Can we finally get playable the high elves?

[Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord]

@Gunfist-moon-guard

Really? Like it’s not happening now either? The Helf threads being bumped by the same few people?

Your original post was

The fact is the devs gave in to the whining that came from a very small minority.

Which is simply not correct and not what actually happened back in SL.

[Dorant-wyrmrest-accord]

Got a feeling there are going to be even less “High elves” from Silver Covenant considering what happens to Dalaran at the start of next expansion.

[Zarot-zangarmarsh]

Meh, it’s whatever if they add high elves. I’d rather they add something different instead of a 5th elf option though.

[Jackofdemons-thrall (Jackofdemons)]

Is there any signs suggesting they will add high elves?

[Lightspeêd-proudmoore]

not really, only that midnight will gather the scattered elfs back to quel’thalas and the only ones i know currently that are scattered are the exiled npc helfs. velfs are technically not scattered but could also mean them since they are currently exiled also.

problem is, velfs will have their own troubles as they will also be invaded by the void at the void elf starter area, telogrus rift.

[Tempry-runetotem]

My current very cynical theory: First some presumptions since Blizz likes to try and “subert expectations”
Void Elves haven’t exactly been extraordinarly well received. Despite 3 neutral races being totally identical across factions, and despite high elves actually existing in frequent capacity in the game serving the alliance as the natural foil to blood elves, some players have strong objections to them being playable (not saying they’re wrong, just that this is how it is). So, the theory:

Dalaran is destroyed - story beats showing alliance and horde coming to help, Vereesa and some high elves begin to soften towards blood elves and are maybe a bit repulsed by the Alleria and the void elves, while other high elves are angry about their loss and get woo’ed by Alleria and seek the void for revenge

Remeber how Vereesa reacted to dead Sylvanas when they met, and how the void reacted to them both? It wanted Vereesa dead, and wanted Sylvanas very dead. This is because Vereesa will not become a void elf, being the mother of young-ish children she wouldnt want to subject them to it, and i believe Sylvanas will return at some point to help us fight the void as our new Khadgar-esque character.

The Sunwell will be destroyed and be the center of a void invasion.

Since it’s destroyed, the void elves are not a danger to it anymore and their knowledge can help fight the enemies so they are allowed back to Silvermoon for this purpose, but banished again afterwards, or they realize they have no home there anymore and let go of their desire to claim it for the alliance.

The blood elves will be given Arcan’dor fruit by the nightborne to cleanse their magic addiction negating the loss of the well.

These events are multi-tasking by blizzard to simultaneously say “there are no more ‘high elves’, stop asking” and “look, high elves actively joining and becoming void elves. you have to fully like them as your substitute high elves now”

Side predictions: they will either remove any remaining high elf alliance npc’s or swap them to void elf models to cement that image

Any further customization for void elves will be almost exclusively towards their void features

/cynicism

P.S. i hope I’m wrong about most of that

[Naughtymoon-proudmoore (Naughtymoon)]

@Tempry-runetotem

These events are multi-tasking by blizzard to simultaneously say “there are no more ‘high elves’, stop asking” and “look, high elves actively joining and becoming void elves. you have to fully like them as your substitute high elves now”

Side predictions: they will either remove any remaining high elf alliance npc’s or swap them to void elf models to cement that image

Any further customization for void elves will be almost exclusively towards their void features

Blizzard should of done all this from the get go, the whole point of Void Elves was for them to be different from Blood Elves and High Elves as a void corrupted/void infused version so it fits what the goal was originally anyway.

After all the actual High Elf race was already given to Horde back in Burning Crusade as the Core Race Blood Elves so they weren’t ever going to give it to Alliance anyway.

[Runeleaf-fizzcrank]

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

I don’t see this reflected in the game though. The only real departure was the alliance with the Nightborne and the Blood Knight extra quest story-wise in the recent years.

How do you not see this reflected in game? They have a quest that quite literally turns you into a High elf so you can experience the attack of Arthas against the Sunwell, everything about the Blood elves revolves around their past, and upholding their culture. You’d have to close your eyes to not see it reflected in the game.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

This is just your experience, mine is different. AD-EU is filled with Quel’dorei left and right, including a few Sin’dorei in Stormwind. The recent Void Elf changes also took a hit on popularity with dwindling Blood Elf-players or faction changes. If anything, these people want to experience a better environment outside of Silvermoon, Orgrimmar and the Crosspaths.

