Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[matrix123mko]

Traditionally, they received most of their vitamin D from their hunting diet. And their skin is darker at a latitude where it should be lighter due to the reflection of UV rays off the snow and ice fields, as well as being on the water which also reflects a good deal as well. They require a greater intake of vitamin D than their ice-free and land-dwelling neighbors to the south (with light skin), which is obtained through the seals and other marine mammals they hunt. Of course, much of this has been rapidly changing with modernization, as you alluded to.

This means that High Elves from somewhere really icy and who spend a lot of time on the water would probably also have dark skin.

Now we only need to find ones and somehow fit them into Silver Covenant.

[FlubberPuddy]

Void Elves are twisted elves orientated around the shadow. Blood Elves, and by extension Alliance High Elves who are the same people, are orientated around the light.

I'm not sure I've seen many examples to say that Alliance High Elves "by extension" are also oriented around the light. Often we see far far more Alliance High Elves as either Mages or Rangers of sorts. There is a large list of Alliance High Elf NPCs and very few are shown to be members of the light or oriented around the light. Can you back that comment up with enough examples?

As opposed to Blood Elves who pretty much have Light become the forefront of their society.

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Now we only need to find ones and somehow fit them into Silver Covenant.

Time to head north of Northrend then!

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

Apparently Vitamin D deficiency is a problem in many Inuit communities. Especially those who live inland and have strayed away from traditional Inuit diets that were rich in Vitamin D foods.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417586/

See? They adapted to Vitamin D rich foods and only now it has become an issue as that diet has changed. But that's the point, adaptation is contextual by nature.

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I'm not sure I've seen many examples to say that Alliance High Elves "by extension" are also oriented around the light. Often we see far far more Alliance High Elves as either Mages or Rangers of sorts. There is a large list of Alliance High Elf NPCs and very few are shown to be members of the light or oriented around the light. Can you back that comment up with enough examples?

As opposed to Blood Elves who pretty much have Light become the forefront of their society.

Also let's not obviate the fact that trying to make a whole race of fit into one thematic is kinda... lame. Yes, AR are kinda lame, but they manage on thin ice because they are already "sects" of more comprehensive and complex races.

Saying that "Blood Elves and by extension High Elves are orientated around the light" is as silly as saying that Humans are on the same level. Even when the light has become the forefront of Belven society it's still a tapestry of different ideologies. This reduction is pointless.

And as we know, this reduction only applies to the alliance Allied Races (LF and VE) HMT and Nighthborne get to be complex societies hahaha.

Time to head north of Northrend then!

Time for Snow Elves hell yes

[matrix123mko]

I'm not sure I've seen many examples to say that Alliance High Elves "by extension" are also oriented around the light. Often we see far far more Alliance High Elves as either Mages or Rangers of sorts. There is a large list of Alliance High Elf NPCs and very few are shown to be members of the light or oriented around the light. Can you back that comment up with enough examples?

As opposed to Blood Elves who pretty much have Light become the forefront of their society.

Only to paladins and priests. They are still not a majority, even though Blizzard really tries to retcon blood elves into light elves. I really hope we will see magisters being the focus soon.

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Saying that "Blood Elves and by extension High Elves are orientated around the light" is as silly as saying that Humans are on the same level. Even when the light has become the forefront of Belven society it's still a tapestry of different ideologies. This reduction is pointless.

It is only the priest part. We don't even know how popular the priests are in their society. The huge problem is that Blizzard really wants to put emphasis on contrast between them and void elves.

And as we know, this reduction only applies to the alliance Allied Races (LF and VE) HMT and Nighthborne get to be complex societies hahaha.

Lightforged Draenei are not only light users but also formidable magi. Void elves are the only one class so far.

Time for Snow Elves hell yes

The problem is that they will not be high elves anymore.

[scubi666stacy]

What an invent.

No, High elves represent... Surprise! High elves.


Like Lightforged? Kul'tirans?

