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  1. #1
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    Night elves: qualities and flaws

    Due to another thread where everyone seemed to have a different opinion, I'd like to make a little exercise. I want you to think a bit and write 3 qualities and 3 flaws of the night elves as a race. It's perfect if you can back them up with some examples or say why you think so.

    Yes, I know every individual is different, but every race has different major qualities and flaws. For example, let's make this for real humans so you know how it works and I want you to do it for night elves:
    I, in my opinion, would say real life humans are curious(because we want to know how x and y works, why, when etc), they adapt easily to stuff(living in some harsh conditions, inventing new tehniques for survival) and they strive to become better (both in actions and in what they are as bodies, we try to improve our thinking and ourselves). Yet humans are greedy (they try to take resources from others, even by force and hoard them), they're self-centered (many humans think of themselves only) and they're easily corrupted by power (without mechanisms to stop it, in general those in power start beliveing they're better then the rest, this is an example on why communism failed so bad).

    This is my view of course, not every human has those qualities and flaws of course... and we're not discussing real life humans, we're discussing night elves, but gave humans as an example since I knew that if I would have started with my view many would have quoted me to point out where they disagree instead of saying their own.

    So go, 3 qualities and 3 flaws of night elves!

  2. #2
    Qualities
    1. They're purple, purple is a pretty cool color.
    2. Illidan Stormrage is one of these, he's a pretty cool guy.
    3. They (invented?) Druidism, which is pretty cool.

    Flaws
    1. They attracted the Burning Legion to Azeroth.
    2. They deny all logic pointing out that their deity is not what they think it is.
    3. They won't give us Ashenvale. I mean wtf come on.

    /unbiased hordie

  3. #3
    Scarab Lord Loaf Lord's Avatar
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    I don't think they invented druidism, they were just the first to be taught by Cenarius.

  4. #4
    Well, I'll play, but please bear in mind that this comes from a place of a non-lore expert, but one who has played WCIII and TFT, along with a NE main. This is, after 8 years of playing Warcraft, how I see them.

    Pros:
    Powerful, both physically and magically.
    Old, long-lived race with a wealth of knowledge.
    Fierce, especially in defense of their lands and their allies.


    Flaws:
    Arrogant. A common flaw with "old" races, they often underestimate or condescend "younger" races and shorter-lived beings.
    Cruel. The flip-side of the power and the fierceness, Night Elves can be very cold, calculated, and brutal.
    Inactive. Another common flaw of "old" or "long-lived" races, Night Elves don't seem to often place the same urgency on certain decisions or events. While they do clearly understand swiftness and urgency, they too often make the decision to "wait" when they should act.

  5. #5
    Pro: Stealthy forest combat
    Pro: Ties to many kinds of animals and ancients and such (Furbolgs)
    Pro: Proficiency in Three kinds of magic (Sisterhood of Elune, Druids, Highborne)

    Flaws: Rarely USE stealthy forest combat.
    Flaws: Can't survive WITHOUT the aid of gods and animals and such. (Which is why we brought back the gods in Hyjal... in the age of MORTALS)
    Flaws: Their druids are super neutral. Their Highborne are inexperienced compared to blood elves. And their worship of Elune is never played up as important.
    Twas brillig

  6. #6
    Merely a Setback Trassk's Avatar
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    Pros
    - They work with nature and all that fluff
    - They are capable of hiding well (apparently)
    - There female toon is kind of alright, one of the better female alliances

    Cons
    - They brought the legion to azeroth to begin with.
    - They have an overzealous attitude and sense of importance.
    - There male toons are frogs, hideous, not in the slightest majestic as we're told they are.
    - They have an act first think later attitude, such as with the orcs.

  7. #7
    Pros
    -They were a martial people with a close connection to nature, a pride based on years of honing skill and tactics and keeping a ready military of fearless and skilled fighters to defend home and family
    -They learned harsh lessons about apathy and trust in the past being blindsided by a beloved ruler and barely prepared to fight the most devastating malicious force in the universe. They built up a cautious and conservative society as a result, but one that thrived for thousands of years of relative peace.
    -They've never invaded any one since the war with the trolls, details upon which haven't been revealed. They are quick to defend their homes but have every right to. They will also defend the world without hesitation even if it means they won't survive to see the outcome.
    Cons
    -Their martial prowess does not exist any more. Night Elf women especially, are now portrayed as hapless fools who stupidly charge into harms way and die ingloriously, barely able to keep their homes defended without outside intervention.
    -No one gives a crap about their experiences in the story or outside of it as fans with a bird's eye view. Lore denigrates whatever wisdom they had to share over their thousand of year long lifespans. Their perspective in apparently incapable of being shown in a positive light on account of writers stuck with our own real world, short-lived, short-sighted mindset towards everything. As I see it, it's like having some barely literate high school drop out whom can barely do arithmetic arguing concepts in physics with Steven Hawking then being right, about everything, and Hawking just appears as a useless, old throw-away compared to the in-your-face thug despite his years of experience, knowledge of math and so on.
    -For all the sacrifices they've made, the average player erroneously and foolishly calls them the root of all bad and arrogant.

