Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Lebanese Dude]

People keep fighting over lore reasoning, this and that, blah blah blah, but the fact of the matter is that the High Elf lore was butchered in 2007 to save WoW as it was dying from population imbalance. High Elves are Blood Elves and they're Horde because they just had to be.

Blizzard wouldn't reverse something that basically saved their game. People have been asking for High Elves on the Alliance and Blizzard giving Void Elves instead is proof enough that they're still concerned about this.

Take the hint.

They could have very easily used High Elves to make Void Elves. Instead they went out of their way to get homeless Blood Elves.

- - - Updated - - -

They were always there even in wrath.. there are still some left.. thats true.. but realy nothing major to argue about.

That's all that's needed. One city that has High Elves is all you need. Just like all Lightforged were from one ship, all void elves were from one crack squad, all Nightborne are from one city, and all Highmountain are from one zone.

And you know what? There are TWO cities with High Elves (Stormwind has a significant High/Half Elf population) as well as additional places like Quel'Danil.

Enough. Allied races need to be neither major or that unique from their base race. Void Elves took NO themes from Blood Elves and instead borrowed from Shadow Priests, unlike every single other allied race so far which has taken the base race and expanded either its theme or a fringe element of it. (Zandalari take troll loa lore and expands it. Nightborne takes fringe Night Elf Highborne lore and expands it).

That leaves development options for High Elves, which could VERY easily take a sort of spellbreaker / ranger theme that Blood Elves have NEVER expanded since Burning Crusade. Blood Elves will always be about the Fel and the Sunwell.

[Goldielocks]

They could have very easily used High Elves to make Void Elves. Instead they went out of their way to get homeless Blood Elves.

I have a theory as to why. They did it because the Nightborne quest chain made Tyrande and the Nelfs look bad, so Blizzard had to reciprocate and make Lor'themar look bad.

Also if all of the High Elves dissapeared, these zealots would likely all commit suicide.

[FlubberPuddy]

I didn't say a new player, I said a new character for a player who was interested in the elf story. You mistook my point entirely. You also haven't responded to the specific problems that I described.

The high elves (barring void elves) currently in the game are never in a situation where their core identities are actually differentiated, they are the same group of people with different circumstances. You can't very well claim that the Silver Covenant stayed loyal when their loyalty wasn't tested like the blood elves were. You also can't very well say that the small number of high elves living in Alliance territory had ideological differences when all evidence suggests that they were living quiet lives in human society. How am I honestly supposed to believe that these groups are anything more than the same group with circumstantial loyalties?

Dude, I already said this to someone else, the new Chronicles has came out and further differentiated the High Elves and Blood Elves, even makes mentions of how the High Elves didn't feel the pangs as bad as Blood Elves did, and how Blood Elves magic siphoning changed their "mind, body, and soul" look at the 3 things there. All of it is imparting that there's more differences to Blood Elves and High Elves now than previous lore made it seem like except you and some other High Elf dissenters keep trying to stick to older lore.

There core identities already are differentiated in-game, Elisande even points out this disntinction. High Elves intermingled w/Humans, their culture is wholly different, they do not have Elven sprawling cities like Blood Elves, they left that behind, even though they miss it. They keep to lodges instead, there's a greater presence of them using meditation/willpower instead to deal with their withdrawal rather than how Blood Elves just went all-in finding new sources of magic.

And you don't know where the Silver Covenant came from, we know that a split occurred between the Blood Elves and High Elves, doesn't matter that they made the choice when it wasn't tested. Not all Blood Elves are specifically those who almost died with Kael until the Naga helped either, so I don't understand that point.

Nah you see, when asking specifically for High Elves, those are the groups that had ideological differences with Blood Elves. You keep saying small numbers but again this has been retconned with Chronicles showing that all citizens of Dalaran were removed with just a few left to defend it before it got destroyed. Chronicles Vol3 has set it up so that there can be more population for High Elves than previous lore.

You don't need to believe anything because you sound as if your mind is already made up. "How am I supposed to believe" simple they've been portrayed in the game that way and have stayed portrayed in the game that way, if you've been playing for over a year you would most likely know who the High Elves are, unless the Horde side of things just never has them come up at all or you're someone that doesn't pay attention to lore like some and think all elves are the same. Even in Legion the Quel'dorei were specifically called out.

- - - Updated - - -

There are exiled silvermoon and high elves wandering on that rock. You clearly have no idea. Thry are leftovers.

