Why Can’t I Choose a Covenant in Shadowlands? A Comprehensive Guide

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Struggling to pick a Covenant in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands? You’re not alone! Many players encounter roadblocks during this pivotal decision. The primary reason you can’t choose a Covenant is because you haven’t completed the Shadowlands leveling campaign. Reaching level 60 isn’t sufficient; you must finish the main storyline quests in each zone. This ensures you’ve experienced the narrative groundwork necessary to understand the Covenants and their motivations. Once the campaign is completed, you can start the process of choosing your covenant.

Covenant Selection: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what’s required and how to troubleshoot common issues:

1. Complete the Shadowlands Campaign: This is the absolute prerequisite. Play through the questlines in Bastion, Maldraxxus, Ardenweald, and Revendreth. Focus on the main story quests, denoted by their distinct quest marker. You do not need to complete every side quest.
2. “Choosing Your Purpose” Quest: After completing the campaign, you will be automatically given a quest called “Choosing Your Purpose”. This quest is the gateway to the covenants.
3. Head to Oribos: Proceed to Oribos, the eternal city. This is the hub for Shadowlands. Look for Tal-Inara, the location where you can choose your covenant.
4. Interact with the Covenant Map: Near Tal-Inara, you’ll find a Shadowlands Covenant Map. Click on it to initiate the Covenant selection process. This map will allow you to make your choice.
5. Choose Wisely: The map will present you with the four Covenants: Kyrian, Necrolord, Night Fae, and Venthyr. Read about each Covenant, understand their philosophies, and consider their Covenant Abilities and Class Abilities. Each offers distinct gameplay advantages and aesthetic styles.
6. Turn In “Choosing Your Purpose”: Once you’ve made your decision, turn in the quest to the NPC corresponding to your chosen Covenant.
7. Accept the Covenant’s Initial Quest: After turning in “Choosing Your Purpose”, the leader of your chosen Covenant will offer you a new quest to officially join. Accept and complete it. This typically involves a short introductory questline.
8. Addons Interference: It may not be apparent, but addons are the source of many issues. Disable all addons and reload the game. Now go to the Shadowlands Covenant Map near Tal-Inara and click. This should resolve the issue.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you’re still unable to choose a Covenant after completing the campaign, consider these points:

• Quest Log Overload: Sometimes, having too many quests in your log can cause issues. Try abandoning some less important quests to free up space.
• Check for Hidden Quests: Use a quest tracking addon or consult a guide to ensure you haven’t missed a crucial quest in the Shadowlands campaign.
• Character-Specific Progress: Remember that Covenant progress is character-specific. You need to complete the campaign on each character you want to join a Covenant with.
• Game Bugs: While rare, game bugs can occur. If you’ve exhausted all other troubleshooting steps, consider submitting a bug report to Blizzard.
• Check if you’ve completed the prerequisites: Prerequisites can be complicated and it is easy to miss one.

Covenant Choice: More Than Just Power

While Covenant abilities undeniably influence character power, remember that your choice also impacts your character’s story and aesthetics. Consider the Covenant’s themes, transmog options, and how they align with your character’s personality and backstory. This is an MMO, so roleplaying is still important to the majority of players.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Covenants

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the Covenant system:

1. Do Covenants still matter in later expansions?

   While the Shadowlands expansion is over, Covenant choices can still offer cosmetic rewards, transmog options, and access to specific areas. For characters who did not play Shadowlands, they will be able to choose a covenant immediately after reaching level 60.

2. Can I change my Covenant?

   Yes, you can change your Covenant. Originally, it required considerable effort and involved a “Renown catch-up” mechanic. However, after achieving Renowned (Renown 80 with any Covenant on your account), you can freely switch Covenants without restrictions.

3. What happens when I leave a Covenant?

   When you leave a Covenant, you lose access to its unique abilities, transmog appearances, and other Covenant-specific benefits. You’ll need to regain Renown with the new Covenant to unlock those rewards again.

4. How does Renown work?

   Renown represents your standing within a Covenant. Earning Renown unlocks new tiers of rewards, including abilities, soulbinds, and cosmetic items. You gain Renown through various activities like completing Covenant quests, world quests, and participating in certain endgame content.

5. What are Soulbinds?

   Soulbinds are powerful characters within each Covenant that you can bond with. Each Soulbind offers a unique talent tree that enhances your character’s abilities and provides passive bonuses.

6. What is a Covenant Signature Ability?

   Each Covenant provides a unique Signature Ability available to all classes. For example, the Kyrian offer “Summon Steward,” which summons a helpful NPC.

7. What is a Covenant Class Ability?

   In addition to the Signature Ability, each Covenant grants a unique class-specific ability. The effects of these abilities vary based on your class and specialization.

8. Are some Covenants better for certain classes or specializations?

   Historically, the power of each Covenant varied widely between classes and specializations. This disparity has been somewhat mitigated through balance adjustments, but it’s still worth researching which Covenant abilities synergize best with your chosen class.

9. How do I unlock Covenant transmog appearances?

   Covenant transmog appearances are unlocked by increasing your Renown level with the Covenant. Higher Renown levels grant access to more elaborate and visually impressive armor sets.

10. Do I need to complete the Shadowlands campaign on every character to change Covenants?

    No. Once you earn the Renowned achievement on any character, you can freely switch Covenants on all characters on your account.

11. Can I rejoin a Covenant I’ve previously left?

    Yes, you can rejoin Covenants you’ve belonged to before. As long as you have unlocked the freedom to switch at will, you can switch as many times as you want with no restrictions.

12. Is there a penalty for frequently switching Covenants?

    No. The penalty for switching covenants has been removed. There are no restrictions as long as you’ve earned Renown 80 on any character in your account.

13. What if I accidentally chose the wrong Covenant?

    If you accidentally chose the wrong Covenant and have not yet progressed too far, you can leave the Covenant and choose a different one. However, keep in mind the amount of content you complete will be lost upon switching.

14. Where can I find more information about each Covenant?

    In-game, you can speak to representatives from each Covenant in Oribos before making your choice. Additionally, numerous online resources, such as Wowhead, offer detailed guides and comparisons of the different Covenants.

15. Why do people choose to leave covenants?

Leaving a covenant comes down to a few factors. Some players prefer the rewards offered by one covenant over another. Other players prefer to switch based on the current meta, and choosing whichever offers them the most power.

Navigating the Covenant system can be complex, but by following these steps and understanding the underlying mechanics, you can confidently choose the Covenant that best suits your playstyle and preferences. Remember, the goal is to have fun and immerse yourself in the world of Azeroth!

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Hopefully this information has been helpful and you are able to choose your covenant. Good luck!