Would you trade high elves for nightborne?

[Raetary]

stop trying to ruin nightborne by putting them on either faction.

and god, stop with the high elf nonsense, the high elves can go die in a trash bin.

[DeicideUH]

After seeing Blizzard saying no multiple times, I'm not actually worried they will ever be playable. I just enjoy the whole high elf arguments.

Things change. They also said multiple times they are interested in implementing sub-races eventually.
I don't think the main sell will be "high elves for the Alliance, nightborne for Horde", but "unprecedented character customization", with new customization options (hair styles, skin and hair colors, tatoos, body types) for all races, as well a several sub-races, in which high elves and nightborne will be included.

[Beloren]

I don't even really like Nightborne, they look kinda ugly tbh. I wish blizzard would have given us a way to obtain their fancy spell armor for transmog, but I really don't want to play them. Running around as one in Suramar is already offensive enough for my taste .

my thoughts too, they are uuuugly, definitely the ugliest elf group - but their armor is cool. Blood elves, high elves, night elves, nightborne in order of prettiest to ugliest.

But they are low rez models, the clothes get boring fast, and the hairstyles are really meh. The city is amazing, but that's as much a night elf thing as it is nightborne if you consider the two separate. Which is hard to do because like the remaining highborne, I don't think the nightborne consider themselves as not kaldorei - it's more like Shal'dorei, pretty much like quel'dorei is a brand of kaldorei. Which is why Elisande lambasts the night elves for seemingly forgetting their high and distinguished calling - a part of them the shal'dorei are very very proud of.

I conclude the nightborne now own or carry the night elf empire torch - they are the night elf empire people, new in the sense that their look evolved but very old in the sense that they are the original night elven stock that remained true to the races original calling. Night elves don't seem concerned anymore with reaching the stars, magnificent cities and civilizations, pushing the boundaries of knowledge, nor restoring their empire. Nightborne seem to be the ones interested in that sort of thing. It's a cool side of the night elves, nice change from the humble tree hugger stock but tbh, the models are just not pretty enough, and they have nothing the blood elves don't have.

Beautiful city? - check (blood elves have this)
incredibly intelligent - check (blood elves are this too)
masters at the arcane - check (blood elves are this too - less knowledgeable yes, but just as skillful)
same obsession with beauty and arrogance

in seeing the nightborne, you can see all the parts of the blood elves that are highborne. The nightborne don't get it from the blood elves, the blood elves got it from the high/nightborne. But the blood elves and high elves have something the nightborne don't have, there is a nobility and fairness they don't have and ofc, beauty.

Beauty beauty beauty, Suramar may be the most gorgeous city on Azeroth, but the night elven peoples, in particular the nightborne are not pretty.

- - - Updated - - -

Things change. They also said multiple times they are interested in implementing sub-races eventually.
I don't think the main sell will be "high elves for the Alliance, nightborne for Horde", but "unprecedented character customization", with new customization options (hair styles, skin and hair colors, tatoos, body types) for all races, as well a several sub-races, in which high elves and nightborne will be included.

good point ! - it won't surprise me at all if they did this.

[DeicideUH]

good point ! - it won't surprise me at all if they did this.

It has the potential do appease the ones that don't like the idea. Imagine this as an expansion feature:

"UNPRECEDENTED CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION!"

For all races:
- New hairstyles
- New skin and hair colors

Death Knights:
- Add option to choose eye glow (standard, red, green or none).
- New "Cult of the Damned" skins.

Humans:
- New faces and hair that allow ethinic variation (asian-like, black-like features, curled hair types)
- Body type selection (can choose between current muscular or new agile body types for both males and females)

Dwarves:
- New beards
- Wildhammer and Dark Iron skins

Night Elves:
- Can choose eye glow (yellow or blue, not linked to sex anymore)
- Subrace: High Elf.

Gnomes:
- New faces, skins and hairstyles? (I miss the smiling female we almost got when they redid the models in WoD)

Draenei:
- Subrace: Broken (based on Tauren model, like today, but high-res)

Worgen:
- New skins, faces
- High-res models.
- Human model customization separated from Worgen model's.

Orcs:
- New faces
- Skins for every orc type: fel-tainted red, brown (light and dark), grey (light and dark)
- Tatoos (like Bleeding Hollow)/Body paint
- Body type: Choose between hunched or straight back.

