Highborne customizations for the Night Elves (NOT High Elves)

[Astranea]

So just to be clear on the highbourne ear thing...

* snip *

It wasnt until Burning Crusade that the lore got expanded and canonized that Thalassian High Elves and Blood Elves were progressive mutations from being exposed to the sunwell, effectively retconning the vanilla background of them being a separate subspecies of elf.

However, they never corrected the statues due to being outdated content. If they were corrected for the modern lore background, all of them would have Kaldorei ear design.

THANKS. This was the answer I was looking for, FINALLY. A proper explanation! <3

I have edited the first post taking note of this information.

They thought it shows potential for arcane, but that was wrong.

Aye, I understood my mistake now.

I was still wondering about the Classic statues, but thankfully @Lothaeryn explained that to me at last. All clear.

[Finnagan]

I like the idea, more customization options are always cool in my book. As an RPer having options like this to represent a character allows you to deepen the types of stories you can tell and makes for a better realization of your PC. I'm hoping Blizz really pulls out the stops when giving us new options for character creation, I'm keeping my expectations tempered though.

[Evilfish]

You people have a fixation with elves.

It's not like this would shut the Helf bunch up, but then again who cares about them. I'm all for some new customization options.

[Temp1on2]

What is the fixation with light/white coloured elves? Some of you guys will contrive any reason to justify it but refuse to play horde lmao

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So just to be clear on the highbourne ear thing...

In vanilla, Blizzard did not canonize the association of high elves as a mutation of Kaldorei and instead they were an entire subspecies that ruled over them using the arcane

Really? I don't remember this whatsoever. In fact in WC3 made it very clear that the Naga were night elves and that 'Highborne' referred only to Azshara's "chosen".

[Hellspawn]

You people have a fixation with elves.

It's not like this would shut the Helf bunch up, but then again who cares about them. I'm all for some new customization options.

I don't think that people that want high elfs care about this at all.

[Mirishka]

Care to elaborate?

Is it because you do not think the Shen’dralar Highborne should be explored/characterized/recognizable in any ways despite of them being long severed from the Night Elves before rejoining them in Cataclysm?

Is it because you do not like my customizations mockup? (will most likely redo it during the weekend anyway)

Is it because you do not think the Night Elves should/could get brand new customizations of any kind, despite of the undead getting fleshed out options and the dwarves and trolls getting several skin tones and features they never had before?

Blizzard seem to be more than willing to expand the customization options, adding many choices that weren’t in game other than elaborating on different tribes/clans that were scattered around... and the Shen’dralar matter IS canon, and the very specific reason why we can have Night Elves mages nowadays.

I understand that I cannot please everybody, but it would be nice to hear what are the counter arguments, to see if the concept can be expanded in better ways. Else, your post is of very little help, and I will be forced to dismiss it as simple personal taste or trolling rather than take it into consideration as a challenge to improvement.

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Thanks, it’s always very nice when someone shows to understand and appreciate what you mean rather than dismiss it without even caring to give an explanation. <3

On one hand you seem to accept that your idea/design isn't for everyone, but also seem to assume that disinterest must equal trolling, or people mustn't want night elves to have additional customization.

Well I wasn't trolling you, and of course I want all races (including allied) to get more customizations - I'm the one that asked about additional customizations in the first Q&A that acknowledged the idea. But the designs are not my personal cup of tea in relation to night elves: when I say 'hard pass' I mean that I wouldn't use them, not that I don't want them in the game at all. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love them and more options is a good thing, even if the options aren't everyone's thing.

[Vathoren]

I'd settle for Blizz just fixing male Night Elves fuck-awful posture.

[Astranea]

On one hand you seem to accept that your idea/design isn't for everyone, but also seem to assume that disinterest must equal trolling, or people mustn't want night elves to have additional customization. * snip *

when I say 'hard pass' I mean that I wouldn't use them, not that I don't want them in the game at all. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love them and more options is a good thing, even if the options aren't everyone's thing.

Very sorry about that, I may have been biased, but it was hard to understand in the first place from two words, and all I wished were the explanations you eventually gave. In my experience (on other forums, granted) people who do not care, but are also not against, do not usually react in any way... so I felt very unsure, and cared to know if you meant it was a 'dumb idea', were shunning it due to being 'inacceptable lore-wise', or simply did not like it for whatever other reason.

Said that, while I shall not discuss personal taste (de gustibus non disputandum est!) I can actually appreciate counter-arguments, even if they 'break my dreams' (e.g. about alternative ears in this case, hehe) in order to improve my concepts and make them more lore-accurate and likely to be appreciated in general.

[Lothaeryn]

Really? I don't remember this whatsoever. In fact in WC3 made it very clear that the Naga were night elves and that 'Highborne' referred only to Azshara's "chosen".

That is true, but the actual connection between thalassian high elf and Kaldorei was not ironed out at this point. As far as Azsharas chosen goes it was never explicitly addressed whether or not it meant they were night elves chosen by Azshara to be of the Highborne caste or something else. Blizzards lore transition from WCIII to WoW was very spotty in this regard.

