Lightforged / Draenei customization Feedback Thread. Currently the new options are lacking in fantasy

I Want to preface by saying that the current artwork is indeed good in quality. However what’s not good is the thematics chosen.

- Problem
It has been a widespread belief and complaint that Lightforged do not look different enough from their base race as to justify them as a separate race, in fact their looks are much more restricted. Something that has reflected in their unpopularity compared to Normal draenei who have all the same classes and don’t need to be unlocked.

- The requested theme for the solution
In light of this, it’s quite clear that the main issue to approach when furthering the races customization is to differentiate them even more from Normal Draenei with new features unique to the lightforged as a race.

- And why the current new customization is not sufficient and doesn’t help the problem
Disappointingly however , this has not been the case at all. Save the random cheek plates option, every other addition has been something that could easily be put on the normal draenei and nothing that actually feels “yeah this is lightforged, this isn’t normal”.

In fact some of the options are things that have been HIGHLY requested for normal draenei for a long time, and restricting them to lightforged makes no sense. Like horn jewelry or broken horns. It seems counter-intuitive that the normal draenei horns are always fine but those forged by the light itself are seen broken.

The current customization is well done, is good, I don’t want it gone. But I believe is highly insufficient and we need other stuff.

- So what ideas do I (And others) propose?


Lightforged

I think there’s a lot that can be added to lightforged as a race.


- Embedded Runes

-Click to See details about: Embedded Runes

First, bring back these

https://i.imgur.com/wEFWUDH.png

Might be hard to see but these are runes that Draenei used to have on their horns in the pre-WoD Models.

Bring those and have them use light effects, be shiny, colorful, whatever. And these can be put on the Lightforged horns. As well as the back of their hands and hooves.


- Light from cracks in the skin

Click to See details about: Light from cracks in the skin

This has been proposed many times. Similar to how Man’ari skins look: ` https://i.imgur.com/0dcPG4D.png`

Lightforged could have shining cracks with light (The following is NOT my edit, just found it googling but is the correct idea)

https://i.imgur.com/E9vu7kG.png

However I understand how that might look demonic. So I propose

Make the cracks on Lightforged, not random and having a “broken skin” look, but uniform, symmetric and having more of a “System” kind of look. like a motherboard. Pretty much like their tattoos but obviously much narrower and focused on a part of their bodies.

These could be options for many parts of the lightforged’s bodies.


- Different materials for the horns and hooves

Click to See details about: Different materials for the horns and hooves

Draenei are all about crystals, and “Forged” gives always the metallic idea. So how cool would it be if the evolved version of Draenei could have their horns and hooves made out of these?

This edit gets the idea.

https://i.imgur.com/9RS64pw.jpg

It would just be textures. However I also think that options where crystals are overgrowing out of the horns, or around the base of the horns and hooves would be really cool.

Also add to this, pearly/marble textures.


- Abs for the females- As an option

Click to See details about: Abs for the females

This might sound funny but, Man’ari females actually sport amazing Abs. They look strong, defined, worked.

https://i.imgur.com/x1sLh6Z.png

Lightforged are supposed to be this hyper martial race and yet the females have so little muscle definition.

Take the shading you used for the abs and recolour it for some Lightforged skin options. Since it’s just textures it wouldn’t require new 3d assets but would look MUCH better or at least give a BIG option to have different to normal draenei.

It’d look like this

https://i.imgur.com/6DeOAiX.png


- More of the current lightforged options added

Click to See details about: Add more of the current Lightforged options

A baffling thing is that, even if you don’t add new customizable slots proper to lightforged, how come the actual lightforged options; crests and tattoo designs, weren’t expanded?

We still have just 4 tattoo designs and 6 Floating Runes, this is pitiful. It’s the MAIN component of being a lightforged and yet it’s hardly worked on.

Runes that the lightforged warframe has that lightforged could get, Just take he designs from here and apply them to lightforged.

https://i.imgur.com/0OuNEkD.png


- Ditch the focus on gold, let us pick the light colour

Click to See details about: Light Colour

Naaru come in all sorts of colours. Highlighted by their models in game as well as the Holy priest artifact which shines with their light.

https://i.imgur.com/k8B0EOk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/63GlQZD.png

All these colours should be applied to Floating Runes, Tattoos and Eyes (And if implemented, also cracks under the skin and embedded runes). This wouldn’t make lightforged look more common, it would actually make them look more exotic as they aren’t locked in one type of look that’s just “golden draenei”.


