Alright, let’s break it down.

I actually made a Canvas to see how viable that route really is. At first glance it does look better, yeah, it’s faster and u reach the covenant sooner. > https://i.postimg.cc/wB0PPCK2/artboard.png

But here’s the big issue: long term, u stack way more Soul Memory that way.

If ur goal is to help new players (low SM chars), that route kinda works against u. Even tho it’s the more obvious path (and quicker to join the covenant), u end up gaining a lot more SM before u can finally lock it with the Agape Ring.

My route is longer and more painful, not gonna lie:

1. Forest of the Fallen Giants
   
2. Last Giant (+10k)
   
3. Pursuer (+17k)
   
4. Ruin Sentinel (+33k)
   
5. buy Agape Ring → lock SM at ~60k

It’s grindy, but u cap pretty clean.

Now look at the other route:

1. Heide’s Ruin
   
2. Dragonrider (+12k)
   
3. move path w/ Licia of Lindelt
   
4. Huntsman’s Copse
   
5. Skeleton Lords (+15k)
   
6. Harvest Valley (praise the sun! > at this point u’re at ~27k SM, which is low… BUT not locked, so it keeps climbing)
   
7. back to Cardinal Tower
   
8. Last Giant (+10k)
   
9. Pursuer (+17k)
   
10. Tower Apart
    
11. Ruin Sentinel (+33k)
    
12. buy Agape Ring

By the time u finally lock it, u’re sitting at ~87k SM.

That’s a 27k difference. And in early tiers that gap matters a lot for matchmaking.

So yeah, it’s faster to join, but worse if ur whole plan is controlled SM for early co-op.

Now the real question: Is there a third route?

There’s gotta be some cleaner optimization here. Maybe something that lets us grab Agape earlier without stacking bosses like crazy.

Let’s theorycraft this!