You clearly haven't done the Void Elf unlock chain as then you'd know all of the Void Elves are just those that were part of Umbric's group and they were all Blood Elves. So keep showing your ignorance, it doesn't change how the actual quest chain goes.

[Lebanese Dude]

Also if all of the High Elves dissapeared, these zealots would likely all commit suicide.

Actually many people would have been satisfied, especially if they went with a Worgen-like situation where you can have a Voided form and a High Elf form like Alleria.

You cannot say that wouldn't have been the best situation if Void Elves HAD to happen.

But that's too late now. They are explicitly Blood Elves turned via a one-time disruption of an unknown ritual.

[Friendlyimmolation]

They could have very easily used High Elves to make Void Elves. Instead they went out of their way to get homeless Blood Elves.

- - - Updated - - -



That's all that's needed. One city that has High Elves is all you need. Just like all Lightforged were from one ship, all void elves were from one crack squad, all Nightborne are from one city, and all Highmountain are from one zone.

And you know what? There are TWO cities with High Elves (Stormwind has a significant High/Half Elf population) as well as additional places like Quel'Danil.

Enough. Allied races need to be neither major or that unique from their base race. Void Elves took NO themes from Blood Elves and instead borrowed from Shadow Priests, unlike every single other allied race so far which has taken the base race and expanded either its theme or a fringe element of it. (Zandalari take troll loa lore and expands it. Nightborne takes fringe Night Elf Highborne lore and expands it).

That leaves development options for High Elves, which could VERY easily take a sort of spellbreaker / ranger theme that Blood Elves have NEVER expanded since Burning Crusade. Blood Elves will always be about the Fel and the Sunwell.

There are three half elves in canon, you're using non-canon refrenses for your "significant high/half elf population" claim.

Also spell breakers are a blood elven thing, High elves never had spell breakers, blood elves have a stronger ranger representation anyways, while Vereesa was having sex with Rhonin, Lor'themar and Haulduron were killing scourge in the ghostlands, you know, being actual rangers.

[Alanar]

They could have very easily used High Elves to make Void Elves. Instead they went out of their way to get homeless Blood Elves.

- - - Updated - - -



That's all that's needed. One city that has High Elves is all you need. Just like all Lightforged were from one ship, all void elves were from one crack squad, all Nightborne are from one city, and all Highmountain are from one zone.

And you know what? There are TWO cities with High Elves (Stormwind has a significant High/Half Elf population) as well as additional places like Quel'Danil.

Enough.

Enough for what then? The more we move forward the more we see those settlements either destroyed or being wretched such as quel danil. The population your talking about is what numbers from wowwiki? I mean ofc they create more if they want to, but lets be real.. void elves are the closest thing you will get they are like 50/50 high elf or blood elf exciles..

- - - Updated - - -

Dude, I already said this to someone else, the new Chronicles has came out and further differentiated the High Elves and Blood Elves, even makes mentions of how the High Elves didn't feel the pangs as bad as Blood Elves did, and how Blood Elves magic siphoning changed their "mind, body, and soul" look at the 3 things there. All of it is imparting that there's more differences to Blood Elves and High Elves now than previous lore made it seem like except you and some other High Elf dissenters keep trying to stick to older lore.

There core identities already are differentiated in-game, Elisande even points out this disntinction. High Elves intermingled w/Humans, their culture is wholly different, they do not have Elven sprawling cities like Blood Elves, they left that behind, even though they miss it. They keep to lodges instead, there's a greater presence of them using meditation/willpower instead to deal with their withdrawal rather than how Blood Elves just went all-in finding new sources of magic.

And you don't know where the Silver Covenant came from, we know that a split occurred between the Blood Elves and High Elves, doesn't matter that they made the choice when it wasn't tested. Not all Blood Elves are specifically those who almost died with Kael until the Naga helped either, so I don't understand that point.

Nah you see, when asking specifically for High Elves, those are the groups that had ideological differences with Blood Elves. You keep saying small numbers but again this has been retconned with Chronicles showing that all citizens of Dalaran were removed with just a few left to defend it before it got destroyed. Chronicles Vol3 has set it up so that there can be more population for High Elves than previous lore.

You don't need to believe anything because you sound as if your mind is already made up. "How am I supposed to believe" simple they've been portrayed in the game that way and have stayed portrayed in the game that way, if you've been playing for over a year you would most likely know who the High Elves are, unless the Horde side of things just never has them come up at all or you're someone that doesn't pay attention to lore like some and think all elves are the same. Even in Legion the Quel'dorei were specifically called out.

