Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Traycor]

Amazing

Someone DM'd me the basis for this concept. It was such a fun idea that I fleshed it out and drew some concept art.

High Elf Exiles from Outland

Talthressar: The right hand of Alleria on the Alliance Expedition's invasion of Draenor, Talthressar was in charge of Alleria's rangers when she disappeared. He was one of the founders of the Allerian Stronghold, and was a big believer in the Alliance with Dwarfs and Humans. Talthressar was last seen in Terokkar forest before the destruction that shattered Draenor, creating Outland.

The Long Exile
Talthressar and his High Elf forces fled into the Spires of Arak as Draenor tore itself apart. The Spires swirled into the Nether, cut off from the rest of Outland and leaving the High Elves stranded with the Arakkoa who lived there. This sparked a brutal conflict. Desperate, the High Elves harvested apexis crystals, using them to power ward stones on their armor and giving them access to dangerous new abilities. As the tide turned, the High Elves took to adorning their armor with the feathers of fallen Arakkoa and using war paint to intimidate their enemies.

The Truce
When the Arakkoa realized they could not drive the High Elves out, some of them forged a truce with Talthressar. These Arakkoa joined the ranks of the High Elves as their allies against their Arakkoa brethren who were oppressing them. With time, the High Elves found a place, and were eventually accepted as a begrudging part of the society of the Spires of Arak. Most of the Arakkoa hate Talthressar, but they dare not move against him.

The Return
One of Talthressar's rangers spots a landmass floating in the Nether—Outland! The High Elves gather the power of their apexis crystals and the new ward stones they've constructed, causing the Spires of Arak to ride the winds of the Nether until it returns them to the mainland. The long years have given the High Elves plenty of time to brood on their hatred of the orcs, and Talthressar blames the Horde for the events that left him stranded.

The High Elves are now eager to hear word of Alleria and discover what has become of their home world.



Possible Racials
Warding: Removes status effects
Blue Flames: A form of snare

[Obelisk Kai]

snip

So freaky High Elves warped my magic.

You are continually trying to recreate Void Elves without ending up with Void Elves.

Is it the blue skin or the tentacles that triggers you so? Man if it's both you must REALLY hate Draenei.

[Traycor]

So freaky High Elves warped my magic.

Elves already use wardstones. Powering them with apexis crystals and learning new abilities doesn't make them 'warped'. I think you're seeing what you want to see.

[Obelisk Kai]

Elves already use wardstones. Powering them with apexis crystals and learning new abilities doesn't make them 'warped'. I think you're seeing what you want to see.

Pretty much the same thing here, Elves transformed by weird magic but not transformed as much as Void Elves were. Splitting what remains of an already negligible distance.

Something about Void Elves clearly bothers you. I suspect it's the tentacles.

[RangerDaz]

So freaky High Elves warped my magic.

You are continually trying to recreate Void Elves without ending up with Void Elves.

Is it the blue skin or the tentacles that triggers you so? Man if it's both you must REALLY hate Draenei.

Man, you just can't resist replying to all the posts of the pro high elf supporters!

You do know that you are one of the top 5 contributors for the success of this thread, don't you?


At the end of the day... I know everyone including you and Syegfryed will roll a high elf character, if they come live!


Here is the Elf dance for everyone to relax!

[Obelisk Kai]

Man, you just can't resist replying to all the posts of the pro high elf supporters!

You do know that you are one of the top 5 contributors for the success of this thread, don't you?


At the end of the day... I know everyone, including you and Syegfryed, will roll a high elf character, if they come live!

Actually I already have and did so on the day they became available back in the burning crusade.

[Traycor]

Someone DM'd me the basis for this concept. It was such a fun idea that I fleshed it out and drew some concept art.

High Elf Exiles from Outland

Talthressar: The right hand of Alleria on the Alliance Expedition's invasion of Draenor, Talthressar was in charge of Alleria's rangers when she disappeared. He was one of the founders of the Allerian Stronghold, and was a big believer in the Alliance with Dwarfs and Humans. Talthressar was last seen in Terokkar forest before the destruction that shattered Draenor, creating Outland.

The Long Exile
Talthressar and his High Elf forces fled into the Spires of Arak as Draenor tore itself apart. The Spires swirled into the Nether, cut off from the rest of Outland and leaving the High Elves stranded with the Arakkoa who lived there. This sparked a brutal conflict. Desperate, the High Elves harvested apexis crystals, using them to power ward stones on their armor and giving them access to dangerous new abilities. As the tide turned, the High Elves took to adorning their armor with the feathers of fallen Arakkoa and using war paint to intimidate their enemies.

