Could High Elves exist on the horde?

[Beloren]

Whenever Blood elves are majorly involved, so are the high elves, the very reason the silver covenant faction exists is because of the blood elves were being asked to return to Dalaran by the Kirin tor. But in legion the silver covenant has no longer any presence in the city come legion and are replaced by worgen. Now they tag along the farstriders in the hunter hall.

The high elves have no storyline of their own, nor are their reasons interesting, they aren't fleshed out as a race in any way shape or form, they are merely there to meddle with their kin. That spotlight could have been covered by any other Alliance race, but blizz chooses the non playable one, because of its ties to the main part of the race on the other side and to develop them further.

Blizz take on the matter is quite clear, what defines high elves is that they didn't drain mana from vermin other than that, this official statement of blizz comes to mind.

every time I see blood elves or high elves I see it as an advancement of that race's lore, same with forsaken elves, darkfallen, BElf DKs, High Elf, Wretched, Fel elf - it's all the Thalassian group's tale. Depending on where your love or loyalty lives you call the race High elf or Blood elf - but I also like that, I like that there is a blue and red side, one thing is for sure, their lore is certainly not boring and it's deeply loved by fans - that's the only thing I can think of that can explain the intense high elf hatred and love. Blizzard should continue working on them.

[Combatbutler]

every time I see blood elves or high elves I see it as an advancement of that race's lore, same with forsaken elves, darkfallen, BElf DKs, High Elf, Wretched, Fel elf - it's all the Thalassian group's tale. Depending on where your love or loyalty lives you call the race High elf or Blood elf - but I also like that, I like that there is a blue and red side, one thing is for sure, their lore is certainly not boring and it's deeply loved by fans - that's the only thing I can think of that can explain the intense high elf hatred and love. Blizzard should continue working on them.

The problem is they take away the spotlight of playable Alliance races, which should not happen.

[Arrashi]

The problem is they take away the spotlight of playable Alliance races, which should not happen.

Don't worry, your angel of justice is here and i can assure you that high elves will never be playable.

[Beloren]

The problem is they take away the spotlight of playable Alliance races, which should not happen.

I've always thought that was very unfair - they are part of the blood elf group or the blood elves are part of their group - it's not taking away from anything, it's advancement of that race's lore..

I think it's the faction conflict that's warping the perception of this, why worry that certain npc groups are taking up more face time than certain races? the biggest groups are often not playable and we never complain, but if we view it that way, we're not realizing that actually every time you see high elf you're seeing blood elf lore advancement - there just different sides or inclinations rather of the same thing and since blood elf is currently the playable race, well we say blood elf lore. People keep emphasizing it's the same race, they're right it is, but then go on to say things like they shouldn't be - says who - they are the origin group and currently being the minority are a sub-group of blood elf even though blood elves are high elves in a new direction.

At least that's how I see it, which is why I have no problems with high elves and blood elves as factions of the same group being side by side or opposed or whatever blizzard wants to do with them. they are basically like Pandaren, exist on both factions, the only difference is the alliance side isn't playable - atm it would appear the high elves are exclusively on the alliance faction, doesn't mean they can't exist on the horde faction. High elves don't have to be all united, and even if they are, doesn't mean that some can't or shouldn't be amongst their kin.. at least I think so.

[Magnagarde]

This is what I don't get, if the High elves who became blood elves could join the horde, then high elves could join the blood elves too if not necessarily the horde. I'm not talking about necessarily being playable - pls forgive the confusion. Why can't we have high elves as high elves, side by side with blood elves, refusing to be blood elves, distinct philosophically, and ideologically even thematically (blue instead of red) if identical physically ... they don't all have to be fighting with each other.

Because the majority of the pure High Elves is still affiliated with the Alliance due to their shared history which includes the Troll Wars, the First and Second War, the Outland expedition and even personal allegiances to different Alliance characters and leaders.

These High Elves didn't experience what the rest of their kin experienced and which directly resulted in them joining the Horde. Having not experienced the factor that made the BE join the Horde, they stayed appart.

In conclusion, almost all the HE that were exposed to fel magic became the BE and joined the Horde, while the majority of the HE that weren't exposed to fel and are still attached to the arcane affiliate themselves to the Alliance or one of their major characters.