Look, it's fine that you have preferences, but a 'finite' (strange concept) allied race slot can't have a 'better use' than to deliver what players want, the number of people wanting X thing only matter to those who are against that X. I'm sorry that your perception is not a truth, you call it garbage and waste. It isn't.


What are you doing in this thread then? Go and open a Jinyu thread to talk about concepts for it or whatever, instead of being an obnoxious dead weight in here.

Also, again, the world does not revolve around you. High elves are boring. For you.


I find Blood elves more interesting to play than Tauren.

You are not gonna see me shitting on Tauren. Why? Because I am not a piece of trash and I am playing my Blood elves thank you very much.


How many of them are left? 2? 3? WOW what a quantity, such bloaty, very numbery!


Good for you. However, 'enought' is not an empirical quantity I'm affraid. A good suggestion that you should take into account is to enjoy what you have, and realise how little this request affect you.


And I think High elves are a piece of the Alliance that is lacking for players to play, as much as Dark Iron Dwarves were, as much as Mag'har Orcs were (not AU but whatever...).

It's availability can only enrich.

Sorry, do you have some kind of reading comprehension problem? Blizzard defined that the High Elves renamed themselves Blood Elves after the Scourge almost wiped out their homeland. And some dissidents kept the old moniker because they did not want to participate in draining mana from living creatures and using Fel. This is canon. Dissidents have no say in Thallasian matters anymore, they can be grateful that they have been allowed to visit the Sunwell. Even a monarch in exile would have no say, if the new government of a country is backed up by the populace. And this is the case. The majority has decided. Your High Elf minority can go and be servants of the Alliance, but only as NPCs.

Beside that, I would expect many to follow Allerias example and becoming Void Elves. Problem solved, move on. Dinosaurs got extinct, let's do the same with High Elves.

[Obelisk Kai]

I'm not sure I've seen many examples to say that Alliance High Elves "by extension" are also oriented around the light. Often we see far far more Alliance High Elves as either Mages or Rangers of sorts. There is a large list of Alliance High Elf NPCs and very few are shown to be members of the light or oriented around the light. Can you back that comment up with enough examples?

As opposed to Blood Elves who pretty much have Light become the forefront of their society.

There aren't many examples because there aren't many Alliance High Elves.

If we wish to speculate, the reasons that Alliance High Elves tend to be either Mages or Hunters is self evident. They are either members of the Kirin Tor who elected to remain in the city rather than return with Kael to Silvermoon or travel with Jaina to Kalimdor following the evacuation...or they are the former Farstriders who were kicked out of Silvermoon (and thus for a time accepted the change to Blood Elves) for refusing to embrace the new practices promulgated by Rommath and who then mostly relocated to Dalaran at Veressa's urging.

But it doesn't matter if there are only a few Priests and Paladins among them, that isn't what I am talking about. I am talking about the metaphysical connection every high elf shares with the Sunwell, an infinite source of holy (and arcane) based energy that sates the addiction every single one of them has. The light is now one of the defining aspects of the entire race.

After all, the void is a defining aspect of what a Void Elf is, yet you do not have to be a Shadow Priest to realize that fully. The Void is as defining for a Void Elf Monk as it is for a Void Elf shadow priest. Similarly, you don't have to be a Priest Paladin among the Blood/Alliance High Elves to be defined by the light. Mages and hunters will find it as defining for them as well, in a similar fashion to how the light is still central to lightforged draenei mages or lightforged draenei hunters despite not being light wielding classes.

As Blood Elves and Alliance High Elves share the same connection to the light, they share the same destiny.

[FlubberPuddy]

But it doesn't matter if there are only a few Priests and Paladins among them, that isn't what I am talking about. I am talking about the metaphysical connection every high elf shares with the Sunwell, an infinite source of holy (and arcane) based energy that sates the addiction every single one of them has. The light is now one of the defining aspects of the entire race.