Tauren:
- Skins for Grimtotem, Highmountain and new ones.
- More faces (specially for female)
- New horns (including Hightmountain)
- Subrace: Taunka (maybe Yaungol? But that's a strecth)

Trolls:
- Skins for forest, ice, desert
- New tatoos/fangs
- Body types: Standard slim or muscular (like Forest Trolls).

Undead:
- New skins
- Body type: Option to hide bones
- Subraces: Forsaken Elf (uses blood elf model), Elite Forsaken (uses human models with dead skins; based on recent Nathanos story; new developments could allow Sylvanas to strengthen more Forsaken like she did to him)

Blood Elf
- Eye glow: choose standard green, blue or golden
- Subrace: Nightborne (based on night elf model).

Goblin:
- New high-res models
- New options for faces and hairstyles

I am sure you can imagine even more options. The more the merrier.

Hints that this may happen:
- Blizzard often says that adding subraces is in their radar
- In some pre-Legion interviews, they said more customization options could be in the future.
- The addition of nightborne, and making them friendlier to blood elves than night elves.
- Nathanos' new model and story could be a hint of things to come (I know the story says it can't be done again, but hey, Sylvanas is always seeking for more power)
- The new orange-colored names for opposite faction could be to help differentiate subraces that share models with the opposite faction, like high elves and human-like Forsaken)

[ravenmoon]

It has the potential do appease the ones that don't like the idea. Imagine this as an expansion feature:

"UNPRECEDENTED CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION!"

For all races:
- New hairstyles
- New skin and hair colors

Death Knights:
- Add option to choose eye glow (standard, red, green or none).
- New "Cult of the Damned" skins.

Humans:
- New faces and hair that allow ethinic variation (asian-like, black-like features, curled hair types)
- Body type selection (can choose between current muscular or new agile body types for both males and females)

Dwarves:
- New beards
- Wildhammer and Dark Iron skins

Night Elves:
- Can choose eye glow (yellow or blue, not linked to sex anymore)
- Subrace: High Elf.

Gnomes:
- New faces, skins and hairstyles? (I miss the smiling female we almost got when they redid the models in WoD)

Draenei:
- Subrace: Broken (based on Tauren model, like today, but high-res)

Worgen:
- New skins, faces
- High-res models.
- Human model customization separated from Worgen model's.

Orcs:
- New faces
- Skins for every orc type: fel-tainted red, brown (light and dark), grey (light and dark)
- Tatoos (like Bleeding Hollow)/Body paint
- Body type: Choose between hunched or straight back.

Tauren:
- Skins for Grimtotem, Highmountain and new ones.
- More faces (specially for female)
- New horns (including Hightmountain)
- Subrace: Taunka (maybe Yaungol? But that's a strecth)

Trolls:
- Skins for forest, ice, desert
- New tatoos/fangs
- Body types: Standard slim or muscular (like Forest Trolls).

Undead:
- New skins
- Body type: Option to hide bones
- Subraces: Forsaken Elf (uses blood elf model), Elite Forsaken (uses human models with dead skins; based on recent Nathanos story; new developments could allow Sylvanas to strengthen more Forsaken like she did to him)

Blood Elf
- Eye glow: choose standard green, blue or golden
- Subrace: Nightborne (based on night elf model).

Goblin:
- New high-res models
- New options for faces and hairstyles

I am sure you can imagine even more options. The more the merrier.

Hints that this may happen:
- Blizzard often says that adding subraces is in their radar
- In some pre-Legion interviews, they said more customization options could be in the future.
- The addition of nightborne, and making them friendlier to blood elves than night elves.
- Nathanos' new model and story could be a hint of things to come (I know the story says it can't be done again, but hey, Sylvanas is always seeking for more power)
- The new orange-colored names for opposite faction could be to help differentiate subraces that share models with the opposite faction, like high elves and human-like Forsaken)

i would definitely be up for this, although i'd have high elves with the humans, and do a nightborne night elf, i.e. night elf model with nightborne glowing runes - Thalyssra and the Suramar victors changed back to their night elven forms thanks to the fruit of the arcan'dor, but a large group of loyalists who turned to our side with the echo of Elisande were not shown such mercy, however they found refuge with the blood elves. Without the arcan'dor fruit, they maintained their regular nightborne models whiles the Suramar ones regained more night elven features.