The Truce
When the Arakkoa realized they could not drive the High Elves out, some of them forged a truce with Talthressar. These Arakkoa joined the ranks of the High Elves as their allies against their Arakkoa brethren who were oppressing them. With time, the High Elves found a place, and were eventually accepted as a begrudging part of the society of the Spires of Arak. Most of the Arakkoa hate Talthressar, but they dare not move against him.

The Return
One of Talthressar's rangers spots a landmass floating in the Nether—Outland! The High Elves gather the power of their apexis crystals and the new ward stones they've constructed, causing the Spires of Arak to ride the winds of the Nether until it returns them to the mainland. The long years have given the High Elves plenty of time to brood on their hatred of the orcs, and Talthressar blames the Horde for the events that left him stranded.

The High Elves are now eager to hear word of Alleria and discover what has become of their home world.



Possible Racials
Warding: Removes status effects
Blue Flames: A form of snare

Still need to think of more racial ability options. Feel free to add!

[Garfurion]

Indeed it is. So I'll quote myself from another thread.



Here's a second link stating the same, look under population: https://wow.gamepedia.com/High_elf

That is of course old news and numbers, could have been retconned since, but this is the last bit we've been informed on. And this accompanied with what Blizz and Ion has said over the years, that there are; essentially, too few to warrant representation.

Feel free to say this is arbitrary though. I mean it just shows Blizzards conscious effort to remain consistent on the matter.

The number of 1480 (or rather 1481 I think) is a lowerbound since it all depends on the statement of Archmage Vargoth that he saw thousands (meaning at least 2000) of Blood Elves (being the 15% of the remaining Blood Elves Kael'thas took with him to Outland). It also excludes the High Elves of the Alliance Expedition since they were not in Quel'thalas when it was destroyed.

The number of around 1500 seems quite reasonable seeing as Bellulargaming recently made video measuring Azeroth (it's about a factor 1000 or more smaller than earth I think and therefore should be too small to have an atmosphere ).

However, if there are too few High Elves then shouldn't that mean that there are more of any other playable race including the Void Elves (an "elite squad"), Goblins (left Kezan on a yacht), Draenei left Draenor on a small spaceship, Thrall left for Kalimdor with 3 ships I think, etc....

If we assume the numbers you quoted and that there should be more Void Elves than High Elves for them to be playable then Lor'themar would have exiled more than 11.8% (1480/12580 * 100%) of the population...not sure that makes sense. On the other hand if there are less Void Elves than High Elves than the population argument is void.

[brbshower]

Silver Covenant is, and always has been, a faction. When are you kids gonna learn the difference? What's next...Kirin Tor Allied Race? Westfall Brigade Allied Race? Oh, how about "The Horde" allied race? That's the level of derp with some of these ideas.

I'm not trying to get all technical with race vs ethnicity. What I'm saying is, when 90% of the world refers to someone's race they specifically are referencing the color of their skin, even if that's not correct. Black, white, yellow, brown, etc. Nobody has ever been called a racist for saying they don't support or like the boy scouts/girl scouts. That's the equivalent of Silver Covenant as an allied race. Can we actually start getting some half decent ideas for allied races instead of grabbing every single faction in the history of wow?

[The BrewCity Monk]

Well if ya do get High Elves as a allies race for the Alliance, then congratulations! Enjoy your third and dullest elf race!

But I would rather have Saberons or a completely new race then more elves, especially High Elves.

[Traycor]

Silver Covenant is, and always has been, a faction. When are you kids gonna learn the difference? What's next...Kirin Tor Allied Race? Westfall Brigade Allied Race? Oh, how about "The Horde" allied race? That's the level of derp with some of these ideas.

I'm not trying to get all technical with race vs ethnicity. What I'm saying is, when 90% of the world refers to someone's race they specifically are referencing the color of their skin, even if that's not correct. Black, white, yellow, brown, etc. Nobody has ever been called a racist for saying they don't support or like the boy scouts/girl scouts. That's the equivalent of Silver Covenant as an allied race. Can we actually start getting some half decent ideas for allied races instead of grabbing every single faction in the history of wow?

High Elves

[Traycor]

In the same way; I'm assuming, empowering elves with Arcane, Fel, Holy, or Void wouldn't make HE's warp. Right?