After all, the void is a defining aspect of what a Void Elf is, yet you do not have to be a Shadow Priest to realize that fully. The Void is as defining for a Void Elf Monk as it is for a Void Elf shadow priest. Similarly, you don't have to be a Priest Paladin among the Blood/Alliance High Elves to be defined by the light. Mages and hunters will find it as defining for them as well, in a similar fashion to how the light is still central to lightforged draenei mages or lightforged draenei hunters despite not being light wielding classes.

As Blood Elves and Alliance High Elves share the same connection to the light, they share the same destiny.

I see the angle where you're coming from but I believe this opinion of yours isn't shared by very many, especially not the developers. Ion himself even stated the two Thalassian groups have "a different backstory in terms of their relationship to the magic in the Sunwell."

The examples you use of Void Elves doesn't work because it is very frank and "in your face" that the Void is the defining aspect of this entire "race". It is even in their namesake. This isn't the case for Blood Elves and less so even for High Elves. There isn't similarity in the example you're using.

You're the only one I've seen that continues to iterate High Elves are affected exactly the same way by the Sunwell when we have developer commentary, the warcraft encyclopedia which you tout as continued canon as well, and in-game differences between the two Thalassian groups that show the Sunwell doesn't play nor has a prominent role to the High Elves.

1) Ion saying their different backstory in terms of relationship to Sunwell
2) In-game evidence they don't revere Sunwell as much through different broadcast text, rarely if ever being seen around the Sunwell, not praising it like the Blood Elves do etc etc.

Your example would be like trying to say that the Night Elves are an Arcane based society even if they're mostly druids/priests and have very many nature/holy themes throughout various media just because they are all defined by having been transformed by the Well of Eternity.

A more apt example would be the comparison with both Draenei and Lightforged Draenei. No one will question either groups' reverence of the Light within its society because both groups clearly show and manifest that theme.

TL;DR: I can see where your opinion comes from, I don't agree with it and don't believe it's an opinion a majority hold. Look above for the reasoning.

[Aldo Hawk]

Sorry, do you have some kind of reading comprehension problem?

Eksdee 10/10 zzuper funni

Blizzard defined that the High Elves renamed themselves Blood Elves after the Scourge almost wiped out their homeland.

Hot news.

Also irrelevant news.

High elves are not Blood elves, for the 50.000th time.

And some dissidents kept the old moniker because they did not want to participate in draining mana from living creatures and using Fel.

They also share the way they approach the light and their good relationship with the Alliance.

This is canon.

No 1 is denying that but yeah if saying it makes you feel comfortable you do you.

Dissidents have no say in Thallasian matters anymore, they can be grateful that they have been allowed to visit the Sunwell.

For what do they need to have a say in Quel'thalas matters? (Nice try but thalassians are not all united the way you imply)

Your High Elf minority can go and be servants of the Alliance, but only as NPCs.

Nah it's better if players get to play as them.

Beside that, I would expect many to follow Allerias example and becoming Void Elves. Problem solved, move on. Dinosaurs got extinct, let's do the same with High Elves.

Why.

[Obelisk Kai]

I see the angle where you're coming from but I believe this opinion of yours isn't shared by very many, especially not the developers. Ion himself even stated the two Thalassian groups have "a different backstory in terms of their relationship to the magic in the Sunwell."

The examples you use of Void Elves doesn't work because it is very frank and "in your face" that the Void is the defining aspect of this entire "race". It is even in their namesake. This isn't the case for Blood Elves and less so even for High Elves. There isn't similarity in the example you're using.

You're the only one I've seen that continues to iterate High Elves are affected exactly the same way by the Sunwell when we have developer commentary, the warcraft encyclopedia which you tout as continued canon as well, and in-game differences between the two Thalassian groups that show the Sunwell doesn't play nor has a prominent role to the High Elves.

