Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[protip]

LOLL, oh this must've been how some anti-helf posters felt when there wasn't much notice by Blizzard and only Ion's spoilers quote to go by, ah this is rich.

The faction wall refers to the actual differences between the factions, as in the things that make them interesting, not the population balance. He is clearly referring to population balance here, like I said before. I think it’s incredible how you are able to so consistently fail to understand the meaning of the text that you read. You work those emotes though, you at least have that worked out.

[Traycor]

This is probably the only cool High elf concept thread ever made on this forum, and I hate elves.

Thanks Mekkle! That's a big compliment!

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I wonder if this thread is mentioned there.
Having high elves with ranger tattoos is one big appeal, and this thread has many cool ideas to make them different from blood elves.

This thread has been at the top of MMO-C for weeks now. While they probably see their own forums much more often, I'm sure that Blizz has had people check out this, Reddit, and other major forums on a semi regular basis. It's obvious they are gathering feedback on the issue, so I'm sure they pulled threads from other forums as well to pass along to the Devs.

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Comments and Feedback?

Potential High Elf Outposts

These are ideas for places that High Elves could establish new settlements or strongholds as an Allied Race.

1. Theramore

High Elves were living in Theramore when it was destroyed. One of these High Elves is Captain Darill of Northpoint Tower and his High Elf Theramore Sentries. His tower seems to have remained intact after the fall of Theramore, and his troops survived the Horde attack. Captain Darill could establish a new High Elf Theramore settlement to support a War Front in the Barrens. This would bring back a fan favorite city and allow for it to have updates and improvements as the High Elves from other lands come to support him.

These sea faring elves are natural allies of the Kul'Tirans, sharing the same banner and allying with them before in the attack on Orgrimmar by Daelin Proudmoore.



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2. The Crater of Dalaran

Dalaran has always been something of a High Elf city being freely shared by the human inhabitants. The Silver Covenant especially is a militant faction of the Dalaran High Elves. In order to secure the lands of Dalaran from Horde invasion while the city is flying about, the High Elves send Ravandwyr to build a new settlement over the crater. The homeless High Elves of various lands flock to this stronghold, seeing the chance for relevance once again. This would be an excellent Alliance support for the newly invaded lands of Lordaeron.



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3. Hearthglen

Fellari Swiftarrow and her High Elf rangers were long ago captured by the Forsaken and locked away in the dungeons of Lordaeron. No one knows why Sylvannas kept them alive. In the siege of Lordaeron, Fallari breaks free from the dungeons with her rangers.

She feels abandoned by the Scarlet Crusade after her years of imprisonment. Instead of returning to the Scarlet Monastery, Fellari heads to Hearthglen in the Western Plaguelands and assumes command of the Argent Crusade forces there now that Tirion Fordring is dead. With her rangers, she reestablishes the base as a High Elf bastion, welcoming all of her Alliance kin to use Hearthglen as a staging point against the Horde and the undead. Even Renthar Hawkspear is drawn to Fallari in the hopes of a new future for the High Elves.



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4. Northern Lordaeron



This unused zone near Quel'Thalas could presumably hold a forest controlled by High Elves. These hidden exiles have erected a wardstone barrier that has kept intruders out and allowed them to stay hidden. They've strived to stay out of the conflicts of the Alliance and the Horde, but a message from Kriss Goldenlight informs them that the High Elves are a dying people with no where left to go but the lands of lesser races.

No longer feeling they can hide, these High Elves lower their barrier and welcome back their scattered people. They are grateful to the Alliance for protecting their people and decide to join their cause.



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5. Quel'Danil Lodge

The High Vale elves have dug in at Quel'Danil. Over the past several years, Jalinde Summerdrake has been expanding it into a proper settlement, with several new buildings surrounding the lake and a defensive wall protecting the lodge. The Wildhammer dwarfs have been a great help, offering gryphons and soldiers as well. Their Draenei allies bolster the ranks of Quel'Danil, making the lodge into a formidable fighting force that the Alliance can no longer dismiss. More High Elves arrive every day to see the restored power of their people.



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6. Stormwind City Mage District

Many High Elves live in Stormwind, so it would make sense to use establish a base of operations in the Mage District. This could either be in some of the unused portions of the district, or the unused land outside the district could be expanded into a High Elf bastion.

As the years pass, the High Elf forces of the Alliance have naturally migrated to and organized within Stormwind. After years of watching her people languish, Elsharin decides to take a leadership role, declaring the High Elves of Stormwind to be under her protection. Elsharin has spent a great deal of time navigating the politics of both the mage hierarchy and the nobles of Stormwind. She now stands ready to lead her people to greatness.



