*Spoilers* Blood Elf Skin Tones and hair colors

[matrix123mko]

I just hope blood elves won't get human eyes. New Sylvanas is a heresy.

[Sharby]

Well...

That argument makes sense, but there is this concept in storytelling and fiction called "suspension of disbelief". There are just certain 'facts' about life that are strongly ingrained into people, either cultural or scientific / academic and when you start creating fiction (a fantasy world or stories or races etc.) - You're only going to make it harder for people to feel immersed when you keep showering them with things that are contrarian to the knowledge of people.

Simultaneously, uh... We know that corporations like creating false controversies nowadays to generate more social media hub hub and attention. And this to me seems just on the edge of controversial enough to cause heated arguments on the internet while still looking innocent.

Contrarian to what though?


When has Blizzard ever stated and furthermore consistently reminded players that fair skin is central to Blood Elf identity or that Blood Elves can never have dark skin? I saw earlier in the thread something about a comic that hinted at it but the fact that such an important detail isn't apparent or explicit shows that it really didn't mean much to start.

On top of this elves aren't humans, so they aren't supposed to be self-inserts. They are allowed to and have done whatever they want with elves. If your immersion isn't broken by a skinny elf having inhuman physical and mental strength but it breaks if that elf is dark-skinned, there's an issue there. No two ways around it.

Furthermore, its Blizzard's lore, this isn't a fan-mod or fanart, if Blizzard puts it into their game, then any argument about how it doesn't work doesn't really hold weight, gameplay is diff, and this doesn't mean everything Blizzard pumps out is quality of course, but they can and have added new things and changed old things to work with it.

Stormwind humans/Gilneans/Kul Tirans all have a variety of skin-tones despite being locked to a single climate. This only makes the argument that races have to line-up with their climates to mirror the real world even more silly. Black people can exist in any climate, as can any other race. Origin =/= limitation, especially when considering a race like elves that live for so long, it would be dumb to assume that their racial dispersion would mimic their origin.

Nobody blinked an eye when the Wastewander npc's in the Uldum dessert were all white, but when elves get dark skin suddenly skin-color has to mirror the real world or its lorebreaking?


Finally, dark-skin isn't controversial. The hard to swallow pill is that if you see it that way, you have some serious inner racism that needs to be reflected on and resolved. There are ways to elegantly address 'curiosity' when it comes to these types of topics.

You can def reply as is your right, but I won't be commenting on this any further as the thread is already super derailed, and this isn't targeted at you specifically. But people should know their subtle racism isn't nearly as subtle as they think lol.

[LemonDemonGirl]

In BFA we are told 1 sole Dark Troll exists (they tell us that themselves). In SL we will be able to make numerous Dark Trolls. Ergo previous in-universe lore is swept aside.

Well, maybe there's half-Darkspear half-Dark trolls out there?

[Mehrunes]

Like... I'm not sure how to even comment on something like this properly...

I am absolutely sure I can get used to Blood Elves of such... colour. But I just don't know how it makes "sense", ya know? Quel'Thalas is an autumn like land all the time and I don't think we ever had Blood/High Elves ever live in really hot areas before...? Kinda like having a Drow in Forgotten Realms suddenly have white skin for some odd reason?

What's with the eyes of the darker skinned Belves?

[Rexosaurus]

Isn't it more likely that those eye glows are Worgen since they already have most, if not all, of those colors?

[Mehrunes]

When has Blizzard ever stated and furthermore consistently reminded players that fair skin is central to Blood Elf identity or that Blood Elves can never have dark skin? I saw earlier in the thread something about a comic that hinted at it but the fact that such an important detail isn't apparent or explicit shows that it really didn't mean much to start.

Such an important detail? How comes a skin tone of a race becomes "an important detail" only when it's convenient to your argument but everywhere else you diminish its importance to paint other people as racist for reacting to it? The comic outright states that the Highborne's skin was affected in a specific way during their exile and I'm pretty sure it's repeated by Chronicle. And that's it. You have no authority to arbitrarily proclaim that it's not apparent or explicit enough for you and then use those arbitrary conclusions of yours as a basis for even further claims.

