Empathic_Bond)|in a particular environment]]. Unfortunately these boosts are not documented [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=6507 consistently] here on the wiki so it is useful to ask around in game before committing to forming a bond.
		+	*'''Your familiar dying will substract a life from you as of [https://www.lostsouls.org/changelog/empathic-bond-deaths-result-in-loss-of-lives-for change #8130].'''
-	=== Bond Strength ===	+	== Bond Strength ==
		+	An empathic bond is not simply a means to possess a minion, or a token aspect for the purpose of attaining power. It is a connection that one shares with another. A connection that both consort and familiar draw on for strength.
		+	Such a connection cannot be established whole and complete. It is something that must be grown. The speed at which this connection grows is determined by the consort's bond assimilativity.
		+
		+	Bond assimilativity is a multiplier between 0 and 1 that is determined in part by their [[Ego]], [[Empathy]], [[Enchantment]], and values in other skills with particular thematic resonance to the type of familiar. ~'' This appears to use unmodified skills, upped Enchantment from 150 to 250 and the speed % didn't budge.''
		+
		+	It's possible to see both your bond strength and assimilativity if your [[empathy]], [[introspection]] and [[mathematics]] skills are high enough (185-200 empathy, 120-130 introspection and 80-90 mathematics).
		+
		+	Example:
		+	This bond is fulfilled by Tamamo, with whom your connection is complete (100% emotionally complete, with an additional equivalent 1%
		+	in deeply nuanced spiritual resonance). You can sense that your connection with her will continue to deepen at about 66% of the
		+	speed as should be in principle possible
		+
		+	*Bond assim is penalized heavily for every empathic bond beyond the first that a consort has active.
		+	*Bond assim can be increased artificially, [http://lostsouls.org/changelog/shirts-of-second-self even beyond 100%], while wearing a [[Shirt of Second Self]].
		+
		+	The following activities contribute to bond growth and are modified by bond assim unless otherwise stated:
		+	*Consort or familiar gaining experience (Familiar experience gain contributes moreso than consort experience gain).
		+	*Consort or familiar gaining skill experience.
		+	*Time passing. (This may be only a side effect of some familiars granting periodic skillxp to their consort).
		+	*[http://lostsouls.org/changelog/substantial-bond-xp-now-given-for-consort Consort completing quests], ignores assim (supplementary to the xp awarded for completing the quest).
		+	*Familiars themselves are also able to complete many quests that don't require speech, it is likely that this also contributes to bond xp.
		+	*Familiar completing exploration, ignores assim (supplementary to the xp gain from exploration).
		+
		+	In game, the following expressions are used to signify the strength of a bond when using the <code>think about my ability to form empathic bonds</code> command
	0% to 10% : very frail		0% to 10% : very frail
	11% to 19% : somewhat frail		11% to 19% : somewhat frail
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	100% : Completed		100% : Completed
-	== Bond Spec Access ==	+	Bond strength [http://lostsouls.org/changelog?id=5505 continues to increase beyond 100%], granting additional increases to the specialty access (and related bonuses) granted by the bond.
-	Note this is only to be used as reference, it is assuming you have a Max Bond and have not exceeded the Bond's maximum specialty access yet.	+
-	[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/108sEl-OF2uPsyuFA0ZtYIE7ViJLIMx0-9pz8XPhsNLw/edit?usp=sharing Bond Specialty Access (Max Base)]	+	In addition to skill bonuses granted to the consort, [https://www.lostsouls.org/changelog/uncapped-bond-aura-progression the familiar's aura] will continue to improve for bond strength values exceeding 100%.
