Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[God Dragon]

You're the one who is in the wrong. The arrogant High elves would never live among humans as equals, and would consider themselves the highest proudest people.
The remaining arrogant High elves are in the Kirin Tor and possibly the Silver Covenant.

The majority of High elves were humbled, respect humans and other races, work alongside them. They have also stopped using magic, and High elves do not drain magic from things. They carry arcane artifacts that passively send mana inside them and meditate.
They were exiled and thrown out of their homes for refusing to compromise their beliefs and morality, they were just as mana starved as the Blood Elves and were in a much worse condition as they had to fight through the Ghostlands, yet they survived and overcame their addiction without needing to compromise their morals. They didn't leech on other races, they pulled their weight. In Theramore High elves were part of the armed forces, and in Stormwind, they're part of the Mage tower.

While the Quel'danil ones are locked in battle against the Forest trolls and Forsaken, and are helping the Aerie peak wildhammers.

You clearly don't know much about High elves.

You are going to have to show me Where it says this stuff.

Where does it say the majority of high elves were humbled any more than the blood elves? The blood elves work alongside the horde races do they not?
Why would most of the playable High elves not be from the kirin tor or silver covenant? Why do you get to decide playable high elves would be from this faction that had to journey down from quel'thalas and where does it say the ones that had to journey from quel'thalas out number the more arrogant ones in the silver covenant or kirin tor?

I also don't see any lore about them being throw out for refusing to compromise their beliefs and morality. Even if they were that does not mean the high elves who had to make a journey through the undead to be saved by humans had as hard a time as the elves that had to retake their capital from the undead and cleanse the Sunwell which was also attacked by demons.

The artifacts thing is just semantics. Even if its a passive flow of mana they are still draining it and its still them getting it easier by the hands of the humans.

It doesn't matter if they "pulled their weight" I never said they leeched in the first place. I said they were taken care of by the other races of the alliance which the blood elves did not have the luxury of doing. They received items to solve their mana problem by the humans and they helped out cool, the blood elves did not receive help from the alliance or any items to give them any mana so what are they supposed to do if they want to stay in quel'thalas and rebuild their undead ridden homeland? Once again having humans hand you free mana you joining their army but not being in immediate danger is a much easier way out than staying and fighting the force that just destroyed your homeland, having to set your ideals aside to get it done, having to find other ways to get your mana fix and trying to rebuild the Sunwell so they can get mana to everyone not just the ones who get artifacts.

You clearly are just biased towards high elves and are desperate to make it seem like they had even a fraction of the difficulty in their lives that the blood elves did to try to make them seem like just overall better people when in reality the only reason they didn't abandon their morals is because they got help from other races. You even admit this but try to say its ok cause they helped out too. Cool but the blood elves didn't get any help so they had it much harder obviously.

[Kithelle]

Can someone ask Obelisk Kai for me why it's so devastating/utterly terrible that people continue to talk about High Elves?

Because that's all I seem to be getting from his posts, that no one should continue to talk about High Elves

Because egos are so fragile theirs would crumble if the devs decided one day they'd add High Elves.

Why else be so damned opposed to it, to people just talking about it, they'll post hundreds of pages later...they have to try and keep it down because they're so fragile and couldn't handle if someone else got what they had...or just selfish Horde mentality, the Horde gets treated better...if Alliance got High Elves that means that the Horde isn't the golden child anymore.

[FlubberPuddy]

I think you're grasping quite a bit. I doubt Ion would have so casually put blue eyes for blood elves on the table if there was this unseen concerted dev effort to make sure it never happens. Especially now that they've emphatically said no to high elves, who even now use a kind of buggy eye glow with green energy buzzing around their heads. I mean, not to give you war flashbacks, but, "if you want to be a fair-skinned, light-haired, blue-eyed elf..."

But really, it's up in the air. We have no idea what the new Sunwell's exact properties are beyond very vague statements that suggest equal showing between Light and arcane. We can assume that a mage, for instance, would draw heavily from the arcane but lightly, if at all, from the Light. For all we know, that constant ocean of arcane magic could easily be enough to wash out the residual fel, which most BEs were only very lightly touched with anyway just from living around the crystals.

As I provided, if that were the case then the Light wouldn't be so heavily played up, except that's what's happening. It is being played up a lot more than the arcane side. Besides, Fel itself is a made from the clashing of Void and Light, so it's already a more potent magic than arcane, even if they are supposed to oppose one another.

I think people are having a hard time understanding that Arcane magic is just one of the lesser forms of magic, like shadow (stronger version is Void), light magic (stronger version is Holy), fire/water/ elemental magic. It's more base level than otherwordly. At least that's what I'm getting from people's responses.

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Because egos are so fragile theirs would crumble if the devs decided one day they'd add High Elves.