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7. The Silver Enclave

The Silver Covenant already used the Silver Enclave of Dalaran City as a base of operations, so it would make sense for them to do so again. From this mobile perch, the Silver Covenant mages can teleport their forces to any strategic location at a moment's notice. The city of Dalaran offers a stability that is appealing to many of the High Elves, and more have consolidated here every year.

Comments and Feedback?

[Skayth]

As much as people wish to have the high elves, beyond possibly giving bloods the blue eyes, i doubt they will give the alliance the race with already void elves. If they hadnt, then yes, it would be inevitable.

I do like your ideas, and lore, and even research you placed into this. And the only way i would have accepted them were as rangers from wc2 era with quel danis as thier start, but with how far they had forced the Void Elves, literally making them from thin air rather than simply using high elves, i cannot with all respect even allow High Elves to be given to the alliance any longer.

As it is, I think there are a fair bit too many elves simply in their base elven form already gifted among both sides, and thats coming from someone whom wished undead elves were a thing for the forsakened. There are many races that still need to be added to either side, before I believe, elves are justified another go, since we literally just had Nightbourne and Void Elves. I would like to see the Feral Worgen returning to the fold. I want to eventually see either naga or satyrs rejoining society. With naga, its fairly easy have the coilskar recruiting their breathren to fight for the landwalkers against their former lying "masters." And if they can pull void elves from nowhere, i am sure there are fair few satyrs whom hate the old gods, and wish to return to society, not as elves, but as themselves.

If they added Blue Eyes to Blood Elves, saying they were gaining their arcane magic from the leylines of Azeroth herself, which would be actually a good lore reason, then, there would literally be no reason to add high elves, as that would end the blue eyes debate. Hell, they added yellow eyes based on the holy light from the renewed sunwell, so through lore, paladin and priests are main ones whom are gifted with the gift of the naaru (similar in essence to the lightforged.) While it makes sense that warlocks still use the fel, with their green eyes... but what about the mages and the hunters whom use arcane? They shouldnt be using the light or the fel for that matter, but rather tapping into Azeroth herself for their power, like mages do, as the arcane is order in this world. Where fel is chaos.

But, thats what i think. I know, its probably not what you want to hear, but its how i see this. Far to many elves in a short amount of time would be trouble. Its why i doubt they will add broken any time soon, since they just added the lightforged, only get backlash (rightfully so).

[Garfurion]

As it is, I think there are a fair bit too many elves simply in their base elven form already gifted among both sides, and thats coming from someone whom wished undead elves were a thing for the forsakened. There are many races that still need to be added to either side, before I believe, elves are justified another go, since we literally just had Nightbourne and Void Elves. I would like to see the Feral Worgen returning to the fold. I want to eventually see either naga or satyrs rejoining society. With naga, its fairly easy have the coilskar recruiting their breathren to fight for the landwalkers against their former lying "masters." And if they can pull void elves from nowhere, i am sure there are fair few satyrs whom hate the old gods, and wish to return to society, not as elves, but as themselves.

Satyrs are demons which means them being playable would be problematic. You'd respawn somewhere in the Twisting Nether and would have to get back to Azeroth somehow.

[Deleted]

Satyrs are demons which means them being playable would be problematic. You'd respawn somewhere in the Twisting Nether and would have to get back to Azeroth somehow.

Wait, is that actually the case? How are there still Satyrs around at all, then?

[Garfurion]

Comments and Feedback?

Dalaran if only to try and permanently claim it for the Alliance. Blood Elves and Nightborne can vote which of their cities to launch into the air

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Wait, is that actually the case? How are there still Satyrs around at all, then?

Satyrs can make new Satyrs using the Satyr curse. Xavius was the first, created during the War of the Ancients by Sargeras.

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Satyr

[Skayth]

Satyrs are demons which means them being playable would be problematic. You'd respawn somewhere in the Twisting Nether and would have to get back to Azeroth somehow.

As are demon hunters, but they are playable. As for playable satyrs, they could anchor their souls to azeroth in soulstones or some other form. *shrugs*

Wait, is that actually the case? How are there still Satyrs around at all, then?

But they may reproduce like rabbits, even though we never see females =D. Plus, they are constantly summoning their own kind back.

[Deleted]

But they may reproduce like rabbits, even though we never see females =D. Plus, they are constantly summoning their own kind back.

There's this from the Legion artbook

[Traycor]

There's this from the Legion artbook

Also, I hope you get your Broken as playable. That's the Draenei that I was hoping for when they were announced. They might work as a Draenei reskin with forsaken animations (or maybe Worgen animations because of the feet).

