Revised Bonds

All characters demonstrate foibles and eccentricities which serve to complicate their lives. These are represented by flags. Flags replace Dungeon World’s use of bonds as a method of earning XP through roleplay, inverting their pattern. Instead of bonds connecting your character to other characters, your flags define behaviors that other players enable. By selecting a flag, you signal what sorts of interactions and complications you are looking to explore, giving other players permission and encouragement to complicate your life by incorporating your flag into play.

Flags are phrased as instructions or requests to the other players to treat your character a certain way. As such, the best flags…

…suggest an action specific enough that it is obvious when another character hits it.

…create some sort of conflict or tension, usually by giving your character a choice to make.

…give you an opportunity to demonstrate something about your character that might not otherwise be showcased.

…enable taking action in a way meaningful to your character.

…bring enough consequence to the story to develop a relationship between your character and another.

When another player follows the instruction indicated by your flag, (called “hitting” your flag), the End of Session move (below) will reward them for doing so. This means that players should be aware of the flags of the characters at the table, and think about how they might hit them in play. Note that hitting another player’s flag usually means confronting them with a tough choice that pits their personality against a situation. They may choose to embrace their personality or compromise it for the situation. Either way, just setting up the choice means you hit their flag.

Each character should choose a number of flags equal to 4 + their Charisma modifier. As flags are intended to represent deep-seated personality traits, they tend to resist change. However, if it makes sense to drop a flag and/or gain a new one, they may be changed as part of the End of Session move.

Revised Move: End of Session

When you reach the end of a session, if you hit a flag of any other character during the session at least once, mark XP. If anyone hit at least one of your flags this session, mark XP. Additionally, choose any bonds or flags that you feel are no longer valid or relevant and replace them with new ones.

Next, look at your drive. If you fulfilled your drive at least once this session, mark XP. Then answer these three questions as a group:

• Did we learn something new and important?
• Did we overcome a notable monster or enemy?
• Did we loot a memorable treasure?

For each “yes” answer everyone marks XP.

Example Flags

• Accommodating: counter my proposal with a less attractive one I must either accept or disrupt the harmony of the group.
• Androgynous: put me into a situation that might get me to inadvertently reveal my gender.
• Ardent: convince me to do something I shouldn’t in order to please a god.
• Aspiring: make me an offer that threatens my status.
• Bumptious: challenge my knowledge and prove that I have more to learn.
• Compassionate: offer me an easier solution that requires I exploit those weaker than me.
• Curious: convince me to try something I shouldn’t.
• Deceitful: believe and act on a lie I’ve told you.
• Delinquent: call attention to something valuable or useful that would cause us problems if stolen.
• Delusional: offer me a superior solution that requires I abandon my misconception or erroneous belief.
• Devoted: offer me an easier solution that requires I compromise my relation with _______.
• Eccentric: include me in a social interaction where my personality imperfections will be viewed as charm.
• Exploitable: offer me a flimsy reason to voluntarily put myself in danger for your gain.
• Graceless: include me in a beneficial social interaction I must spoil with blunt observation or crass behavior.
• Greedy: offer me wealth to undermine a friend.
• Gullible: tell me a lie I believe.
• Heroic: let me keep you from going first into danger so I can go myself
• Honest: involve me in a deception I must ruin.
• Irresponsible: convince me to shirk my duty.
• Jealous: offer me an opportunity to praise a rival.
• Peculiar: refuse my aid because I’m different.
• Pious: give me a reason to explain or demonstrate the folly of one of your sins.
• Portentous: seek my divinations in a moment of uncertainty and trust them implicitly.
• Preoccupied: entrust me with something important that I will likely lose or mess up.
• Pugnacious: offer me a peaceful solution that I must derail with violence.
• Righteous: offer me an easier solution that requires I violate my principle of _______.
• Scandalous: defer to me when a social convention needs to be violated.
• Selfish: suggest I sacrifice something (tangible or intangible) to improve the lot of others.
• Skilled: seek my help in learning how to _______.
• Sycophantic: insist I publicly compare the greatness of two people from whom I seek favor.
• Trustworthy: confide in me a secret that would damage you if revealed.
• Unsophisticated: exemplify a social convention or intricate concept I must misunderstand.
• Vengeful: offer me a reasonable path that I must reject to gain my revenge.
• Visionary: offer me an easier solution that interferes with my dream of _______.
• Wise: ask for and take my advice on a difficult matter.