In the course of the livestream with Executive Producer John Hight and Game Director Ion Hazzikostas on July 8, we were able to take a look at the soul bond system of WoW: Shadowlands for the first time.

This

weekend, a preview on the official WoW site followed, in which we learn what exactly is behind the feature, how these soul bonds differ in the pacts and what it is about the media.

WoW Shadowlands: Official preview

of the soul bonds
  1. 1Bindyour souls
    1. 1.1Soulbondsof the Kyrians
    2. 1.2Soulbondof the Necrolords
    3. 1.3Soulbondof the Night Fae
    4. 1.4Soulbondof the Venthyr
  2. 2Themedia of WoW: Shadowlands
    1. 2.1Themedia of the warriors
  3. 3Changing Soul Bands

During your travels in the Shadowlands, you will encounter central members of each pact - the Kyrians, Necrolords, Night Fae, and Venthyr - and if you choose to follow their path, you will be given the opportunity to form Soul Bands with them. By forming soul ties you'll get access to various bonuses that will strengthen your character or its abilities, letting you effectively fight all enemies that stand in your way.

After reaching the maximum level, you'll be able to join a pact and form a deep bond with some of its central members, whose powers you'll be able to use from now on. Specifically, each pact allows you to form this bond with one of three soul bands. The first two soul bands are available once you join a pact and complete some quests - no other activities or currencies are required.

The

third Soul Band is unlocked once you complete the Covenant Campaign questline.

You can unlock new ranks of power for your Soul Band by using Renown to gain the trust of your

Covenant

.

For example, if you join the Night Fae, Reputation 5 unlocks Niya's third set of bonuses. Renown level 6 then unlocks Dreamweaver's third row. Similarly, players who join the Necrolords would unlock Marileth's third row at Renown Level 5 and Emeni's third row at Level 6. For the full list of current abilities you can unlock with Soulbonds, please see the respective Pact Previews for the Kyrians, Necrolords, Night Fae, and Venthyr.
WoW: Shadowlands - Soulbands have 8 rows of bonuses that expand your abilities or increase your combat power. Source: Blizzard

Bind Your Souls

Soul Bonds of the Kyrians

The noble Kyrians you befriended in Bastion will form a special bond with you if you join their pact. Below is a description of each character and examples of the powers they grant you.

Pelagos trains diligently for advancement, even in the face of great challenges and adversity. Just like Kleia, his other soul bond, Pelagos quickly befriends you when you request an audience with the Archon and face the threat of the Spurned. Against all odds, Pelagos always remains steadfast and optimistic.

  • 'Bond of Friendship': Defeating enemies slightly reduces the cooldown of your provost's non-vial services.
  • 'Battle Meditation': When you use your Kyrian class spell or ability, this increases your mastery for a moderate duration and occasionally emits sad memories. When you run through sad memories, this effect is extended for a short time.

Kleia met you when she was an aspirant. She showed her soulbound companion Pelagos and the other Kyrians that she was capable of overcoming all challenges. As your and Pelagos' caring mentor, she will do everything in her power to protect her friends and the Bastion.

  • Vial of Ascendancy: The Vial of Equanimity makes you immune to curse, disease, poison, and bleed effects for a few seconds.
  • Valiant Strikes: Your critical hits and those of your nearby allies grant you stacks of Valiant Strikes. When you reach the maximum number of stacks, you heal nearby allies by 5% of their maximum health over 10 sec.

First Blacksmith Mikanikos, a Provost of Bastion, showed great potential early on and quickly rose to the rank of First Blacksmith. He is responsible for many of Bastion's distinctive creations. Realizing the potential of the Mawwalker, he became a formidable ally in combating the anima drought and other threats.

  • 'Charged Addition': The Vial of Equanimity additionally pushes nearby enemies away from you.
  • 'Bron's Call to Action': After using a significant amount of spells and abilities, your next spell or ability summons Bron, who attacks and heals your targets.

Read more: WoW Shadowlands: Bastion and Kyrian Pact Preview

Necrolords' Soulbonds

The warforged Necrolords you befriended in Maldraxxus will form a special bond with you when you join their pact

. Below is

a description of each character and examples of the powers they grant you.