- - - Updated - - -



You clearly haven't done the Void Elf unlock chain as then you'd know all of the Void Elves are just those that were part of Umbric's group and they were all Blood Elves. So keep showing your ignorance, it doesn't change how the actual quest chain goes.

Look around at the npcs.. high elves are part of that group as well. You are trying abit to hard right now.its okey of you missed that, but dont put your high elf fetish/ frustration to me.

[Lebanese Dude]

There are three half elves in canon, you're using non-canon refrenses for your "significant high/half elf population" claim./

Zzzzz High Elves have lived in Dalaran and Stormwind for thousands of years. It's obviously mostly relevant to the High Elf part of it, and I added Half Elves just to point out how there are Half-Elves out there.

Here are two references to look at:

http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Half-elf
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Ranger_(Warcraft_III)

And seriously the fact that they haven't been developed makes it MORE likely that they can be developed as an Allied Race, as they are a white board that Blizzard can design in any way they wish.

[Goldielocks]

Actually many people would have been satisfied, especially if they went with a Worgen-like situation where you can have a Voided form and a High Elf form like Alleria.

You cannot say that wouldn't have been the best situation if Void Elves HAD to happen.

That's not true. From a game dev perspective the worgen scenario would have been an impossible thought. The entire reason why the Void Elves look so different is to detract Blood Elf players from leaving the Horde. It makes WAYYYYYYY more sense to give the players what they want in this scenario, for profit and for game recognition. However, all of this is pointless if the game collapses.

Even if you argue that this won't happen for various reasons, it makes sense to assume that Blizzard is of this mindset. They don't want to poke the beast. The possibility for net gain is maximized with the Void Elf compromise we've been given.

[Friendlyimmolation]

Zzzzz High Elves have lived in Dalaran and Stormwind for thousands of years.

Here are two references to look at:

http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Half-elf
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Ranger_(Warcraft_III)

Congratulations, every single source for half elves on that page is noncanon. If its from a rpg book, throw it out.

I stand corrected, there are four half elves in canon, and one is already dead.

And no, high elves have no lived in Stormwind for thousands of years, and even those in Dalaran were not screwing humans for the exception of Alodi, who's parents didn't even stick around to raise him.

Work on where you get your info from.

you do realize the majority of rangers are blood elves right? Just like most of the living Thasslassian elves are blood elves right?

[Lebanese Dude]

Enough for what then? The more we move forward the more we see those settlements either destroyed or being wretched such as quel danil. The population your talking about is what numbers from wowwiki? I mean ofc they create more if they want to, but lets be real.. void elves are the closest thing you will get they are like 50/50 high elf or blood elf exciles..
.

Quel'Danil isn't wretched nor destroyed. It's still thriving in Hinterlands.

- - - Updated - - -

Congratulations, every single source for half elves on that page is noncanon.

I stand corrected, there are four half elves in canon, and one is already dead.

Stop being a pedant. I'm linking this for context.

There were barely any Night Elf Highborne in canon and they created an entire city out of thin air. They can create Half Elves any time they wanted.

[FlubberPuddy]

Look around at the npcs.. high elves are part of that group as well. You are trying abit to hard right now.its okey of you missed that, but dont put your high elf fetish/ frustration to me.

Yeah as I said, your ignorance doesn't change the actual situations that occurred. Not even frustrated but nice try.

[Alanar]

Fan made? Oh dear.

Go walk around Dalaran and the Stormwind Mage Quarter a bit.

Also I was talking about actually something they could build a story arc about.. not about some high elf leftovers walking arround in dala by the cheese shop.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah as I said, your ignorance doesn't change the actual situations that occurred. Not even frustrated but nice try.

What are you talking about my god?
You did thr questchain well good for you.. that its you being ignorant not seeing all those high elves arroun at that stratibg area and even in stormwind they are talking to the void elves..

[Friendlyimmolation]

Stop being a pedant. I'm linking this for context.

Context that is non canon can be ignored wholly. Your context means nothing there.

There were barely any Night Elf Highborne in canon and they created an entire city out of thin air. They can create Half Elves any time they wanted.

"Blizzard can make my dreams canon if they want" isn't an argument, Blizzard can just as well laugh at the request for high elves like they have for the last 10+ years.

[Lebanese Dude]

That's not true. From a game dev perspective the worgen scenario would have been an impossible thought. The entire reason why the Void Elves look so different is to detract Blood Elf players from leaving the Horde. It makes WAYYYYYYY more sense to give the players what they want in this scenario, for profit and for game recognition. However, all of this is pointless if the game collapses. .

