I have a variety of ways I tend to choose portraits.
For favorite portraits that show up by default, most are the base portraits, with a few exceptions like Paladin — which is always Arthas — and Priest — which is Zhuge Liang Anduin, since I decided to get that pack of portraits.
I do pay some attention to emotes, but it’s more often related to deciding that there are certain portraits I don’t want to use, rather than certain ones that I want to use more. In particular, I chose the T1 Gul’dan portrait from one of my early end-of-the-reward-track options because I thought he looked cool. But after hearing his Greetings emote several times — I try to say hello at the beginning of each game — I hated how awful the sentiment behind his Greetings was, so I went back to just using the basic Gul’dan portrait.
I also will try to match portraits to deck themes. So, for example, a Frost-focused Mage is likely to have the Kel’thuzad portrait; or a murloc-themed Shaman deck is likely to have the Morgl portrait. In particular, if it is possible, if one of my decks uses a hero card, I like to have the assigned portrait be one depicting the same character. I don’t like having one hero portrait morph into someone completely different mid-game if there’s a good way to avoid it.
Lady Prestor is Onyxia.
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I don’t have many Hero portraits available, but I was happy to get a few of Cariel from the Rewards Track. I opted for the Stalwart one as well. Paladin is one of the main classes I play, and while Uther has grown on me (a part of me will miss his expressive emotes, “Well met!” and “By the Holy Light!” in particular), it’s nice having an option that matches my real-life gender.
Other than that, I don’t really care.
Depending on the deck playstyle.
For the face hunter it is Sylvanas. So much hate and energy, feels like this skin fits the idea the best.
Alleria as mostly MM hunter fits spell decks the best. Currently I’d say it could be the quest hunter deck. Secret hunter could be a fair choice as well.
Rexxar is BM hunter in its core, so Big Beast definitely goes with his portrait.
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She is Onyxia, sister to Nefarian, their father is Deathwing, the former Aspect of Earth that got corrupted by the Old Gods. While her brother manipulated the former kingdom of Alterac as Lord Prestor, she became part of Stormwind‘s advisors to young Anduin (then still a small kid), in her human form as Lady Prestor.
In current lore, both of them are dead (slain in two raids, getting resurrected into undead by their father and all three slain again.)
I really hope they WILL stay dead now. 
As for the topic, asthetics mostly. I don‘t dislike those smug emotes that much, but don‘t look for them, either. Card backs I chose on a whim - currently the Alliance vs. Horde one that came with WoW‘s Battle for Azeroth expansion.
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Easy. Chose your most beautiful female portrait.
UNLESS you play REXXXXAR:p
(and I never even bm with the threaten emote:P)
Light help us. Not having BM emotes backed by a big smiling face just ain’t right.
I’m a 
. I like my emotes to be as friendly as possible. I like to greet my opponent at the start of the match and thank them (win or lose) in the end.
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as F2P player I choose whatever I get for free, right now I have 1-2 max per class (if I dont count those for 500-1k wins), so…
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I feel like a fool saying this. As a whale I often choose portraits I know most players don’t have because they are behind paywalls. Example, I oftentimes use N’Zoth. You don’t see it very often because the bundle it came with cost $80. Shame on me.
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I just pick the best looking female portraits I got for each class. I like the attempt at improving representation so I wanna do my minuscule part in showing appreciation for that. The only class I don’t have a female portrait for, hunter, I just use whatever my newest one is. I know there’s female hunter portraits available I just don’t like spending gold or money on just a portrait + cardback as it feels like a waste to me.
As for what I’m using now:
DH - Aranna
Druid - Elise
Hunter - Dragonstalker Rexxar
Mage - Lady Prestor
Paladin - Dungeoneer Cariel
Priest - Lightweaver Xyrella
Rogue - Nightslayer Valeera
Shaman - Lady Vashj
Warlock - Tamsin Triumphant
Warrior - Recruit Rokara
Mercenaries and the battlepass this year really helped me get close to my goal of an all female team. I wish purchasing individual portraits was cheaper as I’d totally get diao chan valeera and aleria if they were considerably cheaper to get
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I don’t know if you can, but I suggest buying either Sylvanas or Alleria. I prefer Alleria because she seems friendlier than Sylvanas. Sylvanas has emotes that are in good sportsman, but she has a little bit of an attitude.
I can only get her right now for 1800 gold which seems expensive to me. A bundle on the shop for cash would typically cost me $12 plus tax which also seems not worth it. Alleria would be my preference but if there was some great deal on the Sylvanas portrait I’d do it
It’s definitely not for everyone. I don’t worry much about spending gold because I have the ability to purchase stuff like mini-sets and the like with actual currency. If you are in this boat, I think it can be worth it. It adds flavor to your games, I think. Alleria is very friendly in her emotes and she looks really cool. She also has a cardback FYI. It’s a shame you missed or weren’t able to purchase the portrait bundle when it was available.
However, if you’re not really a hunter player, it’s definitely not worth it – especially if you need that gold.
seems xdddddddddddddddddddddd
I don’t know the lore. Is she evil like Sylvanas?
Not at all. In the past she’s a hero of the Alliance as well as her husband Turalyon. Both were missing since the Dark Portal closure after the Second War and the first time we have heard something real about them was at TBC with the portal re-opening - players meet their outpost at the Outland (they are not present there though). Also their statues are at the Stormwind bridge when you enter the city.
Since the Legion they both are back, but while Turalyon is all in for the Light, Alleria messed with the Void and became the leader of void elves (blood elves that were sent away from their homes for dangerous experiments with void).
While Alleria says she’s in control of the Void and the powers it gave her it is hard to say if she’s still a good character or another future raid lootbox. 
The only really good sister that is left of Windrunner core family is Vereesa, wife of Rhonin.
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I remember the Night Elves. I grinded hard to unlock that damned race. 
Void Elves you mean? Night Elves are a classic race and requires no unlock.
Oh, yes, Void Elves. My bad. I remember having to do a ton of quests and world quests to unlock that race.
Even Vareesa is a bit of witch with a capital B.