Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[protip]

The concept art in the OP shows the WCII designs as well as the WCIII design that matches the old look. Importantly, the visual shift comes specifically with blood elves.

From that point on blood elves and high elves are distinctly different things from a game perspective. Never again do blood elves have a high elf design. It makes no sense to give that to blood elves when it's one of the things that makes high elves distinct.

If by different you mean that they're wearing red and have green eyes, sure that's useful in a strategy game context, but as has been discussed at length, eye color does not change their nature, nor is it definitive of blood elves as a group.

[Katchii]

Next High-Void Elf Demon Hunters? ^^ yes please

Currently, the playable Demon Hunters in game are all Illidari, which were created and trained by Illidan in the Black Temple around the time of the Burning Crusade expansion.

Void Elves didn't exist back then so Void Elf Demon Hunters can't exist, if they're going to stick to that lore

That said, I don't really have any issues with NEW demon hunters being created and trained by the current Illidari characters. But if they did that, more than just Void Elves should be allowed to become Demon Hunters. The same way the new Allied Race Death Knights are being created.

[Rhlor]

Covering void/high elves in blue/violet/whatever painting while blood elves have gold and silver jewelry is also a nice way to further differentiate them (as we have been saying for 15 years).

blood elves have Farstriders! void elves are originally a mage sect. give those who have the complete and traditional organization the typical tattoos of their organization and the void elves some void tattoos

[Edward Wu]

Jesus, they finally make high elves happen and y'all complaining like a bunch of babies still. Be happy with what you got, also for those idiots that ask for void elf paladin as well, sit the fuck down, you have blood elves.

Translation: I'm angry that you got anything at all, and I can't take any more losses like this. Stop!

[Varodoc]

Well the literal translation of Ren'dorei is "Children of the Void". I would say that a High Elf who studies and learns to use the void as Alleria has is as much a "Child of the Void" as a member of Umbric's original squad who were transformed by Durzaan's interrupted ritual. I mean, Alleria considers herself Ren'dorei and she wasn't transformed by that ritual, so I see no reason why new High Elves learning from Alleria and Locus Walker can't be Ren'dorei as well.

My question is: Would a normal elf who shows an interest in the Void be considered a "Ren'dorei"? Or does this term refer exclusively to elves who were morphed biologically by the void?

blood elves have Farstriders! void elves are originally a mage sect. give those who have the complete and traditional organization the typical tattoos of their organization and the void elves some void tattoos

Wrong. Ren'dorei are not just a mage sect. They also employ several rangers and warriors in battle or for guard duties.

[Ardenaso]

If asking to look like my faction leaders Alleria and Vereesa is wrong...

isn't Vereesa an anomaly though? Her hair is like Dath'remar's which is extremely unique

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My question is: Would a normal elf who shows an interest in the Void be considered a "Ren'dorei"? Or does this term refer exclusively to elves who were morphed biologically by the void?

I'm thinking the wayfarers would be children enough to have their void forms but not children enough to be permanently affected by it like the curse of Durzaan

[Kyriani]

Currently, the playable Demon Hunters in game are all Illidari, which were created and trained by Illidan in the Black Temple around the time of the Burning Crusade expansion.

Void Elves didn't exist back then so Void Elf Demon Hunters can't exist, if they're going to stick to that lore

That said, I don't really have any issues with NEW demon hunters being created and trained by the current Illidari characters. But if they did that, more than just Void Elves should be allowed to become Demon Hunters. The same way the new Allied Race Death Knights are being created.

Agreed. If Void Elf Demon Hunters (or really any race that falls outside the standard Illidari) were to become a thing, it would require a new (and likely very abridged) intro much like the allied race Death Knights get. It would also require some in-game lore/event to explain it. Shadowlands pre-orders allow us to see that kind of explanation for the new allied race Death Knights. It's as simple as telling us Bolvar raised casualties from the fourth war. New race demon hunters would require something like that to make sense, though I would welcome such just because it would be nice to have more race options for Demon Hunters as a whole.

