Elven Bonding- Community/DM Feedback please.

[Aelryn Bloodmoon]

It's a lore thing, but is it an Arelith thing? How much leeway is there in the premise? I can see where there are some issues, but if those are avoided/well-handled, are there any feathers to worry about ruffling?

[Xanos950]

keep out the meta-telepathy and you're gucci.

[Nitro]

This bond is, in many ways, much stronger then the communion ability we share, for this is a lifelong bond and not so easily broken. Through this bond, each person can sense all of the feelings the other is feeling, as well as any physical pain or distress they might be in. If separated, we can get a general sense of direction the other person is in, as long as they are on the same plane.

Don't do any of the bolded bits and it should be fine, the bolded stuff would essentially be metagaming though.

[Gods_Kill_People]

well, I disagree, feeling a feeling or pain or distress...is probably alright....sensing their direction...thats metaish.

[BegoneThoth]

It's pretty meta in 'I KNOW MY BONDED ELF IS UNDER ATTACK BETTER BUFF AND RUN WHERE I THINK THEY RAN TO'

no way to be like, 'oh im in great distress u know that we be bonded' w/o telepathy

[Gods_Kill_People]

I always played it as *stops seeming to look around, a look of distress on their features though unable to explain why*

[Hunter548]

Yeah, that's still metagaming.

[Dr. B]

Lol. "Elven Bonding". Keep it PG-13, folks. XD

[Dreams]

Yeah, that's still metagaming.

+1

I mean the way you'd find out that your bonded friend is in trouble is probably in that discord channel, or via a tell, right? Then using that knowledge IC basically seems like metagaming.

[Iceborn]

If I were to play something like this, I'd try to keep it classy and only apply in meta-guesses about what the other character may actually be feeling... as long as it's literally within my range of sight.

Telepathy has always been a big no-no in Arelith, and with good reason.
Though that never stopped me from playing my own familiars as mentally bonded, in one degree or another.

[One Two Three Five]

Yeah, that's still metagaming.

+1

I mean the way you'd find out that your bonded friend is in trouble is probably in that discord channel, or via a tell, right? Then using that knowledge IC basically seems like metagaming.

Someone did this back in the day. The telepathic elven bond thing. 100% of the time what would happen is if one of them wanted to fight you/got attacked/had any sort of problem, the other one would show up buffed and ready to throw down because person A was 'in distress.'

For the love of both yourself, rp integrity, and the people that don't deserve to have telepathic elf metagaming inflicted on them, don't do this. Find something else to do.

[Aelryn Bloodmoon]

I had more in mind, for example, knowing that bondmate A was somewhere in the city, and feeling fuzzy and happy about the closeness. Or seeing bondmate B in the room quietly observing and knowing that inwardly they're seething in barely repressed rage. Knowing that bondmate A is dead, but not how, or where, or why- and likewise knowing they're alive, and perhaps near (read: somewhere in the same city) but never where. Perhaps a fleeting moment of terror or pain when attacked or seeing bondmate attacked.

RP things that don't impact the play experience of other PC's during anything adversarial, but which can still imply a level of closeness beyond the norm.

[Thanatosis]

Best way to play telepathy stuff like elf bonding, ghostwise mind-speech, etc.:

don't


edit: You don't need a weird pseudo-magical bond to be like "holy shit, no" when you see your waifu get punched in the head by an ogre.

[Lorkas]

Just don't do anything that tries to claim any special advantage for your characters over anyone else's characters. If this bond would give your character any special knowledge, it's not okay on Arelith.

If you want to RP something like this, it's probably best if the elf you're bonded to isn't an actual PC or NPC on Arelith, and they should also live in an area of the island that isn't represented in game. That way you're never tempted to metagame any knowledge through the bond, butt can still make it part of your RP.

[Xanos950]

It's funny to see the forum be so triggered about non-consequential unimportant rp that doesn't affect them in any way whatsoever. Is it really so popular to dictate how others should rp to the point of foregoing setting-lore?

I had more in mind, for example, knowing that bondmate A was somewhere in the city, and feeling fuzzy and happy about the closeness. Or seeing bondmate B in the room quietly observing and knowing that inwardly they're seething in barely repressed rage. Knowing that bondmate A is dead, but not how, or where, or why- and likewise knowing they're alive, and perhaps near (read: somewhere in the same city) but never where. Perhaps a fleeting moment of terror or pain when attacked or seeing bondmate attacked.

RP things that don't impact the play experience of other PC's during anything adversarial, but which can still imply a level of closeness beyond the norm.

Back to topic tho, yeah just do it like this, i have too for some time. Casual shared emotion/feelings should be fine, just avoid stuff that would seem as giving you an edge over others, aka. Meta-telepathy is a nono.

[Dreams]

I get triggered by blatant metagaming and how prevalent it still is.

[Cortex]

Any information you need to pass along via tells or any other OOC mean is meta gaming, no matter what it is.

