The renewal terms
When an Oath runs out and the hero asks for a new one, Oathbound changes the numbers more than any other trait:
| Modifier | Oathbound | Loyal | Greedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal ask | ×0.62 | ×0.88 | ×1.10 |
| Haggle roll | +35 points | +15 points | −15 points |
| Poaching guard | +10 | +4 | 0 |
The game checks Oathbound first, then Loyal, then Greedy, so only one of those rows ever applies. Thrifty (×0.9) and Coin-Minded (×1.1) multiply on top, which is how an Oathbound, Thrifty hero ends up asking about 0.56 of the normal rate. The rest of the ask still comes from origin, renown, morale and any unresolved refusal, with a floor of half the base rate and a minimum wage of 5 gold per six days. Enter the hero’s base wage in the oath negotiator to see the full quote.
The renewal screen spells the trait out: the hero “meant the oath,” asks well under what the realm would pay, and no rival purse will turn their head.
Rivals and poaching
When rivals come shopping, the game scores how firmly each hero is held. The score adds the hero’s hidden loyalty, +4 for homegrown youth, +3 for Child of the Halls, the trait’s guard value and a share for the guild’s moral standing. Oathbound’s +10 is the largest guard any trait gives, which makes an Oathbound hero one of the hardest on the roster to lure away.
In the party
- Standing. Guild standing decides who leads a party. Oathbound adds +6, as much as Quiet Example and Charismatic and more than Loyal (+5).
- Following. A leader’s aura is stronger on some followers than others. Oathbound, Loyal and Team Player heroes take 1.25 times the usual benefit from the leader beside them.
- Forks. Oathbound leaders, like Loyal, Dutiful, Thrifty and Kin-Proud ones, choose routes for the hall. If the treasury is low they always take a treasure side room and never any other; otherwise they always take the “Lair” of a named foe and never any other. The Sealed Door is never their choice.
Small hooks
On pair duty the hero speaks with the “humble” voice shared with Humble, Dutiful, Loyal, Steady and Child of the Halls. The hero card links Oathbound to Teamwork and Resolve; that link does not change either attribute.
What it cannot fix
A cheap renewal is still a renewal. Oathbound does nothing for attributes, injuries or a role your party has outgrown, and a haggle is still a roll: +35 makes a refusal unlikely but still possible, and a refused haggle still raises the pending ask. Compare the quote with the cost of the replacement you would otherwise sign.
Conflicts and rarity
Oathbound can never appear with Greedy, Glory Hunter, Loyal, Light-Fingered or Coin-Minded.
- Rarity: rare, positive · draw weight 14 of 6,365 · about 1 recruit in 180
- Founding draft: only on the wildcard card.
- In the wiki’s archive: first present in the 2.0.1 build (absent from 1.9.8).
Recruiting
A strong positive on any hero you plan to keep for years. Over several renewals the wage saving alone is worth more than a point or two of attributes, and the poaching guard protects the investment between renewals.