[Destinas]

highborne don't really look all that different from normal night elves though.

blonde hair, maybe azshara's shade of blue skin. but the only really noteworthy difference between highborne and night elves is the fact that highborne are taller than a normal night elf. something that should have been reflected in nightborne. but their model is so poor overall, it's not a wonder.

they didn't have light skin before arriving in the eastern kingdoms, either. light skin was a specifically mentioned new trait that happened during their evolution to high elves.

That's the point. They're adding customization for the current races in Shadowlands. It's customization for Night Elves. Highborne were just a caste of Night Elves.

That said, they actually did have some differences from the rest of the Kaldorei.
-They usually had lighter skin, golden eyes (many times silver, as well), and silver hair.
-Some dyed their hair silver to be more like Azshara - Vashj was implied to do this in the War of the Ancients trilogy, but it looked more like a dull gray. In this image Vashj had dull silver hair with light indigo streaks in it, and in this image she has blonde streaks in her hair.
-Dath'Remar Sunstrider had auburn hair with blonde streaks in it - as seen here and here (which looks quite different to his High Elf form).
-Also in this image you can see they have black hair, white hair, blonde hair, and even red hair.
-Hair colors like blue, green, purple, and teal are much less common among the Highborne.
-They could have a wide range of skin tones, from blue to lavender to all the ones we see in-game.
-That's also why the Nightborne have the hair colors they do, since they are entirely born from generations of Highborne. The Nightwell certainly changed their eye colors and skin tones, but there are similarities between some Nightborne and Highborne skin tones as well.

Since they're going to add more customization for all the races, and Highborne have been part of the alliance since Cataclysm, this is a perfect fit.

[Hellspawn]

That's the point. They're adding customization for the current races in Shadowlands. It's customization for Night Elves. Highborne were just a caste of Night Elves.

That said, they actually did have some differences from the rest of the Kaldorei.
-They usually had lighter skin, golden eyes (many times silver, as well), and silver hair.
-Some dyed their hair silver to be more like Azshara - Vashj was implied to do this in the War of the Ancients trilogy, but it looked more like a dull gray. In this image Vashj had dull silver hair with light indigo streaks in it, and in this image she has blonde streaks in her hair.
-Dath'Remar Sunstrider had auburn hair with blonde streaks in it - as seen here and here (which looks quite different to his High Elf form).
-Also in this image you can see they have black hair, white hair, blonde hair, and even red hair.
-Hair colors like blue, green, purple, and teal are much less common among the Highborne.
-They could have a wide range of skin tones, from blue to lavender to all the ones we see in-game.
-That's also why the Nightborne have the hair colors they do, since they are entirely born from generations of Highborne. The Nightwell certainly changed their eye colors and skin tones, but there are similarities between some Nightborne and Highborne skin tones as well.

Since they're going to add more customization for all the races, and Highborne have been part of the alliance since Cataclysm, this is a perfect fit.

I agree with all of these, expect for blond hair. Dath'Remar Sunstrider was an expection with that even among the highborn.
Also as covered before, there is no source that they had more golden glowing eyes than normal night elfs. But golden eyes for females is something we will get for sure, same for white eyes for nelf males.

[Shiza]

As we know Blizzard, they will probably give all the night elf costumization options to the Undeads.

[Moonrage]

-Dath'Remar Sunstrider had auburn hair with blonde streaks in it - as seen here and here (which looks quite different to his High Elf form).

I almost forgot how ridiculously jacked male night elves are jesus.

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That's the point. They're adding customization for the current races in Shadowlands. It's customization for Night Elves. Highborne were just a caste of Night Elves.

That said, they actually did have some differences from the rest of the Kaldorei.
-They usually had lighter skin, golden eyes (many times silver, as well), and silver hair.
-Some dyed their hair silver to be more like Azshara - Vashj was implied to do this in the War of the Ancients trilogy, but it looked more like a dull gray. In this image Vashj had dull silver hair with light indigo streaks in it, and in this image she has blonde streaks in her hair.
-Dath'Remar Sunstrider had auburn hair with blonde streaks in it - as seen here and here (which looks quite different to his High Elf form).
-Also in this image you can see they have black hair, white hair, blonde hair, and even red hair.
-Hair colors like blue, green, purple, and teal are much less common among the Highborne.
-They could have a wide range of skin tones, from blue to lavender to all the ones we see in-game.
-That's also why the Nightborne have the hair colors they do, since they are entirely born from generations of Highborne. The Nightwell certainly changed their eye colors and skin tones, but there are similarities between some Nightborne and Highborne skin tones as well.

Since they're going to add more customization for all the races, and Highborne have been part of the alliance since Cataclysm, this is a perfect fit.

Agreed with everything you said, except maybe the blond hair. Also more fancy jewelry, headbands etc for females (and males? why not?) We get that Night Elves are a little more free flowing and wild than Blood Elves but that doesn't mean they're trolls.