-	Show changes 5505, 6002 (most important one) and 6003 for further detail on how this impacts Bonds.	+	Other bonuses, such as trait values, ratings factors, and do not continue to increase beyond 100%.
	== Charms ==		== Charms ==
-
	Charms are arcane feats accomplished by simple mental acts. Some of them are quite simple like calling your familiar to your side, others may involve esoteric feats of mind and magic.		Charms are arcane feats accomplished by simple mental acts. Some of them are quite simple like calling your familiar to your side, others may involve esoteric feats of mind and magic.
-	[[Empathic Bond charm strength scale measure|This scale will show how good you are at performing each charm.]] Basically, the more intense, the better. Each charm has its own skills it uses for strength, and will also benefit almost universally from bond strength.	+	[[Empathic Bond charm strength scale measure|This scale will show how good you are at performing each charm.]] Basically, the more intense, the better. Each charm has its own skills it uses for strength, and will also benefit almost universally from bond strength and [[Enchantment]].
-	Here are some of the shared charms, some familiars have unique charms, here is the [[:Category: Charms (Empathic Bonds)|full list of Empatic Bond Charms]]	+	All non-anthropic familiars grant the following charms:
-	=== Basic Charms ===	+
	*[[Urge (Empathic Bonds)|Urge]]		*[[Urge (Empathic Bonds)|Urge]]
	*[[Call (Empathic Bonds)|Call Familiar]]		*[[Call (Empathic Bonds)|Call Familiar]]
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	*[[Conjoin (Empathic Bonds)|Conjoin]]		*[[Conjoin (Empathic Bonds)|Conjoin]]
-	=== Social Charms ===	+	Many sociable familiars grant dominion over other animals:
	*[[Tame (Empatic Bonds)|Tame]]		*[[Tame (Empatic Bonds)|Tame]]
	*[[Command (Empathic Bonds)|Command]]		*[[Command (Empathic Bonds)|Command]]
-	== Auras ==	+	Many familiars also grant the ability to manipulate various energies:
-	The consort is not the only one that benefits from the bond. Every familiar has an [[Aura (Empathic Bonds)|aura which strengthens them]] in various ways.	+	*[[Channel (Empathic Bonds)|Channel]]
		+	*[[Convert (Empathic Bonds)|Convert]]
		+
		+	There are any other more specialized charms available [[:Category: Charms (Empathic Bonds)|full list of Empathic Bond Charms]]
	== Methods of Obtaining an Empathic Bond ==		== Methods of Obtaining an Empathic Bond ==
-	=== Guilds ===	+	[[:Category:Ligatory (affiliation types)|Ligatory affiliations]] are primarily concerned with the ability to form empathic bonds. Presently, only guilds grant full empathic bond faculties, different guilds are able to form empathic bonds with different varieties of creatures. They include:
-	[[Coven|The Coven]]	+	*[[Coven|The Coven]]: [[:Category:Coven_Familiars|Various birds]], including [[Carrion_Bird_(Empathic_Bond)|Carrion Bird]], [[Sparrow_(Empathic_Bond)|Sparrow]], [[Owl_(Empathic_Bond)|Owl]], [[Osprey_(Empathic_Bond)|Osprey]], [[Goose_(Empathic_Bond)|Goose]], [[Swan_(Empathic_Bond)|Swan]].
		+	*[[Shemsu Sutekh]]: [[:Category:Shemsu_Sutekh_Familiars|Creatures deemed acceptable by Sutekh]].
		+	*[[Equites Serpentina]]: [[Horse_(Empathic_Bond)|Cornan Destrier stock]] (variant of horse).
		+	*[[Zetesai]]: [[:Category:Zetesai_Familiars|Extraplanar creatures]].
		+	*[[Verynvelyrae]]: [[:Category:Verynvelyrae_Familiars|All natural animals native to Prime]].
		+	*[[Deep Whisperers]]: [[:Category:Deep_Whisperer_Familiars|Creatures with psychic predispositions]].
		+	*[[Ordo Verbus Glacialis]]: [[:Category: Ordo Verbus Glacialis Familiars|traditional mage familiars and arctic creatures]]