LOL This argument never ceases to make me laugh.

People play Blood Elves because they want to play Horde and look pretty. There won't be a mass exodus to the Alliance just because they got fairskinned Elves.

[Friendlyimmolation]

LOL This argument never ceases to make me laugh.

People play Blood Elves because they want to play Horde and look pretty. There won't be a mass exodus to the Alliance just because they got fairskinned Elves.

And yet Blizzard didn't just give the high elves to the Alliance which logically speaking, they would have done if they weren't concerned with potential issues like this.

[Lebanese Dude]

Context that is non canon can be ignored wholly. Your context means nothing there.



"Blizzard can make my dreams canon if they want" isn't an argument, Blizzard can just as well laugh at the request for high elves like they have for the last 10+ years.

This is the problem with the anti-High Elf side. They dismiss any notion of it as impossible while the High Elf proponents claim it is possible. The former is absolutist certainty based on arbitrary context while the latter is based on actual context.

What's impossible is to hold a conversation.

And Half Elves exist in the lore. There was one Pandaren in Warcraft III and they made an expansion out of it. That's all that matters.

- - - Updated - - -

And yet Blizzard didn't just give the high elves to the Alliance which logically speaking, they would have done if they weren't concerned with potential issues like this.

Or they didn't want to turn High Elves into Void Elves and left them for the future?

I mean it's actually genius when you think about it. High Elves are still possible so that's a carrot they can dangle for as long as they like.

[Friendlyimmolation]

This is the problem with the anti-High Elf side. They dismiss any notion of it as impossible while the High Elf proponents claim it is possible.

What's impossible is to hold a conversation.

And Half Elves exist in the lore. There was one Pandaren in Warcraft III and they made an expansion out of it.

For 10 plus years high elves have been a no, and when they had the biggest chance to give them like before, they said no again. Coming up with ideas is fine and all, as long as people don't get drunk on their own high elf dreams, because all it leads to for them is more and more disappointment, as long as Blizzard operates with two factions and holds the same sense of game Design.

And Half Elves exist in the lore. There was one Pandaren in Warcraft III and they made an expansion out of it. That's all that matters.

Yea, four exist in lore, I wasn't disputing that, only the fact that the large number of them is non canon. Not every elf is a Windrunner.

[Goldielocks]

LOL This argument never ceases to make me laugh.

People play Blood Elves because they want to play Horde and look pretty. There won't be a mass exodus to the Alliance just because they got fairskinned Elves.

If it wasn't a real thing then the Horde would have never received Blood Elves in the first place. The lore behind it is extremely contrived and badly written, and only because it was done because Blizzard was forced to do it.

If it wasn't a real thing, then the Void Elves would look like Alleria. Why don't they?

There's no implication of a mass exodus. Blizzard doesn't want to increase the divide between the active players, by any margin. It's a common dev thing, to keep binary groups of players as close to 50-50 as possible.

You can keep arguing lore all you want, but it will always come second to Blizzard.

[Lebanese Dude]

For 10 plus years high elves have been a no, and when they had the biggest chance to give them like before, they said no again. Coming up with ideas is fine and all, as long as people don't get drunk on their own high elf dreams, because all it leads to for them is more and more disappointment, as long as Blizzard operates with two factions and holds the same sense of game Design.

We don't know why they didn't do it. Maybe they didn't want High Elves to be playable. Making arbitrary claims about what Blizzard wants based on what they did when you have no knowledge of their thought process is nothing short of presumptuous.

[FlubberPuddy]

And yet Blizzard didn't just give the high elves to the Alliance which logically speaking, they would have done if they weren't concerned with potential issues like this.

Again the, "if it's not in now, it won't ever be" argument. That's a fallacy. You have no idea why they went with Void Elves. Their official reasoning was, "we wanted to do something new and cool" they said void elves didn't exist before. While at the same time they mentioned, Nightborne and HM Tauren were based on player feedback.

But yes continue to ignore context when it suits you. They probably wanted to give Alleria, who had become a Void Elf, some people of her own so that they can have her with some army power. Vereesa already leads the contingent of High Elves, so there's no reason for leadership to exchange hands there. They also are setting up some stuff for the Void/Old Gods storyline coming up.

Why most High Elf dissenters can't take in these contextual things always surprises me. Then throw their arguments around like they're completely 100% correct and it couldn't be for any other reason than what they think it to be. At least we are exploring possibilities instead of essentially going, "no. no. no. I don't like. no."