Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Kyriani]

perhaps make the face would be smoother and a bit curvier to match the Thalassian look but not close to Blood Elves for distinction

The biggest issue I have with the Human model is the fact that males are far too bulky. They look like wrestlers with aged and blocky faces. Slapping glowy blue eyes and pointy ears on them won't make them less unappealing. I would much rather Half-Elves get a new model that combines elements of both Humans and Thalassians. The whole point of a Half-Elf is to have some similarity to both parent races. That means there has to be some resemblance to Thalassian Elves as well as Humans.

Basically, I find Human males aesthetically unappealing but I find Thalassian elf males aesthetically appealing. If only one race is to be used as a base to make Half-Elves I'd prefer it be the Thalassian model. But since we already have two variants in the playable Blood Elves and Void Elves, I feel that a new Half-Elf model that doesn't use either the Human or Thalassian model as a base, but rather is a unique amalgamation of both, would result in a far more aesthetically appealing model.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I agree with this. I tend to advocate for human hairstyles being shared with Void Elves because it both "makes sense" due to the fraternization between High Elves and Humans but also preserves some differentiation between Void Elves and Blood Elves.

And indeed, I personally really like the idea of having culture (both divergent by itself and influenced by others) separating Horde and Alliance Thalassians. Both VE and HE seems to overall mingle more with humans so it would make sense for that cultural exchange as it would be between NB and BE

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I've been thinking, since they want High Elf Paladins so much then don't you think it would have been better if Alliance High Elves were Stormwindian customization option instead of Void Elf option? I mean Alliance High Elves are "practically humans" at this point

Maybe at one point before AR it could have been an option? But since AR being implemented and then VE specifically -and now HE options being added- seems highly unlikely to ever be the case*

Regardless, it's kinda moot since while HE paladins would be cool, Alliance High Elves have never been defined by their ability to be Paladins (either traditionally or relevance-wise), so even on best case scenario for their implementation (such as an AR of their own) it has never been a given.

*Nonetheless, we might get Half Elves some day, and they could be basically the human model, but altered, and thus having characters like Arator.

[Ardenaso]

Regardless, it's kinda moot since while HE paladins would be cool, Alliance High Elves have never been defined by their ability to be Paladins (either traditionally or relevance-wise), so even on best case scenario for their implementation (such as an AR of their own) it has never been a given.

*Nonetheless, we might get Half Elves some day, and they could be basically the human model, but altered, and thus having characters like Arator.

well yeah, I only spoke in behalf of those hefa extremists who wants Paladins

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

well yeah, I only spoke in behalf of those hefa extremists who wants Paladins

Let's be real, Helf Paladin extremists will only be happy with high elf paladins, nothing else lol

[JohnnyRockets]

welcome, it's actually nice

M-M-MUH CULTURAL APPROPRIATION! HOW DARE YOU!

[shoc]

If I had a time machine and keys to the WoW lore:

Starting from TBC, Blood Elves should never have gotten over their Fel Addiction, they would be so much cooler if they stayed dangerously addicted to the green crack instead of getting mass-redeemed for no reason. Sunwell should have stayed corrupted, and Blood Elf Paladins should have stayed reliant on eating Naaru. Blood Elves actually get worse over time, developing Fel Elf features, and just being nasty motherfuckers in general. Like the Forsaken this iteration of the Blood Elves comes into conflict with the honorable Horde, but the Orcs are forever optimistic that the Blood Elves can turn it around... someday.. just as they did. So it slides.

Then, when Legion rolled around and Alleria returned, she should have been Lightforged alongside Turalyon, and added Yellow/Blue eyed High Elves to the Alliance. Alleria and Turalyon are an unabashed lightfueled powercouple. Lightforged Draenei shouldn't be chill about Void Elves hanging around them in the first place, it's better if we relegated Void Elves to the bad ideas pile and left it there. This implementation of High Elves would be able to be Paladins, without eating Naaru.

[Strippling]

Alliance High Elves have never been defined by their ability to be Paladins (either traditionally or relevance-wise), so even on best case scenario for their implementation (such as an AR of their own) it has never been a given.

