Did They Remove Covenant Abilities? A Deep Dive into Shadowlands and Beyond
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Yes, Covenant Abilities were effectively removed from general gameplay with the release of Dragonflight. While they still function within the Shadowlands expansion zones, they are disabled in all other areas of the game, including the new Dragon Isles. This decision was made to provide a clean slate for the Dragonflight expansion and its new class talent trees, preventing gameplay from being overly complex with systems that didn’t organically integrate into the new expansion’s design.
The Rationale Behind the Removal
The Covenant system was a central mechanic of the Shadowlands expansion, offering players unique abilities and customization options based on their chosen Covenant: Kyrian, Venthyr, Necrolord, or Night Fae. Each Covenant provided two distinct abilities – a class-specific ability and a signature Covenant ability shared by all classes. This system, while initially intriguing, presented balance challenges and potential design limitations as the game evolved.
Bringing the Covenant abilities forward into Dragonflight would have required significant rebalancing and potentially hampered the design space for the new talent trees. Blizzard opted to streamline the gameplay experience, focusing on the new talent system and the inherent class abilities. It allowed for a cleaner transition and a more focused approach to class design within Dragonflight.
The Legacy of Covenants
Although Covenant Abilities are no longer usable outside of the Shadowlands, the impact of the Covenant system on the game is undeniable. The Covenants and their associated aesthetics, storylines, and Soulbinds added considerable depth to the Shadowlands narrative. These elements contributed to the overall player experience and helped define the tone and theme of the expansion.
While the abilities themselves have been shelved for current general use, the Covenant system serves as an example of the kind of ambitious and experimental design that World of Warcraft continues to pursue. It informs future decisions about systems design and demonstrates the challenges of integrating expansion-specific mechanics into the long-term gameplay loop. The Games Learning Society, at GamesLearningSociety.org, highlights the importance of understanding how game mechanics like these impact player engagement and learning within the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions that address common concerns and queries related to the removal of Covenant Abilities and the Covenant system in general.
1. Will I ever be able to use Covenant Abilities again outside of Shadowlands?
As of now, there are no plans to reintroduce Covenant Abilities outside of the Shadowlands content. Blizzard has focused on building upon the new talent trees and class designs introduced in Dragonflight. It’s always possible they might revisit this system in the future, but for now, they remain exclusively tied to the Shadowlands zones.
2. Can I still join a Covenant in Dragonflight?
Yes, you can still join a Covenant if you travel to Oribos and complete the Shadowlands campaign. The option to choose a Covenant becomes available once you reach the appropriate point in the storyline. The Covenant system is still fully functional within the Shadowlands.
3. Are Soulbinds and Conduits still active?
Like Covenant Abilities, Soulbinds and Conduits are only active within the Shadowlands. Outside of these zones, they are disabled. This ensures that the Dragonflight’s gameplay systems are not overshadowed by the mechanics from the previous expansion.
4. What happens to my Covenant armor and transmogs?
Your Covenant armor and transmogs are still available for use, regardless of your location. The removal of Covenant Abilities does not affect your ability to equip or transmogrify items associated with your chosen Covenant.
5. Can I still complete the Covenant campaign on alts?
Yes, you can still complete the Covenant campaign on your alts. Doing so can be a fast way to get yourself to Renown level 80 with your alts for the Shadowlands content.
6. Is there a way to skip the Covenant campaign on alts?
If at least one character on your account has completed chapters one and two of their relevant Covenant’s questline, it is possible to skip only those two chapters on an alternative character. It is not possible to skip entire Covenant campaigns.
7. What is the best Covenant in pre-patch?
During the Dragonflight pre-patch, Necrolord remained a strong choice for some specializations due to its burst damage potential. However, this was primarily relevant for those still engaging with Shadowlands content, as the Covenant Abilities themselves were disabled outside of those zones.
8. How do I get my Covenant abilities back?
To preview your Covenant Abilities, you can talk to each Covenant Ambassador during the quest Choosing Your Purpose. If you select the option to test the Covenant abilities again, you will temporarily regain both Covenant Abilities for preview purposes. This option is only available within the context of the Shadowlands campaign.
9. How do I unlock Covenant appearances?
To unlock armor-specific Covenant cosmetic sets, you must reach Renown 80 for that Covenant on the same character who obtained the armor set. This process must be repeated for each armor type you want to unlock.
10. Can I upgrade my Covenant Legendary?
The item level of the Legendary belt (265) is final and cannot be upgraded. You can craft the Legendary in the usual way using Memory of Unity up to item level 291.
11. How do you unlock free Covenant swap?
Players can freely swap between Covenants after reaching Renown 80 with any character on their account. The achievement Renowned is required to unlock free switches.
12. Can you do all 4 Covenant campaigns?
Yes, you can complete all four Covenant campaigns on a single character by swapping Covenants after completing each one. Each campaign can only be done once per character.
13. Is there a reason to do Covenant campaign on alts?
You can get a renown to 40 with an item near the flight master in Oribos, and then doing the campaign is the best and fastest way to get yourself to 80 renown with your alts. You will lose the rewards of the campaign though.
14. What is the max covenant level in Shadowlands?
There are 80 levels of Renown. You will earn a reward at each level.
15. What is the least popular Covenant in WoW?
The least popular Spec / Covenant combination of this data set is Necrolord and Night Fae Holy Paladin at 0.5% and 0.7% respectively. The only spec that is split relatively well between all 4 Covenants is Holy Priest with the lowest Covenant being 22.6% and the highest Covenant being 28.3%.
In conclusion, while Covenant Abilities have been removed from general gameplay outside of the Shadowlands, the Covenant system remains an integral part of the Shadowlands experience. Players can still engage with the Covenants, complete their campaigns, and earn rewards within the Shadowlands zones. The removal of Covenant Abilities was a strategic decision to facilitate a smoother transition to the new mechanics and systems introduced in Dragonflight. Remember to visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the educational aspects of gaming and how game mechanics shape our experiences.