Formations

Formations are a state in which individuals pair their chips, this is typically done for the passive benefits but creating them has been known to serve a multitude of various purposes.

Benefits and Detriments:
All formations passively provide various benefits as well as detriments to each member within them. Every 1 in 32,768 formations are created with a randomly generated unique benefit and/or detriment. Individuals can be in any number of formations at a given time though neither benefits nor detriments will stack. Individuals in multiple formations will have their largest one take precedence when applicable.

Benefits:
Abilities: Some abilities require that the user be in an active formation.

Sonar: Members of a formation are now capable of detecting their fellow members through their chip's sonar. It is not required that the formation be flagged as active for it to work, however members of an active formation relay as blue rather than red making them easier to detect at first glance.

Stats and Growth: Individuals in a formation flagged as active gain various benefits which vary depending on the type of formation:
 * Duos: +1% growth in all stats, +1% base in all stats
 * Trios: +2% growth in all stats, +2% base in all stats
 * Quartets: +4% growth in all stats, +4% base in all stats
 * Quintets: +8% growth in all stats, +8% base in all stats

Detriments:
Abilities: Some abilities require that the user either be in no formations or in an inactive formation.

Stats and Growth: Individuals in a formation that has been flagged as inactive suffer various defects which vary depending on the type of formation: Tether: In order for a formation to remain flagged as active, all members must be within proximity of each other. The ranges are:
 * Duos: -1% growth in all stats, -1% base in all stats
 * Trios: -2% growth in all stats, -2% base in all stats
 * Quartets: -4% growth in all stats, -4% base in all stats
 * Quintets: -8% growth in all stats, -8% base in all stats
 * Duos: 250 meters
 * Trios: 500 meters
 * Quartets: 1000 meters
 * Quintets: 2500 meters

Creating a Formation:
Formations can be created at any time when two to five individuals sync their chips; This is done by every member repeatedly activating their sonar until their chips beep which typically takes ten seconds to complete. Once a formation is created, it is common for the members to name them. However, these names are not possible to register in the chip making the practice purely for the members sake.

Disbanding a Formation:
Formations may be disbanded at any time should it be desired; This is done by every required member syncing their chips (like when the formation was created) followed by every required member leaving their respective formation's proximity within ten minutes. Not all members are required for disbandment provided a majority of them are present (the only exception being Duos which must have both members). Alternatively, any formation is automatically disbanded should any member die.

Formations cannot be recreated upon disbandment. Any attempts to do so simply fail.

Duo Formations:

 * Damaged Boys- Duo of Blaze and Carson
 * Depression Simulator- Duo of Carson and Steven
 * Money Rollers- Duo of Carson and Caleb
 * Soda Bandits- Duo of Carson and Tyler

Trio Formations:

 * Blind Eye of Revolution- Trio of Carson, Hayden, and Trenton
 * Dream Team- Trio of Blaze, Carson, and Evan
 * Illumijews- Trio of Andy, Hayden, and Steven

Quartet Formations:

 * ABC Formation/The Squad- Quartet of Andy, Blaze, Carson, Steven
 * Lunch Boys- Quartet of Carson, Hayden, Jesse, and Steven

Quintet Formations:

 * Five Horsemen- Quintet of Andy, Carson, Hayden, Lucas, and Sean
 * The Bullies- Quintet of Derek, Jacob, Kayla, Laura, and Taylor