1) Ion saying their different backstory in terms of relationship to Sunwell
2) In-game evidence they don't revere Sunwell as much through different broadcast text, rarely if ever being seen around the Sunwell, not praising it like the Blood Elves do etc etc.

Your example would be like trying to say that the Night Elves are an Arcane based society even if they're mostly druids/priests and have very many nature/holy themes throughout various media just because they are all defined by having been transformed by the Well of Eternity.

A more apt example would be the comparison with both Draenei and Lightforged Draenei. No one will question either groups' reverence of the Light within its society because both groups clearly show and manifest that theme.

TL;DR: I can see where your opinion comes from, I don't agree with it and don't believe it's an opinion a majority hold. Look above for the reasoning.

If we have to parse Ion's words exactly, then firstly context. This line comes from the April 26th 2018 Q and A and was the opening part of the response where he listed a few differences with the ultimate point being these few differences were irrelevant as points of differentiation.

Secondly I believe the sentence he uses was "slightly different backstory in terms of their relationship with magic and the Sunwell" rather than 'a different backstory in terms of their relationship to the magic in the Sunwell." The changes seem small, but the change the entire context of the line. As you originally wrote it it implies that the he was taking about one relationship, with the magic in the sunwell, rather than what he was actually saying, that there was a slightly different relationship with magic and a slightly different relationship with the sunwell. In other words, two distinct relationships.

The slightly different relationship with magic is clearly a reference to the philosophical divide that underpinned the original split. The slightly different relationship with the Sunwell is trickier to pin down, but we know from 'In the Shadow of the Sun' that all High Elves felt their connection to the Sunwell restored and that it felt different as a result of being a Holy and arcane energy source, rather than just a holy energy source. The use of the adjective 'slightly' however qualifies that whatever the difference is between how Alliance High Elves and Blood Elves relate to the Sunwell, it is not profound nor of much note.

The above examination shows that the first point you listed, Ion's quote, is the byproduct of you mishearing him.

In game evidence is limited given the few Alliance High Elves that remain. However, Alliance High Elves use the sunwell to sate their addiction as much as Blood Elves do which In the Shadow of the Sun proved.

Attempting to argue that Alliance High Elves have a profoundly different relationship with the Sunwell seems to be motivated by an attempt to prove they are a completely different group than the Blood Elves. At best, we can speculate what their emotional relationship to it is. They hold the Sunwell in equal reverence as the Blood Elves do, as we saw from the pilgrims during the Quel'Delar storyline. They maybe more ashamed of their addiction as they live among Humans and other races who now know of and look down upon their dependence on magic (thanks to the Night Elves letting the Alliance know) and thus what the Sunwell represents, but that is speculation.

What cannot be changed is biology, or at least it cannot be changed without an outside force causing a change. As unaltered thalassian elves, Alliance High Elves have an addiction to magic. That addiction evolved in response to a never ending font of energy provided by the Sunwell. The loss of the Sunwell led them to a period where they had to cope without it, but it's restoration means their addiction is once again sated.

The Sunwell is stated to be provoking the changes among the Blood Elves that allows them to have golden eyes. This option is not limited to Paladins or Priests but to all classes, even Warlocks, with the only exception being Demon Hunters and I think Death Knights and the reasons for that are unique to those classes. As such, even though Priests and Paladins are not too numerous among Alliance High Elves, that is irrelevant, they are connected to the Sunwell and thus subject to the physiological changes it is provoking throughout the entire High Elf race (with the extremely likely exception of Void Elves).

Blizzard did not decide to begin accentuating the influence of the light within the Blood Elves at this point by accident. It was clearly an attempt to draw a dichotomy between the light based Blood Elves and the void focused Void Elves , a genuine contrast in other words. Alliance High Elves, as unaltered thalassian elves, are along for the ride with the Blood Elves.

[FlubberPuddy]

If we have to parse Ion's words exactly, then firstly context. This line comes from the April 26th 2018 Q and A and was the opening part of the response where he listed a few differences with the ultimate point being these few differences were irrelevant as points of differentiation.

