Those aren’t real friends.
You got a link to that because I am highly doubtful that’s the whole story. It probably benefits them if they are locked since not many people would make multiple alts of the same character but they will.
I can only speak from talking to casual players, as I am not one (I hover in the middle kind of, not hardcore, not casual).
People, especially casual players who enjoy the RPG aspect, enjoy the exclusive choice. They want to join a covenant, learn their ways, grow with them, and yes use exclusive abilities tied to that covenant. Obviously I’m not the right person to have this debate with as I personally don’t think it’s a good idea, I’m just simply relaying what information and reasoning I see from the average casual player.
Impactful choices that directly affect their experience is something that is interesting because they do not do content that is required for them to squeeze every last bit of power they can out of their character.
Yes you could. I plan on sticking with one covenant - just like I stick with one spec and set of talents today.
If groups/raids ask me to switch - well then those aren’t the kinds of people I want to play with; but honestly - they don’t even ask. They will invite me, see my setup, and if they don’t like it, they’ll just remove me.
If covenants are restricted - they’ll do the exact same. Except if they’re restricted - you won’t even have the option to change things before signing up for a group.
We can still play how we want in a restrictive system - whether or not the system stays restrictive or becomes freely swappable will not impact the discrimination we’ll face; just like people are discriminated now for talents, essences, corruption, etc.
Method/Limit players have been saying how bad the restrictions are going to be for the game.
The system objectively punishes players that enjoy playing in more than one kind of content - and especially players that chose their class specifically so that they could play in multiple roles across different types of content.
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Keeping covenants restrictive won’t make a difference here.
With the current system, if you apply to a group and you’ve selected the “wrong” covenant - I’ll just decline you outright.
If the system is made so that players can change things up - you would at least have the ability to exercise player agency and make a choice.
If you want to stick to your guns and “play how you want” without regard to the success of the group - you’re not going to be in the group either way. But in one way, you’ll at least have a chance - and this is what players are asking for: The opportunity to exercise player agency throughout the expansion.
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Here’s the thing, I don’t PUG all that much, if at all. The level of skill I typically see for the content I do outside of my Guild is far too random for any particular ability to cover up the shortcomings.
So, really, my main worry is for the Guild-related content I will do. And having things be locked in like they are now will help make the case far more with them. Because if it takes a substantial amount of time/resources to get Soulbinds/Conduits setup in new Covenant, then they will have no problem with people not switching out for a single ability that won’t really have that much of an effect overall in comparison.
I don’t pug all that much either.
The people I run with play with a similar mindset and we just don’t discriminate one another because of the RP choices we make.
We, however, don’t want a large portion of the population to be negatively impacted with restrictive systems just because they suit our “RP” style of play. Especially when we can still play how we want in a flexible system.
If your guild is going to remove you from groups/raids because of how you want to play - then you’re in the wrong guild. Guilds and communities like mine are more in line with how you play the game. Find one and have fun with those people while also not imposing your style of playing the game on others, resulting in a huge negative experience for them.
Covenants as a whole are pretty cool. It’s the restrictions that become the issue.
Even casual players that just like to play a game and not RP don’t benefit from the restrictions because a lot of those players are just going to want to change things up, not to min/max, but to just see new spells and animations from time to time.
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It’s all purely subjective though, is it not? I agree with what most players are saying, like you, that the casuals will not really care about lifted restrictions because they might want to change it up here and there. This allows min/maxers the ability to switch based on balance and casuals to have the chance to experiment with other stuff.
All that being said, I still have seen people in game, in my guild, and on the forums that enjoy the choice and exclusivity that come with covenants and their abilities.
I enjoy that too - and in a freely swappable system, I can still choose to stay loyal to my first choice.
Others being able to swap covenants/abilities does not impact my ability to do that or the value I get from it at all, nor do I lose anything for them being able to do so.
I also don’t gain anything from others being forced into the current restrictive system.
This is the issue - the restrictive system is punishing in a needless way that provides no benefit in exchange for the punishment it puts on many players.
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Well put. As someone who enjoys both semi-competitive arena and Heroic raiding I can only assume my covenant ability will be different for arenas than it is for raids. I’m going to have to choose to be maximized in one form of content which leads me to be sub optimal in another form of content. Still skeptical about it.
I’m a casual, and I will probably unsub after i finish the storyline if they implement covenants the way they currently are. Player choice is a good thing. The way covenants are currently being implemented makes all choices feel like bad ones.
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Did I say all casuals? No, of course not. Many do not like the system, and many do. I personally don’t understand the restriction either, you’re preaching to the choir.
“Miserable” was the term I heard Method use to describe the consequences of being locked to a covenant.
From their view - they would then have to manage multiple versions of the same class to gain access to the other covenants which is FAR WORSE than having to manage something on a spreadsheet.
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From Dratnos of Method:
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Casual player here (if by that we mean not elite). DO NOT WANT LOCKED ABILITIES. This will be a NIGHTMARE for me and just plain looks like the OPPOSITE of fun.
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Observation: anytime poor Bornakk makes a blue thread things go horribly, terribly wrong.
I guess I just don’t understand why they consider that better for them that having the option to swap but not swapping. To me is seems like a kid who argues over a friend having a toy so much that mum takes it off both of them to stop them fighting. I don’t understand.
Like you said it’s not your opinion personally so I don’t expect you to have an answer really. I’m just hoping someone can. Only answer I have had so far is one troll saying he likes it because it makes people unhappy. 
Yea…this is false. Also, as to your fabricated reason they would potentially want them to be locked: they are part of the spread sheet whether anyone likes it or not, it would actually be much easier to manage them were they not locked behind covenant choice.
The only reason I’ve seen is because it “sticks it to the min/maxers”. To which my reply is, designing a game out of spite is a good way to kill it.
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We have seen it. We have read it. We have watched streamers play through it and listened to their experiences.
This thread is full of valid feedback, even if we haven’t actually played it yet. (Which I’m sure those of us concerned would readily do)
We deserve acknowledgement that we’ve been heard and are being considered and we see you over there, Mr. Post #24 in your second poll thread.
99% of the eleven population will be vampires.