Arcane addiction more like sugar addiction? Fel more like drug addiction

[Beloren]

Been trying to figure out the closest thing arcane addiction is like, because we have no such thing as "arcane" source or energy that a race can use to do magic.

Arcane
I believe humans can get addicted, although it doesn't seem as much of an issue as it was for the elves.. unless the elves are grossly exaggerating things because their standards are much higher. So what may seem like addiction to an elf is not as you or I would imagine nor what hte humans would cause.

Fel is more like drugs in my opinion with the exception that it actualy gives you power.
Arcane is actually the building blocks of universe, andd we know it extends life, intelligence, health, you also grow bigger -- it's more like food and sugar.

Also it appears that elves have a naturally higher capacity for it.. so the level of magic usage that might get other races addicted or crazy won't do so for elves, night elves would have a naturally larger capacity than Thalassian elves who devolved slightly after the exile - besides the WEll of eternity is bigger juice than the Sunwell/

If elves use magic in crazy amounts they would naturally get addicted, the night elves of Suramar went the further, ingesting mana for food, which caused the whole withering problem, and is likely the reason their appearance shifted tot he skinnier nightborne version of night elf.

It would also appear that Thalassian elves likely did not realise they would get addicted by merely being suffused by the sunwell. Best theory I've heard is because the exile, the high elves devolved body cannot handle the same amounts a night elf would, but they probably didn't realise they were at risk of addiction through suffusion - or maybe they did, but didn't think it possible - the story shows them as haters of the addiction and reckless attitude of their former highborne night elven roots, and wanted a society free to study arcane unlike the long vigil group, and definitely anti-demon, anti-recklessness and addiction unlike the pre-sundering highborne led kaldorei empire.

Night elves post sundering are not addicted despite being suffused with the more powerful well of eternity, this is discovered to be because they live balanced with nature - 7.0 reveals that balance of nature prevents arcane addiction for a night elf, in fact teh arcan'dor addiction cure, utilises a balance between arcane adn nature to cure the chronic addiction of the nightborne.

It appears this is not sufficient for a high elf, hence a fusion of the holy energies with the arcane in the sunwell is the only thing that keeps them balanced, meanwhile all a night elf need do is eat a fruit or abstain for a few years and is recovered.

As far as I can recall, the high elves who never used or were exposed to fel weren't cured from their addiction in a few years, in fact, not until the sunwell was restored .


Fel
Fel is far more highly addictive, and it corrupts/distorts the body, lesions/scars, rotted flesh are the marks it bears and it is quite destructive to you and those around you.. in this it is much more similar to Class A drugs, with needle and track marks all over your body. It distorts your mind and your body..

Demon hunters show remarkable capability with the addictive nature of fel - I presume that the struggle against the inner demon is an even tougher one and their sheer will and determination is what affords them to be victors and not victors of fel lust/addiction.

The arcane runes seem to help with both the demon within and the corrosive/corruptive and maybe even addictive aspects of fel.

Those who use fel are normally quickly consumed by it.

Fel seems powered by draining life in a highly concentrated form that causes the victim to shrivel up and die - (see Warcraft movie), and their soul energy furhter empowering it.

I suspect once you go fel you don't go back.

i also suspect fel and shadow have a connection or cross over.

I think only demons and demon hunters seem to have high capability with fel. Warlocks seem a lot more limited in their fel usage, possibly because those who use it become distorted by it.. like gul'dan demons, etc and the warlock is not distorted, besides blizzard only allowed fel green glyph, so normal Locks can't really use fel magic outside the one destruction bolt and mixing traces of it with shadow.

[Wyrt]

The elves aren't really addicted to arcane. They are born out of arcane, it's a physiological need for them the same way other races need food and water. The elves physically deform without a source of magic to feed on.

Humans of Dalaran and draenei both heavily use arcane magic in their every day lives, but neither of them seem to have an addiction to arcane. I think there's 1 or 2 cases of a human having an addiction, but if it was a significant enough problem then the humans of Dalaran would be in near the same situation as elves, but they aren't.

[Syegfryed]

The elves aren't really addicted to arcane. They are born out of arcane, it's a physiological need for them the same way other races need food and water. The elves physically deform without a source of magic to feed on.

explain night elves not having physiological need of arcane

[Wyrt]

explain night elves not having physiological need of arcane

Moonwells.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Mana addiction is absolutely drugs. Did you not play Suramar? They were skinny and scratching their skin exactly like crack addicts.

[Syegfryed]

Moonwells.

they don't physically need then, and can live fine without it

[Wyrt]

they don't physically need then, and can live fine without it

Can they? Because we've literally never seen what happens when they don't have Moonwells around. They even built Moonwells on Draenor in WoD, it was like the first thing night elves did there.

[Syegfryed]

Can they? Because we've literally never seen what happens when they don't have Moonwells around. They even built Moonwells on Draenor in WoD, it was like the first thing night elves did there.

Its said they re just to restore energy, nowhere is said they are dependent and can live without it.