Why else be so damned opposed to it, to people just talking about it, they'll post hundreds of pages later...they have to try and keep it down because they're so fragile and couldn't handle if someone else got what they had...or just selfish Horde mentality, the Horde gets treated better...if Alliance got High Elves that means that the Horde isn't the golden child anymore.

I think he did say on one occasion that he constantly comes back because if he stays quiet then "it would give the illusion more people are okay with High Elves now" or something to that extent. So you're probably right on the money about being fragile.

[Traveler Voltin]

So the official forums are more delusional than the people here

[Gurluas]

You are going to have to show me Where it says this stuff.

Where does it say the majority of high elves were humbled any more than the blood elves? The blood elves work alongside the horde races do they not?
Why would most of the playable High elves not be from the kirin tor or silver covenant? Why do you get to decide playable high elves would be from this faction that had to journey down from quel'thalas and where does it say the ones that had to journey from quel'thalas out number the more arrogant ones in the silver covenant or kirin tor?

I also don't see any lore about them being throw out for refusing to compromise their beliefs and morality. Even if they were that does not mean the high elves who had to make a journey through the undead to be saved by humans had as hard a time as the elves that had to retake their capital from the undead and cleanse the Sunwell which was also attacked by demons.

The artifacts thing is just semantics. Even if its a passive flow of mana they are still draining it and its still them getting it easier by the hands of the humans.

It doesn't matter if they "pulled their weight" I never said they leeched in the first place. I said they were taken care of by the other races of the alliance which the blood elves did not have the luxury of doing. They received items to solve their mana problem by the humans and they helped out cool, the blood elves did not receive help from the alliance or any items to give them any mana so what are they supposed to do if they want to stay in quel'thalas and rebuild their undead ridden homeland? Once again having humans hand you free mana you joining their army but not being in immediate danger is a much easier way out than staying and fighting the force that just destroyed your homeland, having to set your ideals aside to get it done, having to find other ways to get your mana fix and trying to rebuild the Sunwell so they can get mana to everyone not just the ones who get artifacts.

You clearly are just biased towards high elves and are desperate to make it seem like they had even a fraction of the difficulty in their lives that the blood elves did to try to make them seem like just overall better people when in reality the only reason they didn't abandon their morals is because they got help from other races. You even admit this but try to say its ok cause they helped out too. Cool but the blood elves didn't get any help so they had it much harder obviously.

Through their actions. Blood elves have always been portrayed as pompous and very proud, just like the High elves of old. In fact...They ARE the High elves of old.
Most of the High elves are High elves who remained in the alliance following the Second war, or was exiled. The High elves who rejected the Alliance, left and went in seclusion became the Blood elves.

As for your second question...The Kirin Tor High elves are for the most part very similar to the Blood elves. Blood elves with blue eyes is not enough to be a playable race, you need cultural and ideological differences.

Here's the lore about them being thrown out.
"when Grand Magister Rommath returned to Quel'Thalas to teach them Kael's magic siphoning ways, some elves were disgusted by the practice — likening it to vampiric behavior — and opposed its use. Unable to lead a divided nation, Regent Lord Lor'themar exiled the dissenters from the kingdom."

Since High elves considered those magic siphoning ways something bad, they obviously would not use it, even on inanimate objects. Passive absorption and siphoning are very different things even if you can't see it. They may be draining it but passively and without damaging the object.

They were taken care of because the High elves actually sought help, the Blood elves did not. Had the Blood elves sent Emissaries like Sylvanas did, I'm sure they'd have received help.

[Andromedes]

ask them. i only got this from discord. They see removing of "HE" npces as sight of bright future, not this (in BE folders as we see). What is it? time will tell.

Weird, i saw the exact opposite. They were angry, that they changed warfront high elf npc into a human. But yeah, fabricate more stories, or generalize the whole group based on one comment, so you can feel good that you aren't delusional fanatic or something.

[Zorish]

Weird, i saw the exact opposite. They were angry, that they changed warfront high elf npc into a human. But yeah, fabricate more stories, or generalize the whole group based on one comment, so you can feel good that you aren't delusional fanatic or something.

i maybe worded it wrong. Yes they were upset (a little) when blizz removed NPCes. But after that they (or at least some of them) started to think that this could mean that blizzard preparing "HE" to be released (and that Auric angels thing http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=130620/frostfencer-seraphi ) so blizz gather named elves for this. Now we see this files, so they get even higher hopes.

[protip]

Weird, i saw the exact opposite. They were angry, that they changed warfront high elf npc into a human. But yeah, fabricate more stories, or generalize the whole group based on one comment, so you can feel good that you aren't delusional fanatic or something.

They changed the warfront NPC? I can't say I'm surprised. I think if Blizzard have learned anything from this whole High Elf conversation it's that people get upset when they see them in game.

