High elves on the alliance?

[Mace]

besides, i hadhoped nightborne would be attractive enough to get alliance players more interested in their night elf group of elves rather than coveting the horde elves as it gaves the night elves a fancier look that was always a part of their lore, so it didn't feel forced. The hope was then to reconcile the Thalassian elves or just leave the SC on the alliance, but make the night elves more attractive as the complete elven package for the alliance.

having a differnet type of human on the horde, like a Nathanos - just recently undead or vampire, but use a unique model for the horde would have brought that human /elf dynamic to the horde, but in an already horde established feel and setting that didn't reek of alliance, cos their models would be different (based off the forsaken - like Diablo 3 necromancers), this would actually allow those liked the human/pretty white elf interaction at all costs an option, but in a way that was more in sync with the current narrative. your forsaken human or vampire or recently undead (whatver you call it) would have a more european appeal, a more pragmatic, less optimistic type human, more neutral, in contrast to the alliance stormwind human, who's all bright and cheery and girl/boy next door type.


This would finally bring some harmony as elven fantasy would have an outlet on the allinace in a more complete form with night elves and nightborne, while the human/elf dynamic from Lordaron/quel'thalas would have a version available on thehorde for anyone who liked that, giving us a good enough separation, and an opportunity for those who like that to be drawn to the horde without changing its identity. I think this would have been preferable.

[Friendlyimmolation]

I don't honestly think I have seen such insanity in a while. I don't want nightborne on the Horde, I have argued that it makes no sense for all of them to join the alliance (if they join a faction) but It doesn't mean I want it. Getting excited over the literal scraps of a race is disturbing when you had an actual civilization as an alternative.

But yea, this list also includes fel orc, Tuskarr and Naga.

[Mace]

The lore started going out of touch ever since mid-Cataclysm. The last time it all made sense was during WotLK, but we were playing already established storylines at that point.



The Lightforged draenei and Highmountain tauren looks absolutely amazing though. I feel like these two amazing additions have been sidelined by the elves and aren't recieving as much praise as they should.

yeah, cos the elves are the biggest attraction - i think that's partly because the horde don't have a human option like most faction based mmo's give all their factions, and because the wow humans really are the ugliest playable human group in all the fantasy games. tey are also the not helped by coming in only one character/personality vein. Especialy where the story has room for several, and for at least one to e available to the horde - i mean the forsaken are the cleared path already, and the diablo 3 necromancer models look amazing and look the type that would fit to the tee.

don't need to have the lore keep making hula hoops or bend the knee to fan wishes constantly

[Magnagarde]

This would finally bring some harmony as elven fantasy would have an outlet on the allinace in a more complete form with night elves and nightborne, while the human/elf dynamic from Lordaron/quel'thalas would have a version available on thehorde for anyone who liked that, giving us a good enough separation, and an opportunity for those who like that to be drawn to the horde without changing its identity. I think this would have been preferable.

The human/elf dynamic was shattered the moment high elves weren't playable on the Alliance side. It is the standard fantasy setting that they've avoided to create.

I think you're exaggerating the number of players that are on the Horde side for sake of Horde style and what the Horde was in the past. A huge chunk of the Horde's playerbase is on that side only because they can play as elves. All these players would otherwise be Alliance if the high elves were a playable Alliance race from the beginning of WoW. Classic WoW was the best representation of how things stood.

[Mace]

I don't honestly think I have seen such insanity in a while. I don't want nightborne on the Horde, I have argued that it makes no sense for all of them to join the alliance (if they join a faction) but It doesn't mean I want it. Getting excited over the literal scraps of a race is disturbing when you had an actual civilization as an alternative.

But yea, this list also includes fel orc

agreed. The better move would be neutral nightborne, with some aiding the alliance, but minimal engagement and interaction with the horde. Does no one at blizzard even care about maintaining the integrity of the lore/story anymore? I feel an erosion of faction identity all melding into pretty much the same thing with no distinctiveness in the overall horde and alliance. Take the high king thing - i mean the alliance doesn't have a warchief which is essentially what it was - never liked it, and is probably why Varian was killed, to remove it, but then look at what happens now....

[Magnagarde]

don't need to have the lore keep making hula hoops or bend the knee to fan wishes constantly

Over the years, the Horde has amassed tons and tons of elf fans. Fans of elven races are basically bottled down into two groups at the moment:

1. Those that want to play with a high elf model, but join a "brutish and strong" faction and these are playing blood elves;
2. Those that want to play with a model that resembles high elves as closely as possible, but want the fantasy setting to remain true to the standard elven fantasy and these are playing night elves;

The only reason nightborne could be added to the Horde is because after all these years, Blizzard has to appease a huge elven fanbase within the Horde.

They've created this mess for themselves where they have to try to appease both Horde-style lovers and elf lovers. The Alliance on the other hand is pretty much straight forward; give them a nice looking race or a race that makes sense to have lorewise and they'll be happy.

[SirBeef]

Nearly official?

What are you talking about? The wowhead theory that Nightborne, "Void Elf" and the other sub race thing are coming in the next xpac? No one from blizzard has said a single thing related to these concepts so how is it nearly official?