Following the Argus Campaign and the destruction of Silithus, night elf priestesses and druids built moonwells there to help restore the devastated land

[Wyrt]

Its said they re just to restore energy, nowhere is said they are dependent and can live without it.

Moonwells hold water from the Well of Eternity. The Well of Eternity was the original source of the elves' dependence on arcane magic because the Well is what created them. Moonwells give off a similar, but smaller effect as the original Well of Eternity.

[Joraty123]

but whyyyy help mee

[Mace]

explain night elves not having physiological need of arcane

Well of Eternity explains that.. they're still connected to it.. but I suspect after Chronicles ! thereal connection is to the arcane blood of Azeroth..so even if Well 2 disappears, theya re still linked to arcane ley lines which are described as the veins and arteries of Azeroth.

- - - Updated - - -

Moonwells hold water from the Well of Eternity. The Well of Eternity was the original source of the elves' dependence on arcane magic because the Well is what created them. Moonwells give off a similar, but smaller effect as the original Well of Eternity.

Indeed, sadly, we don't get to hear enough of this aspect to the night elves, and the Elune connection via the arcane.. arcane and priesthood as wells the stars connection are still gray areas for night elves where not much lore has been revealed, it's probably the biggest are of growth if you wanted to flesh out the night elves some more and give more info and features to them.

[Syegfryed]

Well of Eternity explains that.. they're still connected to it.. but I suspect after Chronicles ! thereal connection is to the arcane blood of Azeroth..so even if Well 2 disappears, theya re still linked to arcane ley lines which are described as the veins and arteries of Azeroth..

thats pure headcanon, nowhere is said they psychically need arcane energy, like other elves.

[Beloren]

thats pure headcanon, nowhere is said they psychically need arcane energy, like other elves.

And what part of "I suspect" do you not understand? He literally says so. But even if it is headcanon, I don't mind, we are trying to figure out what is going on here so any theories are welcome. If you think the lore hints at it, or you have a theory based on the lore, say.

Things people suspect, or wager or think are not things they know for certain, they are usually things they suspect based on whatever information or detail they point out.

[Aucald]

I really think they're kind of both the same thing, albeit in different manners of intensity. Arcane energy is variable - there's the more or less "normal" kind that Mages use, which is known to be addictive but mostly controllable, to far more powerful forms. It can come in different varieties, from the ambient mana suffused across Azeroth to the potent energies of Ley lines to the concentrated life-essence of a slumbering Titan World-Soul. The more intense the Arcane energy the more addictive it comes, down the most rarefied stuff such as Nightwell essence causing physiological alterations and dependence so powerful you start to wither away due to withdrawal. Fel, too, is another form of concentrated Arcane essence, created from the wanton destruction of life and spirit energy - it too is powerfully addictive and mutagenic to boot.

[Powerogue]

Mana addiction is absolutely drugs. Did you not play Suramar? They were skinny and scratching their skin exactly like crack addicts.

The most genius thing in Legion was introducing us to one of those in Azsuna, then making us be one of those.

Ooh, mana crystal!

[Syegfryed]

And what part of "I suspect" do you not understand? He literally says so.

he says the well explain that, but don't.

But even if it is headcanon, I don't mind, we are trying to figure out what is going on here so any theories are welcome. If you think the lore hints at it, or you have a theory based on the lore, say.

i don't mind your elf party always spamming an elf thread different, i just commented about the subject, if you want theorize and emphasize on that put (theories/speculation/fanfiction) in the title i dunno, i didn't say he or anyone else should stop

[Shelly]

"natural" creatures of Azeroth - Trolls, Elves (same thing really) - seem to have a far greater sensitivity to arcane energies than other species.

It's quite possible that for creatures of Azeroth anyway that species evolved from Titanic constructs via the curse of flesh are just more resilient to arcane energies.

All creatures are susceptible to fel energies though and experience multiple forms of mutation depending on how and to the extent to which they are exposed. Resulting in everything from broken to ma'nari eredar. Or fel elves, demon hunter elves, blood raged orcs and so on.

So far Blizz hasn't shown us the other possible results from fel and arcane exposure but to all indications arcane is a gateway drug to fel for those species that are attuned to the arcane. We see it with the elves - Illidan pursuing fel energies for greater power over arcane, then later hooking Kael'Thas up with good time green vibes - we also see it with the Eredar/Draenei where they have an entire society basically built around mana crystals that leaves them vulnerable to fel corruption through the offer of Sargeras.

Speaking of you can even make a case for Sargeras being a progenitor of fel corruption as his career track is pretty similar to Illidans. The titans being deeply arcane beings with the arcane basically being the force of order in the universe, but their greatest champion falling to the forces of chaotic Fel magics which just in and of themselves may have caused his madness and corruption.

[Powerogue]

I don't think sugar does this to you.

[matrix123mko]

Arcane has always been like electricity equivalent for me.

[Isilrien]

Sugar can lead to serious issues and even lead to changes in physical nature (obesity, or physical results of diabetes), but nothing like what we've seen shown in the game. Arcane is addictive and thus like a drug, but perhaps less addictive than fel (or addictive in different ways).