Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Obelisk Kai]

You want people who are interested in Elves to go in a non-elf direction? Sounds more like you'd like the passion of discussion/brainstorming that High Elf fans have for something more suited to your tastes. Which it's not a bad thing to want, but I've oft seen it brought up in the official threads as well, "Why don't you guys take this level of talk about other things that I personally would like"

Some have already claimed in some High Elf-to-Half-elf compromises. Where their build is slightly more muscular, they have a height difference, have a different idle stance. Is that not what people have been discussing already? You haven't seen those discussions or you don't find those interesting enough for you?

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But "Blood Elves are High Elves" right? That means when they were cleansed they should've got BOTH Blue and Gold Eye options wouldn't that "make more sense" since they're "pretty much" the same?

Unknown, it's possible yellow eyes might replace both green and blue. But it's also possible that eventually Blood Elf players will get access to green, blue and yellow customizations.

So here we see the Devs, despite Ion's comment, have continued to make the difference between High Elves and Blood Elves.

They made a change to Blood Elves and did nothing to High Elves. I'd call that developer neglect at best.

Because honestly if everything the High Elf opposition said was true, and their was a Developer comment before saying their eyes would go back to natural after the fel wore off, AND the Sunwell is both Holy and Arcane, then they should've got the Blue too yeah? But they didn't.

Unless yellow overwrites blue. Or maybe yellow is intended to reflect those who are closer to the light and whose eyes have changed fastest. I can pretty much guarantee the option for green eyes, the fel tint, is going to be there until the end of the game. We have gold. We would like blue as well and will see if we can get that.

But you are, again, spinning your own unsubstantiated theories as fact when you've nothing to back you up. Ion's comment stands, you will not find a way around it unless another dev deliberately contradicts Ion on this point. Nothing you can say or do can accomplish that.

[Garfurion]

Well a wild stab in the dark here, but maybe because only Blood Elves are playable?

Weird your signature says that you can play High Elf

[Deleted]

Then explain it to me. Many people would be fine with Void Elves if they looked more like High Elves. Why?

Because then we could headcanon the void bullshit away. Suspension of disbelief. It's really not that hard to understand.

As an Alliance roleplayer, I feel like void elves have been the biggest middle finger Blizzard has ever given us. They've effectively elevated Goldshire-levels of cringe to be present everywhere now. At least death knights and demon hunters could tone their undeadness and demonicness way down with customisation options and transmogs. Meanwhile, the only thing you can do with Void Elves is cover literally every inch of their bodies in fabric/armour. It's not fun, it's extremely limiting and it's not conductive to good roleplay in the slightest. We now have dozens of void-abominations running around Stormwind, proclaiming their edgyness and whining how misunderstood they are while telling everyone and their mother just how fantastic the void is and how much they love and enjoy their affliction of being relentlessly assaulted by maddening whispers and being walking voidbombs waiting to go off in your face when they lose control.

It's absolutely terrible. Given that we can't put Void Elves back into the horror box of Goldshire-level writing, Blizzard could at least do us the fucking courtesy of giving us natural skin tones to cover them up with. Ugh. -_-

[FlubberPuddy]

Unknown, it's possible yellow eyes might replace both green and blue. But it's also possible that eventually Blood Elf players will get access to green, blue and yellow customizations.

Blizzard doesn't work like that, what they do and have continually shown to do is when they have a need/use for something then they will update it. Hence BEs getting Golden Eyes, they would've at that same moment, if they truly believed as the High Elf opposition does that BEs should get Blue Eyes, would've added it then as well.

See I'm making the same argument you guys do with the, "If High Elves weren't added now they won't ever be added." Except I am using the evidence that's been repeatedly shown to us by Blizzard that they only update things when it's pertinent to their internal timeline. What you're suggesting is there must be some reason they are not Blue yet, but "being cleansed" should mean they would have both options available, would it not?

They made a change to Blood Elves and did nothing to High Elves. I'd call that developer neglect at best.

Again, see above, there's tons of evidence Blizzard updates only when they are focused on those particular points. I'll give you another example, they updated the Gilnean Mountain Horses in the Alpha, but have left the Stormwind Horses alone. Means they have no plans currently to do anything with them yet.