The fact that some "major"/well known characters(ie Rexxar, Halduron, Vereesa) on either faction's side were placed into order halls doesn't mean these characters have lost their faction affiliation. Banding together in order halls is a necessity due to the enormeous threat the Burning Legion presents. Past examples, such as the battle at Mount Hyjal, make this even more evident. We will only know wether they've totally disposed all of their former faction affiliation and allegiance once the Burning Legion is defeated and one or two new expansions come out.

Unless their retain their neutrality for at least one or two expansions more, their neutrality is clearly temporary.

[Friendlyimmolation]

Because the majority of the pure High Elves is still affiliated with the Alliance due to their shared history which includes the Troll Wars, the First and Second War, the Outland expedition and even personal allegiances to different Alliance characters and leaders.

These High Elves didn't experience what the rest of their kin experienced and which directly resulted in them joining the Horde. Having not experienced the factor that made the BE join the Horde, they stayed appart.

In conclusion, almost all the HE that were exposed to fel magic became the BE and joined the Horde, while the majority of the HE that weren't exposed to fel and are still attached to the arcane affiliate themselves to the Alliance or one of their major characters.



The fact that some "major"/well known characters(ie Rexxar, Halduron, Vereesa) on either faction's side were placed into order halls doesn't mean these characters have lost their faction affiliation. Banding together in order halls is a necessity due to the enormeous threat the Burning Legion presents. Past examples, such as the battle at Mount Hyjal, make this even more evident. We will only know wether they've totally disposed all of their former faction affiliation and allegiance once the Burning Legion is defeated and one or two new expansions come out.

Unless their retain their neutrality for at least one or two expansions more, their neutrality is clearly temporary.

You seem to be under the delusion that the so called "pure elves" somehow have a deeper connection to the alliance than the blood elves. New elves didn't pop out of the ground on creation of the blood elves. They share the same past if I misunderstood you the. That's another story. Plus Valeria has never been horde or Alliance.

[Deleted]

Just some thoughts:

If fel energy works similar to radiation, it could have had more impact on the blood elves than just the green eyes. Though we currently don’t know other impacts, so a physical difference between blood elves and high elves is possible.

BUT the fel energy works similar to radiation concept isn’t fully thought through, though: If the exposure of fel energy causes the mutations and not the absorption or use of it, then why are there highelves with blue eyes in Outland, the most fel radiated place we know? To be precise: They are located in Terrokar Forest, a place where the fel radiation corrupted everything fauna and flora alike, unlike Quel’thalas. Additionally they were far longer exposed to fel energy than any of the blood elves in QT.
And what about those HE in Dalaran? Yes, they didn’t need to consume fel magic, however they were exposed to at least equally as much fel magic than the elves of QT. I’d guess even more, because of what Archimonde did to Dalaran.

[TheDestinatus]

Anything can work anywhere because none of them are real. If all races are able to participate without issues in Argent Crusade why would it be shocking to have High Elves in the Horde?

[steelballfc]

It stopped being a difference the moment Lor'themar Theron decided to join the Alliance... only to be hindered by Jaina's purge. There is nothing that truly differentiate the High and the Blood Elves besides the political affiliation.

didn't Lor'themar Theron said that B.elfs are Horde in the core !?

- - - Updated - - -

You've confused the different groups of BElves. Only the BElves who followed Kael'thas to Outland used fel, some of which reformed their ways under A'dal. The vast majority of BElves stayed in Quel'thalas and didn't use fel. The schism occurred over sucking mana from small animals (it's not like they were vegetarians), not the use of fel.

Also, green eye color has nothing to do with HElf or BElf alignment.

The situation regarding blood elf eyes is, in fact, extremely similar to that of the green skin of orcs: just being around heavy use of fel magic turned the eyes of the blood elves green. You could be the most pious of priests or most outdoorsy of Farstriders, chances are, if you were a high elf in Quel'Thalas or Outland following the Third War, you were around fel energies, and your eyes would turn green. Like the orcs' skin color, such an effect would take a very long time to wear off. Fel magic works a bit like radiation in this sense; it permeates the area and seeps into anything in the vicinity. Anything near a source of fel magic shows signs of slight corruption, it just so happens that high elves and orcs manifest it in a very visual way. (AskCDev3)

on side note I always look at your signature and cry

- - - Updated - - -

Can we just make a high elf megathread and funnel all discussion about them into that at this point? XD

it can't be done
War will always accord between H/elfs and B/elfs

[Beloren]

Just some thoughts:

If fel energy works similar to radiation, it could have had more impact on the blood elves than just the green eyes. Though we currently don’t know other impacts, so a physical difference between blood elves and high elves is possible.

