Unbound Team Features

OOC

This is playtest material.

A team of Unbound has unique capabilities, called Unbound Team Features. These features leverage the combined power of the Unbound in extraordinary ways.

Highlights

• Inspiration is gone.
• The team shares a pool of Source Points (SP).
• At the start of a session, choose a alpha. The alpha gets free SP in combat. When the alpha orders a gambit, it works better.
• At the start of a session, every member chooses a Groove. This Groove determines the gambits you can use.
• Spend SP on gambits.

Team Chain

The team has a private telepathic network. It's similar to the network created by Rary's Telepathic Bond (PHB p. 270). The members can communicate telepathically through the bond whether or not they have a common language. The communication is possible over any distance, although it can't extend to other planes of existence. The network is always "on," but any member can choose to connect or disconnect at will.

All Unbound are part of a latent telepathic network, which some call the Chain. The Team Chain is a special use of the ubiquitous Chain.

Source Points (SP)

For a team of Unbound, Source Points (SP) replace Inspiration. The team can store an unlimited number of SP in a pool. SP have many uses via gambits (see below). SP can also be spent on wheels. Whenever any member gains or spends SP, use the team's pool.

Gaining SP

Both an individual and the whole team can gain SP in a variety of ways. The DM decides when and why SP are gained. At any moment in the game, any player can suggest that SP should be gained. Here are some examples of times when SP could be gained:

• A member wants to reward another member's choice (e.g., a brilliant tactical move)
• A player wants to reward another player's choice (e.g., humor, grace)
• The team defeats a major opponent
• The team rescues an innocent creature from confinement or danger
• The team uncovers important intel

In addition, an Unbound PC may have up to three special way of gaining SP, based on your Source, Paradigm, and/or Aspects. For example, you may sometimes gain SP based on living up to your god's ideals. Work with your DM on you special ways of gaining SP. These ways can change over time.

The Alpha

At the start of each session, the team chooses their alpha from among themselves. The alpha should serve for the whole session, but the team can revisit the choice as wanted or needed (e.g., if the alpha is incapacitated). The team should rotate the authority and responsibility of alpha from session to session. The alpha is still a member of the team when resolving the effects of gambits.

When the team rolls for initiative, the alpha has the option to move to highest/first initiative for the team.

In combat, on their turn, the alpha has two additional actions to choose from:

• Gain 2 SP. The alpha must spend these SP by the end of the round or they are lost.
• Use a gambit. This action can precede spending a bonus action and/or reaction on more gambits.

By choosing to gain SP and use gambits, the alpha can focus more on the overall tactical situation and the performance of the team as a whole.

At any time, if the team has sufficient SP, the alpha can order a member to use gambit. If the gambit requires a reaction or bonus action, either the alpha or the member must meet this requirement. If the member is not the alpha, the gambit has an extra effect. The extra effect must apply to the original member, but can then include the alpha, too.

Alpha's Die

Some gambits use the alpha's die. The die increases over time, as shown here.

Level	Alpha's Die
1-4	1d4
5-8	1d6
9-12	1d8
13-16	1d10
17-20	1d12

Grooves

At the start of each session, each member (including the alpha) chooses a Groove: Strike, Block, or Center. Every Groove must be chosen by at least one member. (If there are 2 members, they must choose different Grooves.) The member's Groove determines which gambits the member can use during the session. A member usually can't change their Groove during a session (DM's choice).

While only a member with a particular Groove can use a gambit from that Groove, they can choose a different member of any Groove to receive the effect.

The alpha can only use a gambit from their own Groove. The alpha can only order a member to use a gambit from that member's Groove.

Strike	Block	Center
Aim True F* Attack Now (2)* Dash Now* Disorienting Attack (F) Reaction Now (F) Reroll Ability Check (F) Shift Now* Sight is Range (F)(2) Transmuted Spell (F) Twin Spell (F)(2) United Offense	Dash Now* Disengage Now Dodge Now Fortitude, Unbound* Immunity Now (3) Reaction Now (F) Reroll Ability Check (F) Resistance Now (2) Stand Now (F) Swap Places United Defense	Close is Self (F) Close is Touch (F) Fated Moment Hit Dice Now* Long Cooldown Now (3) Reduce Exhaustion (2)* Reroll Ability Check (F) Save Again, Individual* Save Again, Team (2)* Save Guaranteed (F)(2) Short Cooldown Now (2) Slot Recovery Now (2)*

Gambits

Most gambits cost 1 SP. Most gambits require a reaction or bonus action to use. The bonus action of using a gambit is usually available with any action. If a gambit's effect includes an additional action, this can action can be taken anytime during the member's turn. This could be before, during, or after the member's normal action, movement, bonus action, or reaction.

• (X): this gambit has this SP cost instead of 1.
• (F): this gambit doesn't require a reaction or bonus action.
• *: this gambit has an extra effect when ordered by the alpha.

