Bondbound · Companion-building dungeon RPG
Playtest question. Will players choose a companion and change how they approach an encounter because they want that person’s help later?
What the sources establish
| Work and evidence | Source observation | Original design inference |
|---|---|---|
| The Player Who Can’t Level Up · opening premise, licensed English comic synopsis | Tapas describes Kim Kigyu stalled at level 1 until he discovers that linking with Egos increases his stats and opens opportunities in unexplored gates. Tapas comic series | Progress can come from a partner changing the available actions. Bondbound gives each companion a new technique during an expedition. Trust points, specific personalities and the selection of two companions are original rules. |
| Solo Leveling · early Red Gate setup, English comic volume 4 publisher synopsis | Jinwoo goes on a training operation with Songyi. A red gate strands them alongside White Tiger trainees. The synopsis presents defeating the boss as their apparent way out. Yen Press comic volume 4 | Give the party a shared reason to get home together. The boss opens a way back, and the player must choose to lead the team out. |
| Darkest Dungeon II · developer feature page | Red Hook describes relationships that develop during an expedition and can create combat synergies or dysfunction. Inns give players a chance to address stress and relationships. Red Hook Studios on the Affinity System | The Lantern Well puts a relationship choice beside immediate recovery. Each companion’s priority is visible at the start so players can plan around it. |
| Crown Trick · developer guide published by Team17 | NExT Studios describes turn-based responses by enemies and traps and differentiated Familiar powers, including movement, protection and offense. Familiars can be upgraded. Team17 and NExT Studios on Familiars | An ally command spends the same turn as a strike or a tonic. Enemy intent shows whether the action’s offensive or defensive effect matters now. |
The expedition
Recruit two of three companions at the Lantern Gate. Each arrives with a default doctrine and can specialize before descent. Choose the Glass Gallery or Sunken Vault, make one stop at the Lantern Well, defeat the Hollow Warden, and lead the party out. Vitality and supplies carry between rooms. Every action advances a turn and the enemy responds if it survives.
| Companion | Default doctrine | Specialist doctrine | Choice it creates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mira, scout | Pathfinder. Mark strengthens the next Strike. Read the Tell interrupts an offensive turn. | Glassblade. Etch leaves an opening that the next damaging action uses to add 2 damage and pierce armor. Needle Storm deals piercing damage and leaves a fresh opening. | Interrupt a heavy attack or set up a different ally to hit through armor. An opening can amplify Shield Ram or Breach Charge. |
| Tor, defender | Bastion. Cover and Stand Together combine immediate protection with a damaging counter. | Redoubt. Set Ward blocks and stores up to 4 points of defense. Shield Ram spends the remaining Ward for piercing damage. | Keep Ward against the next blow or cash it out while the enemy guards. The vault plate can put Ward in reserve before Tor uses his specialty. |
| Iona, salvager | Tinker. Recover gathers supplies. Field Repair spends one supply to heal and block. | Fusewright. Prime Fuse spends one supply to deal piercing damage on the next armored turn. Breach Charge spends another supply for immediate piercing damage and a partial block. | Spend supplies to control an armored turn or retain them for healing. A fuse can stop the Warden mending while the party uses its action for something else. |
The first and second builds for a companion share that companion’s passive effect. Each named companion action has one use per fight. A signature move or the companion’s priority at the well earns one trust point. The second point unlocks the active doctrine’s bond technique. Taking the longer rest or preparing a route relic uses the opportunity to build trust at the well.
The Glass Gallery has the weaker enemy. Choosing its prism at the well pierces armor on the first applicable hit. The Sunken Vault has a harder guard stance and a supply cache. Choosing its warding plate banks three points of defense for the boss fight. Both routes are available to every party. At eight health or below, the Warden’s heavy attack rises to nine damage and its armored turn can restore two health. Any damage that turn stops the repair. Its telegraph, current status effects and most recent damage exchange are shown next to the room art.