BUT the fel energy works similar to radiation concept isn’t fully thought through, though: If the exposure of fel energy causes the mutations and not the absorption or use of it, then why are there highelves with blue eyes in Outland, the most fel radiated place we know? To be precise: They are located in Terrokar Forest, a place where the fel radiation corrupted everything fauna and flora alike, unlike Quel’thalas. Additionally they were far longer exposed to fel energy than any of the blood elves in QT.
And what about those HE in Dalaran? Yes, they didn’t need to consume fel magic, however they were exposed to at least equally as much fel magic than the elves of QT. I’d guess even more, because of what Archimonde did to Dalaran.

oooh.. I might know the answer to this one.

In the first case: Blizzard did at some point mention that fel did have other effects on the blood elves, but the most common were the eyes, so I just assume that graphical/art limitations is more responsible here.

In the second case: It was the tearing up of Draenor by Nerzhul that warped the draenei to broken/lost ones - this is obviously different from the fel-infusion that makes them Man'ari, but it did not seem to affect toher races like the brown mag'har orcs or ogres... i'm not sure if the humans, dwarven and high elven Nethergarde team led by Khadgar, Turalyon and Alleria were in there when it happened, but none of them seem affected by it at all.

[Nurvus]

The only reason the looked like pale night elves in Vanilla was because there weren't enough of them in game to justify making a blood/high elf specific model. Same reason why until Wrath Sylvannas had a night elf model. back in WC 3 and in lore there were differences between the two. There really aren't any between high and blood elves because they're just the same race with a different ideology and blood elves have green eyes now until the fel taint wears off. I suppose they 'could' make a high elf model that has different proportions/differeint body build than the blood elf model, but that could be said for any race. Blizz could make lanky dwarves etc, but a dwarf is still a dwarf and a high elf is just a blood elf with blue eyes lore wise.

I think people understimate the power of animations.
Once everyone is fully geared with helmets and all, the animations play a bigger role in helping you identify a lone Night Elf vs Human vs Blood Elf than models do.

Since Blood Elves have that "cocky/flamboyant" attitude and animations, if Blizzard kept the same models for High Elves but gave them a more "disciplined/superior" stance & animations it would be a dramatic difference.
Couple that with some different haircuts, different eye glow, and you've got a race that distinguishes itself completely from the rest.

But adding them to the Horde? I think Blizzard would rather not add them at all, because Alliance has been requesting High Elves forever. It would be almost like spitting in their face.

[steelballfc]

I think people understimate the power of animations.
Once everyone is fully geared with helmets and all, the animations play a bigger role in helping you identify a lone Night Elf vs Human vs Blood Elf than models do.

Since Blood Elves have that "cocky" attitude and animations, if Blizzard kept the same models for High Elves but gave them a more disciplined stance & animations it would be a dramatic difference.
Couple that with some different haircuts, different eye glow, and you've got a completely different race, visually.

But adding them to the Horde? I think Blizzard would rather not add them at all, because Alliance has been requesting High Elves forever. It would be almost like spitting in their face.

*imagining Blizzard employee spitting*

[Mace]

btw... they changed the poke of the High Elves in Legion and of the Dark Rangers. The high elves sound more Blood Elven, but talk of allegiance to the Ranger General instead of the Sin'dorei, the Dark Rangers sound Forsaken - it's interesting that some of them still sound night elven, and some now sound forsaken.

it's an interesting change as you would have all realized they were all night elven in live. It's worth noting not all the High elf npc models have the new poke, nor all the dark rangers, but i wonder if this is hinting at sub-races. Noticed also the nightborne pokes were also changed from night elven to something more unique although they still have some night elven lines - again not all of them either.

