Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[delus]

I guess it depends on how you view things. If you see void elves as high elves that learned use the void then it does fulfill the high elf fantasy.

[Strippling]

The funny thing is that what do you really consider HOLY, then?

Sorry for the late reply, been away for work.

I consider HOLY in the WoW universe to be directly associated with the LIGHT. It'd kinda be weird to associate HOLY with something such as the VOID. To my knowledge, any spells in WoW that have the word "holy" in them are light based spells. Haven't heard or seen a void/shadow spells with the term "holy" in them.

Stormwind church of Light considers themself holy. Draenei vindicator and anchorites consider themself holy. Scarlet crusade tortured innocent victims and they considered themselves holy and were able to channel light just fine. Priestesses of the moon consider their faith pure and their rites sacred. Scourge also had pretty deep devotion to their cause and considered Icecrown holy. Legion also considered inner sanctum of Antorus to be holy for them. Zandalari are also holy warriors, yet until very recently, they were acting as our enemies. What faith do Forsaken have? Forgotten shadow...

In RL society the word holy could technically be used to define something "holy" or sacred to someone, but in WoW the word holy almost always is directly associated with the light. So, a holy warrior (or in other words a Paladin) is specifically a warrior of the light... hence, a warrior of the void would and should be something different altogether. Again, like I said above, find me a spell with the term "holy" that isn't a light based spell.

What is crucial for paladins in my view is their faith. They need to follow some code which they find sacred, or as you say, holy. Following those principles give paladins their strenght and conviction. What it makes even easier for Void Knights is that Light and Void are connected to each other and we've seen a Light beigns turning into Void.

What is crucial for paladins is that they use HOLY powers in combat, or in other words, they use the light in combat. They do not use the void, which is antithetical to what they actually use (the light). Void knights are as different to paladins as death knights are to them.

Again, I have no issue with the concept of void knights, but if anyone thinks it'd be fitting for them to be a "paladin skin" then they're either marred by a personal bias or they don't understand what a paladin actually is.

This is from a Forbes interview with Ion Hazzikostas and Alex Afrasiabi regarding allied races and playable classes:


Newman (interviewer): If I’m a druid, which doesn’t often get new races, is there going to be a playable allied race for me to choose on both factions?

Alex Afrasiabi: Yeah. We’ve seen Highmountain Tauren of course.

Hazzikostas: Not currently on the Alliance, no. Because for Void Elves, Lightforged Draenei, and Dark Iron Dwarves, none of those, again—asking the question, does it make sense for any of them? Are they in touch with those primal forces and restoration and shapeshifting? The answer’s no.

Newman: Shadow bear!

Afrasiabi: Void bear?

Hazzikostas: Not quite buying it. I don’t think they’d be too welcome in the Moonglade.

Newman: Are there other examples like that, where there are classes that just don’t make any sense at all with the selections available at launch?

Afrasiabi: Paladin for Void Elves, because that’s weird.

Hazzikostas: Exactly. But on the Alliance side, Dark Iron Dwarves can be paladins when those come around. We’re not approaching it from a perspective of, every box needs to be ticked and we’ll shoehorn something in if it doesn’t feel like a natural fit. But of course, in the future, this is a system that opens the door for more expansion and the addition of new races to both factions. That’s something we’ll keep in mind.

[Lahis]

So Entropic Embrace effect is not really a spell effect, but it is actually a skintone. Which means Void Elves will change their underwear midfight when it procs if they use normal skintones.

[Eric Arthur Blair]

So Entropic Embrace effect is not really a spell effect, but it is actually a skintone. Which means Void Elves will change their underwear midfight when it procs if they use normal skintones.

How much you wanna bet they decided that if Void Elves get underwear options, everyone needs to?

They are probably working on an underwear customization slider.

[FlubberPuddy]

How much you wanna bet they decided that if Void Elves get underwear options, everyone needs to?

It's not about getting underwear options, it's the fact that the skin tones Void Elves are inheriting from Blood Elves are "simply" copy/paste which is why they carry the BE underwear.

There's confirmation from a CM that the underwear will get changed to be the kind Void Elves have, sometime later - we don't really know when.

What Lahis pointed out is really just that the Entropic Embrace proc itself temporarily giving your character a different, void-ified, skin tone. Hence it has the original underwear that VEs have.

VEs aren't meant to have a choice in underwear color, though I don't doubt it's a place Blizzard could customize if they wanted. The Entropic Embrace proc proves it.

All that said, yeah we already see many solely Blood Elf players already moaning about 'not getting barely anything while VEs get all our options' so yes I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see the same solely Blood Elf players also moaning about not having underwear options.

[Ardenaso]

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Archmage_Lan%27dalock

this guy seemed to be friends with a Shivarra, and she became "friendly" after Magtheridon fell; I assume he's one of the elves who were part of Kael's group that somehow went back to the Alliance?

