Dark Souls 2 is known for its wide range of builds and unprecedented replayability in the Dark Souls franchise. Hundreds of weapons, spells, armor sets, power stancing, and a solid selection of Covenants provide a diverse sandbox unlike any other Souls title to date.
Covenants are a large reason why Dark Souls 2's PvP scene is still thriving. Many Covenants offer unique rewards that encourage players to interact with each other in co-op or PvP invasions. From fighting alongside dwarves to helping players fight red phantoms, here are all of Dark Souls 2's Covenants explained and how to join them.
9 Way Of Blue
When players arrive at Majula, they might notice the Crestfallen Warrior sitting beside a death counter. Talking to him multiple times will reveal his past and offer the player the chance of joining the Way of Blue Covenant. Accepting his offer will make players part of the Covenant, allowing Blue Sentinels to be summoned automatically whenever the player is invaded.
8 Company Of Champions
Directly across from the Emerald Herald is a small dirt path that leads to an ancient tablet. Interacting with it will ask players to join the Company of Champions Covenant. Joining this Covenant will disable co-op, make enemies deal much more damage, increase enemy health totals, and grant enemies a small chunk of damage resistance. In turn, enemies can drop Awestones that can be traded to the Covenant for rewards.
7 Blue Sentinels
While exploring Heide's Tower of Flame, players can head the opposite direction from the intended path and end up at the Cathedral of Blue instead. Defeat the boss inside and talk to Blue Sentinel Targray to gain entry. Note that players can only join this Covenant if they have a Token of Fidelity on them, which can be earned by defeating a boss as a summoned white phantom or obtained from a corpse in Huntsman's Copse.
Blue Sentinels are summoned to Way of Blue players when they are invaded, provided the player has the Guardian's Seal ring equipped. Defeating an invader this way grants a Token of Fidelity.
6 Bell Keepers
The Bell Keepers Covenant is focused around invading by defending one of two bell locations in Dark Souls 2: the Belfry Luna and Belfry Sol locations. Joining this Covenant requires players to either talk to a Bell Keeper dwarf in either Belfry Luna or Belfry Sol.
In the Lost Bastille, head to the Servant's Quarters bonfire and climb down the nearby ladder. A Pharros' Lockstone door is in this room. Unlock it and attack the glowing wall to find a hidden room with a dwarf sitting near a wall. Talk to him to gain entry.
For those who missed this encounter, they can also join by talking to the same dwarf at Belfry Sol inside of Iron Keep. Similar to last time, head to the Ironheart Hall bonfire and look for a Pharros' Lockstone door. Open it, attack the glowing wall, then climb up both ladders to reveal a bonfire and the dwarf.
5 Rat King
Replacing the Gravelord Covenant in the first Dark Souls, the Rat King Covenant allows players to create a labyrinth of traps for other players inside the Doors of Pharros. To join this Covenant, players must first kill the Royal Rat Vanguard. Walk into the room right after the fight and talk to the rat atop a pile of bones. This will grant Covenant entry, but players can also join after reaching the end of the Doors of Pharros dungeon. For players that missed both encounters, the Rat King Covenant can also be joined after defeating the Royal Rat Authority in the Doors of Pharros.
4 Brotherhood Of Blood
Titchy Gren is the leader of the Brotherhood of Blood, the PvP-oriented Covenant in Dark Souls 2. To join, players must first obtain a Token of Spite by either killing a player host through invading or by finding one in a chest down the Majula Well.
Once obtained, head to the Undead Purgatory and defeat the Executioner's Chariot. A room in this building houses Gren and statues that can be used to queue for duels in one of three arenas.
3 Pilgrims Of Dark
Hex casters or players interested in dark will want to join the Pilgrims of Dark Covenant. In order to join, players will need to talk with their Covenant leader, Darkdiver Grandahl, three times. His first location is in the Black Gulch. Drop down to the giant cave near the section with all the worms. Head inside, kill the giants, then grab the key they drop. Head up to find a gate and open it with the new key. He can be found inside.
Darkdiver Grandahl can also be found at the start of Shaded Ruins bonfire in the Shaded Woods. Run past the giant basilisk by heading to the right. Once players reach a grassy section, look for hidden wooden boards on the floor and stand on them to drop down a hidden cave. He can be found inside.
Drangleic Castle is the final place players can find him. Head to the Under Castle Drangleic bonfire and run straight ahead. Turn right when possible and he is next to a Dark Chasm pathway. Once he has been talked to all three times, he will grant players access to the Pilgrims of Dark Covenant and the Dark Chasms of Old dungeon.
2 Heirs Of The Sun
Co-op players should join the Heirs of the Sun. Helping other players defeat bosses will grant Sunlight Medals that can be used to unlock new Covenant rewards. Joining the Heirs of the Sun requires players to reach Harvest Valley. From The Mines bonfire, instead of heading straight past the wooden bridge to the Covetous Demon boss, head left instead and follow a narrow passageway to find the Altar of Sunlight. Interact with it to join the Covenant.
1 Dragon Remnants
Magerold of Lanafir is the leader of the Dragon Remnants Covenant. Joining this Covenant requires players to give Magerold a Petrified Egg. To obtain the Petrified Egg, head to the Dragon Shrine and fight the first few knights. There is a section that players can drop down to that has a shrine with a Petrified Egg. Kill the enemies inside and take the egg and present it to Magerold to join.