Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Kyriani]

What do you think about a chest hair toggle? For people who want manscaped elves, or non-manscaped elves.

I love that suggestion! Just make sure males of every race get to have it!

[Mungho]

I love that suggestion! Just make sure males of every race get to have it!

Of course! I think Orcs, Humans, and Dwarves already come with chest hair, but I'm not sure about other races.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

What do you think about a chest hair toggle? For people who want manscaped elves, or non-manscaped elves.

Honestly all races should have the option of body hair as a toggle option lol. I do like my elves hairy.

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Now this is awesome!

I can also imagine adding some night elf/human hairstyles options.

Ahh, I had done some of those as well, but don't know where they are XD. I do love the idea of VE getting human or NE hairstyles, while NB get Blood Elven ones, would be pretty neat!

It's not particularly difficult, but someone better at model editing would do a better job. For me they kinda are a bit time consuming for what's essentially a proof of concept, and given that you have to edit the hairstyles to fit the VE head shape, you really are just getting an approximation of how it might look.

Some of then did look very nice so I'm going to try to find that file!

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Did find one!

[Eleann]

Then we have the case of NB and VE, where the limitations are jarring because their CR are on a different faction, so the illusion of choice is not there. So they feel aesthetically limited in a way that just runs against variety and choice, and instead of an additional flavor, they feel like an incomplete experience standing on their own. Because as races, within the setting, their limited variance just makes them feel artificial, not as members of a world that evolves and changes. They don't feel like "races" but as an offshoot of a real race, unable to exist on their own.

Exactly. And this is very wrong. This shouldn't be happening with any Allied Races. We grinded for weeks to unlock Allied Races (especially Nightborne). For that exact reason I believe Allied Races deserve as much customization as their respective Core Races, if not more! Because we veterans AND newcomers busted our behinds farming all of these reps to unlock them, eager to play these new races. Allied Races are not second class citizens, in fact they should be equally, if not even more rewarding in the customization they provide to the players who spent so long unlocking them.

[Kyriani]

I have the others you did!



Some look better than others but that first one... I really would love that for my void elf boys! That ponytail and the last one aren't bad either!

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I have the others you did!


Some look better than others but that first one... I really would love that for my void elf boys! That ponytail and the last one aren't bad either!

They they are!! Thank you!!

See that's the main problem I was having, matching hairlines; human models have more of a texture work in there, so just dropping the geometry on another model doesn't look as nice and I am not good enough at modeling to make good 3D hairlines on my own XD

[FossilFree]

I have the others you did!



Some look better than others but that first one... I really would love that for my void elf boys! That ponytail and the last one aren't bad either!

These would also be really cool with the short ear options (if they ever get them), for that half-elf look.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

These would also be really cool with the short ear options (if they ever get them), for that half-elf look.

Oh for sure. Like if VE's get new members, it would be so cool they could also draw from Half Elves? Even tho ear length isn't stated to be related to mixed status, adding that lore bit would add another population from where Void Elves could replenish their numbers.

Honestly I do think the best/more likely we could see for HE playability is the acknowledgement of High Elves joining the VE ranks, and through that, getting more confirmed High Elven options. Whether we want to see our characters as joining the VE's, or being regular High Elves then, would be up to each of one of us as a personal canon.

[Varodoc]

It is done, 9.1 will be released and Alleria Windrunner is nowhere to be seen. I never thought that it would come to this. To think that Alleria would be nowhere to be seen during the raid revolving around her sister Sylvanas, especially when she literally said she would be there to see Sylvanas fall. Unbelievable. It's like Blizzard caved in to the haters online and decided to just scrap all the development Alleria could have had, after scrapping the development the Ren'dorei could have had in 8.3 (it's still criminal that Anduin went after Wrathion instead of the Ren'dorei to fight N'Zoth). I am extremely disappointed.

[BaumanKing]

I am extremely disappointed.