[Rhlor]

Not really, friendly etherals didn't use void until we met the evil ethereals that used void.



The question is not whether how much would take, just if it's possible. It is.




Again, Forsaken and San'layn are literally just two different types of undead. To say that one can be playable and the other not because "it's evil" it's not consistent. When even playable forsaken have been doing pretty evil stuff since their introduction. But they are not wholly evil, just as San'layn could be.

It's just silly to say "no, THIS type of undead can't have any moral nuance" when you have other types of undead that do.

And the point is that San'layn could easily be done as a customization option for BE, unlike Venthyr that would have to be an AR. It literally doesn't add more elven races.

I hate the idea of undead using blood elves, if you want to play as an undead elf play a DK or a forsaken that's the undead fantasy!

if you want to give elf ears to the forsaken model I agree

like this

[Ardenaso]

Currently, the playable Demon Hunters in game are all Illidari, which were created and trained by Illidan in the Black Temple around the time of the Burning Crusade expansion.

Void Elves didn't exist back then so Void Elf Demon Hunters can't exist, if they're going to stick to that lore

That said, I don't really have any issues with NEW demon hunters being created and trained by the current Illidari characters. But if they did that, more than just Void Elves should be allowed to become Demon Hunters. The same way the new Allied Race Death Knights are being created.

perhaps a former Man'ari seeking redemption can count as a "Draenei" demon hunter?

[DeicideUH]

blood elves have Farstriders! void elves are originally a mage sect. give those who have the complete and traditional organization the typical tattoos of their organization and the void elves some void tattoos

There's nowhere in lore saying that what we call "Farstrider tattoos" are indeed a common thing in the Farstriders. The "typical tattoos" were never portrayed in canon lore or art since Warcraft 3 at least, they are mostly a high elf fan request based on old units from Warcraft 2, of which only Alleria, leader of the void elves, have been canonically portrayed as using. Those old units, BTW, were canonically rewritten as Alleria's squad that went to help the Alliance when Silvermoon refused to send its army. Which is why I think they fit the void elf customization more, while blood elves could have runes of another style and colors.

[Ardenaso]

I hate the idea of undead using blood elves, if you want to play as an undead elf play a DK or a forsaken that's the undead fantasy!

now let's let them equip some bows while we're at it

[FlubberPuddy]

Currently, the playable Demon Hunters in game are all Illidari, which were created and trained by Illidan in the Black Temple around the time of the Burning Crusade expansion.

Void Elves didn't exist back then so Void Elf Demon Hunters can't exist, if they're going to stick to that lore

That said, I don't really have any issues with NEW demon hunters being created and trained by the current Illidari characters. But if they did that, more than just Void Elves should be allowed to become Demon Hunters. The same way the new Allied Race Death Knights are being created.

If extra DH races happened I would do

Alliance:
- Humans
- Draenei
- Void Elves

Horde:
- Orcs
- Trolls (only one, maybe ZD as they're more popular)
- Nightborne

[Kyriani]

My question is: Would a normal elf who shows an interest in the Void be considered a "Ren'dorei"? Or does this term refer exclusively to elves who were morphed biologically by the void?

Well Alleria is a "normal elf" and is considered Ren'dorei. I would imagine it would take more than just "showing interest" but rather "active study". I can't speak for the devs of course, but I would say its not unreasonable to assume that anyone willing to study the void would be welcome as members of the Ren'dorei, though you might not be considered a "graduate" from "void school" until you can take on your void form.

[Rhlor]

My question is: Would a normal elf who shows an interest in the Void be considered a "Ren'dorei"? Or does this term refer exclusively to elves who were morphed biologically by the void?



Wrong. Ren'dorei are not just a mage sect. They also employ several rangers and warriors in battle or for guard duties.

what did I say??? They are originally a mage sect! Umbric and his followers were magicians who study the void!
the aesthetics of the race is about void! Give them void related tattoos in a void style would be nice.

the blood elves have the farstriders as a complete organization and maintain the traditions of the organization, they are not a new organization that uses void powers.

