Why didn't Arthas or Sylvanas raise most of the high elves slain in the Third War?

[OwenBurton]

Everyone knows that 90% of the high elf population was essentially wiped out in the Third War, during the Scourge invasion of Quel'Thalas. But there is one glaring plot hole - look at what Arthas did to some of the high elf warriors (such as Koltira) and the rangers (such as Sylvanas and most of her battle sisters), he raised them into undeath to serve him and the Scourge once again.

We all know how massive the Scourge itself was, able to fight both the Alliance and Horde armies at Northrend at the same time, and inflict massive devastation against their forces, so it stands to reason that the Lich King could control hundreds of thousands of individuals. So why didn't Arthas raise most of the slain high elves of Quel'Thalas after the invasion to supplement his forces, using the entire population of an ancient elven kingdom to help destroy his other enemies? Or why didn't Sylvanas do so after she broke free, having only several hundred dark rangers with her joining the Forsaken at best, or even most recently in the Fourth War, as she and her dark rangers were by far outnumbered by the humans of Lordaeron?

[Syegfryed]

they did raise as much as they could, others were not possible, pretty much their bodies were so torn apart or they were used to feed the ghouls that there isn't much left to raise.

[Xykotic]

Don't quote me on this, but I recall some early Wrath era discussions that indicated elves were generally harder to raise due to being saturated in opposing magic. Came up in response to elven DKs, and the general lack of undead elves besides those.

[Aresk]

First, Arthas was not the Lich King at the time, so his ability to raise undead was not that great. He raised some, such as Sylvanas, but he was one man. Necromancers did raise corpses during those missions in the RPS, but they were the standard weak necromancy skeletons, not full undead ghouls. Keep in mind most of Lordaeron that turned was due to plagued grain, which the elves did not consume.

Second, the purpose of the invasion was to raise Kel'thuzad as a Lich so that he could open the way for Archimonde. At that point, the Legion would seize control of the Scourge, and if the force was stronger, they may have overrun the defenders at Hyjal. Ner'zhul needed the Legion to lose so that he could escape his captors. Thus, the Lich King would want a force just strong enough to accomplish his tasks but not secure a Legion victory.

Third, the ritual to open the portal was time-sensitive. Even if the Lich King did want a massive army and Arthas did go from corpse to corpse to raise them individually, they'd take too much time and would miss the appointment upon which to summon Archimonde.

[Hardwing]

First, Arthas was not the Lich King at the time, so his ability to raise undead was not that great. He raised some, such as Sylvanas, but he was one man. Necromancers did raise corpses during those missions in the RPS, but they were the standard weak necromancy skeletons, not full undead ghouls. Keep in mind most of Lordaeron that turned was due to plagued grain, which the elves did not consume.

Second, the purpose of the invasion was to raise Kel'thuzad as a Lich so that he could open the way for Archimonde. At that point, the Legion would seize control of the Scourge, and if the force was stronger, they may have overrun the defenders at Hyjal. Ner'zhul needed the Legion to lose so that he could escape his captors. Thus, the Lich King would want a force just strong enough to accomplish his tasks but not secure a Legion victory.

Third, the ritual to open the portal was time-sensitive. Even if the Lich King did want a massive army and Arthas did go from corpse to corpse to raise them individually, they'd take too much time and would miss the appointment upon which to summon Archimonde.

Good arguments. I guess this pretty well sums it up!

[Aucald]

They did. Many of the Quel'dorei dead of the Third War became ghouls and banshees, such as the retinue that served Sylvanas later on in WC3: TFT. Several more became Death Knights of Acherus. The High Elves weren't directly susceptible to the Plague of Undeath that mass-converted the populace of Lordaeron, so the Elven dead raised into undeath tended to be the direct creations of the Lich King or the Necromancers in the service of the Scourge.

Many High Elves became undead San'layn when they attacked Northrend during WC3: TFT, as well.

[OwenBurton]

Don't quote me on this, but I recall some early Wrath era discussions that indicated elves were generally harder to raise due to being saturated in opposing magic. Came up in response to elven DKs, and the general lack of undead elves besides those.

That would make some sense. Sylvanas could not raise the worgen because of Elune and the Emerald Dream's energies in their origins, although the Lich King was strong enough to overcome this protection. Perhaps the Sunwell's lingering energies attuned them to the Arcane, and made it difficult for another cosmic power Death to hold sway over them.

[chrisisvacant]

That would make some sense. Sylvanas could not raise the worgen because of Elune and the Emerald Dream's energies in their origins, although the Lich King was strong enough to overcome this protection. Perhaps the Sunwell's lingering energies attuned them to the Arcane, and made it difficult for another cosmic power Death to hold sway over them.

Read Aucald's post. They did raise them. We have tons of different models of undead elves.