Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Azen]

Highly disagree (see what I did there)

Blood Elves are vampires that suck mana, fel, and even imprisoned a Naru to suck it dry so they could have paladins. They value power and decadence above all else. Fixing the Sunwell doesn't change that. Void Elves are thematically the same. They just sucked void for power instead of mana/fel/light.

High Elves are traditionalists/fundamentalists that believe in the old ways, the old alliances, and refuse to compromise themselves. And they are staunchly against everything the Horde stands for.

This is a huge generalisation and far from the truth. Read some lore, like this : https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/st...rthemar-theron

There is also a wealth information on gamepedia which can enlighten you.

[Traycor]

In honestly though im not a fan of monk class it seems to be getting stapled onto all allied races so I would probably drop the shaman idea and maybe drop paladin for druid as it then relatively stays less arcane but the mages are the only arcane practitioners walking a very thin line.

I did make concept art for a High Elf druid. My main issue is that we're already making the High Elves more nature oriented, which inches them closer to Night Elves. The Night Elves are classically presented more as savage monsters with fangs, claws, bare feet, wearing furs, and having leaves in their green hair, so there are still big aesthetic differences. It's a hard tightrope to walk.

[Deleted]

Hmm in terms of classes I don't think druids would fit, would shift them too closely to night elves in my opinion.
Shamans are actually a cool idea to make them a bit more unique and widen the shamans for teh Alliance. Wild Hammer dwarfs are Shamans aswell, so it would fit.

Monks are a class for some reason nealy everyone can be... I don't like that but since there is no reason that would exclude them, they will probably be monks.
Oh well Paladins should be an option, firstly because they allways have been and secondly I feel the Alliance needs more Paladin races as this class is so highly alliance centered. However in terms of destingishe them mor efrom the blood elves, maybe no paladin but shamans.

[Traycor]

Read some lore, like this : https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/st...rthemar-theron

I agree that Lorthemar is different. He was kind of forced into his position by Kael'thas and had to live with it.

[lettersandpunctuation]

Honestly I think high elves as most people think of them are like taking the most interesting thing about blood elves out. (It was only by reading the ideas presented in this thread that I started to think they may be distinct from the blood elves)

But though I find the silver covenant bland and wouldn't play them myself, blizzard just keeps giving them roles of importance in the game.


They clearly want us to think the remaining alliance high elves are relevant since they keep showing up to do stuff and keep getting more attention than other races that are already in the alliance!

That being the case I can't fault anyone for wanting to play the race that is so often representing the alliance in memorable moments in game.

[Azen]

High Elves are in the Alliance right now. That's cannon.

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High Elves are in the game and Blizzard keeps writing them as important story characters for the Alliance side, so they certainly do fit.

As for the quote, he said, "Blood elves are pretty much High elves." In other words, they are similar, which they are. So this thread is for brainstorming different aesthetics to help emphasize the differences that are already there. And maybe demonstrate compromises on further changes that High Elf fans can be happy with.

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One step further: there are very few jungle trolls, draenei, and gnomes left. All are playable.

There are many npcs in the game that don't belong to playable races. This argument makes no sense.

Which High elf NPCS are you referring that are so important to the Alliance? Aleria is a void elf now and Vaseera has been around forever.

I read the gamepedia articles on High elves. It describes in detail how few High elves there are and how they are not referred to as a race anymore. It also describes how the vast majority became Blood elves.

Since this thread, and pretty much all other high elf threads is devoid of any reasoning, I'll leave you to divulging your fantasies by overstating a few remaining High elves and rewriting / shaping wow and it's history to suit your fantasies.

[Traycor]

Shamans are actually a cool idea to make them a bit more unique and widen the shamans for teh Alliance. Wild Hammer dwarfs are Shamans aswell, so it would fit.