-	[[Equites Serpentina]]	+	Some affiliations can grant partial empathic bonds, which are lesser in terms of powers granted, but similar in nature to full bonds. Presently, these include:
		+	*[[Ringwielders]]: [[Rhug_Shi_(Empathic_Bond)|Rhug Shi]] or [[Darad_Shi_(Empathic_Bond)|Darad Shi]]. Creatures deemed acceptable by Arikhol as mounts for his servants. Granted by petitioning for the runes [[Onichald]] or [[Abrinth]].
		+	*[[Travelers]]: [[Amphiptere_(Empathic_Bond)|Holy Vahanas]] offered to [[Traveler#Vahana|followers of Ganesha]].
-	[[Ringwielders]]	+	Rumors say that it is possible to develop the capacity to form a partial empathic bond through the use of [[Fey Abilities]]. Though the steps to unlock such an ability are [[Fey_Bonds|closely guarded by those who know]].
-	[[Shemsu Sutekh]]	+	== Forming a Bond ==
		+	To fulfill an unused bond, you must find a suitable creature and: <code>concentrate on forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means></code>.
-	[[Travelers]]	+	You may size up a potential bond-mate with: <code>imagine forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means></code>, rather than concentrating on it.
-		+	== Breaking a Bond ==
-	[[Zetesai]]	+	Breaking a bond is almost always fatal for non-anthropic familiars, and incurs a heavy emotional cost on the consort.
-		+
-	[[Verynvelyrae]]	+
-		+
-	===Use of Fey Abilities===	+
-	For races that have the [[Fey Abilities]] faculty, there is a chance that the character can develop the capacity for forming a form of empathic bond, one that is more limited than that given to guilds centered around empathic bonds. This appears to be random, similar to how [[Psychic Wild Talents|wild talents]] can be obtained.	+
-		+
-	An example of a fey bond popping follows:	+
-	You stare intently at the brown male sparrow, guiding your mind into the special	+	This cost comes in the form of lives, possible [[Spiritual Disjunction]] and some temporary, or even permanent [[Mental_Disorders|mental afflictions]]. The severity and duration of these effects is inversely proportional to the strength of the bond being broken.
-	state necessary to forging a magickal bond, and feel the magickal resonance fall	+
-	into place, linking you.	+
-		+
-	As you complete your bond with the brown male sparrow, you feel your psyche reel,	+
-	as though it has hit its target so squarely that it has gone *through* it, and	+
-	now sees and desires something deeper.	+
-		+
-	You sense a new emotional need opening up within you -- an incompleteness you	+
-	never fully grasped, the need for a true soulmate of some kind -- along with the	+
-	desire and ability to fulfill that need and to complete yourself.	+
-	Fey Bonds are limited to 20% of the strength of a full bond type. Any boons granted past the 20% strength will be unattainable. Usually this includes limb acquisition and most traits. Change 4832 describes this in detail, as provided below:	+	The syntax to break a bond is: concentrate on breaking my empathic bond with X
-		+
-		+
-	/------------------------------------------- System Change 4842 -------------------------------------------\	+
-	| Summary empathic bonds charm rating revisions |	+
-	| Number 4842 |	+
-	| Type content revision |	+
-	| By Twilight |	+
-	| When Nov 18 2010 10:47 AM |	+
-	| Description 1) the effective strength of your bond now matter for your ability to use the charms |	+
-	| granted by the bond. the effective strength is the strength multiplied by the charm |	+
-	| factor of the bond type (i.e. 1.0 for vv/zet/etc., 0.2 for fey bonds). the effective bond |	+
-	| strength puts a drag on the rating, making it harder t(but not impossible) to get high |	+
-	| ratings. for example at 20% effective bond strength, a certain amount of your rating |	+
-	| w(depending on the minimum rating threshold) will be multiplied by 0.44. 2) the eye glow |	+