Ash Foundry and companion memories
Lantern Gate’s first safe exit opens Ash Foundry. Its Slag Run exposes the party to frequent heat and a weaker shell. Bellows Walk has a harder guard and a sharp furnace burst, with a supply cache on clearance. Heat carries from the route fight through the Cooling Gallery. Vent blocks two direct damage and cools two heat after the current enemy action. At three heat the party loses four vitality and the heat gauge resets. The Kilnkeeper turns a Firing Pulse into the stronger Backdraft when the party starts that turn at two heat or more. Finishing the foe prevents its response.
Using a companion’s bond technique during a successful expedition earns that companion one permanent memory on safe extraction. The memory starts that companion at one trust in Ash Foundry and the Archive, and adds a distinct move with a single use per expedition. Mira’s Safe Window cools the party and pierces armor. Tor’s Hold the Line blocks an attack and carries protection into a future turn. Iona’s Feed the Vent cools the party and recovers a supply. Every pair has at least one cooling move in addition to general Vent when both companions have earned their memories. A companion can earn their memory in any dungeon, so a first clear with no memories still leads to a viable Foundry expedition.
Veteran routes
The Foundry route plan appears before recruitment and again at the Furnace Divide. Each service passage requires its companion in the party and their earned memory in the journal. A veteran who stays at camp leaves that passage closed. Slag Run and Bellows Walk stay open to all parties.
| Passage | Requirement | What changes in the room |
|---|---|---|
| Draftways | Mira · Cold Trail | Mira times the shutters. The Grate Wraith’s guard turn removes two heat. Use that turn to attack or prepare for a six-damage slam. |
| Crane Span | Tor · Anchor Line | Tor lashes a chain across the span and gives the party three Ward on entry. The Counterweight Sentinel adds no heat. Its heaviest attack deals eight direct damage. |
| Scrap Flue | Iona · Scrap Loop | Iona opens a service locker for one supply on entry. The Clinker Mill’s guard turn adds two heat, so prepare for a burn if the preceding attack already heated the room. |
The routes share the Cooling Gallery and Kiln Heart. The journal still records the clear, winning doctrines, and memories. Route access is recalculated from the current party on each expedition.
Each safe exit saves completed dungeons, newly earned memories, and the latest successful doctrine for each recruited companion in the current browser. The player can change those doctrines in camp. Defeat, retreat and reload discard the unfinished run and any unproven doctrine changes. Heat, tide, trust and supplies start fresh. Reload selects the latest unlocked dungeon, and earlier dungeons remain selectable. Each memory is a single unlock. Bringing the third companion on the first Foundry clear gives all three a chance to earn memories across the two dungeons.
Drowned Archive
Safe extraction from Ash Foundry opens the Archive. Tide rises or drains on the enemy’s announced moves and carries into the Dry Annex and the boss fight. At two tide, a surge deals three extra direct damage. Moor lowers tide by two before the response and blocks two direct damage. Mira’s Safe Window and Iona’s Feed the Vent also lower tide before the response. The Undertow Keeper’s guard adds two tide once its vitality reaches eight or less. At the Dry Annex, lowering the sluice resets tide and heals four, while resting heals six and keeps the tide.
| Passage | Requirement | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Flooded Steps | Any party | The Silt Hound raises tide on its first two turns before plunging through the rail. Moor can take the bonus off the plunge. |
| Siphon Lane | Mira · Cold Trail | Mira reads the valve markings. The Valve Eel drains two tide when it guards, giving the party a turn to prepare before its rush. |
| Chain Walk | Tor · Anchor Line | Tor rigs a tether that catches one high-tide surge bonus. The Chain Warden opens with a harder hit and builds tide again during its guard turn. |
| Pump Gallery | Iona · Scrap Loop | The Bilge Mill raises tide by two on its first response. Clearing the room runs Iona’s pump, drains the tide, and yields one extra supply before the Dry Annex. |
Route requirements are visible before recruiting and again at the junction. An earlier journal preserves its earned memories, successful doctrines and actual clears. A recorded Foundry clear opens the Archive, and the Archive earns its own clear only when the party returns to camp. Retreat and reload discard the current run and preserve the journal.