The Void requires a very special kind of person to harness it without going insane(as we learned in the audio drama), Locus Walker and Alleria are probably the only 2 people who have ever managed to actually obtain the power without the cost, and Alleria could snap at any moment honestly. So the odds of an ENTIRE RACE becoming void enfused is beyond improbable.

Once again, morons taking data-mined info like it is 100% gospel with zero chance of not being removed or changed.

[Deleted]

Over the years, the Horde has amassed tons and tons of elf fans. Fans of elven races are basically bottled down into two groups at the moment:

1. Those that want to play with a high elf model, but join a "brutish and strong" faction and these are playing blood elves;
2. Those that want to play with a model that resembles high elves as closely as possible, but want the fantasy setting to remain true to the standard elven fantasy and these are playing night elves;

The only reason nightborne are being added to the Horde is because after all these years, Blizzard has to appease a huge elven fanbase within the Horde. They've created this mess for themselves where they have to try to appease both Horde-style lovers and elf lovers. The Alliance on the other hand is pretty much straight forward; give them a nice looking race or a race that makes sense to have lorewise and they'll be happy.

So there are no people that actually want to play Elves living in the woods?

[Mace]

The human/elf dynamic was shattered the moment high elves weren't playable on the Alliance side. It is the standard fantasy setting that they've avoided to create.

I think you're exaggerating the number of players that are on the Horde side for sake of Horde style and what the Horde was in the past. A huge chunk of the Horde's playerbase is on that side only because they can play as elves. All these players would otherwise be Alliance if the high elves were a playable Alliance race from the beginning of WoW. Classic WoW was the best representation of how things stood.

That may be so, but you don't make matters worse by bringing more elven races. You can vary the blood elves, but bringing a new elven race like the night elves in is taking it further down elfpath. and refusing to change the natur eof the high elf in the blood elf, just makes it more alliancey, which would be bearable if it was the only one, but now they are bringing another even more alliancey group in the nightborne, .. Thalyssra couldn't be more night elven if she tried in her values, and everything she does and operates, bringing that on the horde is just make it feel more like the alliance.

and why? because more peole are going to go for that if you give them the option, a better move would have been to give this recently -undead option Shoc was talking about like a more human like forsaken or giv ethem a popular twist as vampires - it brings prettier sembalance of humainity to the horde without changing its identity as the forsaken area lready there. and it gives an alternate to human that it hink will be cooler and more acceptable than a nightborne.

I think those that love the human/elf dynamic can like this and it does give a twist too that's something different while still subtley allowing those that cravet hat fantasy to have it.. especially if you make these forsaken sub-race civillized like 18th century Britain, and a bit more pragmmatic (think New York or London/Paris/Berlin type) than your optimistic stormwind human. But that's just my opinion. I think the pieces fit much better that way.

[Mehrunes]

I'm not talking about Necromancy. I'm pointing out to you that ever shadow priest in lore wields the void.

I don't know how much more "pure" you can get that Void Bolt, Void Eruption, Voidform, Shadow Words, Shadow Mend, Shadowy apparations, Shadow Crash, Legacy of the Void, Shadow Word: Void, Void Ray, Void Shield, Void Shift, Void Origins and summoning and summoning Mindbinders, Psyfiends and Shadowfiends.

You can't get much pure in Fel-dabbling than outright using Fel-based spells like anything green fire, like playable Warlocks do, yet they still aren't deep enough to be demons.

The only difference is level and form of exposure. It is the difference between a warlock and any fel-infused race.

That was kinda @Zulkhan's point. Given how tends to be a difference between demons and Warlocks.

[Magnagarde]

So there are no people that actually want to play Elves living in the woods?

Those are category two players; elves living in the woods is a standard of elven fantasy.

[Thage]

I'm actually really interested in the void elf concept. It would let them find a way to make high elves playable without simply copy-pasting the blood elf model and slightly altering it. If it does end up panning out, I'll probably make my hunter one, tame a crow, name it Eatme (on a friend's suggestion), and just hang out near some of my server's more vocal opponents to playable high elves just to mess with them. If it doesn't happen, oh well, I'll make my hunter a blood elf, do the same, and hang out near the high elf proponents to mess with them instead.

[bryroo]

Nearly official?

What are you talking about? The wowhead theory that Nightborne, "Void Elf" and the other sub race thing are coming in the next xpac? No one from blizzard has said a single thing related to these concepts so how is it nearly official?

The Void requires a very special kind of person to harness it without going insane(as we learned in the audio drama), Locus Walker and Alleria are probably the only 2 people who have ever managed to actually obtain the power without the cost, and Alleria could snap at any moment honestly. So the odds of an ENTIRE RACE becoming void enfused is beyond improbable.

Because of it being in the game files on an expansion's eve just like the goblin/worgen masks and the iron horde textures

[Mace]

Nearly official?

What are you talking about? The wowhead theory that Nightborne, "Void Elf" and the other sub race thing are coming in the next xpac? No one from blizzard has said a single thing related to these concepts so how is it nearly official?

