Following the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Developer Update, a group interview with Ion Hazzikostas and letting press have a chance to try out the Revendreth Covenant and the Maw, the developers from Activision Blizzard posted a series of previews for many new features coming to the new expansion.
A Look at Covenant Systems
As you progress through Shadowlands, you’ll play through each of the four new zones where the Covenants hold dominion, learning about what each Covenant stands for and experiencing some the powers that they offer. Once you’ve completed the narrative campaign and have reached max level, you’ll receive a quest in Oribos allowing you to choose which Covenant you’d like to belong to and begin your new journey as a member.
Follow the links below to the official previews of the Covenants and their unique features:
- Kyrian: The kyrian are steadfast guardians of the afterlife who bear the souls of the dead into the Shadowlands. Eternally devoted to duty and service, only the worthy may enter their ranks.
- Necrolords: Among the necrolords, strength is rewarded and weakness cast aside. The souls of the ambitious and contentious are forged into an immortal army charged with the defense of the Shadowlands.
- Night Fae: The night fae tend to fallen nature spirits who slumber within the tranquil forest. Those with a deep bond to nature may join their cause, ensuring that the rejuvenated spirits can one day rejoin the eternal cycle.
- Venthyr: The venthyr are aristocratic overseers of souls burdened with excessive pride and wickedness. They guide troubled souls upon the rigorous path to atonement, harvesting anima to keep their realm strong.
Once you have pledged your allegiance to one of the four Covenants, you will unlock their Signature and Class abilities, gain access to a unique Covenant Campaign and your Covenant’s Sanctum.
Here are the four shared features within the Covenant Sanctum:
- Adventures: Put your tactical skills to the test by sending your allies into the Shadowlands and lending aid to your chosen Covenant by tackling the unique challenges facing them. You’ll need to be strategic about how you take on these combat puzzles, who you’ll send to face them, and how you’ll utilize their skills to claim victory.
- Transport Network: Players will be able to access a zone-specific travel network within their Sanctum. These travel networks are specific to each Covenant.
- Anima Conductor: Players will be able to enable additional content within the zone by investing Anima into activating a specific area.
- Soulbinds: Within your Sanctum, you’ll meet three key members from your Covenant. You’ll be able to choose one of these to Soulbind with. Soulbinding allows you to gain access to traits that enhance your skills so that you can effectively combat all who stand in your way.
As you progress through your Covenant’s story, you’ll build Renown and increase the amount of trust your character has earned within the Covenant. Renown is earned by performing worthy actions through the Covenant Campaign, returning Anima to the Sanctum, and by rescuing souls from the Maw. Increasing your Renown will grant specific rewards such as unlocking a new row of power for a Soulbind character, increasing the ilvl of the rewards you get from World Quests and so forth.
Check out the official preview to learn more!
The Maw – Return to the Abyss
The Maw is where you’ll begin your journey in the Shadowlands—and after you’ve traveled through the realms of Death, you will once again be called upon to return and face its horrors. Here, you will engage in an ongoing conflict with the Jailer to restore balance to the Shadowlands. Your ventures and accomplishments in this dreadful place will help you better understand your enemy and gain power to withstand his relentless assaults. However, every triumph draws the watchful eye of the Jailer, who will send his forces to assail you until you succumb to darkness.
Completing quests, opening treasures, and defeating rare enemies in the Maw will attract the Eye of the Jailer. The master of the Maw will torment you with increasingly treacherous punishments—including siege fire that will deal devastating damage and assassins that will hunt you down. There are five different Threat Levels. Once you reach Threat Level 5, your life will be siphoned until you fall, and you will not be able to re-enter the Maw again until the next day.
Check out Blizzard’s preview to learn more.