Plague Inventor Marileth is as eccentric as he is brilliant, and he devised some of the most potent potions in all of Maldraxxus. The destruction of the House of Plagues drove Marileth insane. Marileth's creative solutions had great effect in the war effort ... despite occasional side effects.

  • 'Traveling with Bluup': When you stand still, stacks of Bluup's Wanderlust slowly build up. When you reach the maximum number of stacks, your movement speed will increase for a few minutes.
  • Ultimate Shape: Fleshforming makes you immune to loss of control effects.

Emeni, the murderer's daughter was assembled in the patchwork yard of Maldraxxus. In her lifetime, she was a powerful noblewoman who murdered hundreds of her siblings to claim the throne for herself. She respects you for your strength and skill in fighting your common enemies. She is already a legend in her own right, but she becomes even more infamous when she binds her soul to that of the Mawwalker.

  • 'Rune Inscribed Bone': Each enemy you defeat grants you a stack of 'Rune Inscribed Bone', which slightly reduces your magic damage taken per stack. When you reach the maximum number of stacks, your Soul Band bonuses will be empowered for a moderate duration.
  • Emeni's Excellent Skin: When you use your Necrolord class spell or ability, you gain a stack of Emeni's Excellent Skin. When you use Flesh Forming, Emenis Excellent Skin is consumed to increase your maximum health for a significant duration per stack.
  1. 'Emenis Excellent Skin': Consuming stacks inflicts Shadow damage on nearby enemies, increasing it slightly per stack.
  2. 'Gristly Legs': Absorption value doubled.
  3. 'Resting Kidney Stone': Cooldown reduction doubled.
  4. 'Gristle Toes': Movement speed slightly to moderately increased.
  5. 'Gnashing Teeth': Speed increase doubled.
  6. 'Sulfur Emission': Fear duration increased by a few seconds.

Bonesmith Heirmir was trained by the Primus himself and is one of the oldest mortal souls in Maldraxxus. Thanks to eons of training and practical experience, she is the foremost expert when it comes to forging weapons and armor from bone and steel. The arsenals she creates contain everything you and the House of the Chosen need to face the enemies that beset you from all sides.

  • Inventive Fleshforming: Defeating an enemy slightly reduces the cooldown of Fleshforming.
  • Forgeborn Reveries: Upon death, your armor is revived for a few seconds, allowing you to attack as if you were still alive. Meanwhile, your damage and healing generated are moderately reduced and you cannot receive healing.
02:16
WoW: Shadowlands - Feature Trailer Introduces New Expansion World of Warcraft from €14.99

Read more: WoW Shadowlands: The Necrolords of Maldraxxus - Official Preview

Soulbonds of the Night Fae

The refined Night Fae you befriended in the Arden Forest will form a special bond with you when you join their pact. Below is a description of each character and examples of the powers they grant you.

Niya is a sylvar whose job is to tend and protect the wild seeds in her grove. You met her during a sad time when her grove was abandoned in order to reclaim its anima. In her travels with you, Niya has learned the harsh realities of survival in drought. With her skills as an expert hunter and tracker, she stands with you in eliminating the drought and other threats to the Arden Forest.

  • 'Sylvar Cloak ' When Soul Shape ends, you are hidden until you move.
  • 'Shark Strengthening': When you use your Night Fae class ability or Night Fae class spell, you gain a moderate amount of mastery. This value gradually decreases over the course of a few minutes.

Dreamweaver is a calm and serene fairy. He is particularly adept at peering into the dreams of nature spirits as they sleep awaiting rebirth in the wild seeds. Dreamweaver has helped you connect with a special wild seed whose sleeping spirit was seeking contact with the outside world. With his healing powers, he will assist you in freeing the beleaguered Arden Forest.

  • Blossom Field: When Soulform ends, you increase the movement speed of nearby allies for a moderate duration.
  • Capsuleer: When you take damage that would otherwise be fatal, you are instead rejuvenated in a capsule, regaining a moderate amount of health over the course of a few seconds. If the capsule takes a certain amount of damage during this time, you will die. This effect can only occur once every few minutes.

Korayn, a huntress of the Wild Hunt, is a determined leader and relentless fighter. She takes her mission of protecting the forest from dangerous and elusive threats very seriously and will not rest until she has hunted down her prey and the Arden Forest is safe. When the Hibernation Pool was attacked, it was Korayn's decisive leadership that brought victory.

