Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

Priests too I believe

Honestly they are on THIN ice, their iconic-ness just being carried by Warcraft 3. No major or relevant High Elf priest characters have been introduced in WoW. They are indeed one of the most iconic RTS units, but they never really got brought up during WoW itself on a significant way.

The only modern examples we have that High Elves participate in holy light worship is Vereesa saying "By the Light!", and the Highvale Elves being very light focused (beyond class trainer and vendor NPC's)

IMO, High Elves have never really been a very religious race, it just doesn't define their culture in a way it does for humans or night elves. Of course there are important cases and notorious branches, but for me they have always come across as not very religious as a whole, on a cultural level.

The whole "light" aspect of the modern Sunwell comes after the schism, and while of course is a cultural and historic heritage locale for all High Elves, the religious light aspect of it is completely a Blood Elven cultural thing.


Alleria is pretty much, literally, the template of what an "Alliance High Elf" is. She's literally the face of the race as introduced. The fact that she didn't share the ideological views her own husband had on the light and chose to use the potential of the Void, could be a good representation of the beliefs of her generation.

[shoc]

All this stuff is validating the idea that they really should have just had the BC races be Blood Elves for the Horde and High Elves for the Alliance.

BE fans simply do not get it: No this isn't enough. It will never be enough. Because your race caused an enormous maelstrom within the balance of faction populations which has caused upsetting ripples throughout the game for over a decade.

You talk about stealing the racial identity of the BE but the Horde literally stole a core race from the Alliance in BC and never looked back. It's been nothing but disingenuous argumentation and coping mechanisms from then on. The fact that you have the nerve to ask for alterac humans and dark ranger BEs just speaks volumes about how tone deaf you are.

Imagine caring this much about the color of elves in a video game. It's a sad and pityable sight. Not just you, goes for the 1262 other pages of this thread too.

[ravenmoon]

No more red vs blue expansions. Blizzard have already said they are laying off them for a long time.

And the Blood Elves can lose Silvermoon...17-20 years after Quel'Thalas is updated for the Horde Sin'dorei.
Suramar will never be updated - Horde only have the Nighthold.

I do look forward to a Quel'Thalas update for the Horde Sin'dorei. They deserve and need it.

EDIT:
The fact that you, @ravenmoon - want to enforce the same misery onto the Sin'dorei fanbase as what your going through now with the Night Elves, makes me less sympathetic to actually wanting Night Elves to have their own city, have their own lands...you want to punish my favorite race for no reason, other than your personal views and think that I should be alright with it and if I'm not - "Well join the Alliance." No, Blizzard should not force that on me and they won't. I didn't ask them to write BFA and make the Night Elves homeless...it's very hypocritical for you to be wanting sympathy for the Night Elves, yet want the Sin'dorei to go through the exact treatment and expect Sin'dorei fans to remain quiet about it.

Maybe, Night Elves should be left out of the story for a good few expansions and let the Void Elves take over and build up Telogrus Citadel?

Sin'dorei and Shal'dorei carry on as they are, in an updated Quel'Thalas and in the Nighthold, because Horde players won't get an updated Suramar.

You are taking this FAR to personally.

I use to sometimes, especially after what they did to night elves. Trust me it’s much healthier if you don’t.

Trust me, I was purely analysing the situation from as rationally as I could. the trending and projection of fan influenced directions.

you’ll find it helpful to love all elves regardless of whether it’s blue or red and desire them to be enjoyable.

you quaked at the idea of blood elves losing Silvermoon. You didn’t care whether they moved into something better or got improved by the experience.

what is falling about what happened to the night elves was the consistent degradation and loss since their fantastical introduction in Wc3, leading from the sundering with no good improvement.

not once have I ever suggested blood elves losing something without gaining something. You basically always want exciting things players can rally around for a race when they lose something. Loss is part of the story. What’s bad is when they keep losing and never improve or get better things and performances.

if losing Teldrassil meant the night elves powering up with the well of eternity arcane, world tree nature and night warrior Elune, gaining a better city than Darnassus and Suramar and being quite powerful in action every time you meet them in the events. Like they were supposed to be when they were described as a TITANIC race in the Wc3 manual, even regaining their immortality (which face it, none of these affect gameplay at all), then I’d say you are now compensating night elves for losing horribly in the WoR, looking so bad in Cata, ineffective and awol for most of classic to wotLK, and coming out of wc3 with significant reductions.

