Understand Covert Bond
Useful when…
- Maintaining companion stealth through finisher and Mercy kills.
Trigger and duration
A finisher or Mercy kill grants the companion stealth that attacks will not disrupt. At rank 0 the duration is 1 second per qualifying kill; rank 3 gives 6 seconds; rank 5 gives 10 seconds. Stealth duration is capped at 60 seconds.
Fit and ranking
Covert Bond is a standard-slot companion mod with Naramon polarity, base drain 2, and maximum rank 5. Rank increases extend the stealth gained per qualifying kill. The final step from rank 4 to 5 costs 480 Endo and 23,184 Credits, so weigh the longer duration against the steep final-step cost and how often the trigger occurs.
Different companion roles
Aerial Bond is tied to airborne kills and creates a cold field while the Warframe is airborne. Astral Bond links Operator or Drifter damage to companion damage, while Contagious Bond spreads status effects after the companion kills an afflicted enemy. These have different triggers and outcomes; they are not direct replacements for finisher-triggered stealth.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- The effect depends on finisher or Mercy kills.
- Higher ranks lengthen stealth but the final rank has a substantial listed fusion cost.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting ordinary kills to trigger the effect; the stated triggers are finishers and Mercy kills.
- Assuming companion attacks end the granted stealth; the description says attacks do not disrupt it.