Why? Alleria chose to stay behind with the love of her life. What's wrong with that? She even helps him against the Horde raid, unlike Malfurion, who always stood besides Tyrande and did nothing. Besides Sylvanas isn't dying, so be patient. And I don’t think this is an appropriate thread for discussing Alleria's relevance in the plot.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

It is done, 9.1 will be released and Alleria Windrunner is nowhere to be seen. I never thought that it would come to this. To think that Alleria would be nowhere to be seen during the raid revolving around her sister Sylvanas, especially when she literally said she would be there to see Sylvanas fall. Unbelievable. It's like Blizzard caved in to the haters online and decided to just scrap all the development Alleria could have had, after scrapping the development the Ren'dorei could have had in 8.3 (it's still criminal that Anduin went after Wrathion instead of the Ren'dorei to fight N'Zoth). I am extremely disappointed.

Why would Alleria be here, plot-wise? She has no connection to the Shadowlands and, presumably, no interest in it save for Sylvanas. She also never seemed all that preoccupied by her sister.

Not everything has to revolve around that character you like. I don’t think Turalyon or Lor’Themar need to be everywhere that has a passing hint of Light or Blood Elves.

[Varodoc]

Why? Alleria chose to stay behind with the love of her life. What's wrong with that? She even helps him against the Horde raid, unlike Malfurion, who always stood besides Tyrande and did nothing. Besides Sylvanas isn't dying, so be patient. And I don’t think this is an appropriate thread for discussing Alleria's relevance in the plot.

Already addressed. She literally says "I will see Sylvanas fall". You can't even say "maybe she can't go to the Shadowlands because it's too hard"; since Old Emma, an old peasant, went to Oribos. This is objectively bad writing. You are justifying what is factually bad writing that contradicts an established plot information.

This is a thread about all things High elven and Alleria is clearly linked to the High elves. Where Alleria goes, Vereesa follows, so if Alleria went to the Shadowlands (like she said she would) it's likely that her underling Vereesa would have followed her around.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Already addressed. She literally says "I will see Sylvanas fall". You can't even say "maybe she can't go to the Shadowlands because it's too hard"; since Old Emma, an old peasant, went to Oribos. This is objectively bad writing. You are justifying what is factually bad writing that contradicts an established plot information.

This is a thread about all things High elven and Alleria is clearly linked to the High elves. Where Alleria goes, Vereesa follows, so if Alleria went to the Shadowlands (like she said she would) it's likely that her underling Vereesa would have followed her around.

objectively bad writing

Those words at which credibility flees from the speaker.

Also, Vereesa is in no way Alleria’s underling. She’s a dreadfully flat character, but she does plenty on her own.

Finally, not everything has to do with a character you like. Blizzard is often sparing with characters, and I’d say I’d rather they focused on Tyrande before Alleria since she actually has a dynamic with Sylvanas other than “vengeful sister”.

Simply because Alleria feels retributive doesn’t mean she’d have much to add to this storyline.

[Imperator4321]

The void elves are not recruiting, necessarily, but they are open to those who share similar interests. Their research has attracted other elves to Telogrus, with both Silvermoon scholars and high elven wayfarers arriving to study the ways of the Void. They are trying to find out if they can reproduce the original process that transformed the void elves. Source: https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Void_elf

Nop. They are not able to recruit, since they have no idea how to reproduce the original process, that turned them into void elves. I don't know why this thread derailed so bad, to the point that started in creating a new race called "High Elves" with their own original design.....to, "lets turn the Void elves into High elves or lets make the High elves into Void elves".....

That is not going to happen any time soon. Not with what Blizzard has written about them so far. (READ THE LORE)

Always be sure to check your sources especially with fan-curated content like Wiki pages, the source for that part of the article cites is this polygon article which only includes the "They start out as a small group,” Danuser continues. “But it’s natural as other elves have found out about them — elves who are interested in new sources of magic, power, or opportunities — would see if they could undergo a similar process. They’re not ... recruiting, necessarily, but they’re open to those who show a similar interest.”, nothing about if the process to become a Void Elf can or can't be replicated, just that other Elves who are interested in what the Void Elves offer would see if they could undergo a similar process that turned Umbric's group into Void Elves.