The Void requires a very special kind of person to harness it without going insane(as we learned in the audio drama), Locus Walker and Alleria are probably the only 2 people who have ever managed to actually obtain the power without the cost, and Alleria could snap at any moment honestly. So the odds of an ENTIRE RACE becoming void enfused is beyond improbable.

well, they could make it something that high elves are particulalry suited for as a race, and the fel infusion of the blood leves changed that for blood elves. As to why night elves can't? maybe they can or maybe something in the step down from night elf highborne to high elf has made this possible alongside high elf priest order that has always been a bit more balanced between light and shadow.

who knows, i'm just speculating here, I guess it's no point arguing that this might not happen.. seems pretty inevitable to me, and i think it was the wrong move. but hey ho, i'm sure they'll make it attractive and most people will forget about how it could have been.

[Deleted]

I've been waiting on high elves sicne WoW was announced. Void elves are NOT High elves, they're just more corrupted bastards.

Kill all Blood elves and Void elves.

[Mace]

Because of it being in the game files on an expansion's eve just like the goblin/worgen masks and the iron horde textures

indeed, this is what I'm thinking too, we always get the real info like a week or two before the real announcement is made, and someone always spots subtle changes that indicate this just in the nick of time. IT's never the complete picture, but always some partial info, and we know sub-races has been a huge huge fan favorite for a whilem, as has been alliance high elves

[Friendlyimmolation]

I've been waiting on high elves sicne WoW was announced. Void elves are NOT High elves, they're just more corrupted bastards.

Kill all Blood elves and Void elves.

If I can't have high elves the race must go extinct, that will show them!

[Mace]

It's not really about being removed or changed. It's far more likely that it simply is not what people think it is.

this is also worth bearing in mind. Details can paint a very different picture. For example, is it the entire nightborne civilization that's going over horde? or just a bunch of nightborne - which one it is can have huge ramifications, if it is the the former - then its the death knell for night elf high arcane caster from the kaldorei empire returning, as well as rejuvenating the night elf race and image or completing it by adding its empire days arcane magic back. If it is the latter, well all that can still happen if the main group and Suramar remain neutral or go alliance and helpe further if the story shows that Thalyssra and those who staye din the city become more night elven in appearance thanks to the fruit, keeping alive the night elf lore and make it far more obvious the horde are getting a buy into night elf lore rather than stripping the nightborne away from it to join the blood elf lore world.

Details will vary outcome tremendously. Void elf - what does that look like? The appearance of the high elf they use could be significantly different, how that will impact the fans who've been craviging it will depend enormously on how it is given. Is it the blood elf models they wanted? a pretty white elf because humans were never pretty enough and the blood elf model fit the fantasy theme so well they coveted it. If what they get now is not as shiny or pretty as the blood elf model, would it ruin it entirely for them? or would it be their dreams come true, they finally get the blood elf model and more so, it has a really cool twist/form to it. Do we see a ton of high elf numbers? do thy gather into an organisation , get a city , get a home or even SIlvermoon opens up to them as well, just like say Suramar opens up to both races? or are they a bunch of exiles, small in number still clinging to the alliance and forging a whole new destiny for the high elves?

details can vary the direction of the lore enormously, and getting too excited about it is dnagerous without knowing the details becaue it might not be what you think.

[Djem]

Can't wait for OP's breakdown when Void Elves are constantly in mandatory glowing dark purple void form. Where will OP's Tolkien setting be then?

[Mehrunes]

Looking at the comments that argue how tapping into the void isn't what Alliance high elves were about so far and how they threw a tantrum over the blood elves' behaviour; no, it is exactly the opposite in a specific way. If anyone can be a void elf, then it is the Alliance high elves. I however do agree they tapping into non-physiological forms of power isn't something they should do as it takes away what they were about. They've shown they can control themselves, that they can control their hunger and that they are much more disciplined that the blood elves. They have the power of will and moral standpoint which allows them to tap into the void while restraining themselves from giving in to it.

This however, once again, doesn't change the fact that physiologically normal high elves fit better into the Alliance than void elves.

First of all, you conflate the ability to control it with the willingness to engage in it in the first place. Because while it's all yay and stuff that the High Elves that meditated their way through the withdrawal could potentially stand a chance at withstanding the effects of the void, that doesn't negate the fact they had to meditate their way through withdrawal because of their moral pedestal they put themselves upon, that prevented them from draining critters. And given that moral pedestal, they should be even more unwilling to dabble in the Void. Which, you know, was the exact point people were making.

Secondly, it's not like going mind over matter is what all High Elves did about it. Most of them just sucked other things, be it magical artifacts, other founts of power or Rhonin's magical cock. Dat power of will. And when it comes to those that sucked artifacts rather than Rhonin's cock, i.e. those that didn't have a steady supply, they had a risk of becoming more and more desperate for their next fix, causing them to overdose the next time they got their hands on something magical. Even more power of will right here.

Finally, the Blood Elves did what they did because they couldn't risk people who couldn't meditate successfully dying or hurting themselves, or becoming Wretched after they overdosed on some magical stone they found because meditating didn't properly satiate them, not because of mental strength issues. And because an entire nation spending its time meditating wouldn't really work that well with Scourge still present in their lands.