Unless yellow overwrites blue. Or maybe yellow is intended to reflect those who are closer to the light and whose eyes have changed fastest. I can pretty much guarantee the option for green eyes, the fel tint, is going to be there until the end of the game. We have gold. We would like blue as well and will see if we can get that.

But you are, again, spinning your own unsubstantiated theories as fact when you've nothing to back you up. Ion's comment stands, you will not find a way around it unless another dev deliberately contradicts Ion on this point. Nothing you can say or do can accomplish that.

As stated above, if this is the "cleansing" to show moving on of BE story, then Blue Eyes should have been given as well. You're now looking for explanations with no substantiated evidence for it, and still assuming Blue Eyes will come later. When so much history, even recent history, shows Blizzard updates stuff the moment they have need to do it.

Oh here's another example, both the original Dwarf Paladin mount and the Dark Iron Paladin mount are updated to the new models, because again: That's where their focus is this moment.

BEs Golden Eyes are now in the character selection menu, if Blue Eyes were meant as well, this would've been the time to give it. Yet they decided not to, furthering the difference between High Elves and Blood Elves despite Ion's statement.

[Obelisk Kai]

Weird your signature says that you can play High Elf

The terminology gets confusing. Biologically and culturally Blood Elves are High Elves.

When discussing the potential of playable races, high elves refers to the Alliance aligned elves.

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Blizzard doesn't work like that, what they do and have continually shown to do is when they have a need/use for something then they will update it. Hence BEs getting Golden Eyes, they would've at that same moment, if they truly believed as the High Elf opposition does that BEs should get Blue Eyes, would've added it then as well.

High Elves have unique skins on the blood elf model locked out to players. This is a player customization. I said in theory a High Elf could be able to have golden eyes. But there are so few of them maybe none have made the leap. In practical terms, configuring the high elf skins to give some golden eyes just isn't worth the effort.

See I'm making the same argument you guys do with the, "If High Elves weren't added now they won't ever be added." Except I am using the evidence that's been repeatedly shown to us by Blizzard that they only update things when it's pertinent to their internal timeline. What you're suggesting is there must be some reason they are not Blue yet, but "being cleansed" should mean they would have both options available, would it not?

I think you are making an awful leap of logic without much supporting evidence, but are so enamoured that you thought of making the leap you have forgotten there is nothing beneath you supporting it. What I am suggesting is that we don't really know yet, but the answer is almost certainly not high elves are different from Blood Elves and Blizzard is secrelty preparing them to playable.

Again, see above, there's tons of evidence Blizzard updates only when they are focused on those particular points. I'll give you another example, they updated the Gilnean Mountain Horses in the Alpha, but have left the Stormwind Horses alone. Means they have no plans currently to do anything with them yet.

There is no evidence, just your own highly subjective interpretation which is wide, wide open to confirmation bias.

[Traycor]

It’s the same thing as Demon Hunters. You have the choice of not having horns. It’s very easy to make normal looking Void Elves.

I think they look great, tentacles or not. I can’t understand why they need to have a fairer skin tone. Their lore I find lazy but I like everything else.

It's fine to like them. In fact, I hope those playing them enjoy their Void Elves tremendously.

That doesn't mean people who dislike the design have something wrong with them. I also would disagree with "It’s very easy to make normal looking Void Elves." I spent quite a long time trying to find a skin/hair color combo that made a male Void Elf look like anything but an undead vampire, to no success. Also, the ultra purple hands and feet against the pale skin make them look like severe diabetics in need of an amputation.

So freely enjoy and have fun, but it's no High Elf.

[FlubberPuddy]

High Elves have unique skins on the blood elf model locked out to players. This is a player customization. I said in theory a High Elf could be able to have golden eyes. But there are so few of them maybe none have made the leap. In practical terms, configuring the high elf skins to give some golden eyes just isn't worth the effort.

The Gold Eyes are Face Options, they don't need to touch the locked skins at all. Btw Didn't realize they had locked unique skins too, guess that's more evidence towards difference is it not? Lol Are you trying to claim the artist had time for 3 golden eye face options, but went "oh shoot ran out of time to add blue eyes, ship it boys!" I would find that extremely hard to believe. They don't just jump and do random customization out of nowhere, Blue Eyes would have to be a soon follow-up and we've had a new Alpha build that doesn't have this added yet.