-	| that happens when you use a charm is now more intense the higher your rating is relative |	+
-	| to the max rating, so there is a mechanism that lets you know how good approximately how |	+
-	| good you are. |	+
-	| Reason necessary for balance, and also makes sense. and also wanted a feedback mechanism for |	+
-	| players to see how good they were at charms, given that there are no help files. |	+
-	| Result lets me do a number of things, like shift some charms to be earlier for some bonds now |	+
-	| that i don't have to worry about fey bonds getting as crazy. also, i expect that a lot of |	+
-	| the math in particular charms will ahve to be refigured because of this |	+
-	| Projects Empathic Bonds |	+
-	| Importance Rated 2.3, closer to limited than moderate, by three raters, spread 2-3 |	+
-	| Value Rated 4.3, closer to good than great, by three raters, spread 4-5 |	+
-	| Version not updated |	+
-	\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/	+
-		+
-	/---------------------------- System Change 6002 -----------------------------\	+
-	| Summary empathic bonds specialty bonuses removed, replaced with skill |	+
-	| bonuses |	+
-	| Number 6002 |	+
-	| Type content revision |	+
-	| By Twilight |	+
-	| When Mar 7 2015 12:10 AM |	+
-	| Description empathic bonds will no longer give specialty bonuses. they |	+
-	| will now give skill bonuses that depend on the level of |	+
-	| specialty *access* (regardless of whether or not you've |	+
-	| invested in the specialty) you get from bonds. the math, |	+
-	| subject to change, is: starting at access of 4, you get +20 |	+
-	| to the skill, a flat bonus that goes up to +75 at access |	+
-	| level 15. for access level 16, you get an additional bonus |	+
-	| equal to 10% of your base skill. so if you have level 16 |	+
-	| access from bonds to jumping and 40 base jumping skill, |	+
-	| you'll get +75 from the first 15 points of access, and +4 |	+
-	| from the 10% you get at level 16. every point of access |	+
-	| above 16 gives you another 2% of base bonus on top of the |	+
-	| 10%. if a skill was formerly marked as "do not get specialty |	+
-	| bonuses from this", as were all magickal skills from bonds, |	+
-	| you won't get any skill bonuses. if a skill was formerly |	+
-	| marked as "you get half the normal specialty bonuses from |	+
-	| this", your specialty degree for purposes of calculating |	+
-	| bonuses is halved. please reread this paragraph a couple of |	+
-	| times and experiment a bit before you ask questions about it. |	+
-	| Result bonds are now considerably worse at helping you with |	+
-	| *breadth*. they no longer provide specialty bonuses that |	+
-	| soak up requirements of other affiliations. so they no |	+
-	| longer help you bypass specialty requirements elsewhere. |	+
-	| however, they help you considerably more with *depth*. if |	+
-	| you really invest in a bond and get crazy levels of specialty |	+
-	| access from it, *and* invest heavily in the corresponding |	+
-	| skill, you will now get very significant skill bonuses in |	+
-	| proportion to your investment. |	+
-	| Projects Empathic Bonds |	+
-	| Importance Rated 4.8, closer to extreme than major, by four raters, |	+
-	| spread 4-5 |	+
-	| Value Rated 4.8, closer to great than good, by four raters, spread |	+
-	| 4-5 |	+
-	| Version world revision incremented to Lost Souls 0.9.65 |	+
-	\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/	+
-		+
-	[[Bond Info Twi Gave On OOC|Shit for bonds]]	+
-		+
-	=== Associations ===	+
-	None yet known	+
	[[Category: Empathic Bonds]]		[[Category: Empathic Bonds]]
	[[Category: Faculties]]		[[Category: Faculties]]
		+
		+	== Bond Variants ==
		+	There are [[Empathic_Bond_Faculty_Variants|other types]] of bonds beyond a full essence bond available through various options

