Those hairstyles are fine for the Void Aesthetic and would make great additions. Can’t say I’d use any of them if I wanted to look like a High Elf.
Thus, I’d rather Blizzard reserved resources to create new aesthetics specific for the Void aesthetic, while implementing pre-existing assets to enable the High Elf aesthetic.
They shouldn’t even be in the Alliance, but here we are.
You don’t see these as fitting high elves (sans the tentacles of course.)?
What about them makes you feel they don’t match out of curiosity?
It does not fit the blonde hair, blue eyed fantasy.
Well, I would argue that one need only look at actual High Elves in the game to get an idea of what a High Elven hairstyle would look like?
This is something of a criticism I’ve had with Blizzard. They ignore their own established lore in favor of making something new that doesn’t quite fit in, and usually undermines what players have come to expect. The Drakthyr are a prime example of this. Players have been asking for playable dragons for ages. Instead of playable dragons, we get these strange hybrids from nowhere that have always existed but we never knew about because they never left their island. Like dragons they have a mortal form, but unlike dragons it’s riddled with draconic features that make it impossible to actually blend in with mortal races, thus defeating the purpose of the mortal form at all.
That’s to say nothing of the original plan including forced transformation in combat, something players have repeatedly made clear they want to have optional (Worgen, Void Elves with Entropic Embrace, etc…).
So, yes. Rather than watch Blizzard try to create new hairstyles that toe some imaginary line between High Elf and Void Elf, I’d rather they made new hairstyles as absolutely Void Elven as possible, and just add the already existing High Elf hairstyles to Void Elves for those looking to play as High Elves.
Just my two coppers on it. Many of the hairstyles I saw that you linked just seem far too… modern, to really look properly High Elven, especially when compared with existing High Elven hairstyles.
Indeed.
Much like blizzard bringing in the Quel’danas, Quel’lithien and then Silver Covenant High Elves. Such a ridicolous choice to make, considering the route the High Elven story went in WC3.
Imagine being a fairly competent military-body and NOT going to check up on your homeland after news of disaster.
And them also STILL looking at the Alliance favorably even after WC2 and WC3.
I assume you mean Quel’Danil and Quel’Lithien? Quel’Danas is the location of the Sunwell.
Interestingly, those lodges each had their own stories. Quel’Danas in the Hinterlands was home to High Elves whom decided to go cold turkey on magic following the Third War. They believed that magic had become the root source of many of their people’s problems, and were cutting themselves off. So, there’s a good reason as to why they never returned to Quel’Thalas.
As for Quel’Lithien, it became the home to the High Elves exiled from Quel’Thalas for refusing to drain mana from living beings. Although they wanted to fight for their homeland, Lor’themar could not lead a people divided, and thus exiled them to fend for themselves. Instead, they kept watch at the pass and protected Quel’Thalas in their own, extremely limited capacity.
The Silver Covenant, you mean? Considering it consists primarily of High Elven residents of Dalaran, who chose to remain in Dalaran following the fall of Quel’Thalas, they likely had little connection to Quel’Thalas to begin with. Not only that, but the Silver Covenant didn’t exist until the Blood Elves attempted to rejoin the Kirin Tor and regain admittance to Dalaran, something those High Elves saw as a direct threat to themselves.
And, why shouldn’t they have? Vereesa’s own infant twin sons were kidnapped by her Blood Elven cousin whom believed they’d have high reserves of magic due to their mixed ancestry. That kind of violation happening to their own would terrify any High Elf in Dalaran.
As opposed to the Horde, the faction consisting of races that had historically made it their goal to bring complete and total genocide to Quel’Thalas and the High Elves (and in the case of the undead, all but succeeded at it).
The strange thing here is, even Blizzard had backtracked. Let’s take for example Chronicles and BFA. In these, we have learned that Night Elves fought to protect Quel’Thalas during the Troll Wars, and that the Highborne Exiles never would have survived traveling through the Alterac Mountains if not for humans to begin with.
Add in that the Alliance canonically defeated Kil’jaeden AND then reignited and purified the Sunwell, and there really is no reason for High Elves to have any kind of issue with the modern Alliance. Blood Elves can nurse every grudge and imagined slight all they want, but for High Elves that chose the Alliance to begin with, its done nothing but proven to be the right choice at every opportunity.
Fair. Though I could see someone argue back that high elf styles were as they were simply because blizzard was lazy and just used belf styles since they had them. Same model and all that.
For all we know high elf hairstyles have veered away (or perhaps blood elves veered or both groups) from traditional high elven styles since the groups broke up.
That all said, I doubt it and that is not my stance. I’m pretty ambivalent as I said about hairstyles being shared. (they’re hairstyles I think blizzard should really just share as many as possible between all races.)
I of all people am not going to argue that point. Blizzard misses literally every mark just so when they try to give the players what they want it almost feels like a game to them.
I get they want to do something neat and new but sometimes they really just need to give literally what’s being asked for. Lol
Fair enough.
I can see that viewpoint. Fair enough.
the high/blood elves definitely. night elves have earned their spot
Night Elves don’t belong in the Alliance either.