Do you not think of blood elves lost Silvermoon. I would not be championing great ways they could improve and end up even better than before?

for me that’s the main thing

[Varodoc]

Why exactly were we talking about giving San'layn options to the Ren'dorei? They are still Ren'dorei, not "Umbrella term for all elves". The Ren'dorei got these new options because fair skin and blonde hair is part of the Ren'dorei identity (see their leader Lady Alleria Windrunner), but they have nothing in common with the San'layn or the Dark Rangers.

While they use magic that can be compared to necromancy, it doesn't seem like the creatures they raised in Zuldazar were sentient like the undead are. They were simply animating fallen bones and corpses using the Void energy.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

The even let the newest hair colors have smirks on their faces :P YAAAAYYYY FINALLY!!!!!

Like I will say that brown hair color was my least favorite option but that's just nitpicking on my end TBH.

BTW, this does leave VE's having the same number of hair colors than BE's -this latest addition really has doubled the options!- so I kinda doubt we see more colors on VE's for a hot while, unless BE also get more. I don't think VE's are going to get more options than BE's ever -and they are already on thin ice on skin tones because Blood Elves technically do have access to 23 skin tones, yet 9 of them are class locked.

Best case scenario, DK skin tones (and maybe some DH ones) are unlocked for BE's next expansion, and VE's will get like 2 new skin tones. Otherwise, I think it's likely VE's will only get jewelry/colors, hairstyles/tendrils and some sort of marking.

But maybe we won't be getting more hair colors on VE's at all for a long time.

[Pheraz]

I really do not understand why horde needs to "get something" for alliance finally getting voidy high elves or high void elves

I mean, why not improve the monster-aspect of the horde a bit more? More orc colors/types. Fel orcs, void orcs, space orcs, spice orcs whatever.

The vampire elves some people ask for do not really fit into the horde, in my humble opinion.

Forest trolls and more orc types are something I could really see coming.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

Here's what the hairstyles look without tentacles courtesy of Talendrion

SNIP
We'll have to wait till the PTR is updated to see them in the new colors.

Male hair styles are rather tragic not gonna lie; it's mostly that they look very samey.

But that's alright, these will do until whenever VE's get updated hairstyles.

Like for real, they might not give em more skin tones or hair colors, but it would be SUPER weird if they were the only race to not get more hairstyles lmao.

Eventually, that is. Doubt w'ell see it before 10.0

[Varodoc]

To all the San'layn fans: Blizzard clearly isn't interested in making San'layn playable in any way. Otherwise they would have done it in BfA. Did they do it in BfA? No, quite the opposite in fact. They had this plotline with Dreven the San'layn trying to join the Horde, only for his plans to be thwarted completely and him and his lackeys to be exterminated.

While giving the High elf options for the Ren'dorei made sense because there are several Quel'dorei delving in the study of the Void in Telogrus Rift; and they too are "Ren'dorei", "Children of the Void", children united in the Void. They might not be biologically Void elves, but they are still Ren'dorei.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I really do not understand why horde needs to "get something" for alliance finally getting voidy high elves or high void elves

I mean, why not improve the monster-aspect of the horde a bit more? More orc colors/types. Fel orcs, void orcs, space orcs, spice orcs whatever.

The vampire elves some people ask for do not really fit into the horde, in my humble opinion.

Forest trolls and more orc types are something I could really see coming.

I think vampire elves are indeed pretty cool, and they do have tons of potential by connecting to old lore (Being Kael'thas lost Northern forces) and new lore (the Venthyr)

Not only that, they also would work as a link between Forsaken and Blood Elves, which would also serve to make them stand ins for Dark Rangers and other undead elves.

San'layn would fit as much as Blood Elves and Forsaken did, so I think overall, they do fit in the Horde. Let's not forget that Ma'ghar, Zandalari, Highmountain and Vulpera all fit the Western Horde aesthetic, with only Nightborne doing so for the Eastern, and specifically the Blood Elves. San'layn would be a perfecr unifier for undead and blood elves, creating a more cohesive aesthetic spectrum for the Eastern Horde

[Yarathir]

I really do not understand why horde needs to "get something" for alliance finally getting voidy high elves or high void elves

I mean, why not improve the monster-aspect of the horde a bit more? More orc colors/types. Fel orcs, void orcs, space orcs, spice orcs whatever.

The vampire elves some people ask for do not really fit into the horde, in my humble opinion.

Forest trolls and more orc types are something I could really see coming.

Still waiting for the Alliance to get something in return for the Orcs getting a straight back option. Hmhh...

(Jk, I'm not really, but for the sake of tit-for-tat argumentation)

[FlubberPuddy]

Honestly they are on THIN ice, their iconic-ness just being carried by Warcraft 3. No major or relevant High Elf priest characters have been introduced in WoW. They are indeed one of the most iconic RTS units, but they never really got brought up during WoW itself on a significant way.
....
Alleria is pretty much, literally, the template of what an "Alliance High Elf" is. She's literally the face of the race as introduced. The fact that she didn't share the ideological views her own husband had on the light and chose to use the potential of the Void, could be a good representation of the beliefs of her generation.

