Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Starla]

I see the behavior of those who would gate keep hair colors as petty, and it is entirely my prerogative to have that view. If my post made you feel shame then perhaps that's something you should do some self reflecting on?

LOL I feel no shame despite your pathetic attempts to color everyone who disagrees with your desires as petty and gatekeepers.

Seriously your post just says more about someone who can't deal with disagreement.

[Varodoc]

most popular race for the most popular race; I believe it can be made so if it's not "lawful good" Alliance themed

Void elves didn't become playable to give the Alliance the most popular Horde race, they became playable because there was a story to be told. Alleria Windrunner had just been reintroduced as a Void-wielding Thalassian elf, thus there was potential to tell a story where other Void Thalassian students flocked to Alleria's side.

And the idea of the Void-wielding Blood elves is an old one dating back to TBC, where High Astromancer Solarian was a Blood elf infused with the Void who even turned into a Voidwalker.

There is no story to be told with Alterac, it's a dead wasteland filled with nothing but mistakes. Its people also hate the Horde, reminder that the Syndicate was enslaving orcs, and the Syndicate pretty much comprises 99% of the remaining Alteraci humans (that are relevant).

[Kyriani]

LOL I feel no shame despite your pathetic attempts to color everyone who disagrees with your desires as petty and gatekeepers.

Seriously your post just says more about someone who can't deal with disagreement.

Now who's being insulting? If you feel no shame from reading the post you originally responded to... then why would anyone else?

My intent was not, and has never been, to "color everyone who disagrees with my desires." My intent in the post you originally responded to, was to point out behavior I see as petty gate keeping. This apparently triggered you and you decided to jump down my throat about it.

I can handle disagreement just fine. That doesn't make your desire to gate keep hair colors any less petty in my eyes however, and I am perfectly entitled to my opinion on that matter. In the same way, you are entitled to your opinion that my original post was "insulting". /shrug

[ravenmoon]

Neither are the high elves and have their own unique feel lore, but they essentially do the same thing.

Essentially , do you need Silvermoon and a playable high elves as a faction like the Silver Covenant if you have Highborne kaldorei doing the civilization side of the night elves (effectively covers high elf civilization) and you have void elves carrying the model customisation option.


Background
1. Highborne: The original versions before crazy addiction especially amongst Azshara's lot, were actually quite noble, the way Farondis Highborne is described is very reminiscent of what I imagine the high elves would be like if we had ever got to see them properly in game as high elves. Nobility, morality, responsibility, and lawful goodness - it is the picture of you would expected the benevolent kaldorei's most accomplished individuals would be- before they got all haughty.

Thing is the Shen'dralar and Darnasisan Highborne, and now the Farondis Highborne are basically all Highborne in that vein, being part of Darnassian society and having recovered form addiction, Shen'dralar would be far more the noble type than the haughty Azshara' court Highborne type - and Farondis, well they are the example in game

Although Highborne is under a kaldorei setting, with Elune religious over tones, kaldorei love of the stars and nature influencing their arcane fascination - unlike the high elves where it's the sun, and the sunwell, is their a place for high elves as a separate race any longer? shouldn't the Highborne be used now?


2. Void Elves: With the void elves you can play a high elf now, the lore has many high elves joining the Ren'dorei, the ren'dorei is no longer just purely a race, but is also a faction that blood elves and high elves have joined to be a part of. however the ren'dorei have a very distinct identity centred upon the void, just like the Highborne do about the stars, but essentially they carry the spirit of the high elf nation, and you can role play a high elf through them.

What Players Get
Basically:
1. In Highborne you get a high elf character and essence as well as a kaldorei based version of the culture
2. In Void elves you will get the high elf model

3. In the blood elves, you get the high elf model and the Thalassian cultural assets, but not quite the high elf character and essence. You get the historical land, places and what is in sense an evolution of the high elf.