[Friendlyimmolation]

I think people understimate the power of animations.
Once everyone is fully geared with helmets and all, the animations play a bigger role in helping you identify a lone Night Elf vs Human vs Blood Elf than models do.

Since Blood Elves have that "cocky/flamboyant" attitude and animations, if Blizzard kept the same models for High Elves but gave them a more "disciplined/superior" stance & animations it would be a dramatic difference.
Couple that with some different haircuts, different eye glow, and you've got a race that distinguishes itself completely from the rest.

But adding them to the Horde? I think Blizzard would rather not add them at all, because Alliance has been requesting High Elves forever. It would be almost like spitting in their face.

Blizzard obviously never cared and still doesn't care enough to give the alliance halves. High elves have never been more disciplined or super, they are just more stubborn. Trying to say they would be a unique addition because of haircuts s strange. Most of all, blizzard has not once shown interest in giving the alliance playable high elves. They took the race and turned it to the blood elves, and that's where the story focus would stay. Blizzard said over time the sunwell will purify the blood elves, and they will have their old eyes again. That is another reason why high elves won't be on the alliance, as the only visible difference will leave, and why blue eye options for beef players is more likely, this is without factoring the high elves and auric who want to rejoin.

[steelballfc]

Blizzard obviously never cared and still doesn't care enough to give the alliance halves. High elves have never been more disciplined or super, they are just more stubborn. Trying to say they would be a unique addition because of haircuts s strange. Most of all, blizzard has not once shown interest in giving the alliance playable high elves. They took the race and turned it to the blood elves, and that's where the story focus would stay. Blizzard said over time the sunwell will purify the blood elves, and they will have their old eyes again. That is another reason why high elves won't be on the alliance, as the only visible difference will leave, and why blue eye options for beef players is more likely, this is without factoring the high elves and auric who want to rejoin.

New idea
mixed races, Gnome-Tauren

[Nurvus]

Blizzard obviously never cared and still doesn't care enough to give the alliance halves. High elves have never been more disciplined or super, they are just more stubborn. Trying to say they would be a unique addition because of haircuts s strange. Most of all, blizzard has not once shown interest in giving the alliance playable high elves. They took the race and turned it to the blood elves, and that's where the story focus would stay. Blizzard said over time the sunwell will purify the blood elves, and they will have their old eyes again. That is another reason why high elves won't be on the alliance, as the only visible difference will leave, and why blue eye options for beef players is more likely, this is without factoring the high elves and auric who want to rejoin.

You kind of missed the point...
I wasnt talking of likelyhood of high elves on alliance and i hope you dont change this thresd into that pointless discussion.
I was talking about the fact that Blizzard not having shown intetest in adding them at all, and later adding them to the horde despite it being requested by the alliance just iant going to happen.
and I didnt say high elves are superior - they simply consider themselves so and act accordingly.

[steelballfc]

You kind of missed the point...
I wasnt talking of likelyhood of high elves on alliance and i hope you dont change this thresd into that pointless discussion.
I was talking about the fact that Blizzard not having shown intetest in adding them at all, and later adding them to the horde despite it being requested by the alliance just iant going to happen.
and I didnt say high elves are superior - they simply consider themselves so and act accordingly.

it will always go this way
there is no hope

[Mehrunes]

But adding them to the Horde? I think Blizzard would rather not add them at all, because Alliance has been requesting High Elves forever. It would be almost like spitting in their face.

True, after all, Alliance is entitled to High Elves and Blizzard owes that race to them. But on the other hand, they sure do hate the Alliance, so maybe they will go with spitting in their faces... Hard to say.

[Imnick]

Lorewise? Maybe.
Gamewise as playable characters? Hell no, they'd be even more superfluous than on the Alliance (where I also would not want them to be).

[Friendlyimmolation]

You kind of missed the point...
I wasnt talking of likelyhood of high elves on alliance and i hope you dont change this thresd into that pointless discussion.
I was talking about the fact that Blizzard not having shown intetest in adding them at all, and later adding them to the horde despite it being requested by the alliance just iant going to happen.
and I didnt say high elves are superior - they simply consider themselves so and act accordingly.

Blizzard only showed no interest in adding them to the alliance, giving belf players blue eyed options is a choice that makes sense the longer the blood elf story goes on.