[Wired-Lain]

All that said, yeah we already see many solely Blood Elf players already moaning about 'not getting barely anything while VEs get all our options' so yes I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see the same solely Blood Elf players also moaning about not having underwear options.

Which is really weird cause void elves didn't get anything blood elves didnt (outside of those voidy eye colors I guess?) I'm not sure why I keep seeing this sentiment.

Blood Elves have


25 hairstyles (female), 21 hairstyles (male)
17 hair colors
13 beard options
18 eye colors
3 ear options
3 necklaces
3 armbands
6 bracelets
13 earrings
2 jewelry color options


Conversely Void Elves are sitting at

11 hairstyles (female), 13 hairstyles (male)
8 hair colors
8 beard options
7 eye colors
4 earrings

The only thing void elves really have over them is the amount of skin tones, but even then all the new ones they got they share with the blood elves. I don't think blood elves are in any danger of being overshadowed on customization. Even if they went ahead and dumped some old hairstyles and colors onto the velfs they'd still come out far ahead in terms of variety.

[delus]

They could just add some of those customization options to void elves and give blood elves some light elf customization to even things out.

[Varodoc]

Blood elves aren't entitled to anything. The customization options coming in Shadowlands should've been available SINCE LEGION. Again, this is the Void elf leader, who retains her fair-skin form:



Void elves always deserved this customization option, and don't owe anything to Blood elves, but people don't want to listen.

[FlubberPuddy]

Which is really weird cause void elves didn't get anything blood elves didnt (outside of those voidy eye colors I guess?) I'm not sure why I keep seeing this sentiment.

Blood Elves have


25 hairstyles (female), 21 hairstyles (male)
17 hair colors
13 beard options
18 eye colors
3 ear options
3 necklaces
3 armbands
6 bracelets
13 earrings
2 jewelry color options


Conversely Void Elves are sitting at

11 hairstyles (female), 13 hairstyles (male)
8 hair colors
8 beard options
7 eye colors
4 earrings

The only thing void elves really have over them is the amount of skin tones, but even then all the new ones they got they share with the blood elves. I don't think blood elves are in any danger of being overshadowed on customization. Even if they went ahead and dumped some old hairstyles and colors onto the velfs they'd still come out far ahead in terms of variety.

It's just textbook pompous behavior. Funny how most often they're the ones often saying, "you guys already got so many skin tone options and you're asking for more?!" when they're in fact playing one of the races that has the most customization options right now.

It's total projection and completely silly since they are in fact also "asking for more despite having so much"/"give an inch and they'll want a mile" already too.

The subtext of it all is really just that there's still individuals who wished (and recall they spent over 2-3 years doing this) Void Elves wouldn't get any High Elf customization and are continuing to be petty once they lost that to now hope Void Elves get any further High Elf options than they already have gotten.

- - - Updated - - -

Blood elves aren't entitled to anything. The customization options coming in Shadowlands should've been available SINCE LEGION. Again, this is the Void elf leader, who retains her fair-skin form:



Void elves always deserved this customization option, and don't owe anything to Blood elves, but people don't want to listen.

Yup, it's not unheard of to want to look like your faction leader. Blizzard is now giving those options with Blood Elves being able to look like Lor'themar (male and female), Undead getting to look like Lillian Voss (blue eyes on undead), Orcs getting to look like Thrall or Grom, and Humans being able to look like Varian.

It's nothing new at all, except for those petty persons who continue to have a tribal mentality over a video game.

[Varodoc]

The real question here is why Blizzard waited 3 years before giving Void elves fair-skin options. I mean, Alleria has retained her High elf form since Legion, this isn't exactly a recent development. And it's not like Blizzard should've been afraid of the Belf Horde fanboys, since they are like a very vocal minority. In the game or in any sane community you will never see people screaming and moaning about Void elves getting more options, which are lore-wise nonetheless.

In fact, shortly after BfA's reveal there were already several suggestions to give them fair-skin options, so really Blizzard took 3 years longer than anticipated:

[Graeham]

I'm sure that once the normal skin tones go live, a lot more people will be playing a Void Elf as their main character. Hopefully that convinces the development team to invest in further customisation options for them. I admit to being slightly worried that they may stubbornly refuse to make Void Elves 'too appealing' because they might be desperate to try and use Blood Elves as a bargaining chip to get more players to stick with the Horde.

Which, admittedly, may be a valid concern. I adored Blood Elves back in Warcraft 3 and they were the reason I decided to invest in WoW in the first place. I stuck with them for years even though I didn't like the Horde as a faction very much. I quit the game around the same time as WoD and returned only recently - in no small part because of nostalgia and the ability to play a Void Elf.

[Xilurm]

Finally all the blood elf players can come back to alliance and live in normal houses and roads that arent filled with dirt.

[FossilFree]

Any option Alleria has, Void Elves should have too. That includes warpaint.

I don't recall Blood Elves ever having warpaint in the game though, unless someone has an example of a Blood Elf with warpaint like Alleria? Otherwise, I'll assume it's a Void Elf thing now.