• Aim True (F)*: While a member is making one attack, they have advantage. If the alpha orders this gambit, add the alpha's die to the attack's damage roll.
• Attack Now (2)*: A member instantly takes the Attack action. This gambit can only be used on a member's turn, but the effect be applied to any member. If the alpha orders this gambit, add the alpha's die to the attack's damage roll. If this Attack action leads to multiple attacks, only apply the alpha's die to the first damage roll.
• Close is Self (F): While a member is casting one spell with a range of Self, they can target a member who's within 60 feet.
• Close is Touch (F): While a member is casting one spell with a range of Touch, they can target a member who's within 60 feet.
• Dash Now *: A member instantly takes the Dash action. This can provoke an attack of opportunity. This gambit can only be used on a member's turn, but the effect can be applied to any member. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. Add (Result x5) to the member's maximum movement for this Dash.
• Disengage Now: A member instantly takes the Disengage action. This gambit can only be used on a member's turn, and the member must have some movement left.
• Disorienting Attack (F): After a member has hit a creature with one attack, the creature has disadvantage on their attacks until the end of their turn. This gambit can only be used immediately after an attack is successful. The attack doesn't need to do damage.
• Dodge Now: A member instantly takes the Dodge action, which lasts until the start of their next turn. This gambit can't be used between an enemy rolling an attack and determining damage.
• Fated Moment: This gambit can only be used outside of combat. A member must spend one minute in a divination ritual to use this gambit. Roll one d20 and record the number rolled. A member can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by a member or a creature a member can see with this fated roll. The member must choose to replace the roll before the normal roll.
• Fortitude, Unbound *: This gambit can only be used anytime after a member has been reduced to 0 hit points but before they've failed three death saving throws. The member instantly has 1 hit point instead and regains consciousness. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. Add the result as additional hit points.
• Hit Dice Now: A member can instantly spend one or more Hit Dice immediately, as if they've taken a short rest. A member must roll all the spent Hit Dice at the same time (unlike a normal short rest). If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. Instead of one member, that number of members can use spend Hit Dice in this way.
• Immunity Now (3): A member instantly gains immunity to one damage type of their choice. Roll the alpha's die. The effects lasts for that many rounds. This gambit can be used before an attack roll or saving throw, but it can't be used before a damage roll.
• Long Cooldown Now (3): A member instantly regains the use of one class feature as if they've taken a long rest.
• Reaction Now (F): A member without a reaction instantly regains their reaction. This gambit can only be used when a member can use a reaction (e.g., Counterspell, an attack of opportunity). The new reaction must be used immediately.
• Reduce Exhaustion (2)*: A member instantly reduces their Exhaustion level by one. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. Any number of members can reduce their Exhaustion levels, up a combined level of the result.
• Reroll Ability Check (F): This gambit can only be used immediately after a member fails an ability check. They instantly reroll the ability check and use the new result. This includes an attack roll.
• Resistance Now (2): A member instantly gains resistance to one damage type of their choice. Roll the alpha's die. The effects lasts for that many rounds. This feature can be used before an attack roll or saving throw, but it can't be used before a damage roll.
• Save Again, Individual: A member instantly makes one saving throw against any single effect of their choice that a save can end. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die and use the result as a bonus on the saving throw.
• Save Again, Team (2): Each member can instantly make one saving throw against any single effect of their choice that a save can end. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. All members use the result as a bonus on their saving throws.
• Save Guaranteed (F)(2): A member who has just failed a saving throw succeeds instead.
• Shift Now: A member instantly shifts from the Grid to the Swift, or from the Swift to the Grid. If the alpha orders this gambit, roll the alpha's die. The result is the maximum number of members who can shift. Each member can shift in a different direction.
• Short Cooldown Now (2): A member instantly regains the use of one class feature as if they've taken a short rest.
• Sight is Range (F)(2): Use this gambit while a member is casting one spell with a limited range and any target(s) are out of range. For each target, if a member can see the target and could reach the target with the spell's range, then the target is within range of the caster.
• Slot Recovery Now (2): A member instantly regains spell slots with a combined level that is equal to or less than half their level in their highest class with spell slots (rounded up). No regained slot can be 6th level of higher. If the alpha uses this gambit, roll the alpha's die and add the result to the combined level.
• Stand Now (F): All members who are prone instantly stand up (using no movement).
• Swap Places: Two members instantly swap locations. Both must be on the Grid (within 120 feet) or both must be in the Swift. (However, the Shift Now gambit can be used immediately before or after the Swap Places gambit.)
• Transmuted Spell (F): While a member is casting one spell that deals a type of damage from the following list, they can change the damage type to one of the other listed types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, thunder.
• Twin Spell (F)(2): While a member is casting one spell that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self, the caster can target a second creature in range with the same spell. To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell's current level. (This feature is based directly on the Twinned Spell sorcerer feature.)
• United Defense: Choose one member as the omega, when at least one other member is within 5 feet. Until the omega's next turn, when a creature the omega can see attacks the omega or a member within 5 feet of the omega, the omega imposes disadvantage on the attack (unless the omega is incapacitated). At any time, there can more no more than one omega on the Grid and one omega in the Swift: if a new omega is chosen, the old one stops being the omega.
• United Offense: Choose one member as the alpha. Until the alpha's next turn, other members have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if they're within 5 feet of both the creature and the alpha (unless the alpha is incapacitated). At any time, there can more no more than one alpha on the Grid and one alpha in the Swift: if a new alpha is chosen, the old one stops being the alpha.

Spontaneous Gambit

A member can create a unique gambit in the moment. The player should work with the DM to determine the effects, the SP cost, and any additional requirements (e.g., reaction, bonus action). The player and DM may agree to an unusual requirement (e.g., a spell slot, a limited class feature like Channel Divinity).

Design Goals

• Create a system for supporting spontaneous gambits, to encourage player creativity
• Specialized roles, via different Grooves
• Teamwork, including wombo combos
• More superhero feel
• Respect the elegant simplicity of 5E