Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Amaterasu65]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the leader of the Ren'dorei is Umbric and he turned purple (literally). Alleria plays the role of teacher for the Velves, but does not lead them.


I disagree.
The identity of the undead lies with their nature, not their appearance. Any race can become a undead. Now the living playable races depend on their appearance and cultural/social reality.

Velves (characteristics that define that they are corrupted by the void)
in the case of Belves and Helves, their political badges with their respective symbols (colors, flags, morals and ethics)
and who knows… even in a future Blizzard can bring Helves with a different model than the Belves creating an accentuated badge as in the case of the stormwind humans and the humans of Kul'tiras

Reducing those characteristics to put other characteristics that their counterparts possess, is to damage their identity as a group. I know that many here like the addition of new customizations for their aesthetic value, but the narrative value is given by the identity.

Umbric answers to Alleria. When you get your heritage armor, Alleria makes a speech. When you /whatever the command you do in battle to scream, you scream " For Alleria! ", like how Blood Elves scream " For Anasterian! ".

[Ardenaso]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the leader of the Ren'dorei is Umbric and he turned purple (literally). Alleria plays the role of teacher for the Velves, but does not lead them..

and only Umbric and his merrymen got turned purple; I doubt Alleria and Umbric will have to subject the new generation into the same process, so the Wayfarers can keep their fair skin

[Varodoc]

I actually just discovered that one of the void elves' line is "For Alleria!", I legit never used these voice emotes before. That's a nice parallel with Anasterian, huh. And with that comic in which the Void Lords want Alleria to take the throne, I wonder if this whole Thalassian conflict subplot will actually go somewhere.

[Ardenaso]

I actually just discovered that one of the void elves' line is "For Alleria!", I legit never used these voice emotes before. That's a nice parallel with Anasteria, huh. And with that comic in which the Void Lords want Alleria to take the throne, I wonder if this whole Thalassian conflict subplot will actually go somewhere.

to be fair the Alliance High Elves (and Void Elves) are most likely regretting Anasterian's isolationist policies and pride that led to their downfall in the first place

[elbleuet]

to be fair the Alliance High Elves (and Void Elves) are most likely regretting Anasterian's isolationist policies and pride that led to their downfall in the first place and they are hating him for it

Hum Vereesa really loved Anasterian.

During the purge, she states that Anasterian loss was one of her darkest days.

[Ardenaso]

Hum Vereesa really loved Anasterian.

During the purge, she states that Anasterian loss was one of her darkest days.

I see, my mistake there.

[Ignaz]

No. Alleria is Umbric's superior. At the end of the recruitment scenario, Umbric declares his allegiance to Alleria, wherever she will lead him and his people. During the Fourth War, Alleria sent Umbric to Zandalar to help the Alliance's war effort, meaning that Alleria can give commands to Umbric.

I see, my mistake. But I do not understand what the hierarchical position of Alleria has to do with the addition of new aesthetics of the Velves

I don't see the problem with void elves being able to take up a fair form and hide their shadowy true form. If anything, this sounds super high fantasy and thus very appreciated in a setting like Warcraft.

it is not a problem as such. It is as Ielenia says, it is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, you add more aesthetic options so that the players can enjoy and role-play, but on the other hand, you decrease the characteristics that define that playable race.

If you see two thalassian elves, one is a Velf and the other is a Belf, how would you deduce which one is corrupted by the void? (which is the defining characteristic of a Velf)

[Varodoc]

I see, my mistake. But I do not understand what the hierarchical position of Alleria has to do with the addition of new aesthetics of the Velves



it is not a problem as such. It is as Ielenia says, it is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, you add more aesthetic options so that the players can enjoy and role-play, but on the other hand, you decrease the characteristics that define that playable race.

If you see two thalassian elves, one is a Velf and the other is a Belf, how would you deduce which one is corrupted by the void? (which is the defining characteristic of a Velf)

Alleria is the leader of the void elves as well as their most iconic character. In an age where Blizzard wants to create as many character customization options as possible, it seems rather logical that void elves would have some options to look like their leader.

As for your second point, you are 3 years late. You already can't tell the difference between a fully-armored blood elf and a fully-armored void elf.

[Ignaz]

Umbric answers to Alleria. When you get your heritage armor, Alleria makes a speech. When you /whatever the command you do in battle to scream, you scream " For Alleria! ", like how Blood Elves scream " For Anasterian! ".

I see. I will have to better investigate the hierarchical scale of the Velves society. THX

- - - Updated - - -

Alleria is the leader of the void elves as well as their most iconic character. In an age where Blizzard wants to create as many character customization options as possible, it seems rather logical that void elves would have some options to look like their leader.

I see your point, and I don't dispute it. Here we step on common ground. But my point is about the characteristic that defines one group, and what happens when you remove that characteristic to make them look like another group

- - - Updated - - -

As for your second point, you are 3 years late. You already can't tell the difference between a fully-armored blood elf and a fully-armored void elf.

That's what I mean. If the difference was minimal, now it will be even less.
In my opinion, they should accentuate the differences, not minimize them

[DeicideUH]

Let's be honest, void elves were shodily conceived. They were an idea that had no time to mature because they came into be very late on Legion's patch cycle, and thus ended up poorly defined. Most people that like void elves project into them what they want them to be, thus no one agrees with what they should be.

That's why in the end Blizzard caved and allowed them to be more like high elves. It was the only clear direction to follow.

[Ignaz]

Let's be honest, void elves were shodily conceived. They were an idea that had no time to mature because they came into be very late on Legion's patch cycle, and thus ended up poorly defined. Most people that like void elves project into them what they want them to be, thus no one agrees with what they should be.

That's why in the end Blizzard caved and allowed them to be more like high elves in the end. It was the only clear direction to follow.