Monks are a class for some reason nealy everyone can be... I don't like that but since there is no reason that would exclude them, they will probably be monks.
Oh well Paladins should be an option, firstly because they allways have been and secondly I feel the Alliance needs more Paladin races as this class is so highly alliance centered. However in terms of destingishe them mor efrom the blood elves, maybe no paladin but shamans.

Here is the art for shamans:

[Garfurion]

This is a huge generalisation and far from the truth. Read some lore, like this : https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/st...rthemar-theron

There is also a wealth information on gamepedia which can enlighten you.

Although the new Sunwell changed current Blood Elf behaviour all Blood and Void Elves (including the playable ones) have drained mana from living things in the past. Not enough time has past (only approx 7 years) for a new generation of Blood Elves to grow up. High Elves would drain mana from objects (e.g. Draenei artifacts in Outland) but they never drained mana from living beings. The Farstriders of Quel'Lithien lodge were even exiled because they opposed draining mana from living things.

[Deleted]

Here is the art for shamans:

They look cool!

But I'd say they need more feathers. Because of wind and elements and since they are more agile than using brute force everything wind associated might fit.

The interesting part about that whole concept is: They even obey the role of cool from Blizzard and look nearly over the top for "boring" high elves. You guys really hit a sweet spot of being actually possible and suiting into wow.

[Deleted]

I say no, don't make High Elves playable. For 3 simple reasons :

-Warcraft must remain about Orcs VS Humans mostly. If you want to play in a world where elves are 90% of the population, may I suggest you play TESO instead ?
-Elves are boring, overused, and a really REALLY bad support for any story. They're too perfect
-Because it pisses off all those kids, who are used to get anything they cry long enough for. They must learn that life isn't fair.

[Garfurion]

-Elves are boring, overused, and a really REALLY bad support for any story. They're too perfect

so Elves are perfect...Uhm let's

* Night Elves caused the sundering destroying a large part of the main continent
* Highborne invited the Burning Legion.
* Nightborne screwed over their kin fighting the Burning Legion
* Blood Elves sucked mana out of living beings and a Naaru.
* Exile parts of their population at least once every 5 years or try to kill each other.
* Descendant from trolls.
* Void Elves are hearing voices

I could probably go on..Elves in Warcraft are far from perfect.

[Deleted]

Elves even did some of the most cruel genocides. They repeatedly wiped out whole troll kingdoms. Exiled their own people with the idea to let them die. And so on.
Nope Elves in WoW are complete maniacs.

[Gurluas]

I did make concept art for a High Elf druid. My main issue is that we're already making the High Elves more nature oriented, which inches them closer to Night Elves. The Night Elves are classically presented more as savage monsters with fangs, claws, bare feet, wearing furs, and having leaves in their green hair, so there are still big aesthetic differences. It's a hard tightrope to walk.

The big difference is that the High elves use nature not by becoming primal and wild like Night elves, but by bonding with nature yet remaining distinct from it.
You won't find a feral naked High elf hopping around in the woods, but you can find a trained Ranger stalking a prey, or hypothetically a High elf druid communing with nature while still fully clothed.

[Traycor]

The big difference is that the High elves use nature not by becoming primal and wild like Night elves, but by bonding with nature yet remaining distinct from it.
You won't find a feral naked High elf hopping around in the woods, but you can find a trained Ranger stalking a prey, or hypothetically a High elf druid communing with nature while still fully clothed.

Agreed, but that's a hard difference to present in game. Night Elf druids are very clothed. I fear it's the kind of difference that would only show up in novels.

Any suggestions on a look or theme for High Elf druids that could make them distinct?

[Deleted]

It's a fine line trying to fit Alliance High Elves into the game.

Night Elves fill the Wood Elf niche
Void Elves fit the Drow Elf niche
Blood Elves fit the High Elf niche.

Not sure what niche there's left if I'm honest

But still I would love to see it happen

[Traycor]

It's a fine line trying to fit Alliance High Elves into the game.

Night Elves fill the Wood Elf niche
Void Elves fit the Drow Elf niche
Blood Elves fit the High Elf niche.