In essence you get:
1. High elves on the alliance but exiled from their home in Silvermoon where the blood elves on the horde reign.
2. Nightborne on the horde but exiled from their home in Suramar where Night elven nightborne on the alliance reign

50/50

However if, and it's a big if, if Naga elves come with a naga expansion, they're almost certainly going to go horde which would mean nightborne would almost certianly remain alliance. High elves would have been given independent of that. Naga elves would definitely be horde - they have the Zin'Azshari conneciton and the WC3 TFT connection already - as both the high/blood elf and naga are descended from the Zin'Azshari highborne night elves. I neither see Tyrande nor Thalyssra coming anywhere near them as the night elves of Suramar (both highborne/nightborne and locals outright rebelled against Zin'Azshari)

[Queen of Hamsters]

I'd rather have interesting and unique races.

Elves and other "pretty" races are vastly overrated.

[Lady Dragonheart]

None of the above. I feel that both Nightborne and High Elves should be, at the very least, subraces for Night Elves. Blood Elves would have Forsaken Elves, Felblood Elves, and San'layn as subraces.

[ravenmoon]

I'd rather have interesting and unique races.

Elves and other "pretty" races are vastly overrated.

the player population seems to strongly disagree, but then it mayb e a matte rof perception

- - - Updated - - -

None of the above. I feel that both Nightborne and High Elves should be, at the very least, subraces for Night Elves. Blood Elves would have Forsaken Elves, Felblood Elves, and San'layn as subraces.

I actually agree with you there. the only elven group the horde could possibly get should be naga elves if they ever become a thing. Nightborne are too strongly tied to the night elves, and rightly so, this is the fancier side of the night elves and a key part of broadening their appeal. They should go whereverthe night elves go

high elves are the part of the Thalassian elves that have always bena nd shoudl continue to be on the alliance, it's well estalblished for them, ande ven though they made the blood elves out of them, who later went horde, it's a key part of warcraft lore and history. Whiles other Thalassian based groups like Darkfallen, Wretched or can be a part of the horde, it's good that the high elves remain with their allies.


If we get a naga-elf (a naga that was morphed back into an elf likely by Queen Azshara), i expect them to be an elven sub-race or race that would side with the blood elves. Since naga already did under Illidan adn they share the Zin'Azshari connection. I won't be surprised if not all the highborne who turned into naga by the old gods actually trusted or even believed the queen. Some like Darth'remar would have been there, or later changed their mind, Maybe some of the Darth'remar's group never made it out in time. Azshara is quite vain, i'm sure she would try to pull off a spell that could change them back into night elves. It probably won't be perfect, too much emphasis on fixing the faces- they'd be beautiful but exotic -with skin that had scale patches, hair that was more coral in nature than hair, with a range of bright sea colours. Their architecture woudl be beautiful, but not the graceful beauty of the highborne when the night elves ruled the world, it woudl be more cruel, sharp, barbed, but beautiful.

Those i can see with the horde, and it makes sense. Night elf, nightborne and high elf on alliance, Blood elf, Naga elf and Darkfallen on the hordde

[DeicideUH]

Thalyssra and the Suramar victors changed back to their night elven forms thanks to the fruit of the arcan'dor, but a large group of loyalists who turned to our side with the echo of Elisande were not shown such mercy, however they found refuge with the blood elves. Without the arcan'dor fruit, they maintained their regular nightborne models whiles the Suramar ones regained more night elven features.

I think things like arcane tatoos and such could easily be done with skins or new customization options. Subraces would be for using different models and/or class combinations than standard race. So, your "night elvish nightborne" could just be done with new options.