Just stating that "they start out as a small group" suggests that they will expand down the line anyway, the presence of Void Initiates, Silvermoon Scholars and High Elf Wayfarers in Telogrus Rift suggests as much even if we don't have direct confirmation that the Void Elves can replicate the process that turned Umbric's original group.

And you guys keep coming with the idea of turning an allied race called "Void elves" into "High elves". They are not the same thing.

While there are probably those who wouldn't be satisfied until every void-based element of the Void Elves (i.e changing enthropic embrace or spatial rift) can be changed to become High Elves in name only, I see nothing wrong with allowing High-Elf customization options being added to give the Void Elves more options and to allow Alliance players to have as close to High Elves as feasible (since it's unlikely we're going to get an actual High Elf Allied Race at this point) it's the same as giving Ironforge Dwarves Wildhammer clan options, or Trolls Sanfury/Raventusk/Amani options.

[FossilFree]

Oh for sure. Like if VE's get new members, it would be so cool they could also draw from Half Elves? Even tho ear length isn't stated to be related to mixed status, adding that lore bit would add another population from where Void Elves could replenish their numbers.

Honestly I do think the best/more likely we could see for HE playability is the acknowledgement of High Elves joining the VE ranks, and through that, getting more confirmed High Elven options. Whether we want to see our characters as joining the VE's, or being regular High Elves then, would be up to each of one of us as a personal canon.

I was surprised they didn't make it so Alleria went back to Outland and recruited her kin at Allerian Stronghold to learn the ways of the void with her. Making them come from Blood Elves was always a weird choice. The only reason I can think of to do this is if they wanted High Elves to remain around as-is, becoming an emergency lever to pull when the game is failing.

I still think they would be cool as their own AR, especially if Horde got large-bodied Amani forest trolls as the counter.

[Kyriani]

I was surprised they didn't make it so Alleria went back to Outland and recruited her kin at Allerian Stronghold to learn the ways of the void with her. Making them come from Blood Elves was always a weird choice. The only reason I can think of to do this is if they wanted High Elves to remain around as-is, becoming an emergency lever to pull when the game is failing.

I still think they would be cool as their own AR, especially if horde got large-bodied Amani forest trolls as the counter.

I find the notion of high elves as an "emergency lever" puzzling. WoW has been through several low periods. If an emergency lever was ever needed it probably would have been used already.

I also find it puzzling to think that high elves specifically would be an emergency lever. What about them makes them worthy of being an emergency lever? I highly doubt any significant number of players would return to the game just because high elves became playable, especially given that the horde is the popular faction with the healthier endgame. So what about high elves would put them on such a pedestal to be categorized as an "emergency lever"?

I believe that any value high elves had as an emergency lever dropped the day we got void elves, and dropped significantly more once void elves got high elf customization options. That's not to say I wouldn't love to see a playable alliance high elf race, but I just don't see it having enough impact to be some sort of "emergency lever". I'd expect something like that to be a feature that affects every player, not just one race on one faction.

[FossilFree]

I find the notion of high elves as an "emergency lever" puzzling. WoW has been through several low periods. If an emergency lever was ever needed it probably would have been used already.

I also find it puzzling to think that high elves specifically would be an emergency lever. What about them makes them worthy of being an emergency lever? I highly doubt any significant number of players would return to the game just because high elves became playable, especially given that the horde is the popular faction with the healthier endgame. So what about high elves would put them on such a pedestal to be categorized as an "emergency lever"?

I believe that any value high elves had as an emergency lever dropped the day we got void elves, and dropped significantly more once void elves got high elf customization options. That's not to say I wouldn't love to see a playable alliance high elf race, but I just don't see it having enough impact to be some sort of "emergency lever". I'd expect something like that to be a feature that affects every player, not just one race on one faction.

