Could this be THE way to carry the night elves forward?

[Mace]

I'm really not sure his desire for the kaldorei arcane empire to be a part of the night elves is any less valid than your desire for it not to be. The biggest difference between both of you is that the Kaldorei are big enough to have both elements, seeing they operate in segregated groups based on their disciplines - whereas with yours they only get to be one way which isn't that great and understandably boring.

When a race gets no development, know that blizzard has really abandoned them. Can you imagine blizz leaving the Orcs to just be warrior culture, or the blood elves to be only arcane or the dwarves only mining? It would be insatiably boring , or all there was to the forsaken was plagues. No thank you. And while the nightborne are only arcane, they are not a full culture, they are a subset of the kaldorei culture, as void elves are of the Thalassian culture, which has many veins.

Also you can distinguish a group in other ways than the type of magic. Most distinctions are political, ideological, moral. The beauty of wow is he said is that no major race has just one thing, night elves are supposed to have covered the entire world, they're not going to be one-trick ponies, it's unrealistic, they would be one of the most powerfully diverse groups. if THEY ARE TO BE BIG, THEY CAN'T JUST BE ONLY DRUIDISM AND NATURE TO THEM, IT SHOUDL BE A PART OF THEM IN EVERYTHIGN,A S THE ARCANE SHOUDL BE AND THE DIVINE.

That's right, the way I think they've done it is the most interesting way. @Plehnard The main difference between the night elven groups is the degree of integration of arcane and nature in their society, not that night elves are all nature and nightborne are the only arcane night elves...that's just boring andsilly. The main NIght elves have nature all throughout their society and the arcane as well, it's integera; especially with the highborne back , and remember arcane magic isteself was never absent amongst the main group ..just it's usage which the highborne groups and moonguard return to the night elves in full swing. IT's not that they use nature or the arcane, it's just the mindset that dominates the society. Night elves is about harmony and balance. Excellence (That's an elven thing) but the differences are not class based, they are ideological, pr philosophical or political, morality etc.

High Elves and night elves would not use arcane at all costs, there is a moral line based on nobility and morality.

The nightborne in contrast only have the arcane focus to their society, however it would be bad if this was to only be their thing, as night elves we would expect ELune and the priesthood to start playing a role again and it is possible for druidsm too also, afterall, it was arcane addiction that stifled druidsm by the time the sundering came around, and with night elves alreayd made the big breakthrough 10k years ago, it is likely nightborne at some point will come along - as it's still in them.

How much of an influence nature will play through their whole society is unknown, that the writers will determine, but they could easily be an arcane culture, but with some pockets that are nature orientated or others that are divine. Nightborne could simply be an example of arcane night elven society without the sick addictive imbalance that marred the last 11,000 years with nature magic and divine magic available in their society though they don't dominate. Similarly the night elves could be an intwined nature principaled arcane embracing and divine following society. AMongst the highborne group, arcane is the thing in their cities and towns and villages, amongst the druids, nature is their thing, the priests stick to their temples though they intermingle between both societies.. and they could have a capital, which could be Suramar where all the various groups [Wardens, Illidari, Mages, DRuids, PRiests and civilians] are all represented. A city is a city, it doesn't have to have tree homes for the people in it to love nature, nor does it have to have arcane fountains everywhere for you to know the people love the arcane.

[Friendlyimmolation]

I just hate how they portray humans as better than Night elves in this game.

[Powerogue]

So you're saying we need to take all these disparate groups of the race and unite them under one banner again?

[Beloren]

I just hate how they portray humans as better than Night elves in this game.

Not just night elves mate, they are better than blood elves...at magic.. like wtf? they seem to be just as strong as orcs, as magically gifted as elves, as powerful as Worgen, I mean..wtf? Next thing they'll be beating Goblins at engineering too.

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The main difference between the night elven groups is the degree of integration of arcane and nature in their society, not that night elves are all nature and nightborne are the only arcane night elves...that's just boring andsilly. The main NIght elves have nature all throughout their society and the arcane as well, it's integera; especially with the highborne back , and remember arcane magic isteself was never absent amongst the main group ..just it's usage.