However, I don't think Blizzard will change the nightborne. If they become playable (and I think they'll be Horde if so), there'll be some explanation like: "Nightborne are neutral, Suramar is friendly to both factions, but a small faction of them [possibly following Valtrois] made a deal with the Blood Elves"

[ravenmoon]

[B]

I think things like arcane tatoos and such could easily be done with skins or new customization options. Subraces would be for using different models and/or class combinations than standard race. So, your "night elvish nightborne" could just be done with new options.

yes agreed, they would be available as a customization on night elf, but anyone who picks it would know they were playing a night elven nightborne as in the lore only those have the arcane runes, whereas on the horde side, it would actually be the current nightborne model obviously at a higher fidelity -- which would work fine for those going through 7.0 story as there would be far less players so they can experience the story with upgraded nightborne models

However, I don't think Blizzard will change the nightborne. If they become playable (and I think they'll be Horde if so), there'll be some explanation like: "Nightborne are neutral, Suramar is friendly to both factions, but a small faction of them [possibly following Valtrois] made a deal with the Blood Elves"

I agree that this is what they'll most likely do ofc. I'm hoping they do not ofc and feel they shouldn't.. because the nightborne are the full representation of the night elf empire and the greater visible glory of the night elves, (what's left of it) is seen there. It's a key part of their identity - even if Shal'dorei/Quel'dorei don't have much in common with the remaining kaldorei atm, they are stilli such a key part of the night elf identity now made strong and visibly for all, stamping the wider night elf group as emphatically more than just tree huggers, but having other aspects to them that's not just shipped off to new separate group that has nothing to do with them - (which is exactly what the blood elves are to them ironic that in the lore they want nothing to do with them either despite their obvious relation, high elves set out to do something new and put behind them night elven ways, and build a new empire, a different one, one more glorious than Zin'Azshari and free of the decadent corruption that led to catastrophe.). Not so the nightborne who are deeply night elf arcane empire through and through and thus they really expand the night elf group/lore and actually brings a very attractive and enchanting part of the night elves past (previously the exclusive domain of the lore books) to the present and out of the lore books smack into the game itself for all to see

AS such I think the nightborne should never be separated fully from the night elves. If the nightborne go to the horde, night elves should do, or at least some of them. like the broken isle night elves and the highborne. The nightborne are the fancy side of the night elves visually shown properly in-game. Now this part of the night elves has always been in lore, but people have largely been oblivious to it or not thoguht much of it cos they enver saw a visualializtion of it. For all they knew the aracne night elven era was primitive - they showed little interest sin the highborne when they were introduced in 4.0 because it was low key, and dire maul was more ruins than city. As such it feels a bit funny that the moment they are shown an impressive side and majstic sie they should be swung over to the horde or be shared because well nothing that lovely should be avaialble to one faction...? Silvermoon was gorgeous in its era and it was all horde, Suramar can remain with night elves, there are many more beautiful things to show - we've yet to experience Naz'jatar and Zuldazar.

Personally I feel @Lady Dragonheart has the right jist, the nightborne story and set up fits them alongside their night elf kin, different but alike, and whiles they could go horde, they'd have to build that up a bit more, but it isn't inconceivable because the blood elves are descended from highborne so they have things in common with the nightborne and highbborne. All the things you see in the blood elves that are also in the nightborne are the things the blood elves inherited from their highborne ancestry, you can examine the nightborne and the blood elves and now identify all the new things the high elf society and subsequent blood elf society incorporated when they rebuilt themsleves and see all the things that are from the night elf empire in them. And while this does make a very plausible case for nightborne alongside blood elves remember it's exactly the same case for highborne alongside blood elves yet there is no desire or inclination to have the highborne on the horde from most forum users. I know cos i tried pushing it a few years ago, and they couldn't care less. But now arcane night elves have something spectacular ....

I have to say I also do think it's nice to have all the night folk on one side and the thalassians on the other side, but high elves makes that impossible. Many would say all elves should be on the alliance, that is the tradition, but it's interesting when you occassionaly break from tradition, and why not?