[Skayth]

Also, I hope you get your Broken as playable. That's the Draenei that I was hoping for when they were announced. They might work as a Draenei reskin with forsaken animations (or maybe Worgen animations because of the feet).

At this point, all the skeletons are universal, hence why we have been getting allied races. As the the form? Worgen form should work, with tauren tail physics.

[Deleted]

Also, I hope you get your Broken as playable. That's the Draenei that I was hoping for when they were announced. They might work as a Draenei reskin with forsaken animations (or maybe Worgen animations because of the feet).

I think I've sold myself on my redesign too well, might be disappointed with what Blizzard ultimately decides to do, lol (noseless female Draenei, *shudder*)

My proposal actually did start out hypothetically using Worgen animations, but I eventually decided against it for several reasons. Their emotes are too noble, ironically enough, while idles and various others are too wolf-like (which works in their case, of course).

I ultimately decided on Orc animations, originally suggested by someone on Reddit, whose comment I brushed off at first but the more I thought about it... It would be a novelty for the Alliance (getting "Orcs", without ruining the Orcs vs Humans theme), and make for some amazing irony, too. They have similar proportions, and I feel like Orcs have just the right amount of dignity/savagery for it to work. Even though the original model used them, Tauren's strike me as too sluggish for something that isn't like 10 ft tall. There's no way to reuse Draenei animations anymore, on the Alliance side anyway, because there's already a duplicate

At this point, all the skeletons are universal, hence why we have been getting allied races. As the the form? Worgen form should work, with tauren tail physics.

I imagine it's easy enough for Blizzard to animate additional appendages (e.g Vulpera tails) without having to port them over from another race, should the need arise? Coincidentally why I have faith they wouldn't have issues porting Orc animations over to a digitigrade model, were they to follow my redesign to a T

EDIT: Sorry for hijacking the thread for a bit there, this'd probably be best discussed over there instead

[Deleted]

So I had an interesting thought. Because that 2014 interview with Ion mentioned High Elves, and he specifically said their artists got really excited about that... it's very possible (likely even) that a lot of design work for High Elves has already been done.

Unlike other Allied Races, they just need to sift through the work they already put in and decide how to implement them. Very interesting...

Hardly. I bet they hadn't even considered Void Elves at that point. And 3 years later Ion goes on to say that High Elves are Blood Elves, and that Void Elves is a another flavor of that, in response to a question about playable High Elves-

[RangerDaz]

Comments and Feedback?

Honestly, i see those places more as a legacy of the High Elves existance and continuity.
If they had to make a main outpost for the High Elves, i would chose Quel'Danil Lodge with two portals inside, one to Dalaran and another to Stormwind.
It should also have Wildhammer dwarves emissaries inside, which proves that there is a growing allegiance between them, especially as they are neighbours.

[Traycor]

Honestly, i see those places more as a legacy of the High Elves existance and continuity.

I threw in Hearthglen as a wild card because it is not part of that legacy. Northern Lordaeron would be a whole new ball of wax. We have no idea what's there.

While Theramore and the Dalaran crater have historical significance, these would be big changes in game. Both would essentially give High Elves their own kingdom of sorts. Moreso if they went with Theramore. Dalaran crater might be a better location for this xpac.

Northern Lordaeron could establish a whole High Elf kingdom that is currently unknown, population and all, which would be a huge change to the world. If anything, I thought some of these choices would be seen as too radical.

i would chose Quel'Danil Lodge with two portals inside, one to Dalaran and another to Stormwind.
It should also have Wildhammer dwarves emissaries inside, which proves that there is a growing allegiance between them, especially as they are neighbours.

That's a great idea! The portals would give High Elf players an actual reason to go there in game.

[Traycor]

Hardly.

Even if you are staunchly against ever adding playable High Elves, the 2014 interview specifically mentions the artists getting exciting about playable High Elves and Brown Orcs. This gives every indication that work with the artists was done on the concept before they shifted over to Void Elves.

There's probably several pieces of concept art for playable High Elves hanging about on Blizzard's hard drives. All they have to do is dust them off and resume the process. Much of the initial work has been done.

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Btw, that northern zone between Quel'thalas and EPL is Stratholme. It exists as an instance in the outside world, but there is a barrier preventing you from going there. It borders to Deatholme.

That's what I always thought as well. But folks and some of the information online was saying that at one point you could fly there. It was an empty zone. Later they added the barrier.

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I want them to have the area just above stratholme, seems like a perfect spot, even void elves had that area mentioned in the files for them, it's a shame it went to waste.

Northern Lordaeron was mentioned connected to the Void Elves? I've not heard of that before.