  8. #8
    Dreadlord Dragore's Avatar
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    Pros:
    1. Old race
    2. Nature based
    3. Fighters


    Cons:
    1. Idiotic leaders (referring to Tyrande/Malfurion and their racism towards Illidan)
    2. Nature Based
    3. Males are not graceful enough

  9. #9
    Deleted
    I feel some people understood wrong. I don't want qualities and flaws of their lore and how it was handled. I want qualities and flaws of the night elves themselves.

    I am asking because I feel that everyone has a different view of them.

    On one side, I hear people say they're arrogant, on the other they're knowlegeable and that's why they say things, On one hand people say they're wise, on another they're not. So I want to know what people belive. I'm trying to see if it's just me that belive the view over night elf changes so much over time that it became murky and it made us not even know what night elves are anymore because in one story/expansion they're X, in the next they're the opposite.
    Last edited by mmoc994dcc48c2; 2013-02-21 at 11:42 PM.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Arnorei View Post
    I feel some people understood wrong. I don't want qualities and flaws of their lore and how it was handled. I want qualities and flaws of the night elves themselves.

    I am asking because I feel that everyone has a different view of them.

    On one side, I hear people say they're arrogant, on the other they're knowlegeable and that's why they say things, On one hand people say they're wise, on another they're not.
    It's hard to stick it in one word, it's just not that easy; for pros and cons anyways. If there is one word to describe everything Night Elf, as it is now, its "Ridiculous".

  11. #11
    Banned Haven's Avatar
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    They could be a mighty nation, with their history and unique powers. However, they no longer have druids or Ancients on their side (because they are neutral), and they are shown as extremely incompetent. Only good for porn parodies :/

  12. #12
    Brewmaster Spichora's Avatar
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    Night elves are highly intelligent race (cuz they've learned a lot since they are ancient race), They seek to progress not materially but mentally - make their thinking and understanding of things wider/better! But it they lack skill to Stop when it is necessary - they r just curious like humans but not for material, for knowledge. (like examples of queen azshara and her descendants Naga and Highborne , Illidan.). Night elf is caring race - never lets his kind to be in desperation on in need ! Also they are quite merciful that is their quality i think. (they exiled Highborne after what they have done ! Didnt killed illidan or didnt chase Maiev after her treason). But they are withdrawn race doesnt really interfere with all that Global warr between ally and horde (if they not threaten ofc) they have their business to do, which makes them misunderstand-ed race often (if thats correct word).

  13. #13
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    Ingame, their tattoos are one of their biggest flaws, another flaw is the availability of mages in that race.

  14. #14
    The Lightbringer Zethras's Avatar
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    Cons - They're alliance.

    Pros - Their ears make excellent trophies.

    ;D
    Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.
    So I chose the path of the Ebon Blade, and not a day passes where i've regretted it.
    I am eternal, I am unyielding, I am UNDYING.
    I am Zethras, and my blood will be the end of you.

  15. #15
    Herald of the Titans Galbrei's Avatar
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    Qualities:
    They might have been trolls.
    They kinda look like trolls.
    They make trolls look better in comparison.

    Flaws:
    They are elves.
    They are not trolls.
    They are not dwarves either.

  16. #16
    Over 9000! Golden Yak's Avatar
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    If we're going by internal story stuff, I like to focus on their elements from WC3, which are much more interesting.

    Qualities
    They are an ancient race. They've been around longer than most civilizations in the game, and their knowledge and experience is vast. Sometimes they must feel like adults in a world of children. They know how best to maintain the world in peaceful equilibrium. They live in harmony with the natural world and protect it from dangerous exploitation. Their knowledge and power has always held the solution to any problems they've ever come across and carried the day in their favor.

    Flaws
    They're fixed in their ways. They're pretty far removed from the events of the world and what the other races are doing in it. Their (formerly)-immortal lifespans mean they don't change a lot. This lends them a strength, but they can also be inflexible. I wouldn't go so far as to call them stagnant, more like they've plateaued. Their accomplishments are amazing, but their best ones are behind them. They find it hard to innovate, since they haven't really needed to for 10,000 years.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daetur View Post
    Well, I'll play, but please bear in mind that this comes from a place of a non-lore expert, but one who has played WCIII and TFT, along with a NE main. This is, after 8 years of playing Warcraft, how I see them.
    Oh, it doesn't matter if you're a night elf lore expert or not, I wanted to know everyone's opinion on them.

  18. #18
    Pros:
    /bounce
    /dance
    Kitty cat mounts!

    Cons:
    Males
    Malfurion is a generic hippy
    Tyrande is arm decoration
    If you are particularly bold, you could use a Shiny Ditto. Do keep in mind though, this will infuriate your opponents due to Ditto's beauty. Please do not use Shiny Ditto. You have been warned.

  19. #19
    Brewmaster Spichora's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arnorei View Post
    Oh, it doesn't matter if you're a night elf lore expert or not, I wanted to know everyone's opinion on them.
    Best race in WoW for me ! As i said in previous comment :P

  20. #20
    Pros

    -Rich history
    -Strong connection to the deities
    -Responsible

    Cons

    - They have troubles to adapt
    - They no longer fight dirty
    - They have become to passive

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