In WC3, they were their own faction equal to the Horde and Alliance combined. Putting them on the Alliance felt like such a downgrade, and came at the cost of defanging them, making them into purple High Elves. I hate how much Night Elves have been ruined from what they were during WC3.
Whoops, yes… Quel’Danil.
I am aware of their stories, I still think of them as an asspull though.
Well, until Aethas Sunreaver wanted the Blood Elves admitted into the Kirin’tor and in extension allow the Horde into Dalaran.
Vereesa in the same story showed very well that she could differentiate her cousin from the Blood Elves. She showed clearly that she understood what the Blood Elves was all about, aside from survival at any price, sneering at her cousin about how the Blood Elves would never accept him as one of them - as he laughed about the fall of the ‘High Elves’.
Overall the Silver Covenant and the High Elves in Dalaran is a huge disappointment and a major lore mess as far as I am concerned. They exist solely as a foil to the Blood Elf for no reason whatsoever. They are a Blood Elf antagonist, Quel’Danil is only High Elf in looks and Quel’Lithien would basically be Blood Elves had it not been for the willingness to siphon magic from living creatures - functionally making the Silver Covenant the only “High Elves” but without an actual story of their own, purely a foil to the Blood Elves, serving only to be minor B villains in the Blood Elves’ grander story. Hence why the reintroduction of the High Elves beyond surviving Windrunner members was a mistake.
Although even Vereesa was quite clearly a waste of time to write. Her personality hops all over the place - “The blood elves are worthy of respect” “The Blood Elves are rats and should be exterminated” “I just hope the Blood Elves will ever see the light, return to the Alliance and thus find redemption” and in circles we go.
Well, looking at it like that.
The Horde tried and failed.
The Alliance (“Human” Arthas) tried and succeeded.
Who is the worst villain then?
Onwards to WC3, the remainder of the Lordaeron forces that was also accompanied by Ironforge dwarves - sought to further exterminate the High Elves, or in this period, renamed Blood Elves.
Onwards to the Burning Crusade, the selfsame members of the Alliance, under the guise of a ‘diplomat’ went on to ‘spy’ on the Blood Elves, scribbling detailed notes about key structures that the Blood Elves used to ensure their survival, and selfsame notes stating how observer wanted to see said structures in a state of malfunctioning, and these notes then found on a Night Elf hidden nearby a conveniently malfunctioning Arcane Sanctum. Darned Ironforge dwarves.
Alliance adventurers and the draenei with the blessing of the naaru, largely neutral forces. The Blood Elves themselves had their hand in fighting to reignite the Sunwell, and yet the High Elves still harbor a grudge against the Blood Elves… for whatever reason. Or, well, I know the reason… as mentioned, it is because the High Elves have no identity or story of their own, they server solely as a foil and antagonist in the story of the Blood Elves.
The High Elves not agreeing with the Blood Elves should have remained a miniscule number of largely civilians from Dalaran, Theramore and a few in Stormwind. The major High Elven military force should have been in Outland, and should have rejoined the Blood Elves once the Black Portal was reopened.
The part of the Silver Covenant could be filled by a different Alliance-leaning organisation, led by Archmage Ansirem.
The High Elf story was concluded with the fall of Quel’thalas, and the Blood Elf story took their place. Hopefully this is what Blizzard sees too - hence their introduction of the Void Elves, that actually has story potential diverting from the Blood Elves’ unlike that of the High Elves.
It is not so much whether they have earned it or not.
It is more so that they should be a too powerful and prideful force in their own right to consider standing with either faction outside of truly dooming situations.
They may have been more open to trade and discuss should such times arise, but full on joining a faction and submitting to some defense pact? No.
As far as I am concerned, the elves as a whole should never have been playable. Night Elves and Blood Elves should both have remained neutral NPCs for whom we would do quests and occasionally fight alongside.
Can’t say I feel the same. Blizzard took their time to develop a story and shed light on things. If only every race had that same kind of attention to detail, where those whom dissent with the majority are so clearly defined as to how and why.
Those lodges are excellent examples of world building, something Blizzard has forgotten.
Sorry, but its more along the lines of, “The Horde (Undead, the Forsaken) tried and succeeded.”
The Forsaken themselves are a glaring plot hole for the Horde in many, many ways. Everything the Horde, Blood Elves, etc… holds against the Alliance, applies FAR MORE to the Forsaken than to the modern Alliance. Case in point:
Garithos and those humans were all Lordaeron humans. The Forsaken are Lordaeron humans. There are Forsaken who very likely took part in running the internment camps. It’s completely brushed over because, “but zombies are cool and edgy and the Horde is cool and edgy too!”
Page 159 of Chronicles, Volume III:
“Meanwhile, the Alliance infiltrated the Sunwell Pleateau, which housed the Sunwell itself. Kael’thas’ spellwork had torn a rift in the fount’s depths. Before the Alliance’s eyes, Kil’jaeden emerged from the portal and into the world.”