Agreed
/10 char

[Varodoc]

"LF draenei shouldn't be chill with void elves being around them..."

I don't understand why people even use this argument. The LF draenei had no problem working alongside demon hunters, death knights, and warlocks, as well as taking orders from Illidan after he destroyed their goddess.

People just need to realize that the LF draenei are not the Lightbound. They have no problem with setting aside their differences for the greater good.

[Strippling]

Strippling was wrong, those gatekeeping the High elves were wrong, end of story.

Care to elaborate? I'm curious as to why you mentioned me in response to a post that had nothing to do with me..?

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If I had a time machine and keys to the WoW lore:

Starting from TBC, Blood Elves should never have gotten over their Fel Addiction, they would be so much cooler if they stayed dangerously addicted to the green crack instead of getting mass-redeemed for no reason. Sunwell should have stayed corrupted, and Blood Elf Paladins should have stayed reliant on eating Naaru. Blood Elves actually get worse over time, developing Fel Elf features, and just being nasty motherfuckers in general. Like the Forsaken this iteration of the Blood Elves comes into conflict with the honorable Horde, but the Orcs are forever optimistic that the Blood Elves can turn it around... someday.. just as they did. So it slides.

Then, when Legion rolled around and Alleria returned, she should have been Lightforged alongside Turalyon, and added Yellow/Blue eyed High Elves to the Alliance. Alleria and Turalyon are an unabashed lightfueled powercouple. Lightforged Draenei shouldn't be chill about Void Elves hanging around them in the first place, it's better if we relegated Void Elves to the bad ideas pile and left it there. This implementation of High Elves would be able to be Paladins, without eating Naaru.

I'm glad you don't have keys to WoW lore. No offense.

[Vaedan]

Maybe, but whenever the AR get expanded customization; very likely not before.

It might even mean a revamping of the AR system where some of them are moved to customization options -specially if there's a racials revamping as well-

Like IMO a more refined system would see most AR be merged back to core races, with certain options being grouped/limited by origin (Bronzebeard, Dark Iron, Wildhammer let's say) and rewards like the heritage armor being linked to their former unlock quest-line, which would also allow for more questlines with heritage armor reward for the new subgroups added through customization -which is something the devs have already touched upon, or so I have heard- at least in terms of adding content related to the new customizations-

Several people have brought up the idea of a sort of "origin" system for sub-races, and TBH I agree it would be the best idea to merge AR and customization into a far stronger system

-and TBH, if the system accounts for further difference, such as different models, even Kul Tirans and Zandalari could be merged into their core races, leaving only Vulpera as a true AR, and allowing options like Forest Trolls to be added as customization.

I like that idea. They can as well let us customize our racials in the process too. Example:

You start as draenei, with regular draenei customizations and racials. Once you later unlock lightforged draenei race, you can
- use lightforged customizations in addition to those you have
- use lightforged name tab on your characters
- switch your racials - I can see racials being branded and you could swap racials of the same type: active racial for active (e.g. swapping your heal with nuke), switching bonus to jewelcrafing for that on blacksmithing, etc.
- you could transmog lightforged heritage armor

This approach could get us actually quite a lot options for some races. We could have several types of dwarves, we can have heritages for each human kingdom or orcish/troll clan, etc. Quite a lot work for Blizz though.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I like that idea. They can as well let us customize our racials in the process too. Example:

You start as draenei, with regular draenei customizations and racials. Once you later unlock lightforged draenei race, you can
- use lightforged customizations in addition to those you have
- use lightforged name tab on your characters
- switch your racials - I can see racials being branded and you could swap racials of the same type: active racial for active (e.g. swapping your heal with nuke), switching bonus to jewelcrafing for that on blacksmithing, etc.
- you could transmog lightforged heritage armor

This approach could get us actually quite a lot options for some races. We could have several types of dwarves, we can have heritages for each human kingdom or orcish/troll clan, etc. Quite a lot work for Blizz though.

Indeed; there are so many options of how racials could be revamped were AR merged into customization.

