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Is There a Penalty for Changing Covenants in Dark Souls 3?

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Yes, while there is no direct stat penalty for changing covenants in Dark Souls 3, there are significant consequences regarding your progress and standing within the previous covenant. Specifically, abandoning a covenant halves your offerings that you have contributed to that covenant. This means you lose half of the items you’ve painstakingly farmed and donated, impacting your ability to rank up and earn covenant-specific rewards. This penalty primarily affects players striving to achieve higher ranks within multiple covenants or those who switch covenants frequently.

Understanding Covenants in Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls 3 covenants are factions that players can join, influencing their online gameplay experience and offering unique rewards and storylines. Each covenant has its own set of rules, objectives, and methods for progression. Joining a covenant is as simple as equipping its related covenant item. However, understanding the implications of switching between these factions is crucial for maximizing your gameplay experience.

What are Covenants?

Covenants in Dark Souls 3 are like guilds or factions that players can align with. They fundamentally change the way you interact with the online components of the game, often dictating whether you’re invading other players, defending against invaders, or cooperating with other players against challenging enemies. Each covenant has a specific objective, a specific method of attaining covenant items, and a specific series of ranks and rewards.

Why Join a Covenant?

Players join covenants for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they offer a structured PvP and PvE experience, giving purpose to online interactions. Secondly, each covenant offers unique rewards, including spells, weapons, armor, and rings, obtainable by ranking up within the covenant by offering specific items. Finally, covenants can drastically alter your gameplay style, allowing you to experiment with different builds and strategies tailored to the covenant’s objectives.

The Consequence of Switching Covenants: Offerings

The primary consequence of switching covenants lies in the loss of progress within your previous covenant. When you leave a covenant, half of the offerings you have contributed are removed. This can be particularly devastating if you have invested significant time and effort into collecting covenant items.

The Offering System

Each covenant requires players to offer specific items to rank up. For example, the Warriors of Sunlight require Sunlight Medals, while the Rosaria’s Fingers covenant requires Pale Tongues. These items are often obtained by defeating other players, defeating specific enemies, or exploring the game world.

Impact on Rank

The number of offerings determines your rank within the covenant. Higher ranks unlock better rewards and contribute to specific questlines. By halving your offerings when you leave a covenant, you effectively set back your progress, requiring you to re-farm the necessary items to regain your previous rank.

Examples of Loss

Imagine you’ve collected 30 Sunlight Medals for the Warriors of Sunlight covenant. If you switch to another covenant, you’ll lose 15 Sunlight Medals. Similarly, if you’ve amassed 20 Vertebra Shackles for the Mound-Makers, leaving the covenant will result in the loss of 10 Shackles.

Is it Always Bad to Switch Covenants?

While there’s a penalty, switching covenants isn’t always a bad idea. Here are some scenarios where it might be beneficial:

Obtaining Covenant-Specific Items: You may temporarily join a covenant to obtain a specific item, such as a spell or a weapon, and then switch back to your preferred covenant.
Completing Questlines: Some questlines require you to join specific covenants. Switching covenants can be necessary to progress in these quests.
Experimenting with Different Playstyles: You may want to try out different covenants to experience their unique PvP and PvE mechanics.
Strategic Advantage: You may switch to a covenant that is more advantageous in a specific area or situation. For example, joining the Watchdogs of Farron in the Farron Keep area can be beneficial.

Minimizing the Impact of Switching Covenants

While you can’t completely avoid the penalty, there are ways to minimize its impact:

Plan Ahead: Before joining a covenant, consider its long-term benefits and whether you’re willing to invest the time and effort required to rank up.
Farm Efficiently: Focus on farming covenant items in areas where they drop frequently.
Use Online Resources: Consult online guides and communities to identify the best strategies for farming specific covenant items.
Backup Saves (PC): Although not officially supported, some PC players create backup saves to revert to a previous state if they regret switching covenants. However, exercise caution when using this method, as it could potentially lead to account issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to changing covenants in Dark Souls 3, designed to address common concerns and provide further clarification:

Does changing covenants affect my character’s stats?

No, changing covenants does not affect your character’s stats directly. The only consequence is the halving of your offerings to the previous covenant.
Can I rejoin a covenant I previously left?

Yes, you can rejoin a covenant you previously left. However, you will still have lost half of your offerings when you left initially.
Do I lose any items I’ve earned from a covenant when I switch?

No, you keep any items (spells, weapons, armor) you’ve already earned from a covenant, even if you leave it. The penalty only applies to the number of offerings.
How can I see how many offerings I’ve contributed to a covenant?

You can see your offering count by speaking to the covenant leader or the NPC associated with the covenant. They will indicate your current rank and the number of offerings you’ve made.
Which covenants are easiest to rank up in?

This depends on your playstyle and skill. The Warriors of Sunlight can be relatively easy, as Sunlight Medals can be earned through co-op. However, covenants like the Blade of the Darkmoon and Blue Sentinels can be challenging due to the reliance on invasions and summoning.
Is there a way to avoid losing offerings when switching covenants?

No, there is no legitimate way to completely avoid the loss of offerings when switching covenants within the game’s intended mechanics.
Does the penalty apply if I’m automatically switched to a covenant by the game?

No. There are a couple of rare instances where the game automatically enrolls you in a Covenant; this never causes a loss of offerings in another.
What happens if I leave a covenant and then defeat the covenant leader later?

Defeating the covenant leader after leaving the covenant does not restore your lost offerings. It might have other story consequences.
Can I switch covenants multiple times without any additional penalties beyond the halving of offerings each time?

Yes, you can switch covenants as many times as you like. Each time you leave a covenant, you lose half of your offerings to that covenant. There are no additional penalties beyond that.
Does the loss of offerings affect my ability to get the “Master of Rings” or other similar achievements?

Yes, indirectly. Because acquiring all covenant-related rings often requires reaching higher ranks within those covenants, the offering penalty does slow down your progress towards such achievements.
Are some covenant items easier to farm offline than online?

Yes, some covenant items are easier to farm offline from specific enemies. For example, Vertebra Shackles for the Mound-Makers can be farmed from Skeleton Swordsmen in the Catacombs of Carthus.
Does the difficulty of farming covenant items change in New Game Plus (NG+)?

The drop rates for covenant items do not change in NG+. However, enemies are stronger, so the farming process might be slightly more challenging.
Does being in a covenant affect my matchmaking range when invading or being summoned?

Yes, being in a covenant can subtly influence your matchmaking range. Some covenants prioritize summoning players within a similar Soul Level or Weapon Level range. However, the primary factor remains your Soul Level and Weapon Level.
What are the best covenants for PvE (Player versus Environment) focused players?

The Warriors of Sunlight are excellent for PvE, as they focus on cooperative play. Joining the Way of Blue also indirectly supports PvE, as it summons Blue Sentinels to help you when invaded.
If I accidentally attack a covenant NPC, can I still join their covenant?

Yes, you can usually still join the covenant. You will first have to absolve yourself of your sins at the statue of Velka in the Undead Settlement. This will make the NPC friendly again, and you’ll be able to join the covenant as normal.

By understanding the consequences of switching covenants and planning your progression carefully, you can maximize your experience in Dark Souls 3 and unlock all the rewards the game has to offer. Remember that while the penalty exists, it’s manageable, and strategic covenant switching can be beneficial for certain goals.