You know that makes a lot of sense (them not being so religious). Yeah the WC3 unit is what made me think so, kinda like Pandaren Brewmaster (so Panda Monk is basically the flagship aesthetic for Monks).

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Like I will say that brown hair color was my least favorite option but that's just nitpicking on my end TBH.

......

Best case scenario, DK skin tones (and maybe some DH ones) are unlocked for BE's next expansion, and VE's will get like 2 new skin tones. Otherwise, I think it's likely VE's will only get jewelry/colors, hairstyles/tendrils and some sort of marking.

But maybe we won't be getting more hair colors on VE's at all for a long time.

Brown was the one I was most hoping for so ! :P But I feel more hair colors can wait at this point. Tbh the de-coupling of tentacles are going to make hairstyles look so freakin good (imo) that I'm fine with all hair color options come 9.1.5 and if we never got anymore afterwards.

[Yarathir]

I really, really hope we get some wicked void-themed stuff for Void Elves now, whenever they get their next customization update. Tentacles, teeth, eyes, some space/star mimicking particle effects for their body, eyes or hair.

Nightborne similarly need arcane effects for their body and hair.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

You know that makes a lot of sense (them not being so religious). Yeah the WC3 unit is what made me think so, kinda like Pandaren Brewmaster (so Panda Monk is basically the flagship aesthetic for Monks).

Basically. I kinda think they are on the same general level of religiosity than gnomes, maybe just a bit above since Quel'thalas did have a Church, but IMO it just doesn't come across as a very religious society pre Third War.

Hard contrast to the current BE society.

But yeah, I do think there are very pious individuals, probably ones that were formerly linked to the Thalassian chapter of the Church of the Holy Light and that's where we get the War3 Priests. They are iconic for the role they occupied during the RTS, but I don't think they are common or representative of current HE society more like any other race that believes in the Holy Light to a noticeable degree (Gilnean, Kul Tiran and Gnomes)

Brown was the one I was most hoping for so ! :P But I feel more hair colors can wait at this point. Tbh the de-coupling of tentacles are going to make hairstyles look so freakin good (imo) that I'm fine with all hair color options come 9.1.5 and if we never got anymore afterwards.

I too really needed brown lol, I just preferred one of the other shades BE have instead of this one, but this will do so I'm happy

While I do think VE's hairstyles seem very samey, two of my favorite hairstyles do look amazing without tentacles!

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I really, really hope we get some wicked void-themed stuff for Void Elves now, whenever they get their next customization update. Tentacles, teeth, eyes, some space/star mimicking particle effects for their body, eyes or hair.

Nightborne similarly need arcane effects for their body and hair.

I think an "starcursed" overlay for the hair would be pretty amazing. Wouldn't be a new color, more of an effect similar to the Dark Iron's flames. Neat!

Also I want a full tendril hairstyles, or longer tendril options overall. Almost lekku like?

Personally I'm not much of a fan of "Old God" Void type customizations because I feel VE's draw more from the Void as a cosmic terror more related to space and ethereals than the parasitic creatures old gods are, but I wouldn't hate if those options did happen.

[Edward Wu]

Imagine caring this much about the color of elves in a video game. It's a sad and pityable sight. Not just you, goes for the 1262 other pages of this thread too.

It goes way beyond that but I won't stop you from being disingenuous and patting yourself on the back for another fallacious job well done

[Vaedan]

Basically. I kinda think they are on the same general level of religiosity than gnomes, maybe just a bit above since Quel'thalas did have a Church, but IMO it just doesn't come across as a very religious society pre Third War.

Hard contrast to the current BE society.

But yeah, I do think there are very pious individuals, probably ones that were formerly linked to the Thalassian chapter of the Church of the Holy Light and that's where we get the War3 Priests. They are iconic for the role they occupied during the RTS, but I don't think they are common or representative of current HE society more like any other race that believes in the Holy Light to a noticeable degree (Gilnean, Kul Tiran and Gnomes)

It seems high elf priest practise was actually more close to the magical practise, then a spiritual one. Their culture was heavily centered around magic, it was everywhere.

I think an "starcursed" overlay for the hair would be pretty amazing. Wouldn't be a new color, more of an effect similar to the Dark Iron's flames. Neat!

Also I want a full tendril hairstyles, or longer tendril options overall. Almost lekku like?