If we want to talk about parsing words exactly then even you misheard. He does not say "slightly different backstory". He says "slightly different eye color, different backstory in terms of their relationship with magic and the Sunwell".

You had the last part correct and I incorrect, because I was using wowhead's transcription: https://www.wowhead.com/news=283929/...an-allied-race

But what I quote now above is directly from watching Ion speak. Also, I don't know how grammar is handled in other countries, but in the US and Ion being a lawyer, the "and" combines the two (magic, Sunwell) as both being part of the preceding context.

That is to say: Blood Elves and High Elves have different backstory - relationship wise - with magic and the Sunwell.

Therefore regardless of how much you want to parse it there are two facts which overall point to further difference between High Elves and Blood Elves:

1) He said "different backstory", not "slightly" that's only used for eye color when he says "slightly different eye color"
2) Both these groups have different relationships regarding magic and the Sunwell

That's all that matters in the context of what I was saying as far as Ion's words go. It's enough to say that High Elves relationship with the Sunwell is different from Blood Elves which was the point all along.

In game evidence is limited given the few Alliance High Elves that remain. However, Alliance High Elves use the sunwell to sate their addiction as much as Blood Elves do which In the Shadow of the Sun proved.

To continue to say this means Ion's words were incorrect in saying that they have a "different backstory" in "relationship" with the Sunwell.

They hold the Sunwell in equal reverence as the Blood Elves do, as we saw from the pilgrims during the Quel'Delar storyline.

A questline that implies High Elves and Blood Elves are among one each other again. An observation that doesn't hold true as we see what happens in MoP, still referenced in BFA. We see no further talk of or speak about High Elves revering the Sunwell post-Quel'delar storyline. Yet it is continually at the forefront for Blood Elves and their stories.

For your statement to be correct you'd have to show how the Sunwell continues to play an important role in High Elf exile society. Something yet to be shown. And something you cannot prove as your posts below are based on no further facts, but conjecture that can't be proven.

The Sunwell is stated to be provoking the changes among the Blood Elves that allows them to have golden eyes. This option is not limited to Paladins or Priests but to all classes, even Warlocks, with the only exception being Demon Hunters and I think Death Knights and the reasons for that are unique to those classes. As such, even though Priests and Paladins are not too numerous among Alliance High Elves, that is irrelevant, they are connected to the Sunwell and thus subject to the physiological changes it is provoking throughout the entire High Elf race (with the extremely likely exception of Void Elves).

As far as NPC Blood Elves go, the option is limited to Paladins and Priests of their order, hence why the vast majority of NPC Blood Elves still show up with green eyes, even in BFA's later patches (when the Sunreavers attack Baine's rescuers). This shows it will take some time for the change to take place among all Blood Elves.

Don't associate what they allow players to do with the exact same story beats as NPCs, because then it would mean every single Blood Elf (and by extension High Elf using your argument) would be shown with Golden Eyes and no more Green Eyes.

And if High Elves are subject to the same physiological changes then it flies in the face of that logic because there has yet to be a High Elf shown to be of Golden Eyes, even in BFA. Even as Blizzard has added new High Elves to BFA (Seraphi for instance, or the Yvera) they have not gone and "corrected eye color" to match where the "Blood Elves should be now" as Jeremy Feasel put it.

But you know what they did do? They did correct Seraphi's eye color from the Green Eyes he had when first released to the Blue Eyes they are now. Thus I do not see the argument you typically make "they just aren't important enough to update to Golden Eyes" as baseless since if that were the case Seraphi wouldn't have also had gotten his eye color changed anyway, because truly how important are the Island Expedition teams?

Blizzard did not decide to begin accentuating the influence of the light within the Blood Elves at this point by accident. It was clearly an attempt to draw a dichotomy between the light based Blood Elves and the void focused Void Elves , a genuine contrast in other words. Alliance High Elves, as unaltered thalassian elves, are along for the ride with the Blood Elves.

