Covenants won‘t be working outside Shadowlands

[erifwodahs]

Dude, you are wrong.

We are in the realm of Death, we get those powers granted there. It makes perfect sense that you can not empower them outside of that realm.

This is a good move.

Makes as much sense as banning demon hunters from clearing Black Temple because it creates a paradox. A bad gameplay is bad gameplay otherwise we would only be allowed to kill every boss only once. Besides Kaelthas and Nefarian ofc. It's only a set back for them.

Edit: Not to mention azerite stuff working on other planets/alternative universe.

[The Butt Witch]

Are you sure you didn't misunderstand?

I think it's pretty clear that they won't work next expansion after Shadowlands, not that they won't work if you do stuff in Azeroth. That would be retarded.

Besides, none of the battlegrounds and arenas are actually located in the Shadowlands, so does that mean you can't use the powers in instanced PVP?

[rayvio]

It's dumb. Imagine that the Heart of Azeroth and Azerite Armor/Essences weren't usable unless you were doing BFA content. It's extremely pointless.

while we could use those systems in older content I'd hardly say we ever needed to. if it makes it easier to balance then so be it, especially if it means that when the next expansion comes we'll actually still be able to use Shadowlands Covenant abilities within Shadowlands (as opposed to the stupidity of post-BFA Legion content not allowing Legion artifact abilities even while levelling new characters through Legion)

[erifwodahs]

Dude, it works on Alterac bg, etc, but doesnt work in Alterac zone. Thats totally dumb lorewise and gameplay wise.

Agreed. Somehow it's ok for one game system but not for another. World PvP in SL and world pvp on the other zones will be fucking confusing.

[Spacejockey9]

Why would the Covenant spells/abilities and Soulbinds work outside of the Shadowlands? This decision makes perfect sense to me. Why would you expect any different?

Yeah, it makes sense lorewise. Doesn't mean it's a good idea gameplaywise. Gameplay > Lore, every time.

[Geckoo]

As much as it makes sense from a lore point of view, it's just one of those situations where gameplay > lore. Sure, outside of shadowlands content and instanced pvp there isn't really much need for them, but they are just a part of your usual level 60 toolkit and it feels bad to not be able to use them.

[Sorshen]

And here I was, thinking they're using the extra time to fix the systems but it seems they delayed the release to double down on idiotic decisions (like conduits) and even make new ones - like this. Fucking facepalm.

[GringoD]

Maybe stop make fucking shop mounts so you can balance Venthyr signature ability outside shadowlands.

People that think shop mounts are the root of all evil always crack me up.
Oh yes, you are absolutely right mister player, let me put my graphic designers on that balancing job.

[Highlord Hanibuhl]

Well from both a lore and gameplay-standpoint, I feel like it makes sense. You get these borrowed powers in the realms they serve.
If you're all the way in Outland or the barren wastes of Northrend, those forces cannot reach you.

[Cosmic Janitor]

the teleport ability is not working differently then heroic leap for warrior. You can jump up steap inclines but not walls or doodads or sills. The game must report a walkable path even if it is only walkable if you would not slide down an incline.

The teleport is not a new concept with other teleports like wl portal, blink, leap, rogue hook already existing in the old world

so this is not a decision based around the design of the old world and how the covenant abilities would break stuff... they would not.


This (covenants not working) is just a design intent that most of us just don't agree with.

Are you sure about that? I've portaled up some ledges in beta without any issue, the biggest hurdle is getting LoS, but since many places are glorified ruins anyway there is always a pieces where you can see something at an angle. For example the very place you get the ability has a ledge right above that can utilize it.

Anyway, in regards to the topic I was kinda looking forward to using it in some odd places. Shame :/.

[Frood]

Well from both a lore and gameplay-standpoint, I feel like it makes sense. You get these borrowed powers in the realms they serve.
If you're all the way in Outland or the barren wastes of Northrend, those forces cannot reach you.

Except covenant abilities work in battlegrounds and arenas, so that point is moot. Those battlegrounds are exactly in Outland and Northrend, just to name a few.