I think you are making an awful leap of logic without much supporting evidence, but are so enamoured that you thought of making the leap you have forgotten there is nothing beneath you supporting it. What I am suggesting is that we don't really know yet, but the answer is almost certainly not high elves are different from Blood Elves and Blizzard is secrelty preparing them to playable.

Mmmm but I have evidence, as I've provided. Are you saying that my claim that Blizzard only updates things when it fits their timeline is incorrect? Since Ion confirmed this in the most recent QA when saying why there hasn't been customization to older races yet, and that if they had to bring up every single race every time they make new changes we'd see more minute changes instead of the bigger ones we see now. So how can my claim be incorrect?

Then you say we don't really know the answer to why only Gold Eyes, but presume to know that High Elves will never be playable? When I've shown with as much evidence as you have, why Blue eyes aren't in for Blood Elves. Yeah I'm making leaps of logic, sure.

There is no evidence, just your own highly subjective interpretation which is wide, wide open to confirmation bias.

Again I reiterate, are you saying my claim about how they update things is false? Because they have mentioned why certain things get updated over others in the most recent QA.

[protip]

You want people who are interested in Elves to go in a non-elf direction? Sounds more like you'd like the passion of discussion/brainstorming that High Elf fans have for something more suited to your tastes. Which it's not a bad thing to want, but I've oft seen it brought up in the official threads as well, "Why don't you guys take this level of talk about other things that I personally would like"

I'm happy with the game. Honestly, if no new races were introduced beyond what's been announced already, I'd still already have everything I want. I'd like to see this kind of excitement over something that you can get. I want to see happy Alliance players, and half the reason I'm active in this thread is because I don't think that narrowing your focus will get you what you want.

[FlubberPuddy]

I'm happy with the game. Honestly, if no new races were introduced beyond what's been announced already, I'd still already have everything I want. I'd like to see this kind of excitement over something that you can get. I want to see happy Alliance players, and half the reason I'm active in this thread is because I don't think that narrowing your focus will get you what you want.

Thank you for acknowledging the level of excitement there is around High Elves. I understand where you're coming from, but I personally believe if this actually wasn't realistically possible (like how people want LFR taken away), then I don't believe for a second it would have the level of support that it has had throughout the years and continues to have at this moment.

You say you want to see happy Alliance players, but currently, from what I've seen, a lot of the unrest from most Alliance players stems from the fact that most of our Allied Races right now are things we have not asked for (except Dark Irons, they're pretty much the only exception) and the future Alliance Allied Races continues to not hold much excitement for most Alliance players. Again, my very own observations.

I think what would make a lot of Alliance players happy is actually receiving the requests they've been having for a long while. I believe High Elves to be one of those requests, and I don't really think I, nor other High Elf supporters, are in the minority. You said it yourself, "this kind of excitement." That's not a common sight to see, especially with the level of community support that has accrued over time and recently for High Elves on Alliance as Allied Race.

There have been compromises aimed as stated previously, of maybe a joint combination with Half-elves, but most would simply prefer High Elves and the supporters seem to have no problems with suggesting compromises.

And this is what makes them so different from Void Elves too. You see, while most people who don't care for High Elves would say Void Elves are the compromise, it by nature cannot be. Players were not given their input for how Void Elves turned out, there were even threads asking for changes after the fact of their release. Blizzard themselves have stated their introduction: They didn't exist before, the artists just wanted to do something new and cool.

So that's why there have been threads upon threads about Void Elf feedback, until some people decided. "Yknow what eff this, let's just ask for proper High Elves" and then ofc the High Elf threads started and here we are today.

But yeah, I feel that if it was something that was so utterly impossible then it wouldn't have this level of support.

[Obelisk Kai]

Thank you for acknowledging the level of excitement there is around High Elves. I understand where you're coming from, but I personally believe if this actually wasn't realistically possible (like how people want LFR taken away), then I don't believe for a second it would have the level of support that it has had throughout the years and continues to have at this moment.

