Monster Train 2 Covenant Ranks 1–10
Covenant is Monster Train 2's stacking difficulty system: each rank adds one permanent modifier on top of all the ranks below it. The exact effects below come straight from the game files.
Every Covenant modifier
| Rank | Modifier (exact game text) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Enemies are stronger. Add additional random cards to your starting deck. |
| 2 | Battles have additional enemies. |
| 3 | Merchant reroll costs are 50% higher and purge costs scale 50% faster. |
| 4 | Bosses have increased Attack and Health. Non-Flying Bosses have an additional mechanic. |
| 5 | Add 2 Vengeful Shards to the starting deck. |
| 6 | One card per draft also adds a Calcified Ember. |
| 7 | There is no longer an empty wave before bosses. |
| 8 | Enemies are stronger. |
| 9 | Your Pyre takes 30% damage at the start of the run. |
| 10 | Elite Chosen enemies appear during Flying Boss battles. |
Ranks stack: at Covenant 10 you are playing with all ten modifiers at once. The difficulty is separate from your clan's level 1–10 card rewards. Use the clan unlock guide for those progression rewards.
The ranks that actually change your game
Covenant 1 adds random cards to the starting deck and strengthens enemies. Inspect those cards before choosing an engine: an extra useful spell can change your plan, while an off-plan card may become a purge candidate. They are random cards, not necessarily Junk.
Covenant 5 seeds two Vengeful Shards into your starting deck. Each one damages your Pyre if left unplayed. Budget Ember to play them or invest in removal; also check whether your Pyre Heart or artifacts change the tradeoff. Do not spend all your Ember scaling a safe floor and forget the Shards.
Covenant 6 makes one option in each draft also add a Calcified Ember. Evaluate the pair: is this card solving a problem large enough to justify adding the Blight too? A premium answer can still be worth taking; the extra card is a cost to account for, not an automatic veto.
Covenant 7 removes the empty wave before bosses — your engine has to be online a turn earlier than you're used to. Cheap units and Summon effects gain value.
Covenant 9 burns 30% of your Pyre's health at the start of the run. Healing the Pyre and Pyre Heart choice both matter far more from here up.
Covenant 10 adds Elite Chosen enemies to Flying Boss fights — the final wall. Bring answers for large single targets: stacked Frostbite, big Multistrike units, or burst spells.
Climbing efficiently
- Climb with a strong pairing first — the tier list favors Underlegion and Melting Remnant for consistent ladders.
- Build around a keyword engine, not "good cards": check a card's keyword page to see every payoff before committing.
- From Covenant 3 up, rerolls cost more and purge prices scale faster; the modifier does not say every merchant item costs more. Budget the reroll and removal before buying an optional upgrade. The upgrade decision guide helps compare what that Gold will actually fix.
Covenant questions
What is the maximum Covenant rank in Monster Train 2?
Covenant 10 is the highest standard-run rank in this dataset. At that rank all ten listed modifiers apply, including Elite Chosen during Flying Boss battles. Do not use a Monster Train 1 Covenant 25 checklist for this game.
Does Covenant 0 prevent me from fighting the Titans?
No. The Titans route depends on Pyre Heart progression and collecting all three Titan Essences in one run. Raising Covenant adds difficulty to that route; it is not the unlock condition.
What should I change when a new rank keeps beating me?
Identify the first failing turn. If extra enemies leak, add wave damage or another useful floor. If your floor collapses only at the boss, strengthen sustain and scaling. If the answer stayed in the draw pile, compare draw versus Ember and Capacity. One targeted correction teaches more than replacing the whole deck.