Being a thief was pretty great for the bond, at 40 you can hide and sneak whoever is bonded with you plus giving them about 300 hp. So running around with a sneaking hiding ram was nice.

I hear you get a boost to Vanguard as a leader but uh...right, I didn't notice any perks if that, no leader weapon, nothing. Vanguard itself is pretty great in dampening deathblows and critical strikes, as well as giving protection from whatever is tipping, mob or pk. Invokers give you greater shields and resistance to everything else. Druids protection vs metal. Shifters give all the spells (haste stoneskin control trans etc), warriors give mages hp and block attacks against them, assassins sneak and hide, rangers camo. If you get summoned you go with your bondmate, if you word it's with bondmate.

Overall it's a pretty fun cabal I thought. I'd play it again.