You say you want to see happy Alliance players, but currently, from what I've seen, a lot of the unrest from most Alliance players stems from the fact that most of our Allied Races right now are things we have not asked for (except Dark Irons, they're pretty much the only exception) and the future Alliance Allied Races continues to not hold much excitement for most Alliance players. Again, my very own observations.

I think what would make a lot of Alliance players happy is actually receiving the requests they've been having for a long while. I believe High Elves to be one of those requests, and I don't really think I, nor other High Elf supporters, are in the minority. You said it yourself, "this kind of excitement." That's not a common sight to see, especially with the level of community support that has accrued over time and recently for High Elves on Alliance as Allied Race.

There have been compromises aimed as stated previously, of maybe a joint combination with Half-elves, but most would simply prefer High Elves and the supporters seem to have no problems with suggesting compromises.

And this is what makes them so different from Void Elves too. You see, while most people who don't care for High Elves would say Void Elves are the compromise, it by nature cannot be. Players were not given their input for how Void Elves turned out, there were even threads asking for changes after the fact of their release. Blizzard themselves have stated their introduction: They didn't exist before, the artists just wanted to do something new and cool.

So that's why there have been threads upon threads about Void Elf feedback, until some people decided. "Yknow what eff this, let's just ask for proper High Elves" and then ofc the High Elf threads started and here we are today.

But yeah, I feel that if it was something that was so utterly impossible then it wouldn't have this level of support.

Yet you completely continue to ignore the fundamental problem with High Elves.

They cannot be discussed without acknowledging the Void Elf and Blood Elf elephants in the room.

High Elves are playable as Blood Elves. No matter how many models Traycor doodles he is not going to alter that fundamental fact. As High Elves are playable and the High Elf experience available, there is no point in duplicating that race for use by the Alliance. It's completely unfair to the Horde to have one of our races duplicated.

Does the Alliance deserve cool stuff? Yes, of course it does, nobody denies that. But we draw the line at the coveting of one of our races, and frankly if the Alliance forum community is upset at a perceived imbalance in who is getting the goodies, they have themselves partly to blame for that as they waste so much of their time on trying to get what they can't have.

Imagine if Traycor here had devoted his efforts to showing how a potential Half Elf race looked like for example.

As for the Void Elf compromise, a compromise by nature is unsatisfactory. Do you think I wanted the Alliance to even have the thalassian model? I wanted that to remain Horde unique.

You think a Void Elf is my preferred solution? No more Elves was my preferred solution. You already got your pound of flesh from the Horde, and now you want a second stab at a compromise, one where you are happier and we are unhappier?

High Elves are Blood Elves. If you want to play a High Elf, make a Blood Elf on the Horde. If you can't stomach the Horde, there is 90% match to a High Elf on the Alliance side now called a Void Elf you can play. If you want a goal to agitate for and mobilise on the forums, maybe even one that captures some of that High Elf spirit, start asking for Half Elves.

But if you think you are going to get a second thalassian model (one more than the Horde) that looks the same as a Blood Elf except for some 80's style hair-does, if you think you are de facto going to turn the most popular race in the Horde and one of our biggest selling points into a neutral race, if you think Blizzard has any interest in adding a third thalassian race to the game, then you are completely mistaken.

All the Alliance has on this issue is a rabid, almost insatiable (90% match wasn't close enough) desire for the Horde's most popular race against all the reasons in terms of lore and gameplay that can be mustered. The pro High Elf case is built on pure emotion. Understandable I guess, but in no way does that mean it needs to be indulged.

[Deleted]

you only need 30 seconds before you see what this thread is about which is:
Alliance fanboys that are mad that their precious elves are Horde. "wouldn't fight for those murderous monsters alongside the same monsters" cit literally someones in this thread. Booohhooo the Horde hurts your feels

[Traycor]

the Horde hurts your feels

For the Alliance!

[Directionalk9]

There’s no narrative room for the High Elves anymore, all that story focus is now going to and should go to Void Elves. I doubt Blizzard is going to be using the Silver Covenant anymore. Anytime in the future when we’d traditionally see High Elves show up, I bet it’ll Void Elves.

[Garfurion]

High Elves are playable as Blood Elves. No matter how many models Traycor doodles he is not going to alter that fundamental fact. As High Elves are playable and the High Elf experience available, there is no point in duplicating that race for use by the Alliance. It's completely unfair to the Horde to have one of our races duplicated.