Echo Court
Returning safely from Drowned Archive opens Echo Court. Enemies show a mirrored guard in their announced cycle. While the guard is up, a surviving enemy reflects the damage it took up to the stated cap. Once per fight, Tilt the Mirror deals two piercing damage without reflection. At the Shaded Alcove, rig a screen to absorb one reflected hit in exchange for a smaller heal. The Echo Judge’s guard strengthens at eight health or below, rising to three armor and a five-damage reflection cap.
| Passage | Required pair | Joint move |
|---|---|---|
| Open Arcade | Any party | Tilt the Mirror, heal, or plan a finishing strike around the Mirror Hound’s guard. |
| Lattice Walk | Mira · Cold Trail and Tor · Anchor Line | Crossguard. Mira calls the strike line and Tor turns it aside. Cancel one direct attack and leave an opening that gives the next damaging move +2 damage and piercing. |
| Silverworks | Mira · Cold Trail and Iona · Scrap Loop | Slip Charge. Mira spots the gap and Iona sends a charge through it. On a mirrored guard, spend one supply to deal six piercing damage without reflection. |
| Winch Vault | Tor · Anchor Line and Iona · Scrap Loop | Catch and Refit. Tor catches the swing while Iona salvages a piece. Block six direct damage, recover a supply, and bank two Ward. |
The route ledger shows both memories and both companions before descent. Each joint move is available once per expedition on its matching passage and stays available for the Tribunal if saved. In the Court, a veteran starts at one trust and can participate in a joint move. The Foundry and Archive retain their individual veteran moves. Earlier journals preserve their clears, memories and doctrines. The Court clear is recorded only when both companions return.
Storm Spire
Returning safely from Echo Court opens Storm Spire. Enemies spend a turn channeling through armor before releasing a discharge. The telegraph states how much damage after armor interrupts the channel. Open Stair is always available, and every party can use the Ground Rod once per room to deal two piercing damage and stop the channel. At the Windbreak, earth mesh catches the bonus from one charged discharge and restores three vitality. Ordinary rest restores six. At eight health or below, the Storm Regent’s channel requires five damage through three armor.
| Passage | Required memories | Setup and finish |
|---|---|---|
| Open Stair | Any party | The Copper Jackal charges through one armor. Time a strong strike, the Ground Rod, or protection for the release. |
| Lightning Gantry | Mira · Cold Trail and Tor · Anchor Line | Read the Arc → Ground the Bolt. Mira blocks two damage and calls the line. When a discharge arrives, Tor blocks the entire hit and deals four piercing damage. |
| Relay Workshop | Mira · Cold Trail and Iona · Scrap Loop | Trace the Coil → Short the Coil. Mira deals one piercing damage and marks the connection. While the foe channels, Iona spends one supply to deal six piercing damage and interrupt. |
| Service Lift | Tor · Anchor Line and Iona · Scrap Loop | Brace the Lift → Refit the Lift. Tor blocks four damage to set the gear. On the discharge, Iona blocks six damage, recovers one supply and stores two Ward. |
Both veterans must join the party. Each setup can be tried once per room and opens a window for the next two turns. The finish requires the matching enemy move and can be used once per expedition. An expired or unused setup can be attempted again in the next room. The route ledger lists both steps and their requirements before descent. Combat shows the remaining turns, the enemy’s charge and the finish when it becomes available.
Earlier saves preserve actual clears, successful doctrines and earned memories. A version 3 Court clear opens the Spire. The new clear is recorded in version 4 only after the party returns from the Crown Dynamo.
Astral Orrery
Returning safely from Storm Spire opens the Orrery. The third beat of each enemy cycle flips gravity. An unanchored flip removes stored Ward, marks and openings, and breaks an active chain. Plant a Stake blocks four and anchors the party for that turn. The Quiet Dial offers an anchor that catches one unprotected flip and restores three vitality. Rest restores six. At eight health or below, the Meridian Engine’s flip deals seven damage and gives the Engine one armor.