---

Current revision

Contents 1 Empathic Bonds 1.1 Familiars 1.1.1 Familiar Types 1.1.2 Specialty Access 1.1.3 Player Notes 1.2 Bond Strength 1.3 Charms 1.4 Methods of Obtaining an Empathic Bond 1.5 Forming a Bond 1.6 Breaking a Bond 1.7 Bond Variants

Empathic Bonds

Empathic bonds are asymmetrical, reciprocal connections shared between beings that confer extraordinary benefits and abilities to both the familiar (the bonded), and consort (the bonder) that grow along with the strength of the bond.

Benefits for consorts include:

• For non-anthropic familiars: the ability to perform standard charms, which give them some degree of control over their companion.
• Skill bonuses and specialty access.
• Attribute bonuses.

Depending on the type of familiar, consorts may gain a large variety of additional abilities such as:

• The ability to perform additional, more advanced charms.
• Regular influxes of Chakra energy.
• Additional limbs or organs.
• Traits such as order/chaos favour, Luck, Regrowth, and more.
• Combat maneuvers.
• Modified Combat rating weights.

Benefits for the familiar include:

• A limited form of immortality, the destruction of their physical form will be only a temporary setback so long as the bond persists.
• For non-anthropic familiars: An aura that increases their capabilities in key aspects far beyond that of ordinary examples of their race, the exact nature of this aura is dependent on the type of familiar.

The ability to form an empathic bond is a faculty, which simply means it is an ability that is not specifically tied to a guild or association.

One who possesses the faculty may think about my ability to form empathic bonds to view information about it.

There is also a book on the topic that merits a read.

Familiars

There are many types of familiars to discover, their documentation is an ongoing task by the community.

Familiar Types

Known familiar types are listed here.

Specialty Access

Specialty access by familiar type is tabulated here (for 100% bond strength). Sourced from this ooc dump.

Player Notes

• Not all familiars are equal. Empathic bonds have powers and abilities that suit them thematically, and come with no guarantee of mechanical power in game.
• These articles are written and maintained by players, and may not be 100% accurate. Don't hesitate to correct them or add to them if there is new information you know to be accurate.
• Changes 6002, 6499, and 6513 state that Skills not categorized as Magickal, Psionic, or Power Control receive bonuses as follows:
  • Specialty access to skills come with a flat skill bonus from +10 (formerly 20) at 4 spec access, up to 37.5 (formerly 75) at 15 spec acces.
  • At 16 spec access, that skill receives a percentile skill bonus starting at 5% (formerly 10%) that increases by an additional 1% (formerly 2%) for every 1 additional spec access granted. This percentile growth may be small, but it is unbounded and with sufficient specialty investment, can be extremely powerful for bond strengths in excess of 100%.
  • It appears that the flat bonus is applied before the multiplicative bonus. It can be difficult to isolate buffs however so I could be wrong, if anyone cares to verify this I'd appreciate it.
  • Until someone takes the time to do it. The individual bonds pages and tables, do not yet reflect the new flat and percentile bonuses from change 6513. As they have been halved across the board.
• Combat Meditation and Supernal Durability have a further 50% penalty to skill bonuses that may or may not be refleced in the wiki. Reducing their flat bonus range to 5-18.75 and the percentile bonus to 2.5% at 16 access, +0.5% per point of access beyond that (Note that in order to unlock the percentile bonus at all, bond strength will need to be well in excess of 200% or or possibly 400% depending on the bond).
• Many bonds provide boosts to the combat ratings (dodge/deflection/attack/damage) of the consort. These bonuses often scale with different Skills and their associated Attributes, and may be applied to all attacks, all attacks using particular weapons, tied to specific maneuvers granted by the familiar, or even more specific scenarios such as being grounded, mounted, on fire, or in a particular environment. Unfortunately these boosts are not documented consistently here on the wiki so it is useful to ask around in game before committing to forming a bond.
• Your familiar dying will substract a life from you as of change #8130.

Bond Strength

An empathic bond is not simply a means to possess a minion, or a token aspect for the purpose of attaining power. It is a connection that one shares with another. A connection that both consort and familiar draw on for strength.

Such a connection cannot be established whole and complete. It is something that must be grown. The speed at which this connection grows is determined by the consort's bond assimilativity.

Bond assimilativity is a multiplier between 0 and 1 that is determined in part by their Ego, Empathy, Enchantment, and values in other skills with particular thematic resonance to the type of familiar. ~ This appears to use unmodified skills, upped Enchantment from 150 to 250 and the speed % didn't budge.

It's possible to see both your bond strength and assimilativity if your empathy, introspection and mathematics skills are high enough (185-200 empathy, 120-130 introspection and 80-90 mathematics).

Example:

This bond is fulfilled by Tamamo, with whom your connection is complete (100% emotionally complete, with an additional equivalent 1%
in deeply nuanced spiritual resonance).  You can sense that your connection with her will continue to deepen at about 66% of the
speed as should be in principle possible

• Bond assim is penalized heavily for every empathic bond beyond the first that a consort has active.
• Bond assim can be increased artificially, even beyond 100%, while wearing a Shirt of Second Self.