It isn't by accident but it's not anything in regards to High Elves. You keep touting that "Alliance High Elves are along for the ride with the Blood Elves" yet as the game progresses on from early "scripture" such as the Warcraft Encyclopedia and Quel'delar questline, the more often we are shown High Elves not being associated with whatever is happening with the Blood Elves.

Examples: Do the High Elves use Anima magic now that the Blood Elves are? Do the High Elves continually show a reverence for the Sunwell as the Blood Elves do?

Your posts seem to do what many others try to do: Find one example in history and then act as if that is the present situation when clearly what was written before does not have any bearing on the climate of the High Elves today that we can clearly see don't follow "what was said before".

Continuing to essentially say "High Elves are affected in the same way to everything Blood Elves are" but not showing it when recent examples show continued differences makes that statement look very weak.

[Aldo Hawk]

https://twitter.com/Moorgard/status/...241684480?s=19

https://twitter.com/Moorgard/status/...462386176?s=19

There you damn go, it's the obvious, but a developer has to say it...

There is a reason why we only see Paladins and Priests NPCs with those. And I bet that the next time we see a High elf Paladin or Priest they will not have golden eyes.

Because they don't draw these powers from the Sunwell, only Blood elves do.

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Continuing to essentially say "High Elves are affected in the same way to everything Blood Elves are" but not showing it when recent examples show continued differences makes that statement look very weak.

The goal is to maintain the idea that they are the exact same 1:1.

However, they have been different right away since Blood elves released, if not before.

This is why I keep bringing up Pandaren, since they are a pure clone in both factions, whereas High elves is not that they are not (which they aren't) if not that they simply can't be.

Visuals, the most shallow thing, would be similar, but not exact, not the same.

Voicelines would be different.

Racials would be different.

Etc...

It's just THE DAMN OBVIOUS!

[FlubberPuddy]

https://twitter.com/Moorgard/status/...241684480?s=19

https://twitter.com/Moorgard/status/...462386176?s=19

There you damn go, it's the obvious, but a developer has to say it...

There is a reason why we only see Paladins and Priests NPCs with those. And I bet that the next time we see a High elf Paladin or Priest they will not have golden eyes.

Because they don't draw these powers from the Sunwell, only Blood elves do.

Thank you for these quotes, really clarifies the Golden Eyes and also backs up my point that just because players are allowed something doesn't necessarily means that translates the same for the overall lore and NPCs.

People sometimes have trouble separating gameplay mechanics from lore and this is proof right here.

For anyone that can't be asked to click the links:

"I've been a bit out of the loop on this update. Lore wise would the eyes of the blood elves have progressively changed over the last few years or would they have changed shortly after the sunwell was purified?

Answer by Moorgard: It's not that all blood elf eyes have changed from green to gold. It's that the potential for golden eyes is present, based in part on the individual's degree of devotion to the Light."

A follow-up question:

"Indeed, there's a huge debate going on about this topic, so... To add to Jenna's question: would it be possible for a mage or a ranger to get golden eyes, even if they are not zealots since the Sunwell is partially made of Light?

Answer by Moorgard: For players, we intentionally didn't restrict which classes can have golden eyes. Whatever story you want to make for your character's eye color, more power to you. For NPCs, we will be selective. Priests & paladins are more likely to have them, but others can if it makes sense."

Which is easily backed up by what's seen in the game. Also nice that he points out Blood Elves specifically and the portion about it being based on their devotion to the Light.

Which further backs up that since we have no High Elves with Golden Eyes that they're not as devoted to the Light. Also enjoy how he basically says "if you wanna RP whatever reason your character has Gold Eyes go ahead, but this is how we'll handle it in the lore."

That further shows "just RPing" doesn't mean something is correct lorewise.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

It is only the priest part. We don't even know how popular the priests are in their society. The huge problem is that Blizzard really wants to put emphasis on contrast between them and void elves.