[Zorish]

They changed the warfront NPC? I can't say I'm surprised. I think if Blizzard have learned anything from this whole High Elf conversation it's that people get upset when they see them in game.

from what i read in discord - yeah blizz changed "HE" noname NPC there, and i think few named got change into humans too.

[Gurluas]

We don't need more humans. They should have made it a Void elf, or a Gnome or something -.-

[Obelisk Kai]

Go ahead keep harassing High Elf Players, Alliance Players, or any other players that doesn't fit with your Elven Horde Fantasy. Because all I'm seeing is just a big cyber bully being a entitled manchild.

You are aware that since our spat on youtube, remember the one where you denied being you and expressed pity for 'poor Wowknight', that I was led to your twitter feed?

Reading your stream of consciousness updates regarding your commentary here is...well...enlightening. And you have no right to label anyone else a manchild. The world could break from the level of hypocrisy involved.

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I miss the C&C series.

Kane lives in Death!
.

Well the last time we saw him was in C and C 4 and that WAS franchise death. He deserved so much better...

[Alex86el]

from what i read in discord - yeah blizz changed "HE" noname NPC there, and i think few named got change into humans too.

Wow, while i couldn't care less about Elves... this is such a "Kathleen Kennedy move".
Instead of looking at what your customers want, and providing it, you force your decisions onto them.
Didnt expect this from Blizzard. Since this is purely a cosmetic thing.

But i guess... for all of the people wanting to play the historical and iconic High Elves... "the Horde is there waiting for you"
Because we all know that if you look like a High Elf, you're a High Elf.
Because one species equals one race and one faction....in 2018.
Obviously.

Just imagine you have blue eyes, make yourself a custom "herritage armor" and pretend you're on the Alliance side.

I guess i'll never get to wear that sweet Wildhammer herritage armor on my future shaman...
because "the Ironforge Dwarves are there waiting for me".

[Obelisk Kai]

some spice for this thread from HE discord after seeing this they already dreaming how "anti crowd" would butthurt.

Zorish what am I looking at?

It looks like a list of the various skins on the Blood Elf model. Yes it lists the High Elf skins, but those have been there forever. High Elf npcs use their own unique set of skins because of the blue eyes, they are not available to players but are housed on the Blood Elf model because they are exact same race.

I don't get it. I thought this was common knowledge. Why are the pro High Elfers talking about it?

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from what i read in discord - yeah blizz changed "HE" noname NPC there, and i think few named got change into humans too.

Well at least the pro High Elf community can claim a victory now in that they are having an impact on the game.

Of course, making Blizzard come to the conclusion they may have been a more liberal in game with a dead race than they should have been and so are now pulling back might not be the victory they were hoping for.

Still a good move. Would have been nice if that Arcanist had been changed into a void elf but having a non major Alliance race play a major role in a Warfront is silly.

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i maybe worded it wrong. Yes they were upset (a little) when blizz removed NPCes. But after that they (or at least some of them) started to think that this could mean that blizzard preparing "HE" to be released (and that Auric angels thing http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=130620/frostfencer-seraphi ) so blizz gather named elves for this. Now we see this files, so they get even higher hopes.

More likely the High Elf hoopla has made Blizzard extra cautious about using them liberally as they were starting to tend to do. This is a welcome pullback on their part as it means the Alliance will actually resemble the Alliance when we face them.

[Zorish]

Zorish what am I looking at?

It looks like a list of the various skins on the Blood Elf model. Yes it lists the High Elf skins, but those have been there forever. High Elf npcs use their own unique set of skins because of the blue eyes, they are not available to players but are housed on the Blood Elf model because they are exact same race.

I don't get it. I thought this was common knowledge. Why are the pro High Elfers talking about it?

well - when they posted it, they said that file names got changed. I can't be sure if this is true (not dataminer myself so...)

More likely the High Elf hoopla has made Blizzard extra cautious about using them liberally as they were starting to tend to do. This is a welcome pullback on their part as it means the Alliance will actually resemble the Alliance when we face them.

can agree there. but some people have false (or not false - who knows) hope.

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Wow, while i couldn't care less about Elves... this is such a "Kathleen Kennedy move".
Instead of looking at what your customers want, and providing it, you force your decisions onto them.
Didnt expect this from Blizzard. Since this is purely a cosmetic thing.

you didn't expect that autor of the book forcing his view on you? Like really - it's their creation, it's their "book". They can do whatever they want with it (yeah with look on customers, but i am sure they calculated most outcome from this events, and if they will change their minds now - well... they will lose reputation of company who can keep it's word and would do anything to please loval minority).

I guess i'll never get to wear that sweet Wildhammer herritage armor on my future shaman...
because "the Ironforge Dwarves are there waiting for me".

not against wildhammer myself. I just don't see them different enough physicaly from normal dwarves (but i like DI dwarves very much. They are unique at least in both aestetics, history and physicaly). But... well - if you want another dwarf race in the SAME faction... well - it's your choice.