The following activities contribute to bond growth and are modified by bond assim unless otherwise stated:

• Consort or familiar gaining experience (Familiar experience gain contributes moreso than consort experience gain).
• Consort or familiar gaining skill experience.
• Time passing. (This may be only a side effect of some familiars granting periodic skillxp to their consort).
• Consort completing quests, ignores assim (supplementary to the xp awarded for completing the quest).
• Familiars themselves are also able to complete many quests that don't require speech, it is likely that this also contributes to bond xp.
• Familiar completing exploration, ignores assim (supplementary to the xp gain from exploration).

In game, the following expressions are used to signify the strength of a bond when using the think about my ability to form empathic bonds command

0% to 10% : very frail
11% to 19% : somewhat frail
20% to 29% : fairly healthy
30% to 39% : very healthy
40% to 49% : robust
50% to 59% : resilient
60% to 69% : deep
70% to 79% : very deep
80% to 89% : intimate
90% to 99% : nearing completion
100% : Completed

Bond strength continues to increase beyond 100%, granting additional increases to the specialty access (and related bonuses) granted by the bond.

In addition to skill bonuses granted to the consort, the familiar's aura will continue to improve for bond strength values exceeding 100%.

Other bonuses, such as trait values, ratings factors, and do not continue to increase beyond 100%.

Charms

Charms are arcane feats accomplished by simple mental acts. Some of them are quite simple like calling your familiar to your side, others may involve esoteric feats of mind and magic.

This scale will show how good you are at performing each charm. Basically, the more intense, the better. Each charm has its own skills it uses for strength, and will also benefit almost universally from bond strength and Enchantment.

All non-anthropic familiars grant the following charms:

• Urge
• Call Familiar
• Send Familar
• Kinsee
• Conjoin

Many sociable familiars grant dominion over other animals:

• Tame
• Command

Many familiars also grant the ability to manipulate various energies:

• Channel
• Convert

There are any other more specialized charms available full list of Empathic Bond Charms

Methods of Obtaining an Empathic Bond

Ligatory affiliations are primarily concerned with the ability to form empathic bonds. Presently, only guilds grant full empathic bond faculties, different guilds are able to form empathic bonds with different varieties of creatures. They include:

• The Coven: Various birds, including Carrion Bird, Sparrow, Owl, Osprey, Goose, Swan.
• Shemsu Sutekh: Creatures deemed acceptable by Sutekh.
• Equites Serpentina: Cornan Destrier stock (variant of horse).
• Zetesai: Extraplanar creatures.
• Verynvelyrae: All natural animals native to Prime.
• Deep Whisperers: Creatures with psychic predispositions.
• Ordo Verbus Glacialis: traditional mage familiars and arctic creatures

Some affiliations can grant partial empathic bonds, which are lesser in terms of powers granted, but similar in nature to full bonds. Presently, these include:

• Ringwielders: Rhug Shi or Darad Shi. Creatures deemed acceptable by Arikhol as mounts for his servants. Granted by petitioning for the runes Onichald or Abrinth.
• Travelers: Holy Vahanas offered to followers of Ganesha.

Rumors say that it is possible to develop the capacity to form a partial empathic bond through the use of Fey Abilities. Though the steps to unlock such an ability are closely guarded by those who know.

Forming a Bond

To fulfill an unused bond, you must find a suitable creature and: concentrate on forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means>.

You may size up a potential bond-mate with: imagine forming an empathic bond with <creature> via <means>, rather than concentrating on it.

Breaking a Bond

Breaking a bond is almost always fatal for non-anthropic familiars, and incurs a heavy emotional cost on the consort.

This cost comes in the form of lives, possible Spiritual Disjunction and some temporary, or even permanent mental afflictions. The severity and duration of these effects is inversely proportional to the strength of the bond being broken.

The syntax to break a bond is: concentrate on breaking my empathic bond with X

Bond Variants

There are other types of bonds beyond a full essence bond available through various options