Yeah, but even they realize BE's are more than pious Paladins and Priests. While BE's have been kinda out of focus this expansion, where they have shown up has been as a diverse group.

Lightforged Draenei are not only light users but also formidable magi. Void elves are the only one class so far.

Yeah, but LFD are on thin effin ice! I do like a lot more they are kind of a fanatical army that has been on a mission for millenia; it does make them a bit one note, but there's an interesting story there.

The problem is that they will not be high elves anymore.

I mostly jest; but it would be interesting to let's say, see the remaining HE's settle on a snowy environment; they do hold the Windrunner Overlook on Crystlsong, so it could be a very interesting place to start them there, to call to that aesthetic without actually coming with a new type of snow elf.

[matrix123mko]

Yeah, but even they realize BE's are more than pious Paladins and Priests. While BE's have been kinda out of focus this expansion, where they have shown up has been as a diverse group.

Yes but Liadrin is always in the focal point. I haven't seen blood elf warlock since Legion warlock order hall.

Yeah, but LFD are on thin effin ice! I do like a lot more they are kind of a fanatical army that has been on a mission for millenia; it does make them a bit one note, but there's an interesting story there.

Yes, they are a bit one note. I think Y'mera was the only lightforged who was interesting.

I mostly jest; but it would be interesting to let's say, see the remaining HE's settle on a snowy environment; they do hold the Windrunner Overlook on Crystlsong, so it could be a very interesting place to start them there, to call to that aesthetic without actually coming with a new type of snow elf.

The thing is that this is not how evolution works. They would not need to lose their pale skin, as it fits perfectly. They need to eat huge amounts of seals in order to overdose vitamin D first. Then, it is likely that we will get fat elves too.

I know WoW and evolution are a bit contradictory but if we go for "instant" evolution, akin to void elves, it would require some strong plot device and long preparation in order to make it work. However, we could argue that they are different kind of elves, then.

I think, the best(for the purpose of introducing innuit elves) I can imagine is if we got Lich King 2.0. Then, we can say that there was a group of highborne elves who were once a part of Dath'remar exile group but storms on the sea made them land in Northrend(some island nearby? new peninsulas?) and form their own country. Then, to avoid situation of adding elves different than high elves to Alliance, we will have recruitment questline where they have union with Veressa. It is even a nice way to give high elves their capital and some unique cultural parts.

Thunder, if you like this idea, we can talk about it more on PM. I am inspired for some worldbuilding and visual design project.

[Aldo Hawk]

Thank you for these quotes, really clarifies the Golden Eyes and also backs up my point that just because players are allowed something doesn't necessarily means that translates the same for the overall lore and NPCs.

This is the devs' fault, totally. At least some, SOME small quest for it, would have been fantastical. Like Night elves got.

If not, something, at least, something... Nah, just clues like only light worshipers having it...

People sometimes have trouble separating gameplay mechanics from lore and this is proof right here.

Well, what I see here is people trying to shape things into what they want others to believe.

I know that if a developer gets in here with everyone knowing about his/her presence these kind of comments would /vanish like a rogue.

Which is easily backed up by what's seen in the game. Also nice that he points out Blood Elves specifically and the portion about it being based on their devotion to the Light.

That's the thing, right? If they don't actively use the light they simply don't have these aesthetic features, that shows they have to take it from the Sunwell and use it actively. Mana is what they have always consumed, not light. If using the light is enough to have golden eyes, that would have been something they would have had since BEFORE the destruction of the Sunwell, which is not the case.

This is also shown when Velen cleanses fel with light magic, we have not seen that happening with arcane energies. What we have seen is arcane energies being consumed by fel, and needing lots of arcane magic to dilute the fel, not the opposite.

Because that's how fel works, it consumes nature and arcane magic to get powerful, and the light repels it like wind blowing on smoke.