It just seems like the easiest answer would have been to roll them into Void Elves 100%. The fact that they didn't do that and made a much more convoluted backstory for them with Blood Elf origins makes me wonder what they are saving High Elves for. Something in the story down the road? Saving them for a rainy day (emergency lever)? Or perhaps they just want their cake and eat it too (by putting High Elves in story beats expansion after expansion but never opening the faction up)?

I'm curious what their justification was for keeping them separate, even though the players can only guess at it.

[Kyriani]

It just seems like the easiest answer would have been to roll them into Void Elves 100%. The fact that they didn't do that and made a much more convoluted backstory for them with Blood Elf origins makes me wonder what they are saving High Elves for. Something in the story down the road? Saving them for a rainy day (emergency lever)? Or perhaps they just want their cake and eat it too (by putting High Elves in story beats expansion after expansion but never opening the faction up)?

I'm curious what their justification was for keeping them separate, even though the players can only guess at it.

I agree that having the alliance high elf story transition into the void elf story is probably the most reasonable and logical decision blizzard could make. If only logic and reason weren't in such short supply over there. :P

Could blizzard be "saving" high elves for some reason? Maybe, but I can't really think of any practical reason. I think its probably more along the lines of blizz having no ideas about what to do with the alliance high elves and not really caring to do much with them. If there was ever a time for playable alliance high elves, it was at the end of legion, but if I recall correctly, we got void elves instead because the devs became enamored with the idea after they finished Alleria's L'ura cutscene, and they thought that "cool" would be better and more well received than "boring old copy/paste high elves".

Void elves were indeed well received but they didn't scratch the itch for alliance high elves. The high elf customization however, has almost scratched that itch imo. It's just a matter of a few hair colors, maybe some additional hairstyles (new or ported from other races), and most importantly lore additions showing the alliance high elves moving forward with the ren'dorei.

The fact that high elf wayfarers are present in telogrus seems to be a nod towards alliance high elves joining the ren'dorei. Could blizzard do more? Absolutely! And they should imo! But basically it just seems like blizz thinks of high elves on the alliance as a relic of the past. The npcs exist but they were never made playable because the horde already had an identical playable race and blizz was less inclined to pull a pandaren 2.0 with the same race on both sides.

It seems like void elves were their attempt at answering the call for alliance high elves but with a unique twist (monkey's paw) so they'd be differentiated from blood elves. That ended up backfiring but the genie was already out of the bottle. Void elves were in game and they weren't just going to remove them. With customization being the new focus, they seem to have opted to answer the call for alliance high elves by letting void elves look the part, though obviously they still fall short right now.

What I'd like to see in the future is for void elves to get the last bit they need to complete the high elf look, and then for all the alliance high elf npcs to start using those assets instead of blood elf hairstyles and hair colors. I'm sure someone will jump in with "Of course they use the same hair colors and hairstyles! They are the same race!", but ultimately, I'd like to see the alliance allied high elves differentiated from horde blood elves. The high elf npcs using any new high elf customization assets that void elves get would build a visual connection between the high elves and the void elves, thus giving a visual indicator that "yes these high elf npc's are the ones showing up in telogrus to join the ren'dorei. It would also be great to see some lore added to outright say this and also to explain how these new ren'dorei are acquiring their powers.

[FossilFree]

I agree that having the alliance high elf story transition into the void elf story is probably the most reasonable and logical decision blizzard could make. If only logic and reason weren't in such short supply over there. :P

Could blizzard be "saving" high elves for some reason? Maybe, but I can't really think of any practical reason. I think its probably more along the lines of blizz having no ideas about what to do with the alliance high elves and not really caring to do much with them. If there was ever a time for playable alliance high elves, it was at the end of legion, but if I recall correctly, we got void elves instead because the devs became enamored with the idea after they finished Alleria's L'ura cutscene, and they thought that "cool" would be better and more well received than "boring old copy/paste high elves".

