Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Obelisk Kai]

@Obelisk Kai Just noticed this on the official WoW website:

Less than a decade ago, the wondrous high elven capital of Silvermoon was nearly destroyed during a brutal Scourge invasion. Under the command of Prince Arthas, the undead ravaged the city and went on to corrupt the sacred waters of the Sunwell. Despite this horrific event, the high elves—now known as the blood elves—

It's in the blood elf race description section, under the Silvermoon title. Another case of blizzard reminding us that blood elves are indeed our high elves and that the high elf race is already playable.

Yep this has been around for a while but it's a good reminder. If the Humans suddenly started calling themselves Joemans, that wouldn't mean Humans weren't playable. It would just mean Humans had a name change and nothing more.

Also

https://www.wowhead.com/news=311924/...on-build-33978

It looks like the fundamentals of the eye colour selection system maybe in, although wowhead has only found Humans options so far. Multiple shades of the same colour are confirmed.

Blood Elves will definitely have this option as we need to be able to choose between green and golden eye colours whilst being able to choose our preferred face. We will probably get several shades of green and gold.

The big question remains whether we will get any other shades. The Humans have some purple eye colours, violet eyes have been depicted on SOME blood/high elves in the past, so this is possible. And of course, the possibility of blue eyes for Blood Elves, something we will know the answer on sooner rather than later with the alpha going live (although today would be nice).

[Strippling]

Yep this has been around for a while but it's a good reminder. If the Humans suddenly started calling themselves Joemans, that wouldn't mean Humans weren't playable. It would just mean Humans had a name change and nothing more.

Also

https://www.wowhead.com/news=311924/...on-build-33978

It looks like the fundamentals of the eye colour selection system maybe in, although wowhead has only found Humans options so far. Multiple shades of the same colour are confirmed.

Blood Elves will definitely have this option as we need to be able to choose between green and golden eye colours whilst being able to choose our preferred face. We will probably get several shades of green and gold.

The big question remains whether we will get any other shades. The Humans have some purple eye colours, violet eyes have been depicted on SOME blood/high elves in the past, so this is possible. And of course, the possibility of blue eyes for Blood Elves, something we will know the answer on sooner rather than later with the alpha going live (although today would be nice).

Yea I just saw that on Wowhead. It all but confirms multiple eye color options for blood elves. My blood elf mage will appreciate a blue eyed option if there is one, and my warlock will appreciate a dimmer green option if there's one.

[Obelisk Kai]

Yea I just saw that on Wowhead. It all but confirms multiple eye color options for blood elves. My blood elf mage will appreciate a blue eyed option if there is one, and my warlock will appreciate a dimmer green option if there's one.

Many Blood Elf players will appreciate blue eyes should they come to pass. I am unsure what I will select myself as I will need to see the options and I look forward to their datamining.

Eye colour is a only small aspect of the improvements coming to Blood Elves however. Whilst the question of blue eyes has significance to this particular topic, at the end of the day it IS just an eye colour and Blood Elves need it to prove they are high elves as much as humans need blue eyes to prove they are Humans.

What I am interested in seeing is whether Blood Elves will get tattoo options and whether they are in the farstrider, warcraft 2 style (simple, broad, curving strokes with strong primary colours) which is a big part of their heritage.

[Thalassian Bob]

In regards to the Blood Elves, I hope that we will get green, gold and blue and several different shades of each. We shall see how far they go once the alpha begins and they introduce the customization options as the builds are updated.

Yea I just saw that on Wowhead. It all but confirms multiple eye color options for blood elves. My blood elf mage will appreciate a blue eyed option if there is one, and my warlock will appreciate a dimmer green option if there's one.

Well, fellers, I think one of the datamined models of Kael'thas offers an indication of what sort of eye colour changes we can perhaps expect for the Sin'dorei.

Model crop here!

The covenant description for the Venthyr seems to position them as something like the demons/angels of Jacob's Ladder - beings of a purgatory that enable flawed souls to atone for past transgressions and move on to something better.

I think the Kael I posted is perhaps the Prince we will see after beating his other tombstone-bearing, chain-bound and bloodied-eyed model version in a dungeon or raid encounter. Perhaps the Venthyr will use its fledgling mortal devotees (us) as the Jacob's Ladder-esque angelic demons who will purge the last remnants of wickedness from the Prince's soul and allow him to transcend his personal hell.

I think Kael'thas' change in eye colour is a return to their natural shade - in tandem with his donning of more princely regalia - to show that he has moved beyond the Fel-infused madness that his green eyes would have represented and become more like that concerned and grieving monarch who set out initially vowing that he'd do anything to ensure the safety of his surviving subjects.

