Patron Bond

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jpshinny
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Patron Bond

Post by jpshinny »

I'm confused about Patron Bond.

A casual reading suggest that Patron Bond is how a wizard first makes the agreement to serve the patron and in return get the knowledge of the spells she casts.

If so, why cast it twice on oneself? I understand casting on another as an intense sort of evangelism/conversion experience.

Is Patron Bond to be cast on oneself multiple times? What happens if a score higher or lower than the original results?

In my opinion, the explanation of this spell/process/phenomenon is written in insufficient detail.

Unless it is implicitly meant to be tweaked by the Judge, in which case I am totally fine with my own interpretation.
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GnomeBoy
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by GnomeBoy »

Well, the spell is the abstraction of the mortal and the Patron forming their relationship over the course of (presumably) a very intense week or more for the mortal... There wouldn't be a need to cast it twice on oneself -- but arguably, the mortal could want to re-negotiate the terms of the deal, and that might logically mean a new roll for the Bond.

But I feel like there's something between the lines in your question that I'm not quite catching -- the "why cast it twice?" suggests that something has you thinking you should be casting it multiple times -- so if that answer doesn't help, maybe a more specific question would help...?
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jpshinny
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by jpshinny »

The way it is formatted in the rulebook makes it seem that it would be cast multiple times. There is a column "when cast on self" and one for "when cast on others". So it looks like it is intended to be cast as needed or desired by the worshiper. The results for "when cast on self" describes the strength of the bond and what powers the wizard can have (how often Invoke Patron can be cast and so forth). Casting on others seems to be about converting others to the worship of the patron.

Under what circumstances might I cast Patron Bond on myself again? If I want a stronger bond? If I want something from the patron? If I don't like the previous result?

Some passages in the rulebook seem to suggest that the path to magic lies through the gates of Patron Bond. Patron Bond is one of the few spells even mentioned outside the catalog of spells. So I'm wondering if it has special significance or is there a game mechanic that I am missing?

As you said, it's an abstraction of a relationship. I'm looking for what the intended (literal? canonical? fundamentalist?) interpretation is.
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GnomeBoy
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by GnomeBoy »

By the rules, there's nothing stopping you from casting it multiple times on yourself -- keeping in mind that it is a ritual that takes a week or more, in-game.

Looking at the narrative side, well, if you have employees do you enjoy them constantly hitting you up for a raise each and every pay day? The Wizard is in some sense like the servant to the Patron... They best tread carefully, lest they be cast off, cut off, and cursed on top of that. Everything the Wizard wants is a negotiation with the Patron, and for example the loss of Invoke Patron from a failed roll can easily be interpreted as the Patron being tired or bored or angry with the Wizard...

The path to power represented by the Patron is a narrative one and the rules are slim around that, as with much of the game. The Judge is encouraged to bend the rules to suit them, i.e., make the game the game you want to play; the game is not going to dictate how things work. It's a toolbox to use as needed.

So a Wizard can cast it upon themself as many times as they like, if that suits the style of game you're in, simply saying "I've recast this between adventures" and that's all it takes. Or maybe it's something you have to slowly work up to re-casting with a lot of appeasement to the Patron, in order to grease the wheels for a better deal, if that suits your game.
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thogard
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by thogard »

I would add (in my interpretation) that a Bond isn't something to be undertaken lightly. It's a considerable investment of resources, and forges a near-permanent link with a much more powerful entity. Trying to update the Bond with a better spell check may be a valid strategy, but should be rarely attempted.

And I would say, yes, the Judge and player should discuss and agree what the whole thing means within their particular milieu.
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Raven_Crowking
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by Raven_Crowking »

You can also have more than one patron, which could lead to...interesting conflicts in the game.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by BanjoJohn »

cast the spell first time for the first patron "hey guy, I wana enter a partnership with you"
Second time "hey guy, I wana renegotiate"
Third time "hey guy.. I know i'm kinda annoying, and you punished me the last time I wanted to renegotiate, but this time I have a good feeling"
jpshinny
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Re: Patron Bond

Post by jpshinny »

Cool Thanks. I was just wondering if there was something big I was missing. The consensus seems to be "no".
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