You said “old” values, referring to current Alliance high elves somehow demonstrating behaviors that would reflect their old ways, but now your examples are players roleplaying Quel’dorei? How is that relevant? I can roleplay any race any way I want, but that’s not a example or argument on the behavior of High elves canonically within the game.

It’s weird that you’re trying to argue canon with meta arguments about what sort of players you encounter.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

This term “humancentric” is just your own point of view. Blood Elves are already “humancentric” in their appearance to begin with, which is why they are popular. And they want them to be blue with their angel-like features what usually European children have (blonde hair until they grow older, blue eyes).

No, its not just my own point of view, each race has their own cultural history and background, Elves adopting the human’s and completely abandoning their own is humancentric. They live with humans, dress like humans, and breed with humans, that is humancentric behavior.

Arguing that they’re all “humanoid” to some degree isn’t making any point when we can clearly see their cultural differences.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

I do think nobody cares for this on the Alliance-side or which implications this might have. They want to play a simple High Elf race.

Again, not my point so I don’t know why you’re mentioning what people want to play when im outlining the ways Alliance High elves have seperated themselves from their “old values”

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

The most realistic situation is that both Blood and Void Elves will get mixed into a new neutral player race.

That’s not realistic at all, and wishful thinking.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

Void and Fel are the “gimmicks” but not the base race, which is available to both sides now. I do have styled my both Blood Elves fel-based with green eyes, with the one Paladin being with golden eyes. As far as I remember, the TBC cover also expresses this with green eyes. I wouldn’t want to play them in any other way, because this would make them to Alliance High Elves on the wrong faction, as stupid as it sounds.

They’re not just gimmicks when they’re baked into your character. The Fel is an option Blood elves can pick, the Void is not. When you pick a void elf your character bleeds purple, their voice is dualed, they glow with the void during combat, these are not things you can pick and choose like you can with a blood elf.

Picking a natural skin color and giving your Void elf blue eyes isn’t gonna stop the priests in the cathedral of Stormwind to kindly ask you to get the hell out.

You claimed that Blood elf players somehow got struck with some karma, yet I think the biggest karma was Helfers talking crap about Blood elves having fel taint only to be dished out with Void elves, a rendition of elf far worse than the fel ever was. That has to be the biggest karmic slap ive ever seen.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

Both US forum groups are inconsequential in the grand scheme and how the player base sees the actual situation. Far, far more people over the years agreed with the Void Elf-situation being a mistake rather, if the Blood Elves should not lose their assets. That’s why merging both player races will benefit everyone in the long run. Nobody sane would care for the specific problems these groups have.

This is just conjecture, many people are happy with the void elf, hell that is the basis of Fen’s Void elf customization thread that seems popular to this day. People are still pushing void themes, and want a unique dark elven race.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

This is just childish resentment in my eyes.

I don’t see how, if you guys are truly unbothered with the “void” gimmick then these things shouldn’t bother you at all. But a quick glance around the forums and this very thread proves that you’re wrong lol

[Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord]

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

How do you not see this reflected in game? They have a quest that quite literally turns you into a High elf so you can experience the attack of Arthas against the Sunwell, everything about the Blood elves revolves around their past, and upholding their culture. You’d have to close your eyes to not see it reflected in the game.

Not a good point to start a rebuttal with “it transforms me into a High Elf”, which basically acknowledges my point that you’re not a High Elf anymore. And I stand by it: I see a clear difference between Blood Elves and High Elves. You may have the same history with the former main population but the overall colorization aesthetic and representation is simply too different. You may disagree with me here but if I want to experience the High Elf flavor, then the Alliance is better suited for this job at the moment until further notice.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

How is that relevant? I can roleplay any race any way I want, but that’s not a example or argument on the behavior of High elves canonically within the game.

This is not an issue. We can still always talk about Highvale Elves or the various TBC/Dalaran Silver Covenant groups if this suits your needs better. The overall argument was the culture, wasn’t it. Then let’s begin.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

It’s weird that you’re trying to argue canon with meta arguments about what sort of players you encounter.