IT's not that they use nature or the arcane, it's just the mindset that dominates the society. Night elves is about harmony and balance. Excellence (That's an elven thing) but the differences are not class based, they are ideological, pr philosophical or political, morality etc.

High Elves and night elves would not use arcane at all costs, there is a moral line based on nobility and morality.

Hmm, I never thought of that you know, that actually makes a lot of sense. It baffles me that they can do somethings so well and other things, you just wonder if they care enough to make every minute facet great.

[Dagoth Ur]

Agree on this one. Tyrande has degraded too much in character to be saved in a decent way. It would be the best to get her out of the main game and put Shandris in position.

It would be cool if they make Shandris what Tyrande was supposed to be before WoW got its hands on her.

I mean Night elves losing their ancestral home could potentially be a way of reverting them back to that Amazonian feel they had in War3. Experiencing huge tragedy worked with belves basically forcing them to reinvent their culture, it's just a question of whether Blizz is gonna do it.

But yeah, I don't see something like that happening as long as nelves are suffocated by Tyrande's and Malfurion's stupidity.

[Beloren]

It would be cool if they make Shandris what Tyrande was supposed to be before WoW got its hands on her.

I mean Night elves losing their ancestral home could potentially be a way of reverting them back to that Amazonian feel they had in War3. Experiencing huge tragedy worked for belves and forced them to reinvent their culture, it's just a question of whether Blizz is gonna do it.

But yeah, I don't see something like that happening as long as nelves are suffocated by Tyrande's and Malfurion's stupidity.

Am I the only one who thought that is exactly what 7.0/1 Thalyssra was? I even thought they could be sisters (Tyrande and Thalyssra) the way they've done that.

What if they turned out to be

[Dagoth Ur]

Am I the only one who thought that is exactly what 7.0/1 Thalyssra was? I even thought they could be sisters (Tyrande and Thalyssra) the way they've done that.

What if they turned out to be

I could see Shandris in something akin to Thalyssra's role in Suramar. You could have this huge epic arc how she pulled night elves together from the bottom after Teldrassil burned. Would be a nice way of foreshadowing her future role as leader someday.

But for something like that to happen, someone has to remind Blizzard that humans aren't the only race on the Alliance and what the meaning of the word alliance actually is.

[Arrashi]

I just hate how they portray humans as better than Night elves in this game.

To be fair, humans are better than night elves. Not like its huge accomplishment.

[Deleted]

To be fair, humans are better than night elves. Not like its huge accomplishment.

As long as night elves have such laughable leaders as Tyrande the idiot and Malfurion the neutral sleeper, nobodys gonna take them seriously.

Thats why they need Shandris and to return to their previous reputation of undisputed forest ambushers and fighters who even the orcs are afraid of when on their ground.

[Arrashi]

As long as night elves have such laughable leaders as Tyrande the idiot and Malfurion the neutral sleeper, nobodys gonna take them seriously.

Thats why they need Shandris and to return to their previous reputation of undisputed forest ambushers and fighters who even the orcs are afraid of when on their ground.

Yeah, shandris is such a deep and interesting character. Pity she wasn't a hero unit which made her apperance in W3, short and painful one.

But other than that she is really cool i give her 3/10 and seal of "Would get possesed by random banshee".

[Deleted]

Yeah, shandris is such a deep and interesting character. Pity she wasn't a hero unit which made her apperance in W3, short and painful one.

But other than that she is really cool i give her 3/10 and seal of "Would get possesed by random banshee".

To be honest, Shandris has next to no character development. You are right here.

But, is a blank slate a bad thing? Especially when considering how bad the character development has been for both Tyrande and Malfurion? At this stage they better kill them off, or at least Tyrande. That will give Malfurion some development at the very least.

[Techno-Druid]

To be honest, Shandris has next to no character development. You are right here.

But, is a blank slate a bad thing? Especially when considering how bad the character development has been for both Tyrande and Malfurion? At this stage they better kill them off, or at least Tyrande. That will give Malfurion some development at the very least.

I always thought that it was a shame that they never really delved into Tyrande and Shandris's mother/daughter relationship, other than to give plot development to the former.