- Bring back the Old removed faces

Click to See details about: Removed faces

This has been shown a lot before, and talked, but BFA actually removed or bugged Lightforged faces

https://i.imgur.com/mqfMZN1.jpg

Either way it would be a shame to remove current faces so please just bring back the old ones a returning options.


- Onyx coloured Skin and other dark colours

Click to See details about: Dark Skin Colours

Onyx coloured skin has been one of the biggest requests since Lightforged Draenei inception. This is because A dark colour would combine REALLY WELL, with the glowing motiff. Allowing tattoos, plates and runes to be displayed MUCH better and the golden hair and eyes to stand out in a beautiful way.

This also applies to other dark skin colours, such as dark purple, dark brown, dark slate gray and midnight blue

Some Awesome concept posted ITT:

https://imgur.com/a/v92bUcR


- Special Light Effects

Click to See details about: Light Effects

Increasing light trait
They could have a special visual effects that makes their tattoos (and maybe runes and other areas) glow to the max level when entering combat, similar to the void elf entropic embrace.

Give us the option to have the plates glow
You made new tech for nightborne hand glow. Not sure if that can be applied here, but if it can, it would be great to have the option to have the lightforged plates actually glowing. Would be a much more striking effect. Same for all their “light-related” areas TBH.

Hooves
Hooves for Lightforged could shine bright, literally lighting the path.

They could also leave hoofprints that brand their path with holy glow.

Prismatic glows for the skin


- Make More Lightforged transmog available.

Click to See details about: Lightforged transmog

While the heritage armor and the Lightforged Arsenal are pretty cool, it's clear many things are missing. Like a mace or a weapon for hunters. I realize that Fareeya's weapon probably should be unique to her, but still other things should be added.

The Heritage purple tint that was datamined should also be made available as this is a perfect colour for draenei.

https://imgur.com/a/io9wrfP


- Multiple horns for Lightforged.

Click to See details about: Multiple horns

The lightforged being super mutated draenei gaining extra horns would be a great feature. Below an example from real life goats

https://i.imgur.com/Bdoex9q.jpg

And here’s some awesome concept about it

https://i.imgur.com/9gqrJV4.png


- Other highly requested specific options that could be added

  • Pink Skin
  • Opalescent Skin
  • Longer hair hairstyles
  • Highlights for the hair
  • Black hair
  • Red Hair
  • Sun-like eyes colour

https://i.imgur.com/UJzRIoQ.png



Normal Draenei

While the focus ATM is on lightforged, Normal Draenei should also get more stuff to make them more distinctive, and no just a directly lesser version of Lightforged. For this, Lean in to the non-light parts of draenei culture. Love for nature, artificer tech and particularly arcane mastery.


-Non light-oriented Accessories

Click to See details about: Accessories

Maybe some “nature-oriented” adornments such as flowers for the hair, feathers, string and wood jewelry would work well. Or Crystals tied with strings. Also glowing mushrooms from zangarmarsh

Small totems to represent their shamanism. I pendants, bracelets, horn adornments.

Technology/Artificier oriented accessories such as tech plates, bracelets, etc…


- Arcane customization, markings and effects

Click to See details about: Arcane customization

Draenei are supposed to be masters of the arcane as well. Give them arcane markings, perhaps in the form of tattoos and runes on their bodies. Or sort of leylines of power around.

Maybe some special floating effects over their hands and elbows.

https://i.imgur.com/or1AABM.png

They could also have glimmering purple effects.


- Non light-oriented markings

Click to See details about: Markings

Rangari camouflage painting. Tattoos that represent their shamanism. Or their Jed'hin Monk/warrior martial arts. Arcane tattoos as mentioned above. Maybe some tech plating too.

Here are some ideas

https://i.redd.it/bv659ni4pw441.png

From this reddit post

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/eb8rvy/male_draenei_customization_options_and_model/


-Eye Colours

Click to See details about: Eye colours

And eye colours for normal draenei would be cool, though perhaps they would have a much more limited range, not tied to their "light colour".

Their eyes could be less shiny than lightforged with the colorations perhaps being darker in shade.

Purple. Green. Blue (like the original WoD remodel). And Silver would be good options.


-Red Hair

Click to See details about: Red Hair

Red Hair has been highly requested for Draenei since forever. It would combine really well with the blue hues the race sports.