As written, they weren't presented as warped. He was saying they were warped because he just wanted them to be, because reasons...

Says the person that is trying to justify the inclusion of HE's as playable despite the lore Blizz has given us.

Ah, you must be referring to the lore where the High Elves are already part of the Alliance. We just can't click on them in the character screen, which is a game function, not a lore function. High Elves are there in lore, as is.

[Garfurion]

Silver Covenant is, and always has been, a faction. When are you kids gonna learn the difference? What's next...Kirin Tor Allied Race? Westfall Brigade Allied Race? Oh, how about "The Horde" allied race? That's the level of derp with some of these ideas.

I'm not trying to get all technical with race vs ethnicity. What I'm saying is, when 90% of the world refers to someone's race they specifically are referencing the color of their skin, even if that's not correct. Black, white, yellow, brown, etc. Nobody has ever been called a racist for saying they don't support or like the boy scouts/girl scouts. That's the equivalent of Silver Covenant as an allied race. Can we actually start getting some half decent ideas for allied races instead of grabbing every single faction in the history of wow?

Race is the term used by Blizzard for the playable types of characters but in the case of humans only the Stormwind faction is playable. In the case of the pandaren the wandering isle faction is playable you might even say the Horde and Alliance Pandaren are different factions. Green Orcs and Mag'har Orcs are the same species, yet 2 different playable "races" in WoW. Worgen and Humans are also the same species (Worgen are just cursed but give birth to normal uncursed humans).

[Traycor]

Someone DM'd me the basis for this concept. It was such a fun idea that I fleshed it out and drew some concept art.

High Elf Exiles from Outland

Talthressar: The right hand of Alleria on the Alliance Expedition's invasion of Draenor, Talthressar was in charge of Alleria's rangers when she disappeared. He was one of the founders of the Allerian Stronghold, and was a big believer in the Alliance with Dwarfs and Humans. Talthressar was last seen in Terokkar forest before the destruction that shattered Draenor, creating Outland.

The Long Exile
Talthressar and his High Elf forces fled into the Spires of Arak as Draenor tore itself apart. The Spires swirled into the Nether, cut off from the rest of Outland and leaving the High Elves stranded with the Arakkoa who lived there. This sparked a brutal conflict. Desperate, the High Elves harvested apexis crystals, using them to power ward stones on their armor and giving them access to dangerous new abilities. As the tide turned, the High Elves took to adorning their armor with the feathers of fallen Arakkoa and using war paint to intimidate their enemies.

The Truce
When the Arakkoa realized they could not drive the High Elves out, some of them forged a truce with Talthressar. These Arakkoa joined the ranks of the High Elves as their allies against their Arakkoa brethren who were oppressing them. With time, the High Elves found a place, and were eventually accepted as a begrudging part of the society of the Spires of Arak. Most of the Arakkoa hate Talthressar, but they dare not move against him.

The Return
One of Talthressar's rangers spots a landmass floating in the Nether—Outland! The High Elves gather the power of their apexis crystals and the new ward stones they've constructed, causing the Spires of Arak to ride the winds of the Nether until it returns them to the mainland. The long years have given the High Elves plenty of time to brood on their hatred of the orcs, and Talthressar blames the Horde for the events that left him stranded.

The High Elves are now eager to hear word of Alleria and discover what has become of their home world.



Possible Racials
Warding: Removes status effects
Blue Flames: A form of snare

Reposting to get this on the current page. I'll add it to the OP later. The OP needs some major reorganization so that will be the next step.

[Syferite]

Just dropping in to point out how ridiculous it is to even argue about the lore implications about any of this.

If Blizz wants High Elves, they will make it happen. They would've conjured up some lore that satisfies a starting storyline, and it'd be rolled out. So trying to argue about what you think justifies as the correct way to interpret this situation just comes off as laughable when you're dealing with an entity that has shown time and time again that they're willing to change things on a dime.

The only real factors to look at are demand and the potential faction imbalance this might cause.

Demand is there. Obviously.

Will this cause faction imbalance? Yes. Using realm pop, and filtering by only lvl 110 characters:

Alliance: 3,204,100 (~3.2mil)
Horde: 3,459,876 (~3.5mil)

Blood Elves make up ~1.5mil of the Horde's population, which is ~42% of the Horde's max level population.

