Why are covenants spec connected but not class connected?

I am really concerned about these spec choices not being adjustable to a different spec on the same class. Last month there was a discussion on Reddit about the fact that Covenants are a SPEC choice, not a CLASS choice. Which brings me to my own question.

I like playing a few classes but I also like to play different specs on the same class. How on earth am I going to enjoy this if what I want to play today is viable, but when I switch to another spec, that will not be viable because of this problem with how the balancing is between covenants and specs.

They need to not have the covenants so rigid. Just because I have a warlock and mainly play affliction spec. That does not mean I won’t be playing the demonology or destruction specs too. But if I choose a covenant that offers me what I want for the affliction spec, what happens when I swap specs? I am now gimped?

I have seen all kinds of responses but no one has actually clarified how this will workout. Ion was not helpful by being so obnoxiously ambiguous.

I would really like to have some clarity, so please, if anyone can help me out here, I would appreciate it.

Your character is tied to a covenant. You will have access to all that implies for your character. Your current spec does not really come directly into play. There are some aspects of the conduit system that are spec specific however at the end of the day there is enough customization that the vast majority of people will not really have a problem.

Now if you are planning to be a world first raider, the covenants may have some impact on you. Granted, if that is the type of player you are, then you will likely have already accounted for that having multiple characters that are all leveled and fully geared to swap around.

For the overwhelming majority of the playerbase every covenant with every spec is perfectly viable. There will be race/class/spec/covenant of every possible combo that get the cutting edge acheivements for clearing mythic raids. They will be just as many combinations of people running m+ 20’s and high rated pvp as well.

If someone tells you that your not “viable”, they should spend more time actually playing and less time listening to people who are paid to tell you that the sky is falling.

I intend to pick a covenant and use a different soulbind (the folks you bond with that provide the conduit tree) for each of my fav specs. Switching soulbinds is just clicking a button. No quests, no timegates.

Thank you both for this info. Too many other comments I have seen have been rather oblique in their discussions and made it sound as though you had to stick with one or the other but made it sound as though there was no flexibility.

It will not be any worse than having to respec your azerite armor when you swap specs until you unlock all 3 Soulbinds and you can choose which spec is what.

The kicker & this will be the kicker, is you will choose a conduit to level up. I seriously doubt you will want to swap to Demonology if all you conduits are Affliction based and are 5x more powerful than what you have access to as Demo.

There will be plenty of time for the people to scrutinize all 4 Covenents, All 3 Soulbinds per Covenent, & All Potency “Gems” available.

By the time we get to that spot in the game, things will have changed yet again, so best not to fret about it for now.

As always I will pick what sounds/looks the coolest to me and go with it regardless of what all the experts say :slight_smile: It also helps that I am not a min/maxer of this game and our awesome guild totally supports this!