If this was a solo player RPG, I’d be 100% behind them being permanent. I’d also expect completely different storylines, and would be perfectly fine with power differences.
This isn’t a solo player RPG. This is an MMORPG… where your performance impacts other players. While only a tiny % truly requires the literal perfectly optimized characters to perform… the vast majority of players (imo) in general perform at least SOME level of improvement to benefit their team. There are both external AND internal pressures to at a minimum… not be a detriment to the team.
Because of this… covenants will very likely fail and will very likely be Azerite 2.0. I hope I’m wrong about this… but I’m pretty darn sure that I’m not going to be.
Ask yourself this question… why is it that sites like icy veins, raidbots, and wowhead (particularly their class guide sections) have become popular? It’s simple… people like to know, in general, how to play their class to the best of their ability. Heck, it’s why people even ask these questions in classic… the game that is so easy that a raid boss was killed with an entirely naked raid.