I actually liked Anduin's development and how he grew to respect and look up to his father and how they ultimately did a lot to change one another's personalities. Baine and Cairne's relationship is another good example, you get the impression that they may have been father and son, but they were also best friends. Baine was Cairne's pride and joy and his father's death weighed and continues to influence much of his judgement.

You never get that with Tyrande and Shandris really bond or share a meaningful connection akin to Post-MoP Varian/Anduin or Baine and Cairne. Granted night elf culture is not a culture where public displays of affection are common, but I would like to see them bond a lot more anyway, hell throw Malfurion into it, I don't think Malfurion's ever even spoken to Shandris!

[bufferunderrun]

The issue is not the leader. Any replacement would have the same result as long as Blizz continues this method of writing of the Night Elves.
Tyrande has all the features Shandris has and even more. Shandris is really not that interesting. She has a bow and she leads, really nothing special. Tyrande on the other hand also is the priestess of moon and has a mysterious deity behind her. She has so much fascinating abilities like those we saw in end time and the ones she had in Novels like summoning an army of celestial beings to fight with her in Emerald Nightmare. She has a lot of potential to be a great character if Blizz really put time and effort to understand her.

the issue is exactly the leader, while in a normal book portraying different character is not a problem at all in the game where the big role is always the player npcs get represented by their leaders, if he/she is non existent automatically the race suffer.

The nelf suffer a weak leadership and supremacy of human in the alliance, while they have a more than good coverage in external media like book (if we count illidan book i think no other race/character has as many as nelfs) in game they are pushover.

Blizzard could fix it in a really easy way using malfurion instead they focus again on humans with anduin and that damn mutt greymane, i would set on the first but honestly bfa trailer is the second one were basically alliance side only human are present.

[Deleted]

The issue is not the leader. Any replacement would have the same result as long as Blizz continues this method of writing of the Night Elves.
Tyrande has all the features Shandris has and even more. Shandris is really not that interesting. She has a bow and she leads, really nothing special. Tyrande on the other hand also is the priestess of moon and has a mysterious deity behind her. She has so much fascinating abilities like those we saw in end time and the ones she had in Novels like summoning an army of celestial beings to fight with her in Emerald Nightmare. She has a lot of potential to be a great character if Blizz really put time and effort to understand her.

I am fine with a girl with a bow that leads.

I dont want mysterious dieties, druidic powers, voids, powers of undeath or the holy frigging light or, or anything really. I want a girl with a bow that leads the night elves in a proper way. Not a stupid menstrual priestess that when she speaks, I want to tear her throat out and can occasionally do magic and stuff.

Sarufang is a guy with an axe that leads. Look how well it turned out for him, he is now racial leader of the Orcs.

[Arrashi]

I always thought that it was a shame that they never really delved into Tyrande and Shandris's mother/daughter relationship, other than to give plot development to the former.

They would make a great comedic duo. A normal daughter and autistic mother. Can you imagine situation where tyrande is arguing with road sign yelling "Only the goddess can order me around" and shandris is like "Mom lets just go you are making a scene !".

[Segus1992]

The best way for night elves to carry forward is losing 95% of their population in flames. That will surely give them unique feel and nice motivation.

Also, i love idea that horde players are "invested" into night elf story. Its cute in delusional way.

Is this some stupid faction pride or something? I thought that disappeared with people who were 12 years old when playing Vanilla.

[Arrashi]

Is this some stupid faction pride or something? I thought that disappeared with people who were 12 years old when playing Vanilla.

No its wanting to have focus on something horde-related for once. You know, cow people, little green dudes or something.

[Segus1992]

No its wanting to have focus on something horde-related for once. You know, cow people, little green dudes or something.

Ah, I see. So it's the standard "I'm not getting enough"-whine.

[Arrashi]

Ah, I see. So it's the standard "I'm not getting enough"-whine.

No its standard "can we have 5 minutes without elves".

[Deleted]

No its wanting to have focus on something horde-related for once. You know, cow people, little green dudes or something.

Like all those Orc expansios we had?