| Passage | Required memories | Three-step chain |
|---|---|---|
| Meridian Stair | Any party | Watch the Sentry’s third beat and plant a stake when you need to preserve protection or a setup. |
| Parallax Bridge | Mira · Cold Trail and Tor · Anchor Line | Spot the Swing → Pin the Frame → Split the Lens. Mira blocks two during setup. Tor anchors the gravity flip and blocks the hit. Mira deals six piercing damage and blocks three on a regular attack. |
| Prism Lab | Mira · Cold Trail and Iona · Scrap Loop | Pack the Lens → Track the Flip → Burn the Prism. Iona spends one supply to deal two piercing damage. Mira anchors the flip, deals two piercing and blocks three. Iona waits for an armored guard to deal seven piercing damage. |
| Counterpoise Bay | Tor · Anchor Line and Iona · Scrap Loop | Set the Counterweight → Wedge the Gears → Swing the Counterweight. Tor blocks four during setup. Iona anchors the flip, blocks three and banks two Ward. Tor deals three piercing damage, blocks seven and restores four vitality on a regular attack. |
Each handoff lasts three subsequent turns. The relay must happen during a flip, and its finish requires the named enemy response. Both companions and both memories are required. Each room allows one setup, and each expedition allows one finished chain. The ledger previews all three steps. Combat shows the active step, next condition, remaining turns, and whether a flip broke the chain or a handoff expired. Earlier journal versions preserve actual clears and earned progress. An Orrery clear is recorded when the party returns in version 5.
Additional reading on parties across expeditions
The findings below use licensed English manga and manhwa publisher material. The applications are original Bondbound design notes.
| Work and scope | Publisher evidence | Design application |
|---|---|---|
| Delicious in Dungeon · first descent and fifth-floor Red Dragon setup | Volume 1 establishes a rescue after the party loses provisions and money. Yen Press’s editorial highlights Senshi’s learned ability to turn dungeon monsters into usable food. Volume 4 sets the same party against a foe whose hide resists steel and whose breath creates a separate danger. Volume 1 synopsis, Yen Press on Senshi’s specialty, Volume 4 synopsis | A companion’s practical skill can change expedition resources, and a later enemy can demand a different use for that skill. The Foundry lets Iona treat supplies and heat together while the same player learns to distinguish armor from an environmental threat. |
| Pick Me Up · opening premise | The licensed Tapas comic synopsis contrasts Seojin’s prior use of low-ranked heroes to learn boss attack patterns with his later need to survive and grow as a one-star party member. The publisher frames that shift as a change in agency and rank. Tapas comic series synopsis | Give experience to the character who actually used a bond technique, and make the encounter tell readable before the player commits. Memory grants a one-time response a player can time deliberately. |
| Goblin Slayer Side Story II: Dai Katana · manga volumes 2–3 setup, mature series | The second volume describes six adventurers working together for the first time and covering each other’s weaknesses in the Dungeon of the Dead. In the third, the established party accompanies two rookies on a rescue and encounters an ambush. Volume 2 synopsis, Volume 3 synopsis | Keep proven roles when returning to camp, then let a new objective and threat change how those roles cooperate. Tor’s stored protection handles direct attacks. A partner or a separate Vent action handles heat. |
Playtest and verification
- Try a default and a specialist build on the same route. Ask what changed in the first fight and whether that affected the choice at the well.
- In the Warden encounter, ask whether the player can explain when they want to save Ward, plant a fuse or leave an opening. If they use a bond technique and cannot explain its effect, revisit the feedback and action wording.
- All 24 party, doctrine and route combinations in Lantern Gate have a winning path. Ash Foundry also has a winning path for every pairing and doctrine on both public routes. The veteran passages add three optional encounters. A human playtest still needs to compare how forgiving those paths feel.
- The Archive has a winning path for all 12 party and doctrine combinations on the public route with no memories. Each veteran route also has a winning path.
- Echo Court has a winning path for every untrained party and doctrine combination on Open Arcade. Each pair passage has a winning path that uses its joint move.
- Storm Spire has a winning path for all 12 party and doctrine combinations on Open Stair with no memories. Each pair passage has a winning path that completes both steps.
- Astral Orrery has a winning path for all 12 party and doctrine combinations on Meridian Stair with no memories. Each veteran pair has a winning path that completes its three-step chain.
- Fixed encounters, shared vitality, finite supplies and a single choice at the well keep the run short. The setting, portraits and foes are original SVG illustrations served with Manga Atlas.