Depends on the High Elf in question. You’ve got Vyrin, for example, who felt betrayed by her husband who chose to become a Blood Elf. You’ve got the High Elves of the Quel’Lithien Lodge, exiled for (correctly) warning about Kael’s teachings and the dark, treacherous path it would lead, being hunted down for sport by Nathanos, a champion of the Horde. Or you’ve got others like Alleria who simply hate the Horde and have established families and careers in the Alliance.
That said, I’d argue the Blood Elves hold the bigger grudge on this one. Most High Elves seem pretty content with their lives in the Alliance and don’t care about the Blood Elves beyond them trying to destroy them.
The problem between Blood Elves and High Elves is simple: Its easier to forgive someone for being wrong, than for being right. Put yourself in the shoes of a High Elf in the Alliance. Do you feel you were wrong? Wrong about the teachings Kael’thas was pushing leading to doom and destruction? Do you feel wrong about remaining loyal to the Alliance, while the Blood Elves have been dragged through two losing wars and were used both times as fodder for corrupt Warchiefs pursuing their own selfish goals?
Who’s to say for sure? Even in vanilla Blizzard had a story to tell with High Elves and the Alliance. They’d even planned to add a, ‘Silvermoon Remnants,’ faction to the Alliance back then. Why did that change? Well, not long thereafter Blood Elves were announced as a Horde race. I don’t know what happened between then, but reading between the lines, it sounds like they had always intended for the Alliance to continue the Thalassian story in some manner, until they didn’t. Obscure asian poll, perhaps? I don’t know.
All I know is, Blizzard has spent more time on High Elves in Alliance content over the years, than some of it’s actual, playable races.
Arthas was not forsaken and was more human if anything.
That aside, yes, the forsaken should not have been playable either… at all. Their introduction into the story was as much bullpoop.
Accompanied by Ironforge dwarves - who went on to join the current Alliance.
Yes, those hints to the Alliance adventurers. It isn’t average Alliance grunts that went in and beat Kil’jaeden’s torso. And it was Velen, draenei, with the blessings of the naaru that reignited the Sunwell. So again, largely neutral forces. The Blood Elves, again, also had a part in their own salvation as they helped pave the way.
The only teaching was siphoning magic from living beings, which is what they were opposed to.
The fact that High Elves also survive unscathed throughouth the withdrawals is absolutely bullpoop in terms of the story. The Blood Elves faced no repercurssions for what they had to do, and the High Elves faced no repercurssions for what they did not do - making the animosity null and void. Well, of course, without taking to Kael’thas’ teachings the elves remaining Quel’thalas (And Quel’Lithien elves) would probably be dead as they would lack the strength to beat back the scourge remnants.
The Blood Elves does not hold any grudges against the High Elves - quite the contrary, the Blood Elves are not the ones openly insulting and persecuting High Elves left and right, the Silver Covenant on the other hand, and Quel’Lithien High Elves - oh boy… they would take every chance they could to take a stab on the Blood Elves.
The first losing war was understandable.
The initial start of the second is understandable. Why the Blood Elves, or any other Horde race for that matter, continued to follow Sylvanas after the burning of Teldrassil, is just incredibly bad storytelling though.
I do know that blizzard had ideas for playable High Elves in alpha, but yes, was ultimatively scrapped for whatever reason.
Blizzard have spent more time on High Elves in relation to the Blood Elves’ story developing. As I mentioned, the High Elves are woven in as B-list villains in the Blood Elves’ storyline.
Much like the Night Elves, I think the Forsaken would’ve worked better as their own faction. That, or part of a third, ‘Illidari,’ faction. Considering their freedom is a consequence of Illidan damaging the Frozen Throne, and he’d have had no problems at all with Sylvanas keeping Varimathras around, I think they would’ve been a good fit for one another. Hell, I’m pretty sure he’d have praised the hell out of Putress for the Forsaken Blight and showered him in captives to test it on.
Because those lodges had anything to do with Blood Elves, existing well before them?
That the Silver Covenant had been used as a foil to the Blood Elves isn’t inaccurate, but that doesn’t devalue them in the slightest. Quite the contrary, that only elevates them in the narrative. Its not as if Orcs are dismissed as foils to humans, after all. In Warcraft, its been the rivalries and hatreds between races that have been iconic and defined many a conflict. The same can be said of Blood Elves and High Elves.
But, we’re getting far off topic, and for that I apologize. My stance on the hairstyles remains unchanged: Blood Elves should have access to Void Elf hairstyles (and beards), and Void Elves should have access to High Elf hairstyles.
giphy war! hehe
They could even give the BE light tentacle hair styles. Only the “tentacle” would actually be just pure light energy.
can we delete void elves instead ?
Convient of you to say that when blood elves got a good chunk of stuff last patch.
Fixed.
Stop sharing that. I would never want any of those hair options on my elf. None of them look like they are made for a Thalassian or in line with Thalassian culture. It’s why void elf hair is near-universally hated because it just doesn’t match what a Thalassian would have. There is no reason that a void elf who underwent the process would have radically different hair styles, or a completely new culture or heritage made out of thin air. And for the high elf side, obviously, they would never have hair like that. It’s too wild, untamed, unnatural, and unfitting for Thalassian culture.