Alliance fans essentially have a high elven culture through the Highborne night elves, and the model through the void elves -- is that enough? and does it not make having a high elf actual race playable a bit pointless? Seeing you can now play as a high elf individual on the alliance even though it's not "the High elf" faction.

What this essentially means is that blizzard only needs develop and focus kaldorei Highborne properly, whiles void elves can continue in their own line - to essentially satisfy all.

3 Key Questions for Alliance Fans
1. Is it better to develop kaldorei Highborne anyway, as this original high elf i.e. Quel'dorei in a part of the kaldorei that a lot of their fans like?
2. Is it okay for you guys to have the void elf race play high elf models and have high elf lore connecting high elves to void elves showing that yes, high elves and blood elves do join the ren'dorei even though they are not racially void elves?
3. High elves still continue in the lore and game as high elves, like the Silver covenant faction and other groups, those are just not playable as a faction. Or do alliance fans still only want high elves of Silvermoon and Quel'thalas and aren't satisfied with the above?

The reason I bring this up is that basically the kaldorei and ren'dorei have all the the things that the high elves essentially would bring to the table and would be unique as.

Conclusion
So:
1. There is no need for alliance high elves to be a separate playable faction
2. No need to give them Silvermoon or Quel'thalas - instead let the night elf Highborne build the night elf city and let it be a de-facto home for night elves, their Highborne, high elves, void elves etc, in addition to druids and priests (oops, druids will live in forest and parks), but the rest of the elves
3. No need for separate model designs either, the ren'dorei can have some colour schemes and tattoo schemes to reflect high elf particulars


All the alliance needs for high elves is already there via the night elf Highborne and the void elves, it's time to fully accept that the blood elves as they are have a right to be there as they are, choosing the horde and that being on the alliance isn't anything less better - you get a high elf civilization via the Highborne and you get high elf models on the void elves.


TLDR With Highborne and void elves having high elf character and high elf models, the need for a separate high elf playable race is effectively over. Blizzard should work with the kaldorei Highborne and void elves to consolidate the elves

p.s. mods, I'm not sure this actually belongs in the high elf mega thread, because it is primarily about Highborne and void elves taking the high elf mantle for the alliance, and about blood elves being fine. But if you feel it belongs there, please just move this there.

i think Highborne and void elves model update make a high elf playable faction redundant, and its fine they just remain in the lore as material for Highborne, void elves and blood elven story

I think most people have accepted this is how it's going to be. High elves as a playable faction may be finished, but I feel it should happen in a massive elf focus shift from the horde to the alliance - but that is for faction purpose.

Ofc, that shift of focus can happen without a playable high elf faction, and I would welcome a night elf Highborne development, the Farondis Highborne community ben showed more in the vein we saw and that characterising the Highborne and them along with the ancient druids building an awesome new kaldorei city.. with the kaldorei city being home to high elves too and sharing with city priests types, is fine. while forest home can still remain as a druidic thing can work.

Void elves will have the model for players, and i hope they eventually get a city of their own as it would be a unique opportunity for a new version of Thalassian architecture.

high elf fans will like kaldorei Highborne and would like good elven developments

[FlubberPuddy]

LOL I feel no shame despite your pathetic attempts to color everyone who disagrees with your desires as petty and gatekeepers.

Seriously your post just says more about someone who can't deal with disagreement.

You may not feel shame but your posts definitely come off as being defensive. It seems like Kyriani's post struck a chord with you, but why would it do so?

Also it's not a pretend scenario - there are literally posters here and on the official forums trying to gatekeep specific hair colors from Void Elves even shades from Kul'Tirans and not Blood Elves.

That's frankly ridiculous as earlier I researched that every single race sans Void Elves has either Blonde, Brown, or Black hair colors or a combination of the 3 available to them. Thus it simply stands out as a stark exception that Void Elves don't have it - but seeing as the precedent is there based on the other races (for instance Night Elves were given Black and Orange hair colors - not being beholden to purple/green/blue/pink as an example) then it's only a matter of time for Void Elves to get one of or a combination of the aforementioned hair colors as well.