Another, less malleable one, would be if racials became part of the loadout of certain characteristic subsets -for example, Lightforged- Each "subgroup" would restrict certain options -classes, appearance customization, heritage sets- and if we were to see racials as part of that customization them as well.

So that's the thing; with such a revamp the process of adding more flavor to the races becomes much more streamlined, and again, racials can be kept as they are for AR -but I do think the racial system itself needs a revamp-

[FlubberPuddy]

So that's the thing; with such a revamp the process of adding more flavor to the races becomes much more streamlined, and again, racials can be kept as they are for AR -but I do think the racial system itself needs a revamp-

It's probably what they're working towards in the very long term, we'll have to wait another decade to see :^)

But I do love the fact that I'm now seeing far more people discussing what options can become available for Alliance High Elves. They've been legitimized finally, and that feels awesome.

I am still very much looking forward to all the Alliance High Elf fanart that will come about once Shadowlands is released proper with the new customization options.

Just like we didn't see any Void Elf fanart proper (not even at their unveiling at Blizzcon) until they came into the Live release version of the game.

[Vaedan]

It's probably what they're working towards in the very long term, we'll have to wait another decade to see :^)

But I do love the fact that I'm now seeing far more people discussing what options can become available for Alliance High Elves. They've been legitimized finally, and that feels awesome.

I am still very much looking forward to all the Alliance High Elf fanart that will come about once Shadowlands is released proper with the new customization options.

Just like we didn't see any Void Elf fanart proper (not even at their unveiling at Blizzcon) until they came into the Live release version of the game.

I'm curious if we will get the chance to customize our racials visually as well in the end. There are few racials that could use that:

Void Elves
- Entropic Embrace: there are several ideas that could work.
1) blueberry blue void empowerment we have now
2) Dark black empowerment similar to Alleria's void form
3) Tentacle spawning void form
4) hidden invisible visual
5) arcane empowerment

I can also imagine blue skin options with frozen hair/beard customizations for Dark Iron Dwarves giving us chance to play as Frostborn of Stormpeaks, which would require visual alteration of their Fireblood racial as well. Draenei could change appearance of their Gift of Naaru racial, perhaps giving us option to have Naaru-like wings or something similar. Basicly, once you open this pandora box, anything can happen.

It would be actually pretty cool solution of the subrace system which is in discussion for years now and while allied races gave us some of the popular requests, it failed to adress many other requests that still stands. Not to mention that allied races proved to be inconsistent in their implementation. First of allied races are only retextured core races with different customizations, while the latter races are way more unique and feels like there was more effort put into them. In the light of new customization options we are given in Shadowlands, I don't really understand why races like Highmountain, Lightforged, Mag'har or Dark Iron are even its own allied races, while those races could easily function as character customization, given that everything that sets those races apart from their parent races are either tattoos, skin colors or different horn shapes. Same could be said about Void elves or Nightborne, but they are on the opposite faction to their parent race, so at least that makes the reason for them to not be mere customizations.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I'm curious if we will get the chance to customize our racials visually as well in the end. There are few racials that could use that:

Void Elves
- Entropic Embrace: there are several ideas that could work.
1) blueberry blue void empowerment we have now
2) Dark black empowerment similar to Alleria's void form
3) Tentacle spawning void form
4) hidden invisible visual
5) arcane empowerment

I can also imagine blue skin options with frozen hair/beard customizations for Dark Iron Dwarves giving us chance to play as Frostborn of Stormpeaks, which would require visual alteration of their Fireblood racial as well. Draenei could change appearance of their Gift of Naaru racial, perhaps giving us option to have Naaru-like wings or something similar. Basicly, once you open this pandora box, anything can happen.

It would be actually pretty cool solution of the subrace system which is in discussion for years now and while allied races gave us some of the popular requests, it failed to adress many other requests that still stands. Not to mention that allied races proved to be inconsistent in their implementation. First of allied races are only retextured core races with different customizations, while the latter races are way more unique and feels like there was more effort put into them. In the light of new customization options we are given in Shadowlands, I don't really understand why races like Highmountain, Lightforged, Mag'har or Dark Iron are even its own allied races, while those races could easily function as character customization, given that everything that sets those races apart from their parent races are either tattoos, skin colors or different horn shapes. Same could be said about Void elves or Nightborne, but they are on the opposite faction to their parent race, so at least that makes the reason for them to not be mere customizations.