Which further backs up that since we have no High Elves with Golden Eyes that they're not as devoted to the Light. Also enjoy how he basically says "if you wanna RP whatever reason your character has Gold Eyes go ahead, but this is how we'll handle it in the lore."

He is basically doing the job he should have done more publicly, so things like these would have not happened. Questions and answers on twitter a great, and I appreciate that we can consult the dudes that create and move forward this world we love. But it's too obscure.

Basically, and sadly, most of the lore is placed without much info, but with clear guesses we can explore. However, I think they are too afraid to tie their hands with 'oh, but this works like this, we can't do that', so they don't flesh out everything, requiring less retcons to create situations.

This is a big problem with High elves, most of what we know are guesses we can find when exploring about them, and this creates an environment where dudes like Kai can argue in circles without having a clear thing we can point to say that something is the way it is.

That further shows "just RPing" doesn't mean something is correct lorewise.

Yeah, well... I think this is a way to say that every Blood elf can be touched by the powers of the light through the Sunwell. Using the essence of M'uru as another way to being in line with the Light.

We have to take into account that not every Holy Light worshiper is a Paladin or a Priest, and this is the way Blood elves worship the light now, as opposed when they didn't had the essence of a Naaru mixed in the Sunwell, where they simply worshiped the light like Humans and Dwarves did.

The most important thing here is that High elves were never harmonized with M'uru, it's essence, or with anything related to the Naaru, they are 'Church' believers, the classic way we all always knew.

The enslaving of the Naaru was another thing High elves despised.

[delus]

Would the whole "faction identity" argument even exist if factions as we know them went away?

[cocomen2]

Would the whole "faction identity" argument even exist if factions as we know them went away?

They selling Faction merch. items -> factions will never go away. There always must be Warchief

Only way to bypass it ; Example : Gnomes can chose faction and join Horde if they want to bring more hate and trolling , Sadfang approved .

[AngerFork]

One of the Blizzard Watch (formerly Wow Insider) writers discussed High Elves today. Quick link to the article: https://blizzardwatch.com/2019/08/14...s-allied-race/

[FlubberPuddy]

One of the Blizzard Watch (formerly Wow Insider) writers discussed High Elves today. Quick link to the article: https://blizzardwatch.com/2019/08/14...s-allied-race/

Interesting that most of the comments are in support of High Elves being an Alliance Allied Race (at the time of this post).

The way I see it, the more time that passes between the release of Void Elves and the next elf alliance race, the more likely we are to see more support of the idea from the playerbase and likely Blizzard.

After, the part that a lot of people gloss over in Ion's statement is this one, "...there's a desire to have things be even more distinct especially between the two factions with the faction conflict being so prominent."

AKA, since this expac was focused on "Horde VS Alliance" the races we're getting for AR will be distinct as well.

After all, I do not believe Nightborne and Void Elves will be the last elf races added to WoW, and I'm highly confident the next time internal discussions come about for "what should the next elf race be on Alliance?" they will most likely come to the conclusion it's time for High Elves.

[Aldo Hawk]

The way I see it, the more time that passes between the release of Void Elves and the next elf alliance race, the more likely we are to see more support of the idea from the playerbase and likely Blizzard.

After, the part that a lot of people gloss over in Ion's statement is this one, "...there's a desire to have things be even more distinct especially between the two factions with the faction conflict being so prominent."

AKA, since this expac was focused on "Horde VS Alliance" the races we're getting for AR will be distinct as well.

Yeah, appearance wise this makes sense. However, lorewise we know that High elves would have been cool for the faction conflict, given that an important part of their identity is to oppose the Blood elves and the horde in the name of the Alliance.

It's pretty clear that this is all a big disagreement with the way they were handled in the dev responses and in the Allied race system. It's just a big disappointment overall...

Also... Yeah, I feel that they have to be down the line at some point, it's just so big of a deal, even more after all that happened since the introduction of the Allied races and the way the community simply expected them to happen because of how much sense they make.