[DM Atropos]

Bonding implies telepathy. It has been done, in recent times, to be used to metagame precisely as One Two Three Five said.

That is not okay and is not allowed. If you love someone you don't need a special bond to make you feel "warm and fuzzy" that they're near you. You can call yourself bonded all you like but using that to mystically know where someone is, or their health/feelings/death at any time is metagaming and will be treated as such.

Basically as with all things it boils down to "if it isn't mechanically supported, and it brings you an unfair advantage, don't do it."

[Kirito]

On the otherside of the fence, if you were to roll a 5% reward, you could try and persuade the admin team to create a bond between two characters (the bonded PC (A) could get updated each game tick by things that affect their bonded char (B) with things like B feels hurt (took damage) B is tired/hungry/thirsty etc (status < 0%) B is dead.

That would relatively straightforward to do. - But custom content like that requires a 5% roll... and the admin team feeling it could add worthwhile RP

[Iceborn]

Just go and code it Kirito. Take one 5% off my account!
I have like 4. Really.

Actually, some time ago, I was going to propose a PC familiar system, that would allow characters that fit the relation to form a familiar binding, with NEVER SEEN BEFORE TOP NOTCH NEW YEAR NEW AGE NEW MILLENIA MECHANICS and everything.

I still would like to see it, but I have to write it down.

What? I'm derrailing? What do you mean I'm derrailing? Topic? Oh? Oooh.
Yes. Metaelves.

I can agree with the stance above. If it gives you an unfair advantage, kick it off, but otherwise I would be, as a player, completely alright with a mental bond for flavor.

[Seven Sons of Sin]

friendly metagaming is totally OK. You and ur bud are both in Cordor, but don't want to spend 15-20 mins sending speedies and meeting up, so instead you go *elven bonding to the Nomad*, that's cool.

To exercise any kind of advantage, as aforementioned, is heinous and you should kill it with fire. Even employing some sort of invisible sense or perception infront of other players I'd argue is wholly distasteful.

[Aelryn Bloodmoon]

"if it isn't mechanically supported, and it brings you an unfair advantage, don't do it."

What is the unfair advantage to whom in knowing my character's bondmate is actually sad and not happy like they're pretending <when arguably no one else will know that unless the bondmate tells them OOC in the first place>?

Is the stance "you emoted knowing this person's emotions in a friendly setting where no one is hostile, so clearly you must be cheating during hostile RP," or will this be left alone so long as I don't use it as a precedent to RP similarly during adversarial situations?

[BegoneThoth]

friendly metagaming is totally OK. You and ur bud are both in Cordor, but don't want to spend 15-20 mins sending speedies and meeting up, so instead you go *elven bonding to the Nomad*, that's cool.

To exercise any kind of advantage, as aforementioned, is heinous and you should kill it with fire. Even employing some sort of invisible sense or perception infront of other players I'd argue is wholly distasteful.

I don't see why it needs to be emoted at all, "Yeah I just signed in I'm in the nomad less do quests" has always been fine, you don't need to imply psychic powers.

[DM Atropos]

"if it isn't mechanically supported, and it brings you an unfair advantage, don't do it."

What is the unfair advantage to whom in knowing my character's bondmate is actually sad and not happy like they're pretending <when arguably no one else will know that unless the bondmate tells them OOC in the first place>?

Is the stance "you emoted knowing this person's emotions in a friendly setting where no one is hostile, so clearly you must be cheating during hostile RP," or will this be left alone so long as I don't use it as a precedent to RP similarly during adversarial situations?

Simply because it will be used that way. Not necessarily by you, I am not saying that it would, but allowing it sets a precedent that I, at least, as a DM, am uncomfortable setting. If I allowed it for you without prerequisites or oversight, I would be beholden to allow others the same until An Incident happens. I suspect Lorkas' take, if you MUST have a "telepathic" bonding, is the best way. There is no way it can be used to your advantage, or to the disadvantage of other players, which is what we aim for. Having things that are not mechanically supported that could allow you that edge, is an unfair advantage in and of itself.

(Disclaimer: this is my personal view as a DM, not an official statement from the Team)

[Miaou]

For me, the only time I would use the whole "bond" thing is when it's private roleplay, between each other. One way to do it, as two with a bond can share thoughts, memories, etc... Is to emote it. Share stories, play them out for the other person. It is much like how people sometimes roleplay mind walking. If both are creative, you can paint some very abstract and poetic scenes to portray events or thoughts. Basically, it's just a different and unique way to talk to each other.

Instead of telling another character about their trip to the Dark Spires and down to the Halls of Umbrick with words, you could instead use emotes and such to "show" them the whole thing, adding in emotion and details that would normally be lost in simply a retelling of events.

This is really the only way I can see a bond being actively roleplayed without metagaming concerns, other than just overly enjoying each others company when engaging with the rest of the isle.