Covenants are the new core feature in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. You draw a good portion of your strength from them in the next expansion. Even before the release, many guides are circulating regarding the covenants and which ones are “the best.” Many experts recommend the Kyrian in their guides – and that’s only because they offer a specific companion.
What kind of covenant is this? The Kyrian are the first covenant you encounter. They are angelic beings with a strong sense of discipline and rules. The spirit healers, known to almost everyone, come from their ranks. In the cinematic “Afterlife: Bastion”, you will learn more about the history of the Kyrian.
Why are they so strong? Many guides, such as on wowhead, recommend the Kyrian as a covenant for optimized gameplay, especially for DPS specializations. This is solely due to Pelagos, one of the possible companions and the first transgender character in WoW.
Pelagos has the ability in his soulbind to activate two potency mediums and two abilities that increase damage (“throughput traits”):
- Combat Meditation, which increases your mastery
- Letting Go of the Past, which increases versatility
Potency mediums also ensure that abilities deal more damage. All other companions have only one potency medium or only one of these abilities. Pelagos is the only one who can offer two of each, making him a bit stronger. Just 52% of the guides on wowhead therefore recommend the Kyrian.
Kyrian are strong – But that doesn’t mean much at first
Do I have to play Kyrian now? Basically: No. The recommendation is mathematically the best choice for many DPS classes, yes. However, it’s of no use to you if you cannot deal with the abilities of the Kyrian.
If you find it difficult to integrate your specific Kyrian class ability into your playstyle, you are not well advised with this covenant and will ultimately lose performance. And otherwise, you do not “need” this covenant to be good.
Generally, such recommendations are aimed at players who want or need to squeeze out those last percentages of their performance, like hardcore progression players. For everyone else: You will be better off with the covenant that you also like. In our special on MeinMMO, you can find more information on the covenants and their abilities.
Which covenant suits me? It depends on what you prefer. If you want to get the maximum out of your class, you should find out which covenant has the best ability for you. If style is more important to you, there are besides the Kyrian:
- Venthyr, who represent a kind of noble Gothic vampires in Bloodborne style
- Nekrolords, the army of the Shadowlands, focusing on brutalist style and many bones
- Night Fae, who protect all living things and are close to nature
In our special issue on WoW Shadowlands, you will find even more about the covenants and how they fit into the story. The magazine will be mailed out at the release of the new expansion on November 24, if you pre-order it now.
Covenants are indeed the most important feature in Shadowlands, but not the only innovation. With the new addon, WoW receives numerous content that changes the game significantly in part. In our special, you will find everything about features, story, and content of Shadowlands.
