The Unofficial High Elf Discussion Megathread

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:21am

They are still visually distinct from Blood Elves.

Mowachassa-dalaran · February 7, 2019, 3:22am

Lorewise, not even the Thalassian Elves are that different from the Night Elves

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:24am

So the game director is wrong?

Mowachassa-dalaran · February 7, 2019, 3:27am

Yes, and he might be wrong about Titanforging, Azerite Armor, Personal Loot, Lore and many others things too.
He is a game director, one that doesn’t understand lore as much as Metzen did, and even Metzen committed mistakes about lore, like that one that he was corrected by a guy in the crowd in a Blizzcon.

Fyorsing-sargeras · February 7, 2019, 3:27am

The term Kaldorei (Night Elf) is an ethnic demonym.
The terms Shal’dorei and Quel’dorei (when used to refer to Highborne NE’s) are cultural demonyms.

Interestingly, you’ve got your timeline (and, thusly, your facts) wrong with regard to the Shal’dorei. They weren’t ever followers of Elune to begin with, they were a group aligned with Queen Azshara’s worldview (up until her betrayal, of course).

As we don’t have all of the relevant information, it’s impossible to be certain, but it’s entirely plausible that the Nightborne are actually a closer approximation to what Night Elves might’ve looked like 10,000 years ago than the modern Darnassian NE’s are. The imagery utilized in the Azshara-centered Warbringers montage depicts early Night Elves that look much, much more like Nightborne than like Darnassians.

Drede-cairne · February 7, 2019, 3:28am

Well, He did say Blood Elves where tall, which they are not. They are actually short Elves compared to Night Elves.

And his closing thought was

“No plans to add High Elves in the future, but anything is possible.”

So either he’s right and it is possible in the future or he’s wrong and it’s no longer an argument against High Elves.

Lose lose situation for you guys.

Nicodemùs-argent-dawn · February 7, 2019, 3:30am

YES. He is. The game devs are not infallible.

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:34am

You were saying? They sure look like Night Elves in the Suramar cinematic.

Drede-cairne · February 7, 2019, 3:36am

We can already see the differences.

Skinny and tilted ears.

The Void Elf and Blood Elf difference is just purple.

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:41am

Of course, that’s the point. There would be effectively no different between Blood and High Elves visually.

Delusion-ravencrest · February 7, 2019, 3:42am

I honestly think they were dead set on giving horde nightbourne but had some ridiculous double standard when it came to giving the alliance a horde race.

Mowachassa-dalaran · February 7, 2019, 3:47am

Inappropriate to quote a post from some hours ago but reading that again gave me ideas.

Maybe reducing the damage they take or do when they are bellow a certain amount of health, or increasing the healing received when low on health.

Fyorsing-sargeras · February 7, 2019, 3:48am

This is a matter of practicality, to assure that the average player will immediately make the connection between the two groups. All you have to do is employ your own critical thinking, a little.

What is more likely?

That the group of Night Elves who never relocated, or altered their traditions, and in fact remained sealed away entirely from the outside world for 10,000 years, radically changed in appearance because reasons.

OR

That the group of Night Elves who abandoned the use of Arcane, experienced a cultural shift towards extreme naturalism, began to worship a deity from their early days, remained identical to how they originally appeared?

There is a wrong answer.

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:52am

They didn’t change in appearance because “reasons”, they changed because of exposure to the Nightwell for millennia.

Delusion-ravencrest · February 7, 2019, 3:52am

On number 2 yes and no because the Shendralar did rejoin the night elves. So it is a combination of the druid practitioners and the highborne who never changed in appearance or culture.

Drede-cairne · February 7, 2019, 3:53am

High Elves have Blue/Purple Eyes and and Blue Undertone Skin.

Blood Elves have Green/Yellow Eyes and Red Undertoned Skin.

On top of-

-Eyes that don’t glow.

-High Elves have been shown to have Blue Tattoos (Alleria)

-More crossbreeds. (Literally called out about it)

-Have at least one Dark Skinned Elf (Davi)

-Are more outdoorsy then Blood Elves. (Farstriders are looked down on)

And they are only skinnier and have tilted ears.

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 3:57am

And yet Blizzard still chose to give us Void Elves instead.

Drede-cairne · February 7, 2019, 3:59am

First*

Because they wanted a group to pursue the Void after the Alleria stiff.

But at least you aren’t trying to disagree with the facts.

Shadows-emerald-dream · February 7, 2019, 4:02am

Because they are going for a Light vs Void theme. Light using Blood Elves vs void using Void Elves. High Elves just don’t fit in the story.

Drede-cairne · February 7, 2019, 4:03am

That Story*

They have their own story. We will see how that unfolds in the future.