I think we can perhaps expect a similar shade of grey-blue for the Sin'dorei and I'm looking forward to it. Especially as my main blood elf is a Farstrider who I feel probably avoided the Outland crystals as best he could! ^^'

[Obelisk Kai]

snip

I think it should be assumed the eye colours on that specific model are probably a unique consequence of that character's current status, rather than confirmation that eye colour is coming to Blood Elves. We could get them, but we might not.

Some datamining has already located the darker skin tones promised to Blood Elves. Blood Elves now have access to a full human skin tone range.

Marlamin has recently posted this tweet at https://twitter.com/Marlamin/status/1248260384802377730

In response to the question "Does this build contain something for more races than humans?" he answered...

"I'm assuming you mean customization option wise, and yeah, tons of stuff, but barely any of it hooked up properly yet."

I presume 'hooked up' means that the customizations are loaded onto an actual character that people can easily understand via screenshot or that can be fed into the wowhead model viewer.

I believe it is likely that most customisations therefore are yet to be revealed, and given the complexity of the task as implied by Marlamin, it will likely be when the first streamers broadcast the alpha that we will see exactly what is on offer.

A complete human skin tone range was one of my desires and the likeliest one to grant. This appears to have been done. What I am hoping for now are warcraft 2 style tattoos for Blood Elves and for a wide range of eye colours, including blue. Hopefully we will soon how much of that has been facilitated.
The tattoos that have been datamined however seem consistent with the relevant races (Dwarven celtic style, Orc war paint etc.). Farstrider style tattoos are the logical place to look for what Blood Elves will be getting, should they get tattoos.

[Rhlor]

I think it should be assumed the eye colours on that specific model are probably a unique consequence of that character's current status, rather than confirmation that eye colour is coming to Blood Elves. We could get them, but we might not.

Some datamining has already located the darker skin tones promised to Blood Elves. Blood Elves now have access to a full human skin tone range.

Marlamin has recently posted this tweet at https://twitter.com/Marlamin/status/1248260384802377730

In response to the question "Does this build contain something for more races than humans?" he answered...

"I'm assuming you mean customization option wise, and yeah, tons of stuff, but barely any of it hooked up properly yet."

I presume 'hooked up' means that the customizations are loaded onto an actual character that people can easily understand via screenshot or that can be fed into the wowhead model viewer.

I believe it is likely that most customisations therefore are yet to be revealed, and given the complexity of the task as implied by Marlamin, it will likely be when the first streamers broadcast the alpha that we will see exactly what is on offer.

A complete human skin tone range was one of my desires and the likeliest one to grant. This appears to have been done. What I am hoping for now are warcraft 2 style tattoos for Blood Elves and for a wide range of eye colours, including blue. Hopefully we will soon how much of that has been facilitated.
The tattoos that have been datamined however seem consistent with the relevant races (Dwarven celtic style, Orc war paint etc.). Farstrider style tattoos are the logical place to look for what Blood Elves will be getting, should they get tattoos.

looks like purple!


original highborne like mother of lorash maybe?

[Maljinwo]

Blood Elves possibly getting blue eyes

https://twitter.com/keyboardturn/sta...43851866357760

[420 NoScope]

My elf likes to get high off of fel crystals, but maintains her yellow eyes.

[Hallowseve17]

This is so exciting! At last, all elfkind (barring nightborne and void elves, of course) will receive the diverse eye colors they deserve!

[FlubberPuddy]

at the end of the day it IS just an eye colour and Blood Elves need it to prove they are high elves as much as humans need blue eyes to prove they are Humans.

Pretty much, after seeing more of what keyboardturner has found from their Twitter. It's very obvious Blizzard has taken the kitchen sink approach to increased customizations.

I just hope it stops Blood Elf players from agitating those who continue asking for High Elves. Blood Elves getting access to many character options (blue eyes included) should mean people who were against "blue eye blood elves going to alliance" out of fear of locking that option out of Blood Elves should have nothing to 'fear' anymore.

[Kyphael]

So looks like blood elves will be getting dark and purple skin colors come Shadowlands to fulfill a highborne fantasy, which is a good indication they're lifting all lore restrictions on customizations. A likely indication that down the line, maybe not yet, but some time during Shadowlands' life cycle, Void Elves may be getting a light skin tone and hair color option as well as blue eyes to fulfill the Alliance high elf fantasy. Hallelujah, this discussion can finally die.