Also, when is Alleria going to return to the Allerian Stronghold to recruit her kin? That would be a perfect little bit of side story to show.

[Varodoc]

Any option Alleria has, Void Elves should have too. That includes warpaint.

I don't recall Blood Elves ever having warpaint in the game though, unless someone has an example of a Blood Elf with warpaint like Alleria? Otherwise, I'll assume it's a Void Elf thing now.

Also, when is Alleria going to return to the Allerian Stronghold to recruit her kin? That would be a perfect little bit of side story to show.

Why would she? It's a derelict fortress on a broken world. I'm sure Auric and his kin have returned to Stormwind, especially after hearing of Alleria's own return. Also now Alleria and Turalyon actually RULE Stormwind.

And yes, only Alleria Windrunner has those war paints.

[FossilFree]

Why would she? It's a derelict fortress on a broken world. I'm sure Auric and his kin have returned to Stormwind, especially after hearing of Alleria's own return. Also now Alleria and Turalyon actually RULE Stormwind.

And yes, only Alleria Windrunner has those war paints.

Well whether she goes there personally or not, I'd like to see her reunite with them in some way. If they are lorewise in Stormwind now, they need to show it in the story somehow. That was her crew and they are just sitting there waiting for her to return in Outland lol.

[Kyriani]

I'm sure that once the normal skin tones go live, a lot more people will be playing a Void Elf as their main character. Hopefully that convinces the development team to invest in further customisation options for them. I admit to being slightly worried that they may stubbornly refuse to make Void Elves 'too appealing' because they might be desperate to try and use Blood Elves as a bargaining chip to get more players to stick with the Horde.

Which, admittedly, may be a valid concern. I adored Blood Elves back in Warcraft 3 and they were the reason I decided to invest in WoW in the first place. I stuck with them for years even though I didn't like the Horde as a faction very much. I quit the game around the same time as WoD and returned only recently - in no small part because of nostalgia and the ability to play a Void Elf.

I think we'd have to wait a long time for a significant enough population shift occurs from Horde to the Alliance for anyone to be concerned... if such a shift ever actually happens.

But I'm kind of doubtful that cosmetics will have much, if any, impact on the faction population dynamics. I just don't see the people gung ho about endgame engagement giving up the larger pool of potential guild recruits, people to do mythic+, a more populated group finder and more people to do other endgame activities with, just to play a pretty elf on the Alliance, when they already have pretty elves on the Horde.

[Varodoc]

Well whether she goes there personally or not, I'd like to see her reunite with them in some way. If they are lorewise in Stormwind now, they need to show it in the story somehow. That was her crew and they are just sitting there waiting for her to return in Outland lol.

Actually the last time they appeared was in WotLK during a pilgrimage to the Sunwell. Since then, I imagine they rejoined the Alliance on Azeroth, especially after hearing that their leader Alleria has returned. Maybe they are even trying to become Void elves as their leader did.

[FossilFree]

Actually the last time they appeared was in WotLK during a pilgrimage to the Sunwell. Since then, I imagine they rejoined the Alliance on Azeroth, especially after hearing that their leader Alleria has returned. Maybe they are even trying to become Void elves as their leader did.

They should be additions to the Void Elf roster. We need some more well-known examples, since we pretty much just have Umbric and Alleria right now. They could also explain the new Void Elf customization options, being Alleria's forces from Outland who rejoined her and started learning the ways of the void because they trust and follow her.

[Vaedan]

It's just textbook pompous behavior. Funny how most often they're the ones often saying, "you guys already got so many skin tone options and you're asking for more?!" when they're in fact playing one of the races that has the most customization options right now.

It's total projection and completely silly since they are in fact also "asking for more despite having so much"/"give an inch and they'll want a mile" already too.

The subtext of it all is really just that there's still individuals who wished (and recall they spent over 2-3 years doing this) Void Elves wouldn't get any High Elf customization and are continuing to be petty once they lost that to now hope Void Elves get any further High Elf options than they already have gotten.

Blood elves actually have one of the best customizations from all races, which is probably one of the reasons they are so popular. I felt like Blizz is focusing on other races, giving them options to make them more popular options - night elves got a lot of interesting options to be honest, rightfully so. I understand why blood elf players feel dumped on first round of character customizations, but constant complains regarding void elves got "all their options" felt really annoying after a while.

Actually the last time they appeared was in WotLK during a pilgrimage to the Sunwell. Since then, I imagine they rejoined the Alliance on Azeroth, especially after hearing that their leader Alleria has returned. Maybe they are even trying to become Void elves as their leader did.

I actually think it would be really nice to see Alleria being reconnected with her old squad. I always thought such details made the world way more living. To be honest, since Alleria is a thalassian war hero and esteemed Ranger General, I'd like to see some interactions with Silver Covenant too, but that is likely staying Vereesa's toy.