I think the problem is that it was the Horde who first got kind of a copy of an Alliance allied race back in TBC when Blood Elves became playable. In vanilla Alliance players could interact with Alliance aligned High Elves and I think a lot of players (both Horde and Alliance) expected High Elves to become playable for the Alliance at some point (and Ogres for the Horde). This may also have been Blizzards original plan until they decided to move the Blood Elves to the Horde to balance the player-base more evenly between Horde and Alliance.

At the time of their introduction the Blood Elves got a sufficiently different theme (vampiric mana junkies) from the Alliance aligned High Elves. One of the High Elves in Allerian Stronghold even emphasizes that she is not a Blood Elf. At the time that seemed to allow for enough differentiation for Alliance aligned High Elves to be added at some point in the future as a playable race so people probably kept hoping.

Of course with the restoration of the Sunwell the mana junkie part of the Blood Elves disappeared but it was replaced in WotLK with the Silver Covenant vs Sunreaver conflict. Once again Blizzard emphasizing in game that there was still a difference (ideological and perhaps political) between Alliance aligned High Elves and Horde aligned Blood Elves.

Blizzard kept this difference alive in MoP, even increasing it with the Purge of Dalaran which saw a direct conflict between the Silver Covenant and the Sunreavers.

Even in Legion Blood, High and Night-Elves were addressed separately in game.

With Blizzard emphasizing the difference between Alliance aligned High Elves and Horde aligned Blood Elves it is no wonder that Alliance aligned High Elves remains one of the most requested playable factions to this day.

It would be unfair to the Horde (players) to make the Silver Covenant a playable Alliance faction in it's current state but I think it also hasn't been fair to the Alliance (players) that one of their oldest allied factions has been copied to/taken over by the Horde, piece by piece. Alliance players can see, smell and hear the "High Elf" experience (figuratively) but they cannot really touch or feel it. You could almost see it as a kind of mental torture

In a way history is now repeating itself with Blizzard "compromise" of Void (infected emo ) Elves. Alliance is getting a kind of copy of a Horde race but thematically changed. Just as with the original mana-vampire theme of the Blood Elves, the "Hearing voices"+Emo theme (with vampire look) of the Void Elves is not everyone's favorite role-playing ideal. I don't think a lot of players come to WoW to to play either a junkie or a mentally unstable character in a fantasy world setting.

Blizzard also repeated the mistake of the Draenei introduction by not seeding the race in the lore/game before introducing them. Alleria doesn't really count as she isn't a Void Elf, she's just a High Elf doing some voidy stuff sometimes.

I think the Void theme can be cool for Alliance playable High Elves but the combination of their emo-theme and tendrils/vampire/goth-looks turns a lot of people off. Perhaps if Blizzard had made Void Elves thematically more like Alleria (proud&strong, having studied to control of the Void rather than being infected with it), ditched the emo-theme and given them a cooler appearance (subjective I know) like a drow (dark skin, white hair) or at least more colorful (e.g. shades of purple/blue) rather than gray appearance they would have been better received. The Alliance seems be getting nothing but gray-skinned allied races.


Nothing will change anymore for BFA but I'm sure Blizzard will continue to try and get Void Elf accepted (with OP racials if needed). Perhaps they will even come up with another "redemption" story like they did with the "original" Blood Elves

[FossilFree]

Here is a quick example of darker skin tones. I'll try to do a better one later that has different hair colors, both genders, and various war paint colors/patterns.

Really cool! These are a must IMO, but with blue paint of course .

[Utigarde]

Here is a quick example of darker skin tones. I'll try to do a better one later that has different hair colors, both genders, and various war paint colors/patterns.

Oh wow, those are great. You are wonderful at these.

[corebit]

What a lot of people forget is that the High Elves before the events of WC3 were at best reluctant allies of the old Alliance. They were never BFFs with the human kingdoms, hence they sent a pittance of a force in the Second War, only comitting fully when their own lands were being invaded and destroyed.