[BaumanKing]

Wow, giving blue eyes to belves is really a slap in the face from Blizzard. And I don't even care about helves.

[FlubberPuddy]

So looks like blood elves will be getting dark and purple skin colors come Shadowlands to fulfill a highborne fantasy, which is a good indication they're lifting all lore restrictions on customizations. A likely indication that down the line, maybe not yet, but some time during Shadowlands' life cycle, Void Elves may be getting a light skin tone and hair color option as well as blue eyes to fulfill the Alliance high elf fantasy. Hallelujah, this discussion can finally die.

Purple skins are news to me. Looks like indeed they are. I only hope that Night Elves get their same due, and further down the line so do Void Elves.

[BaumanKing]

So looks like blood elves will be getting dark and purple skin colors come Shadowlands to fulfill a highborne fantasy, which is a good indication they're lifting all lore restrictions on customizations. A likely indication that down the line, maybe not yet, but some time during Shadowlands' life cycle, Void Elves may be getting a light skin tone and hair color option as well as blue eyes to fulfill the Alliance high elf fantasy. Hallelujah, this discussion can finally die.

Brown skin, not purple. The same color as brown humans.

[FlubberPuddy]

Night Elves are also getting a 'sand-blonde' hair color option. They're definitely sharing palettes between the Elves now lol

https://twitter.com/keyboardturn/sta...897267712?s=20

Also freaking finally black hair color!

[Kyphael]

Brown skin, not purple. The same color as brown humans.

You miss the point. They're sharing palettes between different elf races now like @Pennem said, which can finally put this long-running discussion to rest. Alliance high elf players will eventually get to play their desired fantasy elf race, night elves will get nightborne, blood elves will get their own new options, etc.

[Obelisk Kai]

Pretty much, after seeing more of what keyboardturner has found from their Twitter. It's very obvious Blizzard has taken the kitchen sink approach to increased customizations.

I just hope it stops Blood Elf players from agitating those who continue asking for High Elves. Blood Elves getting access to many character options (blue eyes included) should mean people who were against "blue eye blood elves going to alliance" out of fear of locking that option out of Blood Elves should have nothing to 'fear' anymore.

The objection is not predicated on losing options.

The objection is predicated on a degradation of faction diversity in a faction based game.

The expansion of Blood Elf customizations merely reinforces this is the traditional high elf option in Warcraft.

[FlubberPuddy]

The objection is not predicated on losing options.

The objection is predicated on a degradation of faction diversity in a faction based game.

The expansion of Blood Elf customizations merely reinforces this is the traditional high elf option in Warcraft.

If you would like to think that go ahead. But lots of comments used to be 'why should they keep blue eyes/tattoo options etc out of blood elves for high elves?! Blood Elves should get those options!"

Now they will. Now that FOMO reasoning is dead.

[Obelisk Kai]

looks like purple!


original highborne like mother of lorash maybe?

No this is dark, chocolate brown skin. Blood Elves are getting four new skin tones so they cover the whole breadth of the human skin tone range according to the dataminer.

Definitely not purple. That would be outside the human skin tone range Blood Elves have.

- - - Updated - - -

If you would like to think that go ahead. But lots of comments used to be 'why should they keep blue eyes/tattoo options etc out of blood elves for high elves?! Blood Elves should get those options!"

Now they will. Now that FOMO reasoning is dead.

Because Blood Elves are playable and biologically identical to those exiles. Giving options to an actual playable race and pleasing the people playing that race is more important than humouring those pining for what has already been ruled out.

Should Blood Elves get blue eyes I think it would be akin to those loony toons jokes where the cartoon character runs off the edge of a cliff yet continues on for a few second before reality hits and they plummet to the ground. Similar in that the pro high elf movement hasn't had anything to stand on since Void Elves and the Ion interviews, but blue eyes for Blood Elves might be the moment many of them realise it.

[FlubberPuddy]

Because Blood Elves are playable and biologically identical to those exiles. Giving options to an actual playable race and pleasing the people playing that race is more important than humouring those pining for what has already been ruled out.

Should Blood Elves get blue eyes I think it would be akin to those loony toons jokes where the cartoon character runs off the edge of a cliff yet continues on for a few second before reality hits and they plummet to the ground. Similar in that the pro high elf movement hasn't had anything to stand on since Void Elves and the Ion interviews, but blue eyes for Blood Elves might be the moment many of them realise it.

I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying.

Before, the argument was Blood Elves would lose customization options for Alliance to get High Elves. Now that isn't going to be the case. Thus there is nothing customization wise that Blood Elves 'lose', because they already have them. Does that make sense?