Your perspective of “value” was to put me into the “want to play a human”-box, so I deliberately just moved out of it. Your original point was that the Blood Elves are the actual High Elves, although what people do understand as High Elves are the WC2-units and the lore fantasy revolving pre-WC3 settings. And on top of that you acknowledged me too. And that’s the crux here: Nobody will acknowledge the Blood Elves as High Elves, simply because they are tied to the Alliance for various reasons. You dress up as a High Elf but you don’t stand for the values or can use most of the vanity items which are associated with them. You simply play the wrong faction.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

No, its not just my own point of view, each race has their own cultural history and background, Elves adopting the human’s and completely abandoning their own is humancentric. They live with humans, dress like humans, and breed with humans, that is humancentric behavior.

As other people have already pointed out, the Windrunner-sisters aren’t an example for what High Elf culture looks like, until Blizzard expands upon it. We skip this.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

They’re not just gimmicks when they’re baked into your character. The Fel is an option Blood elves can pick, the Void is not.

This is correct but also not. I’ll explain below.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

Picking a natural skin color and giving your Void elf blue eyes isn’t gonna stop the priests in the cathedral of Stormwind to kindly ask you to get the hell out.

What you are discussing about is surface design issues which you do not address. The Ma’naari, Wildhammer and Mag’har Orc issue. Your whole point comes from aesthetics of the main character design but you also ignore the actual racials and cultures on top of that. And it can go both ways.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

You claimed that Blood elf players somehow got struck with some karma, yet I think the biggest karma was Helfers talking crap about Blood elves having fel taint only to be dished out with Void elves, a rendition of elf far worse than the fel ever was. That has to be the biggest karmic slap ive ever seen.

I would actually agree with you here but you forgot to tell the rest of the story afterwards, so I’ll leave it to that. I already addressed that in this topic.

@Runeleaf-fizzcrank

I don’t see how, if you guys are truly unbothered with the “void” gimmick then these things shouldn’t bother you at all. But a quick glance around the forums and this very thread proves that you’re wrong lol

a) Which guys?
b) I represent my own opinion.

[Runeleaf-fizzcrank]

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

Not a good point to start a rebuttal with “it transforms me into a High Elf”, which basically acknowledges my point that you’re not a High Elf anymore.

Except you keep failing to recognize the semantics of what we’re referring to, which is what the race is called “Blood Elf” in game, just like the race is called “Void elf” in game. Pointing out that I recognize that they have different names isn’t making your argument.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

And I stand by it: I see a clear difference between Blood Elves and High Elves.

The only difference is the name, which has been the only thing you’ve been clinging on to this whole conversation, and it hasn’t helped your case.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

You may have the same history with the former main population but the overall colorization aesthetic and representation is simply too different.

It really isn’t, the only difference in representation is that it isn’t blue, or on the Alliance. The Quests scream High elf, the architecture, the zones, the armor, the history, they all represent the High elven values and themes. If you are truly a High elf fan that played during Warcraft and loved the race and their aesthetic, you would be thrilled to play a Blood elf and quest in that zone.

If alliance High elves were added you would likely start in stormwind, and experience little-to-nothing about their past as High elves besides a few flavor texts. How on earth you can claim that they scream High elf in any capacity besides their name is a question for a more temperate mind than my own.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

This is not an issue. We can still always talk about Highvale Elves or the various TBC/Dalaran Silver Covenant groups if this suits your needs better. The overall argument was the culture, wasn’t it. Then let’s begin.

Right, please tell me, whens the last time you interacted with the Highvale Elves?

Dalaran High elves are neutral so that isn’t an argument.

Thalothas Privateers are a group of high elves that appose the Alliance and help the Horde kill Alliance officers. Garithos Firebough is a High elf that wears red clothing and outwardly rejects the Alliance. Where’s the cultural divide there?

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

Your perspective of “value” was to put me into the “want to play a human”-box, so I deliberately just moved out of it.

No, you tried to imply that “Alliance” High elves hold all the old values of High elves, it had nothing to do with me putting you in any box. But the moment I pointed out that Alliance High elves don’t really have any of their “old” values you started talking about how people roleplay them, and your experiences with players which means absolutely nothing.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

Nobody will acknowledge the Blood Elves as High Elves, simply because they are tied to the Alliance for various reasons. You dress up as a High Elf but you don’t stand for the values or can use most of the vanity items which are associated with them. You simply play the wrong faction.