The majority of High Elves (Blood Elves included) still consider humans as lesser races, and half-elves are particularly ostracized. This is a mark against playable Half-Elves, you'd need a good explanation as to why High Elves are A-OK diluting their heritage. Remember Elisande's taunt? " Quel'dorei? You are peasants playing at nobility, all too willing to mingle with lesser races that dilute your bloodline. You are unworthy of the name High Elves."

Only the Silver Covenant can be considered staunchly pro-Alliance, but they are as one-dimensional as they can get. Their only purpose of existence is to protect Dalaran and oppose the Horde. At least the Void Elves have the Void connection going for them, which is going to be a major theme in WoW's near future.

[FlubberPuddy]

What a lot of people forget is that the High Elves before the events of WC3 were at best reluctant allies of the old Alliance. They were never BFFs with the human kingdoms, hence they sent a pittance of a force in the Second War, only comitting fully when their own lands were being invaded and destroyed.

The majority of High Elves (Blood Elves included) still consider humans as lesser races, and half-elves are particularly ostracized. This is a mark against playable Half-Elves, you'd need a good explanation as to why High Elves are A-OK diluting their heritage. Remember Elisande's taunt? " Quel'dorei? You are peasants playing at nobility, all too willing to mingle with lesser races that dilute your bloodline. You are unworthy of the name High Elves."

Only the Silver Covenant can be considered staunchly pro-Alliance, but they are as one-dimensional as they can get. Their only purpose of existence is to protect Dalaran and oppose the Horde. At least the Void Elves have the Void connection going for them, which is going to be a major theme in WoW's near future.

That's really old lore you're mentioning and has no bearing on the High Elves that are de-facto Alliance now. Hence, as you show it, Elisande's taunt. Also she doesn't say "Silver Covenant" she says "Quel'dorei" and "unworthy of the name High Elves" very fitting that she's specifically pointing out Quel'dorei = High Elves = Alliance.

The High Elves that people want, and threads like Traycor's and others are obviously speaking about the High Elves who rejected the Blood Elf ways and took back the name, "High Elves." Not sure how some people are still getting confused by em, I guess Blizzard shouldn't have done that if they knew it'd be this confusing for some to grasp.

[corebit]

That's really old lore you're mentioning and has no bearing on the High Elves that are de-facto Alliance now. Hence, as you show it, Elisande's taunt. Also she doesn't say "Silver Covenant" she says "Quel'dorei" and "unworthy of the name High Elves" very fitting that she's specifically pointing out Quel'dorei = High Elves = Alliance.

I'm dispelling the incorrect notion that High Elves are somehow a core part of the Alliance, when they are not. They allied with the humans ONE time during the Second War and that was out of selfish necessity. Then they promptly returned to their secluded ways until Arthas came knocking at the door with the Scourge decades later.

The High Elves that people want, and threads like Traycor's and others are obviously speaking about the High Elves who rejected the Blood Elf ways and took back the name, "High Elves." Not sure how some people are still getting confused by em, I guess Blizzard shouldn't have done that if they knew it'd be this confusing for some to grasp.

I am not confused at all. I and Obelisk Kai and others are strictly using lore to debunk the silly ideas that keep coming from the High Elf camp. Like the idea that High Elves are "country elves" and Blood Elves are "city elves", it's complete bollocks. Most of the farstriders and rangers remained loyal to Quel'thalas. The current Regent is a Ranger Lord. If anything, the Silver Covenant are the "city elves" because their whole existence is tied to Dalaran.

Every attempt to physically distinguish the High Elves from Blood Elves other than their eye color and political affiliation, ends up at odds with the lore. That's why they cannot be compared with other Allied Races, and that's why they aren't happening.

[protip]

I think the problem is that it was the Horde who first got kind of a copy of an Alliance allied race back in TBC when Blood Elves became playable. In vanilla Alliance players could interact with Alliance aligned High Elves and I think a lot of players (both Horde and Alliance) expected High Elves to become playable for the Alliance at some point (and Ogres for the Horde). This may also have been Blizzards original plan until they decided to move the Blood Elves to the Horde to balance the player-base more evenly between Horde and Alliance.