Finally I do agree that if Blizzard make the nightborne playable, it would be a small faction or group that aligns themselves. With the main city being neutral. But bear in mind this is the first night elf expose since world of warcraft was released, the race has never been a focus until now, and for its big moment they unveiled it's arcane side, to expect that there biggest makeover/addition would be cut away or should be cut away from the night elves and instead focused in the horde leaves the night elves still in that stale, stuck place with nothing really big or exciting happening. A stark contrast to its introduction where it was at the centre of a lot of change. 7.0 captures that wonder and scale again - to then take it and cut it away from them? I would hate that. I have no problem with Suramar being entirely night elven group thing, this is what it has always been in lore - nightborne, night elves, highborne etc. Whether its neutral, horde or alliance, it should always be a major part of the night elven story - not a blood elf thing (sure blood elves can occassionally feature in that story, as has always happened (occassionally, since TBC, blood elves and night elves have met, but it's always been a smaller part of either's focus and story - the night elf world has continued with its own things (naga, satyr, highborne, nightborne, azshara, elune, druids, wild gods, the legion etc) whereas the blood elf world has been more part of the main story arc of humans, orcs, horde , alliance, eastern kingdoms politics, forsaken, Kirin'tor, arthas, undead and like all races it's played a part in all big events, Deathwing, Siege of orgrimmar, warlords and legion etc

[Friendlyimmolation]

I really do find the fact that Alliance feel as if they deserve High elves, and then they try to justify it with attempts at bargaining with random Horde posters on a forum as if it's going to make the obvious fact that they are never intented for the Alliance go away .For game play reasons alone you are never getting high elves, no matter how many walls of text you make, no matter how many times you try to push a "they are totally different."


This new and interesting double argument, saying that high elves should join up with humans instead of their people, while also Nightborne shouldn't join the blood elves and Should join the night elves, is even more amusing for obvious reasons.

[ravenmoon]

I really do find the fact that Alliance feel as if they deserve High elves, and then they try to justify it with attempts at bargaining with random Horde posters on a forum as if it's going to make the obvious fact that they are never intented for the Alliance go away .For game play reasons alone you are never getting high elves, no matter how many walls of text you make, no matter how many times you try to push a "they are totally different." This new and interesting double argument, saying that high elves should join up with humans instead of their people, while also Nightborne shouldn't join the blood elves and Should join the night elves is even more amusing for obvious reasons.

some would argue the blood elves should come over to the alliance, let their people be whole there instead and would write pages on it..

but the high elf/blood elf situation is it's own unique situation and story that finds a people divided against each other, in hostility. no such development exists between night elf and nightborne - they are dealing with a 10,000 year long reunion that saw some of the nightborne join the unspeakable enemy (Azshara/ WotA rehash anyone) but most of the city eventually rises up (after some encouragement masterminded by Thalyssra and Ly'leth) and fight thier people's ancient foe. Very different case.

The only reason we make an arguement of high elves on the alliance is because that's how it already is in the lore and they are obviously dear to a lot of players there. What should happen is the soruce of many a discussion. Should they go join their people on the horde? or stay firm in the alliance and expanded upon by making them playable, should they be retired/wiped out and blood elves only dominate the scene? Face it, they have a more conflict ridden story, which has it's own merits, and it's nice to see a more common enmey solidobjectivity on their night counterparts.

Personally, I like that there are both high elves and blood leves, i've awlays liekd diversification in wow, because it has far too often felt too superficial between the races and this gives it depth and realism, or more realism. it's nice to see sub-races that you can have different groups of race, with all unique agendas, some they work with thier playable counterparts, other parts they don't , ohters yet they are hostile, every case brings differnet things , it's own issues. i like that. I like that the tolkensesque elves are still around playing that classic human/elf friendship, human light elf ofc. I like that, i also liked that blood elves were differnt even though they're less extreme now than in TFT or early TBC story. Still i like they're different makes the high elves more interesting that they have "bad boy" other side.

and i liek that high elves and blood elves are different in their own unique way, like night elf and nightborne are in theirs, or darkspear nad raventusk, or Farraki trolls are. Whiles i don't expect the number of new elf groups to keep growing just for the sake, however when a good story presents it, it's the right choice. In our world, people and communities are different within the same city and group let alone you say an entire nation or race.

i iike that.

[Zulkhan]

Enough with these fucking elves and enough with the goddamn attempts to justify High Elves in the Alliance with shit like "LOL EREDAR IN THE HORDE" or "LOL NIGHTBORNE IN THE HORDE" or the best option "LOL ALTERAC HUMANS IN THE HORDE".

Why anyone on the Horde side should give two shits about Nightborne when there's Blood Elves already pretty much covering the same role (aka, uber magical elves)? Ah yes, because we need some mean to make High Elves "acceptable", since Night Elves for the Alliance is not enough; they need the crappy Blood Elf off-shot too, for tradition and shit.