If even half of them transfer to Alliance to play out the High Elf fantasy, you're looking at a potential 750k shift. Changing things to:

Alliance: 3,954,100 (~4mil)
Horde: 2,709,876 (~2.7mil)

High Elves are not happening.

And neither will Blood Elves getting blue eyes, because they will not want to destroy the Alliance population.

The only thing you can demand for is to get blizz to destroy this outdated faction system so that we can start enjoying more races without worrying about faction balance.

[Syegfryed]

Traycor is Obelisk Kai's kryptonite

red kryptonite, i think he is making kai crazy

[Obelisk Kai]

Traycor is Obelisk Kai's kryptonite

No, that would be Northem. Traycor is just perplexing.

- - - Updated - - -

have you ever heard of Void Elves? Literally referred to as a squad, there are probably less void elves than illidari.

Tell that to Blizzard, they are the ones who keep bringing up the population issue in regards to High Elves.

- - - Updated - - -

red kryptonite, i think he is making kai crazy

Again, that was Northem. Traycor hasn't even approached Northem's levels of...uniqueness.

[Traycor]

If even half of them transfer to Alliance

Agreed on most points. It seems a stretch to think that any significant amount of Blood Elf players would leave the Horde. After all, they are already happy enough with Blood Elves to play that race. I seriously doubt you'd see millions of transfers.

This does raise an interesting question, though. Why do most Horde players pick Blood Elves? The majority of players are casual and don't know anything about the race or its lore. The answer is, the same reason why most Alliance players pick humans:

Most players pick the server and faction where their friends play. They then pick whatever race looks the most "normal" or the most like them. So, they pick Blood Elves if their friends play Horde. That majority isn't going to faction or race change because they didn't much care about race in the first place. They wanted a "normal" pick, and they got it already. That majority is just going to stick with their guild or friends and not care about much else.

[Gurluas]

Someone DM'd me the basis for this concept. It was such a fun idea that I fleshed it out and drew some concept art.

High Elf Exiles from Outland

Talthressar: The right hand of Alleria on the Alliance Expedition's invasion of Draenor, Talthressar was in charge of Alleria's rangers when she disappeared. He was one of the founders of the Allerian Stronghold, and was a big believer in the Alliance with Dwarfs and Humans. Talthressar was last seen in Terokkar forest before the destruction that shattered Draenor, creating Outland.

The Long Exile
Talthressar and his High Elf forces fled into the Spires of Arak as Draenor tore itself apart. The Spires swirled into the Nether, cut off from the rest of Outland and leaving the High Elves stranded with the Arakkoa who lived there. This sparked a brutal conflict. Desperate, the High Elves harvested apexis crystals, using them to power ward stones on their armor and giving them access to dangerous new abilities. As the tide turned, the High Elves took to adorning their armor with the feathers of fallen Arakkoa and using war paint to intimidate their enemies.

The Truce
When the Arakkoa realized they could not drive the High Elves out, some of them forged a truce with Talthressar. These Arakkoa joined the ranks of the High Elves as their allies against their Arakkoa brethren who were oppressing them. With time, the High Elves found a place, and were eventually accepted as a begrudging part of the society of the Spires of Arak. Most of the Arakkoa hate Talthressar, but they dare not move against him.

The Return
One of Talthressar's rangers spots a landmass floating in the Nether—Outland! The High Elves gather the power of their apexis crystals and the new ward stones they've constructed, causing the Spires of Arak to ride the winds of the Nether until it returns them to the mainland. The long years have given the High Elves plenty of time to brood on their hatred of the orcs, and Talthressar blames the Horde for the events that left him stranded.

The High Elves are now eager to hear word of Alleria and discover what has become of their home world.



Possible Racials
Warding: Removes status effects
Blue Flames: A form of snare

I like this idea, Apexis crystals are really powerful and unlike the Void are not the friggin darkest magic in existence, and allows for a more varied character than emo elf.

[RangerDaz]

I like this idea, Apexis crystals are really powerful and unlike the Void are not the friggin darkest magic in existence, and allows for a more varied character than emo elf.

I prefer the high elves from the Silver Convenant, simply because their faction has existed since Wrath and had relevance in many known events.
This story is nice, but it will appear the same way the void elves appeared: out of nowhere. (This novel is canon?) No one ever heard this story before ingame, and high elf non supporters will say that this was another "ass pull" from Blizzard (and I will agree with them).

But as i keep saying, it is Blizzard's franchise. They will do what they think it is best for their vision of the game.