On top of this elves aren't humans, so they aren't supposed to be self-inserts. They are allowed to and have done whatever they want with elves. If your immersion isn't broken by a skinny elf having inhuman physical and mental strength but it breaks if that elf is dark-skinned, there's an issue there. No two ways around it.

This would work as an argument if someone died and made you king of other people's suspension of disbelief. Or if you weren't deliberately ignoring the fact that superhuman strength isn't nearly limited to Blood Elves and is the bread and butter of WoW's fantasy setting.

Furthermore, its Blizzard's lore, this isn't a fan-mod or fanart, if Blizzard puts it into their game, then any argument about how it doesn't work doesn't really hold weight, gameplay is diff, and this doesn't mean everything Blizzard pumps out is quality of course, but they can and have added new things and changed old things to work with it.

The argument people have is quite obviously that it may conflict with prior stuff. Some people have been quite explicit about it. And just because Blizzard has the artistic control over the IP doesn't make retcons any less retconny and as such doesn't make that argument "hold no weight".

Stormwind humans/Gilneans/Kul Tirans all have a variety of skin-tones despite being locked to a single climate. This only makes the argument that races have to line-up with their climates to mirror the real world even more silly. Black people can exist in any climate, as can any other race. Origin =/= limitation, especially when considering a race like elves that live for so long, it would be dumb to assume that their racial dispersion would mimic their origin.

But they aren't locked to a single climate. They have possessions in a variety of places. Stormwind outright borders a tropical jungle and even has some minor settlements in there.

Nobody blinked an eye when the Wastewander npc's in the Uldum dessert were all white, but when elves get dark skin suddenly skin-color has to mirror the real world or its lorebreaking?

Wastewanders arrived in Kalimdor ~15 years ago in lore...


And before you project your nonsense on me, personally I don't mind this (other than dark-skinned Blood Elves having no irises for some reason).

[Linkedblade]

I like to have a shade of purple, I can play as an original highborne from the time of exile!

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What do you think of a dark purple shade for blood elves? highborne fantasy!

Makes sense the night elves and blood elves would have a variety of purples and greens. As the high borne devolved from having green/purple tones to a orange tones (includes tan and brown and to the extremes white and black), that they would be included.

[Sigxy]

What's with the eyes of the darker skinned Belves?

Yeah, I've noticed it too. There's no iris going on. x_x

[Psykho]

Blue eyes makes absolutely perfect since from a lore perspective. Their eye color changes based upon the magically energy influence they have. The energy was fel in BC so since they were near it, their bodies changed the eye color to be green. Golden eyes are from utilizing the holy magic. Blue from arcane.

It only makes sense that they would return to their blue eyes after being away from the fel energy for so long. Especially the mages.

I'm still of the opinion that if they give Belfs blue eyes, after the initial outrage, High Elf fans will simply transition to using human eyes in their concepts, like Sylvanas' new model does

[FlubberPuddy]

I'm still of the opinion that if they give Belfs blue eyes, after the initial outrage, High Elf fans will simply transition to using human eyes in their concepts, like Sylvanas' new model does

At this point High Elf fans don't need to do anything. Blizzard poked fun at how much the High Elf discussion has been talked about in GD. They know by now what's wanted and it's pretty much just whether they will add it or not.

Most of the push before was "getting to Blizzard to understand why HE fans want em".

Putting blue eyes on Blood Elves isn't going to suddenly make people stop asking for em.

[Khaza-R]

I just hope blood elves won't get human eyes. New Sylvanas is a heresy.

I was staring at her new model last night wondering why it looked so strange. I didn't notice they tried to match the human eyes in the cinematics. Looks weird tbh.

[FlubberPuddy]

Yeah, I've noticed it too. There's no iris going on. x_x

It's the first build and a lot of skins aren't anchored correctly to the models from what I've read online. Wowhead have also said it takes a while to manually do it and that's why we don't see many character creation options.

But good thing to know is that in the coming weeks (basically by end of April) the initial character customization options are stated to be in by then.