Not only we have enough elves already but these two options (High Elf/Nightborne) bring nothing new or unique, with High Elves being the shittier option by a considerable margin. Nightborne are ok but most of what made them particularly cool kind of died with the Nightwell and now they're little more than pseudo-night elves with a blood elf-like thing for magic. And we have both of these incarnations already.

[Friendlyimmolation]

some would argue the blood elves should come over to the alliance, let their people be whole there instead and would write pages on it..

And would therefore be mocked hysterically for not understanding why the Blood elves joined, and continue to stay, on the Horde.

but the high elf/blood elf situation is it's own unique situation and story that finds a people divided against each other, in hostility. no such development exists between night elf and nightborne - they are dealing with a 10,000 year long reunion that saw some of the nightborne join the unspeakable enemy (Azshara/ WotA rehash anyone) but most of the city eventually rises up (after some encouragement masterminded by Thalyssra and Ly'leth) and fight thier people's ancient foe. Very different case.

You have the silver Covenant that hates silvermoon, we don't see that with any other High elf. And the silver covenant is a hysterically small force anyways. There is no reason for the Nightborne to favor the Night elves of the Alliance over the blood elves of the Horde.

The only reason we make an arguement of high elves on the alliance is because that's how it already is in the lore and they are obviously dear to a lot of players there. What should happen is the soruce of many a discussion. Should they go join their people on the horde? or stay firm in the alliance and expanded upon by making them playable, should they be retired/wiped out and blood elves only dominate the scene? Face it, they have a more conflict ridden story, which has it's own merits, and it's nice to see a more common enmey solidobjectivity on their night counterparts.

If by already in the lore, Do you mean the part where blizzard state "These guys are so close to being wiped out that they are a rare sight in Alliane lands, and lack leadership and a common goal?" Their conflict is weak because they are never a serious threat to the blood elves.

and i liek that high elves and blood elves are different in their own unique way, like night elf and nightborne are in theirs, or darkspear nad raventusk, or Farraki trolls are. Whiles i don't expect the number of new elf groups to keep growing just for the sake, however when a good story presents it, it's the right choice. In our world, people and communities are different within the same city and group let alone you say an entire nation or race.

i iike that.

Its like arguing that people are a different race or culture because they joined a street gang. the overwhelming majority of High elves would love to go back to Quel'thalas, as we saw in the Quel'dalar quest chain. The ones that aren't allowed in don't justify a playable race of their own, no more then a orc at the darkmoon faire says Orcs should be playable in the Alliance.

[Zulkhan]

There is no reason for the Nightborne to favor the Night elves of the Alliance over the blood elves of the Horde.

I mean, I rarely do my homework when it comes to elven lore but there's even anything Nightborne and current (key word) Night Elves have in common to begin with? Because the biggest similarity I saw is the skin color.

[bufferunderrun]

The Horde had less players than the Alliance. Even if it meant that they'd need to bring in a race into the Horde that consisted of Ronaldos and Messis in order to attract players, Blizzard would've come up with a plot and introduced them into the Horde. They pretty much outright had to make the blood elves a Horde race in order to have some balance. Most of these players have blood elf characters because of the elves themselves, rather than the Horde.

The high elves should've had the treatment pandaren had in MoP; the players should've been able to decide which faction their high elf will join, which would pretty much also determine wether they're a blood elf or not. Most people would still pick Alliance with their high elves though; not so much right now as they would have back in the day, but it would still be a great number of players.

or blizzard should do a proper work and make armor actually look good on other races, alliance races when it come to how armor look on them mostly outclass horde races beside few exception (belfs, tauren,orc,troll female model) the males on horde side are mostly broken orc,tauren,troll all dress like crap due to the hunched back and forsaken have the obnoxious bones sticking out design that made them good only with casters robes.
They had the chance to correct it with the new models but they stick to this crap and now i doubt they ever correct it.

[ravenmoon]

Enough with these fucking elves and enough with the goddamn attempts to justify High Elves in the Alliance with shit like "LOL EREDAR IN THE HORDE" or "LOL NIGHTBORNE IN THE HORDE" or the best option "LOL ALTERAC HUMANS IN THE HORDE".