But they already do, just look around you. Ask for High elves and the threads pour in with people telling you to just play a Blood elf, and that we’ve had High elves since TBC, you and this small minority seem stuck in this idea that high elves are alliance, and must wear blue. A blood elf and a High elf represent the same values, as High elves don’t coordinate in any whole, they are deviced into groups of elves who’s interests and beliefs differ group to group.

No light abiding High elf would ever toil with the Void, and yet we High elves that have no problem with it… An elf doesn’t need to be an “Alliance High elves” to be a High elf, just like the Thalothas Privateers are no less “High elven” than the Silver Covenant despite wearing red and apposing the Alliance.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

As other people have already pointed out, the Windrunner-sisters aren’t an example for what High Elf culture looks like, until Blizzard expands upon it. We skip this.

You can look at any of the High elves in Stormwind, they’re all wearing human clothes, don’t speak High elven, and live in a human capital relying on humans.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

What you are discussing about is surface design issues which you do not address. The Ma’naari, Wildhammer and Mag’har Orc issue. Your whole point comes from aesthetics of the main character design but you also ignore the actual racials and cultures on top of that. And it can go both ways.

You referred to it as a gimmick, but anything that is cemented into the base character is part of the race. You cannot customize yourself to change something that effects your character down to their genetic level, it’s not a skill or ability that can be taught it’s a genetic change to their core. The only way a high elf will bleed purple, grow tentacles or glow like radioactive blueberry is if they are changed to their core by the void.

Any elf can learn to torrent magic, or learn some skill, but you need to be changed on a fundemantal level to become a Void elf. And that’s a fact.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

but you forgot to tell the rest of the story afterwards, so I’ll leave it to that. I already addressed that in this topic.

I mean, if the customization options were enough than I can’t imagine why threads like the one we’re currently posting in would still exist. You’re essentially polishing a turd, and saying “good enough” while the Blood elf players get to play the race that you guys are pining for.

Which is likely why you’re hoping they become neutral, because even you on some level acknowledge that the Void elves even with their customization were not what you, or anyone else was looking for.

@Blastkrizzle-wyrmrest-accord

a) Which guys?
b) I represent my own opinion.

Right.

[Nelfas-azshara]

@Jackofdemons-thrall

Is there any signs suggesting they will add high elves?

since The midnight expansion will be all about elves, they will make them playable, finally.

[Jackofdemons-thrall (Jackofdemons)]

So you are simply assuming because the patch will be about elves?

[Greatbrae-dalaran]

Large assumption.

There is a chance half elves may make the cut.

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

I can’t imagine anyone has any info to indicate anything more than assumption based on that.

I’m sure not expecting it based on what I’ve seen so far. We just don’t have any info and I kinda feel like its more likely we’ll get more customizations for Void and Blood Elves rather than a high elf AR.

I am curious what AR if any we will see though…

[Nelfas-azshara]

well Quel"dorei will be part of it, so allied race is guaranteed. That’s why they didnt gave us high elves earlier, because it is planned in the midnight expansion.

[Wrenchester-moon-guard (Wrenchester)]

@Greatbrae-dalaran

There is a chance half elves may make the cut.

I’m pretty sure the customisation options we’re seeing in TWW are going to negate half elves as a request, given we’re basically just. Getting half-elf customisations

@Nelfas-azshara

That’s why they didnt gave us high elves earlier, because it is planned in the midnight expansion.

I mean, the reason we don’t have a high elf AR is because Void Elves exist. So, no, I don’t see Midnight as being them added.

[Jackofdemons-thrall (Jackofdemons)]

I think this is the mother of all stretches.

[Runeleaf-fizzcrank]

I think first time in all history, you and I might actually agree on something. I would love to see them become playable in an elf expansion.

[Bavion-moon-guard]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Blizzard did. They will just be like the Earthern. Another Race that the community will strongly disagree on or just seeing the race as pointless.

[Greatbrae-dalaran]

@Wrenchester-moon-guard

I’m pretty sure the customisation options we’re seeing in TWW are going to negate half elves as a request, given we’re basically just. Getting half-elf customisations

There is more then pointy ears when it comes to half-elves. Creativity is bank-rupt form you.

You can use the same excuse for high elves as well, as VE/BE already got that covered. While half elves don’t get covered. (have you seen those options anyways, they are closer to half orcs/dreanei then elves.)