Not sure what niche there's left if I'm honest

But still I would love to see it happen

Blood Elves fit the vampire/decadent elf society niche. Basically they act like Drow.
Void Elves look like drow (and act like them too).

High Elves fit the more classical Legolas niche. Ranger is a good example of this.

[Deleted]

Blood Elves fit the vampire/decadent elf society niche. Basically they act like Drow.
Void Elves look like drow (and act like them too).

High Elves fit the more classical Legolas niche. Ranger is a good example of this.

Void elves don't act like drow. Blood elves do.
In fact they are more like Jedis. They are all about maintaining calm and a clear mind. Being rather silent and thoughtful.

[Gurluas]

Agreed, but that's a hard difference to present in game. Night Elf druids are very clothed. I fear it's the kind of difference that would only show up in novels.

Any suggestions on a look or theme for High Elf druids that could make them distinct?

Actually many Night elf sets, especially the low level ones which show generic character are usually poorly clothed.
Thalassian elves are sophisticated, so the Druidic art must likewise be sophisticated, they would not become savages living in trees, that's just not the High elves, but they can still bond and live in peace and unity with nature. I was thinking a more practical use, essentially having nature as a friend, rather than becoming nature.
I.E the High elves would view themselves as distinct from the cycle of nature they protect.

As for their looks...I'd say something similar to Tolkien Silvan elves. Sophisticated, clean, but also bonded to nature.

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Blood Elves fit the vampire/decadent elf society niche. Basically they act like Drow.
Void Elves look like drow (and act like them too).

High Elves fit the more classical Legolas niche. Ranger is a good example of this.

Blood elves have kinda moved away from the vampire elf thing since Wotlk tbh. They're still decadent and corrupt, but not as much as they used to be in TBC.

The Void elves embrace corruption and try to control it through discipline and such.


As for niches that are left... Snow elf, Sea elf, and Techno elf.

Although High elves with pale white skin and white hair and icy blue eyes building beautiful cities of magic ice would be cool...It's too big a culture shift in such a short time, and besides...High elves suffered much to a winter when they first came to EK and rewrote Quel'thalas's climate, so it's hard to see them become accustomed to cold climates. Sea elf maybe, but a lot of that niche is taken by Naga.

Techno elf is 100% open, perhaps the Gnomes could help teach them tech?

[Zorish]

If the Horde was so weak in appeal that the Blood Elves are the ONLY reason the Horde has a population after 10+ fucking years of game design, Blizzard is entirely at fault and are failures in game design. And considering how much players LIKE the Horde as a faction, I highly doubt adding High Elves will matter at this rate; if faction populations matter at all considering most people migrate to the best realms for PVE or PVP content alone, and not by faction.

care to tell me how standart player see elves? Sorry bur years of fantasy history Elves are "cool, immortal, beautifull, pretty, powerfull, etc.". i think good part of players in this game don't even care about lore. They came for fun and play whatever they want (and guess what? most of the people want to play "good guy in the shiny plate armor, or mighty "high" elf mage). And by the "standarts" elves are good, and orcs, undeath, minotaurs (tauren), trolls, goblins are bad. defacto. And blizzard won't be able to change it if "so cool elves" will be in "good guys side" without something different in them. You see the problem? BLIZZARD TRYING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM GENERAL FACE OF FANTASY. But you want this "general" look back.

even funnier i saw posts (not on this forum) where people proclaim that everyone who play orcs are rapist in real life. It's it funny?

Horde always will be seen as "evil" faction. Because of races. Nothing will change it now.

Nah okay - you can have elves. But to balance population - Horde will have more powerfull racical skills. Every race. But i am sure aliance won't accept it. And will cry more.

[Traycor]

Techno elf is 100% open, perhaps the Gnomes could help teach them tech?

Blood Elf engineers were a thing in WCIII. They were tower builders. Don't think we've seen them since.