Why anyone on the Horde side should give two shits about Nightborne when there's Blood Elves already pretty much covering the same role (aka, uber magical elves)? Ah yes, because we need some mean to make High Elves "acceptable", since Night Elves for the Alliance is not enough; they need the crappy Blood Elf off-shot too, for tradition and shit.

Not only we have enough elves already but these two options (High Elf/Nightborne) bring nothing new or unique, with High Elves being the shittier option by a considerable margin. Nightborne are ok but most of what made them particularly cool kind of died with the Nightwell and now they're little more than pseudo-night elves with a blood elf-like thing for magic. And we have both of these incarnations already.

why do you think people keep trying to come up with inventive ways of making high elves playable? I agree it's a bit of a farce and ultimately means nothing, because none of it would matter or be necessary if blizzard wanted it to happen, and if they didn't, it will never happen, no matter how many type of chopping and changing.

People create obstacles in their minds for why high elves aren't playable, then try to solve those imaginary problems. It's all guess work, blizzard didn't want to make high elves playable for a reason in 2006, but that's a long time ago. Things are a lot different now and that gives those who've always wanted them more and more hope. So they keep coming up. Everywhere.

You're right that the nightborne bring nothing new to the horde at all, and yo'ure right that it's a bit silly to think you can or need to make some imaginary exchange to get something, but - it's player psychology - there is a major tit for tat feeling that can arise in the community

[Rend Blackhand]

No more elves, thanks.

[Deleted]

Just no. Finaly accept that High elfs are so few to be playable race. Alliance has Night elfs. Horde has Blood elfs. End of story.

If you want to play Elf with light skin tone. just play blood elf.

there is around 25K high elfs in lore. its to low to be playable race

[ravenmoon]

And would therefore be mocked hysterically for not understanding why the Blood elves joined, and continue to stay, on the Horde.



You have the silver Covenant that hates silvermoon, we don't see that with any other High elf. And the silver covenant is a hysterically small force anyways. There is no reason for the Nightborne to favor the Night elves of the Alliance over the blood elves of the Horde.






If by already in the lore, Do you mean the part where blizzard state "These guys are so close to being wiped out that they are a rare sight in Alliane lands, and lack leadership and a common goal?" Their conflict is weak because they are never a serious threat to the blood elves.



Its like arguing that people are a different race or culture because they joined a street gang. the overwhelming majority of High elves would love to go back to Quel'thalas, as we saw in the Quel'dalar quest chain. The ones that aren't allowed in don't justify a playable race of their own, no more then a orc at the darkmoon faire says Orcs should be playable in the Alliance.

okay, everything but your last paragraph makes sense. I concede that, but it's all arbitrary you know. None of these reasons will matter or matter if blizz wants to do it, they'll just write a new set of rules.

no matter how likely i feel nightborne and night elves need to be on the same side, part of the same lore story of the night elf world etc, none of it matters if blizz wants to take that group to the horde or in a different direcition. ofc there is no reason they should, but if they wanted to, to make high elves playable or any other reason like bring highborne night elves horde side, they could.

I've always felt the night elf world even though the main section of the group joined the alliance has always had it's own world - that's been separate from the alliance/horde conflict. yes they've been a part of that, and it's come to their world, but it's always been a different kind of story ... all in their own bubble of the ancient world, with the night elf empire vestiges (highborne/nightborne, naga, satyr - druidsm, elune, the legion, the sundering, kalimdor and the broken isles) - and i've liked that as i prefer them to be their own faction.

They have never been seriously involved in the alliance/horde major affairs and goings on and usually just show up as token forces. There books, the legion expac, their zones are always their own conflict. Even the horde attack on their territories in cataclysm felt like it's own development of night elf v orc (even though we got the humans in a little part of stonetalon mountain - they were ofc completley absent from all the other zones, Feralas all the way up to hyjal. Human / orc interaction had it's own conflict in Barrens/DWM, it's lilke the last vestiges of distinctiveness that give some semblnce of the alliance neot being a nation and that actually different kingdoms/peoples are still involved. Fortunately the horde does have that split.. as you have the orc/tauren/troll world and then you have the forsaken/blood elf world which feel very different even though theyr'e on the same side.