[Destinas]

I almost forgot how ridiculously jacked male night elves are jesus.

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Agreed with everything you said, except maybe the blond hair. Also more fancy jewelry, headbands etc for females (and males? why not?) We get that Night Elves are a little more free flowing and wild than Blood Elves but that doesn't mean they're trolls.

They could definitely have circlets for male night elves. Prince Tortheldrin and Azj'Tordin wore circlets.

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I agree with all of these, expect for blond hair. Dath'Remar Sunstrider was an expection with that even among the highborn.
Also as covered before, there is no source that they had more golden glowing eyes than normal night elfs. But golden eyes for females is something we will get for sure, same for white eyes for nelf males.

True, it's usually stated that golden eyes were rare before the Sundering. However, there were Highborne groups that actively filled their ranks with Kaldorei with golden eyes, like the Moon Guard.

In the northeast, we have the Moonguard, the remnants of an ancient order of super-powerful mages. They have this deep history, and Illidan had even been one of them—a commander of the Moonguard. At this time, everyone who was born with yellow eyes was taken to join them. It was a great honor to be trained to become one of them—they were a really powerful force.

https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/ne...erview-suramar

Added with Azshara's golden eyes, it's usually associated with Highborne before the Sundering. But, of course, the Night Elves can also have other eye colors, like blue, teal, and now black of course. More options are always fun.

[Hellspawn]

True, it's usually stated that golden eyes were rare before the Sundering. However, there were Highborne groups that actively filled their ranks with Kaldorei with golden eyes, like the Moon Guard.

The Moon Guard was specifically made of normal nightelfs that were mages and not highborne (I want this organisation back for nelfs..)
I don't remember any highborn with golden eyes beside Azshara.

[Destinas]

The Moon Guard was specifically made of normal nightelfs that were mages and not highborne (I want this organisation back for nelfs..)
I don't remember any highborn with golden eyes beside Azshara.

Well, it's described as "rare" in the War of the Ancients trilogy, with Illidan and Azshara being seen as "exceptional" due to that trait. However, Highborne are usually associated with golden eyes due to Azshara in art, fan art, other art, and other references by most fans. The Highborne tried to copy her in many ways (like the aforementioned silver hair dye), or like real-world higher castes they would have chosen specific partners to try to achieve whatever genes they wanted in their family line.

Golden eyes are actually quite common among Highborne-related races, which is done to allude to the Highborne they used to be.
-Satyrs often have golden eyes, reflected more directly with Peroth'arn (a Highborne that was the first of Xavius' Satyrs).
-Naga have been depicted most often with golden eyes, from Warcraft 3, comics, Hearthstone, and in-game among several models and skin tones. Though, other eye colors can be red, blue, or green, but gold is most common.

Otherwise, most Highborne we've seen have been transformed into other elves (High, Blood, Void, Nightborne, etc) that wound up having different eye colors. Or, we've seen Highborne, but most were introduced in World of Warcraft, where females have always been depicted with silver eyes, and males only have been depicted with golden eyes due to technical limitations. Varo'then was depicted in the TCG with golden eyes, but that's because it was just a drawing from his in-game model. The only depictions of Highborne in Chronicle were, really, about Crystalsong before the High Elves existed - yet the people they showed there looked more like High Elves (as far as skin tone, hair color, and ear position), and in that depiction they had blue eyes.

Not only that, but the lore has shifted away from "golden eyes = druidism" over the years. It was stated that it was actually a sign of potential in druidism, and that druids would often develop golden eyes even if they were born with other eye colors. However, that's hardly reflected anymore - Broll always had blue eyes, for instance. Malfurion's eyes were often shown as golden, but they more recently have been white, blue, green, or teal:
https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpe...97dcba5e0692ff
https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpe...194286ff2e9304
https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpe...869563a87c62a8
https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpe...27ce40920cb317
https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpe...df1ff4c9bff2cb

But, either way, in Shadowlands they will likely allow both sexes of elves to have silver, golden, or black eyes anyway, so people can have whatever they like for their Highborne customization.

[Omedon]

Don't care for "blonde nightelves" unless we also get nightelf paladins. The glaring omission from the nightelf kit isn't so much a whole new color palette (but yes do please give them more color options) but an ALLIANCE ELVEN PALADIN.

[LemonDemonGirl]

I'd like the Dark Ranger skin as a customization option. Might end up being DK only though

[Shuya1]

I found this edit by Mystmantle on Deviant art
I loooooove this, this is totally how a female Highborne, or even Priestess of the moon would style her hair.

This is amazing! I love seeing others concepts of what they would like to see.

I am not very good at searching for stuff like this, has anyone else made any of their own customization options like this?

[Maxilian]

I'd like the Dark Ranger skin as a customization option. Might end up being DK only though

Would be weird to have them as part of the NE options, as we have not seen any of this troops join the Alliance, in general, i doubt we will be getting DR NE skins for either factions