Void elves were indeed well received but they didn't scratch the itch for alliance high elves. The high elf customization however, has almost scratched that itch imo. It's just a matter of a few hair colors, maybe some additional hairstyles (new or ported from other races), and most importantly lore additions showing the alliance high elves moving forward with the ren'dorei.

The fact that high elf wayfarers are present in telogrus seems to be a nod towards alliance high elves joining the ren'dorei. Could blizzard do more? Absolutely! And they should imo! But basically it just seems like blizz thinks of high elves on the alliance as a relic of the past. The npcs exist but they were never made playable because the horde already had an identical playable race and blizz was less inclined to pull a pandaren 2.0 with the same race on both sides.

It seems like void elves were their attempt at answering the call for alliance high elves but with a unique twist (monkey's paw) so they'd be differentiated from blood elves. That ended up backfiring but the genie was already out of the bottle. Void elves were in game and they weren't just going to remove them. With customization being the new focus, they seem to have opted to answer the call for alliance high elves by letting void elves look the part, though obviously they still fall short right now.

What I'd like to see in the future is for void elves to get the last bit they need to complete the high elf look, and then for all the alliance high elf npcs to start using those assets instead of blood elf hairstyles and hair colors. I'm sure someone will jump in with "Of course they use the same hair colors and hairstyles! They are the same race!", but ultimately, I'd like to see the alliance allied high elves differentiated from horde blood elves. The high elf npcs using any new high elf customization assets that void elves get would build a visual connection between the high elves and the void elves, thus giving a visual indicator that "yes these high elf npc's are the ones showing up in telogrus to join the ren'dorei. It would also be great to see some lore added to outright say this and also to explain how these new ren'dorei are acquiring their powers.

I agree with your analysis, very thorough!

The funny thing is, you'd think people who were against adding High Elves as their own faction would be the ones shouting the loudest for Void Elves to get the High Elf options like hair colors, instead of trying to stop it. Because if VE get HE colors, it likely means High Elves won't ever be added as a standalone faction.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I was surprised they didn't make it so Alleria went back to Outland and recruited her kin at Allerian Stronghold to learn the ways of the void with her. Making them come from Blood Elves was always a weird choice. The only reason I can think of to do this is if they wanted High Elves to remain around as-is, becoming an emergency lever to pull when the game is failing.

I still think they would be cool as their own AR, especially if Horde got large-bodied Amani forest trolls as the counter.

Yeah, it really was a weird choice, and IDK, beyond just not wanting to touch High Elves for whatever reason, I can't see much justification. So yeah, be either because of an emergency lever type thing or just not liking HE's as an option, they really went out of their way.

But with the added options to VE's, it kinda feels that roadblock has been passed, yet in a way I do think it makes HE's as their own AR less likely to ever happen, so whatever fantasy and story becomes playable, it will be through VE's (or who knows, Half Elves)

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The void elves are not recruiting, necessarily, but they are open to those who share similar interests. Their research has attracted other elves to Telogrus, with both Silvermoon scholars and high elven wayfarers arriving to study the ways of the Void. They are trying to find out if they can reproduce the original process that transformed the void elves. Source: https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Void_elf

Nop. They are not able to recruit, since they have no idea how to reproduce the original process, that turned them into void elves. I don't know why this thread derailed so bad, to the point that started in creating a new race called "High Elves" with their own original design.....to, "lets turn the Void elves into High elves or lets make the High elves into Void elves".....

That is not going to happen any time soon. Not with what Blizzard has written about them so far. (READ THE LORE)

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This was the original idea:


And you guys keep coming with the idea of turning an allied race called "Void elves" into "High elves". They are not the same thing.

Just say you don't understand the concept of speculation and go.

Also everytime you say "READ THE LORE" and "Void Elves are not High Elves", while all of us being aware that the first Void Elf is the most Iconic High Elf, we all get a lil bit dumber just by proximity.