Shadowlands Survival Guide

As is tradition before a new expansion or patch release, Blizzard has created a Shadowlands Survival Guide video covering the new content and features players will have access to. Check out the video below or read the transcript or our summary of key features below!

Shadowlands Survival Guide Key Points

• Characters level 48 and higher will receive the intro quest for Shadowlands
• You’ll play through 5 zones (not including the new capital, Oribos): Bastion, Maldraxxus, Ardenweald, Revendreth, and the Maw
• Your goal is to help the Kyrian, Necrolords, Night Fae, and Venthyr Covenants restore order to the Shadowlands
• At max level (level 60), you’ll be able to pledge yourself to one of these Covenants, gaining exclusive access to the Covenant’s Sanctum, a Covenant exclusive storyline, and a new Covenant Signature Ability and Covenant Class Ability
• You’ll also gain access to Souldbinds after you pledge yourself to a Covenant, allowing you to bind your soul with those of powerful members of your Covenant to enhance your power
• Each Covenant has an exclusive activity they are able to participate in
  • Kyrian players will have the Path of Ascension
  • Necrolord players will get to build their own abomination at the Abomination Factory
  • Night Fae players will tend to a soul garden in the Queen’s Conservatory
  • Venthyr players will throw galas at the Ember Court
• Torghast, Tower of the Damned is a new rogue-like instance at the heart of the Maw with an evershifting interior where players will explore different floors, facing greater challenges the higher they climb
• The Runecarver will be able to help you forge Legendary items using material you gather from Torghast, and you’ll be able to customize this gear with additional powers
• The Empyrean Domain is the new PvP arena
• You’ll be able to spend Honor and Conquest currencies from PvP on PvP gear from a vendor in Oribos
• Adventures are the new Mission table, where you’ll be able to earn rewards for sending your followers on Adventures

Shadowlands Survival Guide Transcript

NARRATOR: Welcome to the World of Warcraft Survival Guide for Shadowlands, our upcoming expansion in which you’ll explore the uncharted realms of Death beyond Azeroth. In this video, we’ll take a look at the new features and changes coming in Shadowlands, including five new zones, customizable legendary items, Covenants, a new Arena, and Torghast, Tower of the Damned.

After cleansing Azeroth of the remaining vestiges of the Old God N’Zoth, we again find ourselves in grave circumstances. The fallen Horde Warchief Sylvanas has sundered the veil between worlds and Azeroth’s greatest heroes are pulled into the Shadowlands. Here, you’ll confront the wonders and horrors of the afterlife with newfound abilities, as its inhabitants deal with the consequences of the Banshee Queen’s actions.

Adventurers who are Level 48 or higher will receive a summon to meet with Highlord Bolvar Fordragon in Icecrown and kick off the events that take them into the Shadowlands. When you go to the other side, you’ll discover five new ethereal zones: the gleaming fields of Bastion, the war-torn necrotic wastes of Maldraxxus, the twilit forests of Ardenweald, the gothic spires of Revendreth, and the hopeless depths of the Maw. As you travel through each realm, you’ll meet memorable characters along the way and help the ruling four Covenants restore order to the Shadowlands.

Upon reaching max level, you’ll be able to pledge yourself to either the Kyrian, Necrolord, Night Fae, or Venthyr Covenant. Each Covenant offers its champions two special abilities — a signature ability and a class ability — that will change your playstyle in a significant way. Covenants will also provide you with other powers and cosmetic rewards that can be unlocked through a Covenant Campaign, an epic storyline unique to the faction along with access to your Covenant’s Sanctum, a hall only accessible to players who have forged a pact with its rulers.

When you join a Covenant, you’ll be able to undergo an ancient ritual called soulbinding and merge your soul with its mightiest members. By doing so, your character harnesses their power, gaining access to formidable bonuses. Over time, you can unlock new tiers of power and even switch soulbinds when strategy demands it. Your soulbinds can further empower your abilities with Conduits, which can be earned by completing content throughout the Shadowlands.

Each Covenant also offers a special activity only available to their members. Kyrians will test their mettle in the Path of Ascension, Necrolords get to build their own Abomination, Night Fae can tend to a celestial garden, and the Venthyr will host an elite invite-only gala, and defend it from devious party crashers in the Ember Court.

At the heart of the Maw stands Torghast, Tower of the Damned, a prison for the most vile souls in existence. Inspired by rogue-likes, this highly replayable instance has an ever-shifting interior that offers a different experience each time you enter, and with each floor cleared you’ll face stronger foes and gain new powers to take on the mounting challenges that the Jailer has waiting for you.

Vanquishing Torghast’s unhallowed halls will reward you with crafting materials which can be turned into powerful legendary gear by the Runecarver, whose power forged infamous instruments of death throughout the ages. Completing content within Shadowlands will give you access to new powers which you can select between to further empower your gear, allowing you to customize each piece.

Shadowlands also brings a new PvP Arena, the Empyrean Domain, where you’ll do battle in the skies above Bastion and test your skill against equally powerful foes. Wins in PvP will net you Honor and Conquest currencies, which you can use to purchase PvP gear from a vendor within the new capital city, Oribos.

You’ll also discover Adventures, a tactical twist on previous expansions’ Missions, in which you’ll use a party of five troops to solve combat puzzles and earn rewards, including pets, mounts, gold, and more. To secure success, you’ll need to place your companions strategically on the board to counter threats and squash enemies. You can check in on your Adventures on the go with the WoW Companion App. Adventures will unlock after you choose your Covenant at max level.

And that’s just the beginning. When we next meet, we’ll cover Season 1 content for PvP, Mythic Keystone Dungeons, and the new raid, Castle Nathria. Keep an eye on worldofwarcraft.com for more details on upcoming content. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the Shadowlands.