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This apparently triggered you and you decided to jump down my throat about it.

Her posts tend to be the textbook definition of pearl clutching. It's also one-sided since the people requesting these customizations have been called idiots to needing mental help to nazis in many contexts but she never comes to defend in those moments. But oh yeah being a 'gate-keeper' is the most egregious insult apparently over the others.

[Kyriani]

Her posts tend to be the textbook definition of pearl clutching. It's also one-sided since the people requesting these customizations have been called idiots to needing mental help to nazis in many contexts but she never comes to defend in those moments. But oh yeah being a 'gate-keeper' is the most egregious insult apparently over the others.

Wow, "pearl-clutching" is an apt description! It really does seem overly dramatic to attack me because I called opposition to specific hair colors "petty gate keeping". It's an opinion, and I'm entitled to it. Just like she can have the opinion that I'm "pathetic" because I called people who oppose specific hair colors "petty gate keepers". But calling me "pathetic" apparently doesn't qualify as being "insulting" in her eyes. I guess it's a do as I say, not as I do situation.

[Leinadh]

With Void Elves playable, I very much doubt High Elves are even on the table as a possible playable race. I'm in favor of asking for more High Elf customization options for Void Elves, along with other Void customizations naturally, but as a High Elf fan myself, I just don't see them possible anymore.

By the way, if anyone wants to join the Void Elf Discord server, this is the link:

https://discord.gg/fAXN96Jm

[Varodoc]

Mods (if there are still some left on this section) should just merge this thread and the Void elf megathread. The situation has evolved and the two Thalassian subraces are inextricably connected. Vereesa was even following Alleria in patch 8.2.5. At this point there should just be a megathread dedicated to the in-game playable race known as "Void Elf" and that should be the end of it. Or rename it to "Alliance Elves megathread" if you want.

But most of the talk around here nowadays is about Void elves, as it should be, so you might as well rename this thread.

[Kyriani]

With Void Elves playable, I very much doubt High Elves are even on the table as a possible playable race. I'm in favor of asking for more High Elf customization options for Void Elves, along with other Void customizations naturally, but as a High Elf fan myself, I just don't see them possible anymore.

I agree. While playable alliance high elves were never a likely prospect, that likelihood dropped dramatically once void elves became a thing, and went to nigh zero once void elves got "high elf customization options". Basically void elves are our alliance high elves and blizzard gave us customization options to portray them as such. A few more hair color options would finish the look and ultimately end this back and forth that's been going on for years.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Mods (if there are still some left on this section) should just merge this thread and the Void elf megathread. The situation has evolved and the two Thalassian subraces are inextricably connected. Vereesa was even following Alleria in patch 8.2.5. At this point there should just be a megathread dedicated to the in-game playable race known as "Void Elf" and that should be the end of it. Or rename it to "Alliance Elves megathread" if you want.

But most of the talk around here nowadays is about Void elves, as it should be, so you might as well rename this thread.

That's complete nonsense. The interest is still distinctly in High Elves, even if it involves achieving this through the use of Void Elves. Why would they merge the threads?

[Varodoc]

I agree. While playable alliance high elves were never a likely prospect, that likelihood dropped dramatically once void elves became a thing, and went to nigh zero once void elves got "high elf customization options". Basically void elves are our alliance high elves and blizzard gave us customization options to portray them as such. A few more hair color options would finish the look and ultimately end this back and forth that's been going on for years.

In the end we'll just have to wait for 10.0, where naturally allied races will receive the same amount of customization options that core races got. It's obvious that Blizzard said "we don't have any plans for future options" just so that they can them come out of nowhere and say "surprise! Here are some options for all these races!". I was thinking that the new options could come by 9.3 already, but judging by how pathetic the Shadowlands development cycle has been so far... 10.0 it is.

[Eleann]

With Void Elves playable, I very much doubt High Elves are even on the table as a possible playable race. I'm in favor of asking for more High Elf customization options for Void Elves, along with other Void customizations naturally.