[Blazindragon1737]

I'm just gunna throw all this info and my ideas right here.

All known High Elves Groups
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* Coldarra High Elves - Are technically bad
* Death-Hunter High Elves - at Quel'Lithien Lodge
* Highvale High Elves - at Quel'Danil Lodge
* Outland Expedition High Elves - at Allerian Stronghold & Honor Hold
* Silver Covenant - at Windrunner's Outlook
* Silvermoon Remnant - Dawnstrider Harbor & Stormwind Mage District

Known High Elf locations
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* Allerian Stronghold
* Dawnstrider Harbor
* Farstrider Lodge
* Honor Hold
* Quel'Danil Lodge
* Quel'Lithien Lodge
* Stormwind Mage District
* Windrunner's Overlook

Places that I think could be rebuild into a Hub or Warfront for them
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* Alterac Kingdom
* Deathholme
* Scarlet Enclave Ruins
* Theramore Crater

I have pics of the 5 skin tones that are currently available for the male and female High Elves in game from the Wowhead dressing room app by enabling npc models of the Blood Elves but I can't post them so I'd thought I'd say how I got them so you can add the pale style tones. Also there is a rough map for Hearthlands (Aka Northern Lordaeron) it was never added in game though

P.S. Sorry for the long ramble lol if you need more details about anything let me know

[Grythletubs]

Love how all the persistent spiteful anti high elf posters are suddenly so silent.

[Traycor]

I'm just gunna throw all this info and my ideas right here.

All known High Elves Groups
-
* Coldarra High Elves - Are technically bad
* Death-Hunter High Elves - at Quel'Lithien Lodge
* Highvale High Elves - at Quel'Danil Lodge
* Outland Expedition High Elves - at Allerian Stronghold & Honor Hold
* Silver Covenant - at Windrunner's Outlook
* Silvermoon Remnant - Dawnstrider Harbor & Stormwind Mage District

Known High Elf locations
-
* Allerian Stronghold
* Dawnstrider Harbor
* Farstrider Lodge
* Honor Hold
* Quel'Danil Lodge
* Quel'Lithien Lodge
* Stormwind Mage District
* Windrunner's Overlook

Places that I think could be rebuild into a Hub or Warfront for them
-
* Alterac Kingdom
* Deathholme
* Scarlet Enclave Ruins
* Theramore Crater

I have pics of the 5 skin tones that are currently available for the male and female High Elves in game from the Wowhead dressing room app by enabling npc models of the Blood Elves but I can't post them so I'd thought I'd say how I got them so you can add the pale style tones. Also there is a rough map for Hearthlands (Aka Northern Lordaeron) it was never added in game though

P.S. Sorry for the long ramble lol if you need more details about anything let me know

Awesome, @Blazindragon1737 I'd love to flesh some of these out.

What is Dawnstrider Harbor? Can't seem to find any info on that.

What is the status of the Coldarra High Elves after the events of Northrend and Coldarra? Hadn't really thought about them before.

Alterac Kingdom... that's a neat new idea for High Elves. Has there been any indication that Blizzard plans to do something with Alterac in the future? I've seen some players ask for Alterac humans on the Horde side.

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longer beards

Like these guys from the Manga? This tripped me out.

[Blazindragon1737]

Hmm unsure what happened to my post I think it deleted when I tried to updated it but here is some more updates of what I think

* Alterac Kingdom - This area is just begging to be used since it's been pretty much empty for gameplay since the cataclysm but I think it might go to the Horde due to the Crushridge Clan that they can probably ally with while fleeing Undercity, so maybe Durnholde Keep will go to the Alliance instead since it almost has been just as unused besides the fight chain quest located there

* Deathholme - I personally think this would be a great spot for a Warfront as it would be an amazing outpost for the Alliance plus it could have the High Elves, Void Elves, Army of Light and Possibly the Wildhammer Dwarves vs the Horde at Tranquillien with the fallen back Forsaken forces backed up by the Blood Elves, Nightborne and possibly the Revantusk Forest Trolls if they take over Zul'Aman if not then I don't know what could be a 4th for the Horde

* Scarlet Enclave Ruins - Great location and already built up it just needs remodeling to better suit the High Elves style with maybe a bit of Void Elf and Army of Light help which could give it a cool Void area on one side and a cool Light Area on the other side or something

* Theramore Crater - Unsure about this due to all the leftover Arcane energy but it would be a great place for the Alliance to have again that's for sure.

[Traycor]

Hmm unsure what happened to my post I think it deleted when I tried to updated it but here is some more updates of what I think

I quoted your whole post, so you could just copy it from there and paste into a new post.