Bonder

A bonder is a specialized form of protection Monk or Elementalist. Instead of casting protective spells as needed just before or during battle, a bonder uses maintained enchantments to provide constant protection. There are many different bonder builds for different purposes, including some with healing prayers, for example with Mending, or unlinked skills such as Succor.

One of the most common builds in PvE uses Life Barrier in conjunction with Life Bond. Elementalists can use Protective Bond very effectively. In PvP, Life Bond Monks were very common in Random Arenas, although more recently it sees less use due to prevalent enchantment removals.

Bonders often have energy degeneration or zero regeneration - because of the cost of maintaining each enchantment. When a bonder has energy degeneration and their energy drops to zero, enchantments that they are maintaining will be removed until energy regeneration has returned to 0. Monk bonders will usually try to keep their energy up with Blessed Signet, often in combination with Balthazar's Spirit and/or Essence Bond. Elementalist bonders will make use of Ether Renewal as energy management, along with a few spammable spells, such as Burning Speed, Infuse Health and Vigorous Spirit (that also works as a nice cover enchantment).

As Monk bonders are devoted to reducing damage and maintaining their energy for their bonds, they are usually part of a team build that has a character responsible for healing. Elementalist bonders offer both damage reduction and healing via constant usage of Infuse Health.

Bonders often find a place in team builds for high level areas, such as elite missions or other Hard mode tasks, where damage reduction is essential. It is worth noting that Bonders are very vulnerable to enchantment removal, so it is best to study the skills used by the enemies in a certain area beforehand, or use several cover enchantments to keep the bonds protected (and quickly recast them if they get removed). In PvP, bonding is less effective because most organized teams will have a way to counter enchantments.

Historical

 * After the addition of Nightfall professions and skills, Paragons began taking up the role of the bonder in high-end PvP matches. Angelic Bond behaved similarly to Life Bond, but avoided the energy degeneration and weakness to Nature's Renewal and enchantment removal. However, Angelic Bond has since been heavily modified: it no longer functions like Life Bond, thus removing Paragons from the bonder role.