My propositions for Void elves:

- Hair colors: White (Draenei / LFD white), Black (Jet Black), Void Blonde (a Kul'tiran blonde with some dark blue highlights or even the edges of the hair dipped in void to indicate the extent of void corruption).

- Hair styles: The ''ship shape'' look from Kul'tirans with the hair up, and the ''admiralty'' look. Maybe even a braid. Also a long, plain hairstyle for the males, and one with short, fuzzy hair.

- Void tattoos: Alleria style tattoos.

- Eyes: Black eyes and N'zoth style eyes.

Again, here is the Void blonde commission Ramavatarama did for me. It absolutely SLAYS:

https://imgur.com/a/BFjV9fq

[Kyriani]

In the end we'll just have to wait for 10.0, where naturally allied races will receive the same amount of customization options that core races got.

I'm a bit reluctant to assume we'll get that much from 10.0 after blizzard dropped the "no more customization for the rest of shadowlands" announcement. I hope you're right though. I'd love to see every race get a lot more options.

It's obvious that Blizzard said "we don't have any plans for future options" just so that they can them come out of nowhere and say "surprise! Here are some options for all these races!". I was thinking that the new options could come by 9.3 already, but judging by how pathetic the Shadowlands development cycle has been so far... 10.0 it is.

I don't think it will be a "surprise" (we all kind fo expect it) so much as blizzard now realizes how popular customization is and they can bill it as feature for the next expansion. I want to believe they will go bigger with their focus on customization in 10.0 since they now know that it will garner positive feedback, but it's hard to trust after that previous blizzconline announcement.

I am expecting some amount of customization added, particularly for the allied races, though less so for void elves since they did get some customization in shadowlands whereas most other allied races got fewer or in some cases none at all. That's not to say I don't think void elves will get anything, but rather I think they will get a bit less than the others. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for black hair at the very least, though I'd like to see a few other natural hair colors added (yes, including blonde) so this whole pro vs anti high elf thing can finally be laid to rest.

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My propositions for Void elves:

- Hair colors: White (Draenei / LFD white), Black (Jet Black), Void Blonde (a Kul'tiran blonde with some dark blue highlights or even the edges of the hair dipped in void to indicate the extent of void corruption).

- Hair styles: The ''ship shape'' look from Kul'tirans with the hair up, and the ''admiralty'' look. Maybe even a braid. Also a long, plain hairstyle for the males, and one with short, fuzzy hair.

- Void tattoos: Alleria style tattoos.

- Eyes: Black eyes and N'zoth style eyes.

Again, here is the Void blonde commission Ramavatarama did for me. It absolutely SLAYS:

https://imgur.com/a/BFjV9fq

I'd love to see such options added.

MyWholeLifeIsThunder made this mockup of void elf hair in a few natural tones but with void tinting at the ends:



I thought it was well done. He also did this one which is very pretty:

[FlubberPuddy]

Pretty much those options, along with a black and I'd be happy with how Alliance 'High Elves' turned out

[Eleann]

I'm a bit reluctant to assume we'll get that much from 10.0 after blizzard dropped the "no more customization for the rest of shadowlands" announcement. I hope you're right though. I'd love to see every race get a lot more options.



I don't think it will be a "surprise" (we all kind fo expect it) so much as blizzard now realizes how popular customization is and they can bill it as feature for the next expansion. I want to believe they will go bigger with their focus on customization in 10.0 since they now know that it will garner positive feedback, but it's hard to trust after that previous blizzconline announcement.

I am expecting some amount of customization added, particularly for the allied races, though less so for void elves since they did get some customization in shadowlands whereas most other allied races got fewer or in some cases none at all. That's not to say I don't think void elves will get anything, but rather I think they will get a bit less than the others. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for black hair at the very least, though I'd like to see a few other natural hair colors added (yes, including blonde) so this whole pro vs anti high elf thing can finally be laid to rest.

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I'd love to see such options added.