  • 'Rush of the Wild Hunt': While not engaged in combat, your Soulform's teleport effect becomes a storm attack that stuns your target for a few seconds and then ends your Soulform.
  • Last Moments: Your healing and damage are slightly increased on targets with low health. When an ally dies, this bonus is increased significantly for a moderate duration. This boost can only occur once every few minutes.

Read more: WoW Shadowlands: The Night Fae in the Forest of Arden - Official Preview

Soulbonds of the Venthyr

The proud Venthyr you befriended in Revendreth will form a special bond with you if you join their pact

. Below is

a description of each character and examples of the powers they grant you.

Nadjia Mistblade is the self-proclaimed best duelist ever. She rebels against stagnation and is always looking for the next new experience. Whenever there is trouble somewhere, Nadjia is sure to be in the middle of it. She stands ready to devote her skills to the defense of Revendreth - and her own entertainment - under your command.

  • Agent of Chaos: When you appear, Shadow Gate disorients all enemies near the target location for several seconds.
  • Adventurous: You receive a stack of Adventurous every few seconds in combat, and multiple stacks when you kill an enemy. When you reach the maximum number of stacks, Adventurous is consumed to grant you Combat Euphoria, which moderately speeds up all of your actions for a few seconds. 'Adventurous' wears off quickly when you are not engaged in combat.

General Draven has served Revendreth for eons as commander of the Stone Legion. He is at the forefront of every battle, always fighting honorably to the end and leaving no soldier behind.

  • Persistent Gloom: Shadow Gate grants you a shield that absorbs 15% physical damage based on your maximum health. Lasts for 8 sec.
  • Call to Action: When you use your Venthyr class spell or ability, you and your nearby allies gain versatility for a moderate duration.

Theotar, the Mad Duke knows from personal experience thatmadness is no excuse for bad manners. After being banished from traditional noble circles, he established his own blasphemous court of outcasts. Whether casting powerful magic through his favorite tea kettle or bringing tombs to life to hold his umbrella, Theotar uses the intangible power of Revendreth in his own eccentric way.

  • Keep YourEye on Your Shoes: Shadow Gate frees you from slowing and immobilizing effects.
  • Beneficial Shadow: Your spells and abilities have a chance to summon Tubbins and Gubbins to your side with a parasol in hand for a moderate duration. Staying in its shadow grants you mastery.
03:58
WoW Shadowlands: Sightseeing flight over Revendreth World of Warcraft from €14.99

Read more: WoW Shadowlands: Blizzard Introduces Revendreth and the Venthyr Pact

The Media of WoW: Shadowlands

The Forge of the Band also allows you to augment your Soulband with Mediums, socketed passive abilities that boost your class and pact abilities

. Below are

a few examples of warrior media.

Warri

or Media

  • Warrior(All Specializations): Execute increases the critical strike chance of each subsequent use of Execute for a moderate duration. This effect stacks.
  • Warrior(Kyrian, all specializations): The instant damage and rage generation of Spear of Bastion are significantly increased.
  • Warrior(Necrolords, all specializations): Wielding the 'Banner of the Conqueror' (Pact ability) grants you a moderate amount of fame immediately (extends the duration of the banner). While the banner is in the ground, your Strength is moderately increased.
  • Warrior (Night Fae, all specializations): The damage and rage production of 'Ancestral Aftershock' are significantly increased on the first target hit.
  • Warrior (Venthyr, all specializations): The damage dealt and prevented by Condemn is moderately increased for each nearby enemy.
  • Warrior(Weapons): 'Overpower' has a chance to inflict Colossal Smash on the target for a few seconds.
  • Warrior(Fury): 'Fury' now lasts moderately longer.
  • Warrior(Protection): Last Stand increases your rage generation significantly.

Mediums are still in development and subject to change.

Soul Band Change

You can change your soul band in rest areas or with a tome or Codex of the Clear Mind to adjust your play style for the upcoming battles. Soul Band bonuses and mediums can only be changed at the Forge of the Band in the Covenant Sanctum.

What is your impression of the Soul Band feature so far? Are you looking forward to it? Tell us in the comments!

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