I’ve made it no secret in other threads that I’m fine with the covenant system as-is. I like the idea of having to make a tough choice and be near-required to stick with it. However I do understand why not everyone’s going to like that. While I might not personally agree with their position, I can still understand why they sit on it.
So in another thread yesterday, I came up with an idea for a compromise.
You can choose to align with one covenant, or you can be a free agent and switch between them.
Those who align to one covenant would gain stronger versions of their offered abilities, and a stacking benefit the longer you remain loyal to that covenant. Perhaps they can add other perks as well, like wings of the covenant halls exclusive to those who’ve proven their dedication to that one covenant.
However the option would exist to stay a “free agent” of sorts. These folks would have the ability to switch between covenant abilities, essentially trading power for versatility and freedom.
Those who want to pick one choice and stick with it won’t feel compelled to switch repeatedly, and those who want the ability to continuously switch have that option.
Alternatively, because single-covenant folks would get a ton of crap for sticking with one, I’d at least like to see some sort of reward for those who don’t switch. Maybe a specific feat of strength and thematically appropriate cosmetic reward for loyalists like me. Folks get to switch, I get a reason to stay, everybody wins.
I think this makes it worse for anyone who dislikes it for player power/balance reasons. By giving people who don’t change more powerful abilities to start out with and growing them in power you make it so there’s a greater differential between them. Plus, when things inevitably get buffed/nerfed it makes it even more punishing to not have gotten lucky with picking Blizz’s favorite.
I know already that I’m going Night Fae. The only other one I was slightly interested in is Venthyr and I might change my mind when SL actually hits. But Necrolord and Kyrian do not appeal to me for aesthetic and philosophical reasons, respectively. If the “switchers” got their way though, I’d be forced to swap occasionally to Necrolord or Kyrian for some forms of content, despite my protests.
With this compromise they’d have their option to switch while I’d be rewarded for sticking with my Night Fae choice. Win/win imo.
Joining a Covenant isn’t about abilities or cosmetics; it’s about being a part of a new, specific society with a unique position, duties, values, ect in the greater Shadowlands cosmology and the whole concept is built upon it being a singular choice, just like race and class, that will inform your character’s identity the entire time they are in the Shadowlands. The abilities and cosmetics are a couple of parts of that whole, but it is the whole that is the point.
What you are suggesting negates ALL of that.
So no.
However, I do think an option should be made for a character to not join a Covenant and get nothing. Maybe then players would understand the perks are privileges in turn for loyalty, instead of some right they think they have.
The “loyalty system” would probably be on a timer. The longer you stay with one, the higher the buff ramps up. If you have to switch, you’d take some time to build up, but you’d get the perks eventually.
I totally agree with you, and I am fine with the system as it is now. This suggestion is more of a compromise I’d make, should it be required.
I agree with you that this would be a good idea, and it makes sense in my opinion. Like with college Fraternities/Sororities, you get rewarded for staying loyal. But if you switch to another frat, your old frat will probably still like and care about you, but you’ll lose their respect.
I worry that the Min/Max crowd will feel unhappy because they want to be the absolute best, and if someone else who was loyal to their covenant can do better, they might be upset.
I really want Blizzard to be more transparent about where they’re taking the game. If they’re turning WoW into a big eSport, I want to know now so I can jump off this ship before it sinks.
They would either get to be the best in one covenant, or be the best by being able to choose between them all for each situation. It would be up to them to choose, and the choices would likely be simmed all around. Just how I believe it’d go anyway.
They’d catch up eventually, is what I’m saying. And this is assuming Blizz is constantly nerfing/buffing covenants to begin with. They could easily be switching simply because they don’t like the covenant anymore.
For me it’s the transmog sets that make it a tough choice. Both Venthyr and Necrolords have pretty dope cloth sets, although I wish there was more variety with the tints. With the Necrolords you get a purple one, a slightly different purple one, a more blueish purple one, etc…
Right. Eventually. As in, they’re going to underperform compared to those that doesn’t have to switch until that happens.
They likely won’t be doing it constantly but the almost definitely will be doing so with every major patch which means that people who picked wrong will be at their weakest when it’s most important.
Why do you think that the people that are primarily concerned with power are going to be changing covenants for reasons unrelated to power?
This is honestly the worst possible outcome. As-is, you’re frontloading any sort of effort or pain points into the process of actually switching. Going with any system where you’re made stronger by time spent means that if you get caught in a buff/nerf cycle, or you just change your mind, you lose power. There’s no possible way for this to feel good.
There’s really no need for a compromise on this topic, we will be playing the way they want regardless of the outcry. Once we get through that and their plan either works or fails, we can have it the way the opposition wants and be done with it. I think the chance that they might pull it off is worth taking personally.