MyWholeLifeIsThunder made this mockup of void elf hair in a few natural tones but with void tinting at the ends:



I thought it was well done. He also did this one which is very pretty:

Awww yes the last one that ends in this starry fuchsia / red-ish is absolutely amazing. And I love the silver too but would rather have it in proper White version, there are several depictions of proper white ones and most agree with white.

I absolutely love this one that he made https://i.imgur.com/NP0Xpgm.jpg they could alternatively dip the edges of the hair in starcursed dark blue

[Rhlor]

my high elf paladin and auric in queldanas

[Ardenaso]

my high elf paladin and auric in queldanas

oh shoot this made me remember to level up my blood elf toon

[delus]

Since hair dyes are a thing, why not add a RGB color wheel?

[FlubberPuddy]

Since hair dyes are a thing, why not add a RGB color wheel?

They won't do specifically because they consider their different colors as 'options' for the player, like they treat their customization options as a special reward or something.

It's why raid tiers/pvp seasons just have recolors of the same armor type. They consider a shiny armor in silver a higher tier reward than the same one in brown/greys etc.

It's stupid because Void Elves pale skin colors have like 4 the same just slightly different tints.

[Beloren]

With Void Elves playable, I very much doubt High Elves are even on the table as a possible playable race. I'm in favor of asking for more High Elf customization options for Void Elves, along with other Void customizations naturally, but as a High Elf fan myself, I just don't see them possible anymore.

By the way, if anyone wants to join the Void Elf Discord server, this is the link:

discord dot gg/fAXN96Jm

It isn't necessary for them to be a playable faction as long as blizzard keeps the current system. This is because alliance has highborne night elves and void elves which together basically do everything high elves as a faction can do

Void elves give the model, and Highborne night elves have the cultural character of high elves (look at the character of Farondis - its very similar to what i would imagien the high elves would be have), and night elf Highborne now following the Darnassian seem to be like that rather than the more corrupt, super arrogant version we see in Suramar quests and read about.

I also think it's better this way, they can accomplish everything if they let the highborne night elves build the new night elf city becuase face it, they are the main class that does cities.. druids don't, and priests only need a temple, without highborne no point in nihgt elves having a full city, with highborne basically you can have night elf highborne culture for the city that is very much like the high elves, while the druid culture remains in the forest. Adn the void elves provide the model

Then the blood elves are basically unique carrying the Thalassian assets and being one evoluiton of the high elves.

High elves as a faction continue to exist but unplayable, Silver covenant, and other groups etc, one group joins with the ren'dorei which is why we play them as ren'dorei.

I think thi sis the best for now.

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I'm a bit reluctant to assume we'll get that much from 10.0 after blizzard dropped the "no more customization for the rest of shadowlands" announcement. I hope you're right though. I'd love to see every race get a lot more options.



I don't think it will be a "surprise" (we all kind fo expect it) so much as blizzard now realizes how popular customization is and they can bill it as feature for the next expansion. I want to believe they will go bigger with their focus on customization in 10.0 since they now know that it will garner positive feedback, but it's hard to trust after that previous blizzconline announcement.

I am expecting some amount of customization added, particularly for the allied races, though less so for void elves since they did get some customization in shadowlands whereas most other allied races got fewer or in some cases none at all. That's not to say I don't think void elves will get anything, but rather I think they will get a bit less than the others. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for black hair at the very least, though I'd like to see a few other natural hair colors added (yes, including blonde) so this whole pro vs anti high elf thing can finally be laid to rest.

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I'd love to see such options added.

MyWholeLifeIsThunder made this mockup of void elf hair in a few natural tones but with void tinting at the ends:



I thought it was well done. He also did this one which is very pretty:

Yes, this actually looks really good on void elves, they should have this effect on their hair, , rather than be an additional hair option, it should be a toggle tot urn on or off, so you can have the void colour influenced lower half or not.

The stars effect are good, although i would suggest the night elves get the silver starlets, while the void leves get a a purple colour version.