Personally I'm not much of a fan of "Old God" Void type customizations because I feel VE's draw more from the Void as a cosmic terror more related to space and ethereals than the parasitic creatures old gods are, but I wouldn't hate if those options did happen.

This is what I want for void elves for a long time now. I think our high elf needs were almost fullfiled (we only need handful of new hairstyles). "Starcursed" concept is definitely cool.

[Rhlor]

Not hardcore enough, apparently, since you aren't frothing at the mouth that Blizzard is "destroying your character's racial identity and culture and throwing it to the big bad Alliance crybabies."

practically all my characters are blood elves and I love making RP blood elf! I would really see that blizzard is destroying my racial identity by adding cannibal personalization, because that does not represent the lore and the aesthetic blood elf that's why I oppose it because I love lore and what it means to be a blood elf.
I also understand what you say about people who do not want to share and refuse that others can have something so important to them and representative of WC2 there are many players of the alliance who refuse that we have humans from Alterac

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

It seems high elf priest practise was actually more close to the magical practise, then a spiritual one. Their culture was heavily centered around magic, it was everywhere.

Exactly, and light was just another type of magic. So while yes, obviously there was an spiritual component, it just doesn't reach the level of religiosity of humans in terms of the culture as a whole. That's why I compare them more to gnomes than anything.

It's just interesting how WoW has, overall, downplayed the War3 Elven Priests. Like they could have totally kept them as a point of connection between HE's and Humans, but, they just never did.

This is what I want for void elves for a long time now. I think our high elf needs were almost fullfiled (we only need handful of new hairstyles). "Starcursed" concept is definitely cool.

Yeah. I'm perfectly happy with any new options being meant for VE's. Although I WOULD love braids as an alternative to tentacles.

[Rhlor]

Void elves used dead bodies as vessels for the Void entities, which is not exactly necromancy, at least not that one which was used to rise san'layn and is possibly used by them. That power draws from the power of Death, not the Void.

It's the same case as Anduin and Faol raised Calia Menethil as undead with powers of Light. Completely different methods, completely different sources. Or should I say undeath is just fine with light users, according to this one event?

San'layn are risen blood elves, not night elves. Adding them to night elves does not make sense. Also, it's been Horde players who requests that for years now, this feature has nothing to do with the Alliance.

calia identifies himself as undead if you use some cosmic power to create undeads are they still undeads like undead manoroth do you remember? I think that if an undead of a different origin was adapted to the undead of the horde, the sanlayn would welcome what the void elves do creating undeads.
I say night elf because they use the night elf model since apparently reuse is very important, they could simply say that the dark ranger night elves and the sanlayn joined the alliance.
I see more alliance players requesting them than blood elf players. if there are so many alliance players who want them I think they should have them as a neutral allied race.

[elbleuet]

practically all my characters are blood elves and I love making RP blood elf! I would really see that blizzard is destroying my racial identity by adding cannibal personalization, because that does not represent the lore and the aesthetic blood elf that's why I oppose it because I love lore and what it means to be a blood elf.
I also understand what you say about people who do not want to share and refuse that others can have something so important to them and representative of WC2 there are many players of the alliance who refuse that we have humans from Alterac

Learn your lore. Really.
Alterac humans despise the Alliance as much as they despise the Horde. They were never a Horde race to begin with.
They were just temporary allied with you nothing more. High elves were in WII and WIII a playable Alliance race. And some of them never left the Alliance.

You will never get humans deal with it.

[Rhlor]

Eye/Skin Colour
And for Blood Elves, give them a Dark Ranger pale skin and red eyes. Why not?

my answer as a blood elf player: blood elves are not undead cannibals that is not our theme or our aesthetics or the development of our story. dark rangers are not members of quelthalas society they are not loyal to quelthalas and never did anything for quelthalas. the dark ranger were always loyal to the forsaken leader and always fought for the forsaken, when quelthalas faced sylvanas the dark ranger were the most loyal and faithful followers of sylvanas against quelthalas and the rest of the horde not a single dark ranger defended Quelthalas' cause, they were all loyal to the queen of the forsaken because dark rangers are forsaken not blood elves.
i think dark ranger should be forsaken customization.
a better option for blood elves would be lightforged options after all blood elves already have golden eyes and are irradiated by the power of light all the time.

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Learn your lore. Really.
Alterac humans despise the Alliance as much as they despise the Horde. They were never a Horde race to begin with.
They were just temporary allied with you nothing more. High elves were in WII and WIII a playable Alliance race. And some of them never left the Alliance.

You will never get humans deal with it.

This is just what I was saying. people do not want to share and do not want some of us to live the complete fantasy of the wc2 horde