At the time of their introduction the Blood Elves got a sufficiently different theme (vampiric mana junkies) from the Alliance aligned High Elves. One of the High Elves in Allerian Stronghold even emphasizes that she is not a Blood Elf. At the time that seemed to allow for enough differentiation for Alliance aligned High Elves to be added at some point in the future as a playable race so people probably kept hoping.

Of course with the restoration of the Sunwell the mana junkie part of the Blood Elves disappeared but it was replaced in WotLK with the Silver Covenant vs Sunreaver conflict. Once again Blizzard emphasizing in game that there was still a difference (ideological and perhaps political) between Alliance aligned High Elves and Horde aligned Blood Elves.

Blizzard kept this difference alive in MoP, even increasing it with the Purge of Dalaran which saw a direct conflict between the Silver Covenant and the Sunreavers.

Even in Legion Blood, High and Night-Elves were addressed separately in game.

With Blizzard emphasizing the difference between Alliance aligned High Elves and Horde aligned Blood Elves it is no wonder that Alliance aligned High Elves remains one of the most requested playable factions to this day.

It would be unfair to the Horde (players) to make the Silver Covenant a playable Alliance faction in it's current state but I think it also hasn't been fair to the Alliance (players) that one of their oldest allied factions has been copied to/taken over by the Horde, piece by piece. Alliance players can see, smell and hear the "High Elf" experience (figuratively) but they cannot really touch or feel it. You could almost see it as a kind of mental torture

In a way history is now repeating itself with Blizzard "compromise" of Void (infected emo ) Elves. Alliance is getting a kind of copy of a Horde race but thematically changed. Just as with the original mana-vampire theme of the Blood Elves, the "Hearing voices"+Emo theme (with vampire look) of the Void Elves is not everyone's favorite role-playing ideal. I don't think a lot of players come to WoW to to play either a junkie or a mentally unstable character in a fantasy world setting.

Blizzard also repeated the mistake of the Draenei introduction by not seeding the race in the lore/game before introducing them. Alleria doesn't really count as she isn't a Void Elf, she's just a High Elf doing some voidy stuff sometimes.

I think the Void theme can be cool for Alliance playable High Elves but the combination of their emo-theme and tendrils/vampire/goth-looks turns a lot of people off. Perhaps if Blizzard had made Void Elves thematically more like Alleria (proud&strong, having studied to control of the Void rather than being infected with it), ditched the emo-theme and given them a cooler appearance (subjective I know) like a drow (dark skin, white hair) or at least more colorful (e.g. shades of purple/blue) rather than gray appearance they would have been better received. The Alliance seems be getting nothing but gray-skinned allied races.


Nothing will change anymore for BFA but I'm sure Blizzard will continue to try and get Void Elf accepted (with OP racials if needed). Perhaps they will even come up with another "redemption" story like they did with the "original" Blood Elves

You say emphasizing the difference, but the difference is invisible. The only sign of fel in the blood elf model is the eyes, the rest is simply a high elf model. There can be story differences, but even in that the only apparent differences are that the Alliance high elves have an irrational hatred for the horde. There's no basis for a playable race in that. Some other posters have talked about adding new lore to allow for high elves on the Alliance, but there would have to be significant changes in their identity for it to warrant an allied race slot. That kind of solution is what yielded void elves.

The fundamental problem with this, is that the history that saw the high elves rename themselves to the blood elves was not transformative. You can use the chronicles quote that says that specifically [I]Kael'Thas[I/] was changed by the fel, but he was desperate for power, not just to sate the withdrawal of magic addiction.

Nightborne were transformed by 10,000 years of isolation and exposure to pure arcane energy. Void elves were (hardly) transformed by void corruption. Blood elves, however, were not transformed. If you want to see what fel corruption would look like on a high elf, you'd have to look at demon hunter specific options. Those are also playable, but they look significantly different in a way that blood elves do not when compared to their Silver Covenant counterparts. Even then, a blood elf demon hunter is still a blood elf, just like a night elf demon hunter is still just a night elf. Blood elves really are just high elves with green eyes. You can ask for that all you want, but Blizzard isn't going to give you a race directly from the playable roster of the opposing faction.

Edit: To keep this thread from getting completely derailed back into "just give us what we want," the whole reason this thread exists is because you can't have it. If you actually want to contribute to the discussion, you're going to have to be creative.