[Varodoc]

Well Alleria is a "normal elf" and is considered Ren'dorei. I would imagine it would take more than just "showing interest" but rather "active study". I can't speak for the devs of course, but I would imagine that anyone willing to study the void would be welcome as members of the Ren'dorei, though you might not be considered a "graduate" from "void school" until you can take on your void form.

She's not a normal elf, she's described as an actual void elf in Shadows Rising. I guess at this point this is the same distinction as High Elf (biological) =/= High Elf (faction affiliation).

what did I say??? They are originally a mage sect! Umbric and his followers were magicians who study the void!
the aesthetics of the race is about void! Give them void related tattoos in a void style would be nice.

the blood elves have the farstriders as a complete organization and maintain the traditions of the organization, they are not a new organization that uses void powers.

You can write 3 question marks, it doesn't change the fact you said something wrong. Warriors and rangers had a large presence in Umbric's original forces.

[baskev]

literally in the first page says that all things high elf should be posted here

Do you even read post. I am not saying closing the thread. I am saying closing the discussion by making them a real thing. The fact i mention blizzard and making a bigger mess should be very clear.

people want this thread to be closed and at the same time report my posts for being outside this thread ano ba

Do i report you...nope. So what other people do, has nothing to do with me. And again....if you read my post i said blizzard...not this side, this thread etc etc.

So to be clear. I do not think this thread should be closed. I am saying they could have stopped the general discussion about high elves by giving high elves to start with. And the discussion is still not over...tallesin said: void elves are blood or high elves is false.
Void elves are void elves.
We do not just want the looks, we want the history/lore. We went cool heritage armor not a shiny bikini. We want racials and real faction leader. We want a race and not a semi class ( void elves are a class....naruu, critters etc all have been void touched) so its not a species...but a affliction...a class. Like DK's.

[FlubberPuddy]

isn't Vereesa an anomaly though? Her hair is like Dath'remar's which is extremely unique

Her hair isn't an anomaly, she was just made fun of for not having blonde/golden locks like her siblings in a family where everyone did have those colors.

Unless...

[Kyriani]

She's not a normal elf, she's described as an actual void elf in Shadows Rising. I guess at this point this is the same distinction as High Elf (biological) =/= High Elf (faction affiliation).

But she IS a normal elf.

Yes the book refers to her as a Void Elf but she was never transformed like Umbric and his squad. She studied under Locus Walker and went through various trials to attain her powers and that's what makes her a Void Elf, but she is most certainly not a Void Elf in the same way Umbric and his squad are.

New members of the Ren'dorei will likely go through similar training and trials as Alleria which would explain why they can retain their usual appearance.

[Rhlor]

Congratulations to High-elf fans, we finally got them in a somewhat compromised option. Interesting how Blizzard caved and basically gave High-elfs to both factions and called it a day. I think it is safe to say that high-elfs won't ever happen as a standalone race any more. I am happy with this. I would just like to have some blonde haircolors for Velfs as well, so I can really go with my Helf fantasy on Alliance.

Different hair color is what keeps the deference between the factions, the blonde elves in the horde and the void colored elves in the alliance. In the same way that blood elves who worship light and have sunwell can be paladins and void elves who use void cannot be.

[Rathwell]

But she IS a normal elf.

Yes the book refers to her as a Void Elf but she was never transformed like Umbric and his squad. She studied under Locus Walker and went through various trials to attain her powers and that's what makes her a Void Elf, but she is most certainly not a Void Elf in the same way Umbric and his squad are.

New members of the Ren'dorei will likely go through similar training and trials as Alleria which would explain why they can retain their usual appearance.

I believe this was always the case, no? I don't recall the Void Elf intro narration, but the actual starting zone shows new elves show up every now and then, both regular high elves and blood elves, who come to become Void Elves. I believe only Umbric's original posse are the mutant sort, practically everyone else are just students of the Void. That's at least the impression the starting zone gives of