Become a Shadowlands celebrity with this Renown guide

Want to know more about WoW Renown as we head into the latest content? Renown plays a big part in Shadowlands, thanks to the Soulbind row unlocks tied to it. You can also pick up Covenant-specific mounts and transmog, so it's worth keeping on top of your Renown, however you play.

If you've hit the—previous—maximum Renown level of 40, you may not have given it much thought over the last few months. But the cap has been increased with the Shadowlands 9.1 update, so you'll need to make sure to keep up with it, especially if you want to learn Shadowlands flying as soon as you can. Here's what you need to know about WoW Renown. 

What is WoW Renown?

Renown is basically your reputation level with your chosen Covenant, and it is measured by levels. So the higher your Renown level, the more options become available to you from your Covenant. 

As soon as you've chosen your Covenant at level 60, you're presented with a number of quests that introduce you to the various systems within, such as Soulbinds and Covenant Upgrades. Progressing through these quests will start you on your path to gaining Renown.

How to get Renown in WoW

Prior to the Shadowlands 9.1 update, the Renown cap was 40. This has now been increased to level 80. Assuming you're at Renown level 40 when 9.1 arrives, you can increase your Renown from three different activities within the Shadowlands:  

• Covenant Campaign Chapters: Each of these chapters will grant you one level of Renown. You can complete the first two chapters as soon as you hit level 60 and join your chosen Covenant. The rest are locked behind higher Renown levels, so if you want to gain enough Renown to unlock further chapters of your Covenant Campaign, you'll need to look at the other activities.
• Replenish the Reservoir (weekly quest): This quest should be picked up every week (after reset) and requires you to collect 1000 Anima and deposit it at your Covenant Sanctum. You can collect WoW Anima through world quests and from killing rare enemies throughout the Shadowlands.
• Return Lost Souls (weekly quest): This is another quest available every week after reset, sending you to The Maw to free Lost Souls and return them to your Covenant Sanctum. 

It's worth noting that if you've leveled a new character or you're behind on Renown, you'll also be able to acquire it from other activities, such as Callings, killing raid bosses, and completing dungeons.

What is Renown used for?

Soulbinds are one of the more important reasons to maximise your Covenant Renown levels. To start with, you can only unlock the first two rows of your initial Soulbind tree, but more rows will become available as you gain more Renown. 

Beyond Soulbinds, additional Covenant Campaign chapters will unlock, providing access to companions, buffs, and appearances. If you want to see the rewards for each Renown level, you can examine the Renown interface found within your Covenant Sanctum.

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