Honestly Yeah! Like, AR expanded customization exist like 2 different systems that could be streamlined into one and I really get crazy thinking about all the possibilities! Like I think only races with a different enough model would remain AR (Kul'Tiran, Zandalari, NB, VE and Vulpera) but the rest just merged with their core races, and then just limiting class/customization by grouping, or "subrace", much like it currently works in LOTRO.

The possibilities! And then we could get things such as Taunka and Amani Troll as actual AR -models that differ a bit more than just skin colors and hairstyles-

[Amaterasu65]

"LF draenei shouldn't be chill with void elves being around them..."

I don't understand why people even use this argument. The LF draenei had no problem working alongside demon hunters, death knights, and warlocks, as well as taking orders from Illidan after he destroyed their goddess.

People just need to realize that the LF draenei are not the Lightbound. They have no problem with setting aside their differences for the greater good.

One could even say Velen appreciated the more direct approach Illidan suggested regarding the Legion. To not hesitate and have faith in your own abilities and not just your faith of a higher entity.

[Varodoc]

One could even say Velen appreciated the more direct approach Illidan suggested regarding the Legion. To not hesitate and have faith in your own abilities and not just your faith of a higher entity.

That he did. That's why he was sad that Illidan remained behind the serve as Sargeras' jailer, and hoped the Light would be with Illidan.

[FlubberPuddy]

Honestly Yeah! Like, AR expanded customization exist like 2 different systems that could be streamlined into one and I really get crazy thinking about all the possibilities! Like I think only races with a different enough model would remain AR (Kul'Tiran, Zandalari, NB, VE and Vulpera) but the rest just merged with their core races, and then just limiting class/customization by grouping, or "subrace", much like it currently works in LOTRO.

The possibilities! And then we could get things such as Taunka and Amani Troll as actual AR -models that differ a bit more than just skin colors and hairstyles-

Agree both here and with @Vaedan.

By consolidating races and allowing a choosing not only of aesthetics but racials and the aesthetics of those racials too, we really could get back to a point where a 'new race' added is with meaningful distinction such as the proposed Taunka/Amani Trolls with their different models.

It's really interesting to see where they go, especially since we know that character customization is essentially never-ending, with further overhauls to the system as needed in the future!

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

No new customization at all this Build!

I do think in terms of VE customization what we have so far is pretty much what we are going to get for now, with more coming when AR get a legitimate customization revamp -which I do hope it merges some of them back with their core races!- most likely next expansion than anywhere on the 9.x cycle.

So hopefully we have one expansion of bad hair choices before a more accurate HE fantasy next expansion. Season of hats, helms and cowls it is lol!

I do hope we get black and white hair in SL thooo. As much as I love what VE have gotten in terms of HE fantasy, it has all been reused assets, and I'd really love a white hair that's just VE. Like this.

[Lahis]

There's always the possibility that Blizzard simply shares things like hair or jewelry between the races like they did several years ago. That alone would add more options to everyone, including allied races. It's also relatively easy and quick to do. I wouldn't expect Blizzard to make us wait years for allied race options, though I would imagine that they might be a trickle with each .5 patch since it's something they can promote to pad the significance of a .5 patch.

It took them 10 years to update the character models in the first place and then 6 additional years to receive this customization update.

So ARs might get updates in 9.3.5 or in 2030.

[Kyriani]

It took them 10 years to update the character models in the first place and then 6 additional years to receive this customization update.

So ARs might get updates in 9.3.5 or in 2030.

If Shadowlands wasn't so focused on giving us customization options I might agree with you. But since we're getting quite a bit of new options with Shadowlands launch, and the devs have indicated that even more will come throughout the expansion, I'm willing to be optimistic on this.