This would actually add quite a nice contrast to the rest of the customization draenei have so it could be a big addition on its own.

https://i.imgur.com/DZklOvW.png


- Horn design, hair (and More) from Yrel’s depiction in Heroes of the storm

Click to See details about: Yrel HotS Design

Yrel from HotS looks amazing and her design could give some great clues for Draenei. Her jewelry. Her tail and particularly her horn design

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4b9mQ2

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/PPPB1

It’s something that should be applied to WoW.


-Things from Lightforged, normal draenei should ALSO get

Click to See details about: Light from cracks in the skin

One day the horn jewelry and broken horns should definitely make it to normal draenei. As these have been highly requested by the community for years.

Crests should be a possibility, though highly limited, perhaps they aren’t permanent and more something that appears and disappears.



Things for Both

For females, things like Makeup options the same way humans have would be great.

Pendants for both races. With crystals or maybe small naaru shapes would be awesome.

Even Longer tails for both of them.

Option to make the Men look skinnier, a problem that has plagued their model since the inception. Velen looks skinnier, players should be able to as well.

Better, younger-looking faces for the males.

More Pretty and not sad/unhappy/angry faces for females.

Freckles.
https://i.imgur.com/2lvaaAa.png

Blemishes and skin splotches. As well as different eye/face shape like the Eredar Twins have

https://i.imgur.com/zcfif7l.png


Other threads to check:

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/why-the-lack-of-customization/

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/customization-suggestions-megathread/

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/feedback-lightforge-draenei-customization/

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/indexcompilation-of-amazing-customization-suggestions-threads/


Any other Draenei or Lightforged ideas you have, post them here.

68 Likes

I like these.

I also support extra long tails for lightforged draenei to go with their extra large horns. Like Revendreth stoneborn length.

11 Likes

Yeah, even longer tails would be great, like the old draenei art. It just looks good.

7 Likes

Bumping for extra crests.

Crests should also be applied to more parts of the lightforged’s body.

3 Likes

I posted a feedback thread on the PTR forums which some folks have posted some really great examples.

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/feedback-lightforge-draenei-customization/1084268

Oh this one is cool! It really fits with their racial on how they explode when they die, you look like you’re on the verge of exploding at any moment and it’s pretty great. Walking around like a holy time bomb would be really fun.

Otherwise I like a lot of your suggestions.

10 Likes

Lightforged should have glowing hooves like nightbourne hands, but light colored

They should also leave a trail of glowing hoof prints wherever they walk

13 Likes

Onyx Skin
Pink Skin
Pearly/Opalescent Horns
Crystalline Horns
Prismatic glows
Pink eyes
Orange Eyes
Amber Eyes

12 Likes

my draenei is sad i used to be hotter than lightforged now im the same without tattoos. i was fine with short tails on LF.

1 Like

Make it in lore that we recruit from the Manari and give us red skin! :japanese_ogre:

3 Likes

Onyx skin.

7 Likes

eredar on the alli side would fix faction imbalance as well as murloc playable. faction imbalance is easy to fix.

2 Likes

I don’t care about faction imbalance, I just care about meeee

3 Likes

We NEED this, great unique idea :+1:

2 Likes

Yeh

That’d be super cute TBH

Yes, this is such an obviously cool thing.

OMG perly ones would be amazing.

I shall check that thread and post this stuff there.

Yeah it works as a sort of “overcharged” thing.

4 Likes

They should be given more longer hairstyles

It’s sad that most new additions are buns and karen variations

10 Likes

YESSSSSSS TO ALL OF THIS!!!
I really love just letting lightforged pick a color like teal, violet, white or gold that’s a really cool idea. I love the ideas for more crystals and better runes.

Dreanei and lightforged could be so bloody cool and I think changes like this could really make them the high fantasy alien races they should be. These are great!

4 Likes

Adding to this.

Mockup edit of Lightforged with Man’ari abs

https://i.imgur.com/6DeOAiX.png

Runes that the lightforged warframe has that lightforged could get, Just take he designs from here and apply them to lightforged.

https://i.imgur.com/0OuNEkD.png

Yeah longer hairstyles would be awesome, specially with long braids!

Yeah, they would look like truelight empowered superheroes that they are supposed to be.

4 Likes

I want more distinct hair colors than just “vaguely pink, bleach blonde, sandy blonde, dark-ish blue, and cream.” Gimme black hair back, but give it gold vertical highlight strips.

6 Likes

19 Likes

Still here for Onyx skin.
Give the Alliance goths what they deserve.

9 Likes