[MrLachyG]

Yeah might be true, but why did Heart of Azeroth work on Argus (Antorus), Warlords of Draenor, Outland? Doesn't make any sense either since it's not on Azeroth.

I think it's more about realms. the HoA works in the realm of the living, the Covenants/Soulbinds work in the realm of the dead.

[therealbowser]

Dude, you are wrong.

We are in the realm of Death, we get those powers granted there. It makes perfect sense that you can not empower them outside of that realm.

This is a good move.

Trying to justify this decision through lore only makes sense when Blizzard is actually making decisions justified by lore.

Blizzard breaks lore all the time because mechanics are more important, so the opposite is not going to work, ever.

The only reason this ability isn't available outside of Shadowlands is.... TBH, I don't even know. What's the point? lol. Seriously, what is the benefit? Is Blizzard terrified we are going to be too powerful clearing old content? That we might have our full, standard rotation in an old raid? What a terrible fate that would be for the players. /s

[Dracullus]

It's just stupid. It would make sense in 10.0 pre-patch, but now? Especially movement skills would be very useful for doing old content.

[Velerios]

This is probably the right move (just as below stated not the right timing). Why? Because THIS DOES MEAN THAT THEY WON'T REMOVE IT NEXT EXPANSION!!! Since the Abilities only work in shadowlands (and BGs because of gameplay-reasons), they only need to cut off the BG-Functionality next expansion BUT NOT THE ABILITIES THEMSELF!

I always hate that they removed the Artefact-Weapon abilities; this does mean that convenant abilities are here to stay, but stay in the shadowlands.

[MrLachyG]

Yeah, it makes sense lorewise. Doesn't mean it's a good idea gameplaywise. Gameplay > Lore, every time.

true you've got a point. although if I might also point out that content on Azeroth will be very trivial by the time we hit level 60. if the HoA essence abilities scale with our level/gear then it won't matter whether or not we have our ghost pal with us when we're fighting Blackhand or Gul'dan or N'Zoth

[Velerios]

It's just stupid. It would make sense in 10.0 pre-patch, but now? Especially movement skills would be very useful for doing old content.

That actually is true: i also rather want them to enable this in the pre-patch of 10.0 and let the abilities stay in Shadowlands after this but right now it does make little sense. I think this is the right move, but NOT the right timing.

[Testasterown]

This is completely nonsensical. If the lore mattered that much, then raids would be disabled after the first full clear. If I can take my Heart of Azeroth back in time to fuckin' Draenor to re-defeat Blackhand for the 20th time while farming him for a mount, why the hell would 'tHe LoRe' suddenly matter now? This is a stupid gameplay decision, nothing more.

I don't even know what proponents of this change get from this. Some weird sense of immersion? We're not even supposed to be leaving the Shadowlands, let alone to fuck off back to go kill Ragnaros. They still work in SL Raids/dungeons/PVP instances, most WPVP will be done in Shadowlands areas so it's not a matter of balance. One literally gains nothing from this, it's a net negative, but I've still seen some people praising it. Baffling.

Thank you dude, and almost everyone being on the same point. We need to get this to attention because it's just stupid and does not make any sense at all.
Even though I'm not the greatest fan of the Covenant System - at least let me use my ability whilst killing Argus solo.
My Warrior prefers using Condemn over Execute there.

[Wuusah]

Why would the Covenant spells/abilities and Soulbinds work outside of the Shadowlands? This decision makes perfect sense to me. Why would you expect any different?

To quote Blizzard:
The Maw
The Maw is intended to be the desolate and brutal domain of the Jailer, and not a place any soul in the Warcraft cosmos ever hopes to visit. But this is, after all, a video game, and telling that story can’t come at the expense of creating a fun environment for adventurers

Dude, it works on Alterac bg, etc, but doesnt work in Alterac zone. Thats totally dumb lorewise and gameplay wise.

Blizzard is a meme at this point...

[enigma77]

Good to see they're using the extra time to come up with retarded bullshit no one asked for like this.