[Obelisk Kai]

)

well - when they posted it, they said that file names got changed. I can't be sure if this is true (not dataminer myself so...)

can agree there. but some people have false (or not false - who knows) hope.

In the aftermath of a Q and A where the lead dev EXPLICITLY ruled them out; the fact that they are seeing 'less' High Elves as being a sign is just laughable. Not a month ago they were saying these Elves were a sign that High Elves were coming.

How can they argue, with a straight face, that their removal means the same?

[protip]

In the aftermath of a Q and A where the lead dev EXPLICITLY ruled them out; the fact that they are seeing 'less' High Elves as being a sign is just laughable. Not a month ago they were saying these Elves were a sign that High Elves were coming.

How can they argue, with a straight face, that their removal means the same?

Wait, are there seriously people arguing that this means that High Elves are coming? Nevermind... of course there are.

[Obelisk Kai]

Wait, are there seriously people arguing that this means that High Elves are coming? Nevermind... of course there are.

That's my interpretation of what Zorish has told me, so it's literally third hand information.

But I am unsurprised if this is the case.

Frankly I think the bigger news is that the High Elf Arcanist was removed (admittedly we are still waiting for confirmation of this beyond datamining). We should focus on that a bit more. It's a meaningful change that means the Warfront will be more reflective of the actual factions.

I hope that there is a Blood Elf Magister in the Alliance version of the Warfront however, which would be thematically appropriate.

[Gurluas]

Zorish what am I looking at?

It looks like a list of the various skins on the Blood Elf model. Yes it lists the High Elf skins, but those have been there forever. High Elf npcs use their own unique set of skins because of the blue eyes, they are not available to players but are housed on the Blood Elf model because they are exact same race.

I don't get it. I thought this was common knowledge. Why are the pro High Elfers talking about it?

Before the High elf skins were called something like BloodElfFemaleSkin_00_100.blp.
Although I doubt this is anything to get excited about, just a restructuring maybe. Did they do the same with the other races? Like is there a Leper Gnome skin in the Male Gnome folder?

[Obelisk Kai]

We don't need more humans. They should have made it a Void elf, or a Gnome or something -.-

I can agree with this. The Alliance has a lot of variety amongst it's playable races and it shouldn't always be Humans pushed to the forefront.

Before the High elf skins were called something like BloodElfFemaleSkin_00_100.blp.
Although I doubt this is anything to get excited about, just a restructuring maybe. Did they do the same with the other races? Like is there a Leper Gnome skin in the Male Gnome folder?

Not sure about the leper gnomes. Anyone know if their models were updated along with the base Gnomes in WOD?

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They changed the warfront NPC? I can't say I'm surprised. I think if Blizzard have learned anything from this whole High Elf conversation it's that people get upset when they see them in game.

I did a bit of research.

Meet High Sorceress Marala, who shares the NPC id with the former Arcanist Ilira.

http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=137442/high-sorceress-marala

You can see from the comments, including one from our own Sorotia, that this used to be Ilira.

If you check the preview, Marala is in the same gear as Ilira used to be but is a faction appropriate Human. You can check her out using the view in 3D option on that screen.

But if you fear for Arcanist Ilira, you shouldn't. A quick look at wowhead's database reveals she is still in the game.

http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=140761/arcanist-ilira

And like Marala, she is listed as being at the Circle of Elements.

But if you view Arcanist Ilira now in the model viewer, you'll see that she has undergone a bit of a change. The emerald glow of the eyes gives it away.

Looks like Ilira is now a Blood Elf and I would wager she is the equivalent of Marala in the Alliance version of the Warfront.

[protip]

I can agree with this. The Alliance has a lot of variety amongst it's playable races and it shouldn't always be Humans pushed to the forefront.



Not sure about the leper gnomes. Anyone know if their models were updated along with the base Gnomes in WOD?

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I did a bit of research.

Meet High Sorceress Marala, who shares the NPC id with the former Arcanist Ilira.

http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=137442/high-sorceress-marala

You can see from the comments, including one from our own Sorotia, that this used to be Ilira.

If you check the preview, Marala is in the same gear as Ilira used to be but is a faction appropriate Human. You can check her out using the view in 3D option on that screen.

But if you fear for Arcanist Ilira, you shouldn't. A quick look at wowhead's database reveals she is still in the game.

http://bfa.wowhead.com/npc=140761/arcanist-ilira

And like Marala, she is listed as being at the Circle of Elements.

But if you view Arcanist Ilira now in the model viewer, you'll see that she has undergone a bit of a change. The emerald glow of the eyes gives it away.

Looks like Ilira is now a Blood Elf and I would wager she is the equivalent of Marala in the Alliance version of the Warfront.

Looks a lot better. Thanks for checking that out.