I ended up concluding the same.
In the end, they are just a vehicle to do cheap fan service. For what they are now, Blizzard would have added Helves from the start instead of Velves.

[delus]

I think the reasoning went like
Dev 1 "I want nightbourne to be on the Horde."
dev 2 "Well if you want them to be horde how about we give the alliance those high elves they have been asking for for around a decade."
Dev 1 "No, can't have blood elves feeling less special or anger the horde fans. I don't want to put too much work into the alliance race though."
Dev 2 "How about purple blood elves that use the void like Alleria but purple?"
dev 1 "Brilliant!"

[Ignaz]

I think the reasoning went like
Dev 1 "I want nightbourne to be on the Horde."
dev 2 "Well if you want them to be horde how about we give the alliance those high elves they have been asking for for around a decade."
Dev 1 "No, can't have blood elves feeling less special or anger the horde fans. I don't want to put too much work into the alliance race though."
Dev 2 "How about purple blood elves that use the void like Alleria but purple?"
dev 1 "Brilliant!"

hahaha! yeah, something like that.

[Kyriani]

I think the reasoning went like
Dev 1 "I want nightborne to be on the Horde."
dev 2 "Well if you want them to be horde how about we give the alliance those high elves they have been asking for for around a decade."
Dev 1 "No, can't have blood elves feeling less special or anger the horde fans. I don't want to put too much work into the alliance race though."
Dev 2 "How about purple blood elves that use the void like Alleria but purple?"
dev 1 "Brilliant!"

I think it went more like this:

Dev 1 "I want nightborne to be on the Horde."
Dev 2 "Well if you want them to be horde how about we give the alliance those high elves they have been asking for for around a decade."
Dev 1 "Meh, I guess. Alleria is back after all, so she can be their leader. Have the artists start working on some new hairstyles."
Dev 3 "Holy crap guys! Come see the cinematic we did for Alleria's arc finale!"
Dev 1 "Wow! That looks cool!"
Dev 2 "Dude! That's amazing! I bet the players are going to be stoked when they see that!"
Dev 1 "You know what? I bet the players asking for High Elves would like this even better! Let's do these... um Void Elves yea!"
Dev 2 "That sounds like a much better idea that plain old High Elves! But won't they look just like Blood Elves?"
Dev 1 "Yea, you're right. Oh I know! We can make them blue! And... um... add tentacles to their hair!"
Dev 2 "That's a great idea! We can even make the tentacles glow! The players are going to love this!"
Dev 1 "So where do we get some elves to turn into Void Elves?"
Dev 2 "Well Alleria is in Silvermoon during the Nightborne unlock, so why not toss some disgruntled Blood Elves nearby who join Alleria?"
Dev 1 "That could work. I mean Blood Elves and High Elves are basically the same thing so no one will care as long as they have the model."
Dev 2 "Brilliant!"

2 years later...

Devs "We thought they would (placate calls for High Elves), but they didn't..."

[Yarathir]

I like Void Elves more than High Elves.

[Kyriani]

I like Void Elves more than High Elves.

I like both equally for different reasons. In all honesty, I'm not unhappy with the idea of merging the two groups under one banner. And if players who wanted High Elves can be happy, and players who like Void Elves as they are can also be happy, then I'd say it's not the worst resolution.

[BaumanKing]

In all honesty, I'm not unhappy with the idea of merging the two groups under one banner

I would really like the Silver Covenant to begin recruiting void elves, since void elves don't have a militant faction yet. Overall I think, that void elves and high elves should live together under one banner, like gilnean humans and worgens do.

[Kyriani]

I would really like the Silver Covenant to begin recruiting void elves, since void elves don't have a militant faction yet. Overall I think, that void elves and high elves should live together under one banner, like gilnean humans and worgens do.

That's a great comparison! Yes, I agree with that.

[matrix123mko]

I think it went more like this:

Dev 1 "I want nightborne to be on the Horde."
Dev 2 "Well if you want them to be horde how about we give the alliance those high elves they have been asking for for around a decade."
Dev 1 "Meh, I guess. Alleria is back after all, so she can be their leader. Have the artists start working on some new hairstyles."
Dev 3 "Holy crap guys! Come see the cinematic we did for Alleria's arc finale!"
Dev 1 "Wow! That looks cool!"
Dev 2 "Dude! That's amazing! I bet thew players are going to be stoked when they see that!"
Dev 1 "You know what? I bet the players asking for High Elves would like this even better! Let's do these... um Void Elves yea!"
Dev 2 "That sounds like a much better idea that plain old High Elves! But won't they look just like Blood Elves?"
Dev 1 "Yea, you're right. Oh I know! We can make them blue! And... um... add tentacles to their hair!"
Dev 2 "That's a great idea! We can even make the tentacles glow! The players are going to love this!"
Dev 1 "So where do we get some elves to turn into Void Elves?"
Dev 2 "Well Alleria is in Silvermoon during the Nightborne unlock, so why not toss some disgruntled Blood Elves nearby who join Alleria?"
Dev 1 "That could work. I mean Blood Elves and High Elves are basically the same thing so no one will care as long as they have the model."
Dev 2 "Brilliant!"

2 years later...

Devs "We thought they would (placate calls for High Elves), but they didn't..."

I think this was the exact internal decision process. Well, I prefer void elves.

[Kyriani]

I think this was the exact internal decision process. Well, I prefer void elves.

No doubt many do prefer Void Elves as they are. I like them for what they are though I also would have liked High Elves as well. Folding the High Elves into the Void Elves allows both groups to be happy I think... or at least closer to happy than not having any option at all.

Personally, I am eager to mix the void themed options with the non-void themed options if only for variety and aesthetic appeal.