[Maljinwo]

"Hey guys, can someone explain to me why are different skin tones never seen before being added in Shadowl-"

YOU RACIST PIG SHUT UP

[Sigxy]

It's the first build and a lot of skins aren't anchored correctly to the models from what I've read online. Wowhead have also said it takes a while to manually do it and that's why we don't see many character creation options.

But good thing to know is that in the coming weeks (basically by end of April) the initial character customization options are stated to be in by then.

Yeah, I guess that sounds about right. Really looking forward to see all the new stuff!

[Yarathir]

"Hey guys, can someone explain to me why are different skin tones never seen before being added in Shadowl-"

YOU RACIST PIG SHUT UP

No, I think these skins are doubleplus good and that anybody who is even mildly critical is a filthy bigot who needs to unlearn his prejudices and ditch his privilege. And even if you don't proclaim to be racist, I will project it on you anyway so I can pounce on you for the sake of heaving myself onto a higher social and moral platform so that I can properly engage in the dopamine rush that is masturbatory self-gratification.

[FlubberPuddy]

No, I think these skins are doubleplus good and that anybody who is even mildly critical is a filthy bigot who needs to unlearn his prejudices and ditch his privilege. And even if you don't proclaim to be racist, I will project it on you anyway so I can pounce on you for the sake of heaving myself onto a higher social and moral platform so that I can properly engage in the dopamine rush that is masturbatory self-gratification.

Lol this is too perfect.

[Beloren]

Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes lmao.

Curious, what justification do black people need to give you for their existence irl?

Or purple people for that matter, would someone please think of the purple people. Maybe in warcraft purple is the new black. Or was it green?

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Not relating a real skin tone to fictional beings would probably be a good start.


Azeroth isn't the real world, so trying to argue that races should be tied to climates just because its how it works irl doesn't hold up. Furthermore these aren't even humans, but magical beings. Black elves literally don't require any more thought than an elf being able to take hits from a titan. Its purely for gameplay reasons. The lore is still intact. It doesn't have to 'make sense' because it already does.

High/Blood Elves traditionally have human-like skin tones, just like elves of the same kind in typical fantasy. Them all being fair-skinned isn't a staple of their race that Blizzard intended, but just a result of the status quo; adding these skin colors confirms this. I would go into detail about why elves are usually depicted as fair-skinned but that's not a topic I want to get into on this forum of all places lol.

The reason you guys keep being called racist is because this shit only is an issue when they add dark-skin.

Haha, yes human skin tones also include brown and black - unless you don't consider those human ofc.

If I remember reading in Twilight of the Aspects, one of the Thalassian elves with Karasus in an AU, was black. Yes, a black thalassian that you might be able to roll at last.

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I will never understand why some people get triggered at the sight of dark skin.

The guy literally goes “I’m not even sure how to comment on something like this...” like there’s some big scandal.

Self fulfilling though, he pointed everyone's attention to it.

[Maljinwo]

No, I think these skins are doubleplus good and that anybody who is even mildly critical is a filthy bigot who needs to unlearn his prejudices and ditch his privilege. And even if you don't proclaim to be racist, I will project it on you anyway so I can pounce on you for the sake of heaving myself onto a higher social and moral platform so that I can properly engage in the dopamine rush that is masturbatory self-gratification.

I love you

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I know someone will lose their mind and call me a racist for saying this, but I think a blood elf with dark skin is just wrong. Blue eyes make it even worse. And I'm only considering this from a lore perspective.

Can I say yikes? Like the only reason thalassian elves are white is because they are derivative of Tolkien -as pretty much all fantasy elves are- what's the problem with Blizzard updating their aesthetics for variety's sake? When the only "lore reason" why most humanoid races are white is just common fantasy conventions, being beholden to them is just... lame.

[Beloren]

No, I think these skins are doubleplus good and that anybody who is even mildly critical is a filthy bigot who needs to unlearn his prejudices and ditch his privilege. And even if you don't proclaim to be racist, I will project it on you anyway so I can pounce on you for the sake of heaving myself onto a higher social and moral platform so that I can properly engage in the dopamine rush that is masturbatory self-gratification.

People masturbate to such things? Eeew .. now this is something I can climb the higher moral platform