The Unofficial High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Fliktarg-thrall (Fliktarg)]

Aye. Id imagine for both high elves and wildhammer it would be similar to the dark irons recruitment.

Although ideally the high elf recruitment involves all the various groups becoming unified Whether that be under the silver covenant or as a new group. That way no one has to pull any strings to have their character background work. Also Ideally their hub is either in a new elven district of stormwind open to everyone or they have a small island to themselves off the coast of the EK that is instanced just for them.

WIldhammer I want grim batol but at the same time I realize it would likely be an updated instanced aerie peak.

[Talendras-sargeras]

I think worgen was well done. Their starting area is very good and has all the lore that is needed to get behind them, and it wasn’t far-fetched, as people were theorizing that Gilneas was taken by the worgen way back in Vanilla. The big mistake with worgen was to ignore them and treat them like furry night elves once we got out of their starting zone.

Yeah, though I think making a mutated Druid form probably made them less cool than the idea that they were cursed creatures from another world that used shadow/poison magic, corrupted the land around them, and were scarily intelligent despite their bestial nature. J. Allen Brack said they would be more sinister and lack the moral purity of the Draenei, but I feel like the Druidic background wrote the devs in a corner where they can’t make Worgen that way because Druidism isn’t exactly a sinister force like Death or Void is.

I also think on one hand the starting zone is good, but on the other hand they really downplayed the tragedy of the curse when most of the NPC’s you interact with throughout the starting zone are not cursed, leaving the impression the only really prominent cursed character is Greymane.

But yeah, draenei and void elves were both messes. Amazing how Alliance always ends up with the behind-spawned ideas.

They suffer the same problem too with only one character for each of them being important. For Draenei, Velen is the only character they really have and for Void Elves all they have is Umbric. I like them both as concepts and it makes me tolerate the fact that devs are just not good at backstories, but man they could have thought of way better backstories for them than what we have now.

[Bladinas-scarlet-crusade]

WIldhammer I want grim batol but at the same time I realize it would likely be an updated instanced aerie peak.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure if they gave Wildhammers Grim Batol, Gnomes would be TICKED to put it lightly.

[Bladinas-scarlet-crusade]

They suffer the same problem too with only one character for each of them being important. For Draenei, Velen is the only character they really have and for Void Elves all they have is Umbric.

Now I completely agree about that statement with the Void elves (I mean, we don’t even see a named Void elf in the story besides Umbric) I’d say the same isn’t as true for the Draenei.

Yes, Velen is the central figure (much like Alleria for Void elves) but we’ve seen a LOT more named characters, and characters important to the story like Vindicator Maraad and Yrel. They’ve had two and a half expansions around them.

[Talendras-sargeras]

Yes, Velen is the central figure (much like Alleria for Void elves) but we’ve seen a LOT more named characters, and characters important to the story like Vindicator Maraad and Yrel. They’ve had two and a half expansions around them.

Sadly, Maraad has been dead for quite a while now and we still don’t know what they will do with Yrel or even if she’ll ever return. (And whether she’ll come back as a hero or villain, considering Blizzard’s attempt at subversion.)

For Void Elves, I really want them to build up more characters. Have Instructor Duskwalker do more stuff, maybe have Summoner Nolric become a Void Elf (High Elf fans don’t want him because he’s an icky warlock… place him with the Voids imo.) Really could use a prominent Void Elf Shadow Priest character too, perhaps.

[Mowachassa-dalaran (Mowachassa)]

Summoner Nolric become a Void Elf (High Elf fans don’t want him because he’s an icky warlock… place him with the Voids imo.)

Can confirm

[Bladinas-scarlet-crusade]

Sadly, Maraad has been dead for quite a while now and we still don’t know what they will do with Yrel or even if she’ll ever return. (And whether she’ll come back as a hero or villain, considering Blizzard’s attempt at subversion.)

Yeah, I know- but at least they were THERE and played out their roles. Garrosh is dead and no one can deny that he was a major player and had a major role.

I will admit it would be interesting to see Summoner Nolric again.

[Fliktarg-thrall (Fliktarg)]

hey now I really want blizzard to get rid of the ridiculous idea of keeping the factions even and give both factions everything they should or do own in the lore.

[Lavinya-moon-guard]

From the look of Mechagon, Gnomes can’t have an inhabitable city, only dungeons

[Alamara-goldrinn (Alamara)]

Draenei had several chracters play varios roles ober the years. Velen will always be the main one, but we also have the criminally underused Nobundo, Maraad, Ishanah, the Triunvirate of the Hand (Vindicator Boros come to mind), Farseer Oralius in several places… plus many others I’ve forgot (pulling thelist from memory). And that’s not counting the AU names.

As I’ve said before, were it up to me, I’d had made Auric Sunchaser, Taela Everstride, Theloria Shadecloak and Summoner Nolric into void elves during the recruitment scenario. Then I’d place Auric as co-leader with Umbric and the others as class trainers in Telogrus, each with their own outlook on the void elf condition. That alone would’ve make void elves way more interesting.

[Talendras-sargeras]

I’d be fine with that, most of Alleria’s followers in Outland going Void Elf. Would wonder how many High Elf fans are okay with that, though Silver Covenant have plenty of un-cursed elves that could make up their character roster.

[Bladinas-scarlet-crusade]

As I’ve said before, were it up to me, I’d had made Auric Sunchaser, Taela Everstride, Theloria Shadecloak and Summoner Nolric into void elves during the recruitment scenario. Then I’d place Auric as co-leader with Umbric and the others as class trainers in Telogrus, each with their own outlook on the void elf condition. That alone would’ve make void elves way more interesting.

I dunno. I think it goes against what their established characters have shown so far.

Auric Sunchaser seems to be the de-facto leader of the scattered high elves (if the battered hilt questline has anything to day) and a diplomat trying to advocate for peace between the two elven races in the presence of the Sunwell. Joining the Void elves would really seem out of character for him because it would make him abandon his duty- and he is a VERY militaristic and dutiful character- even calling you by your PVP rank. (Private… grrrrr.)

Taela Everstride and Theloria Shadecloak aren’t in the same boat, but in quite similar ones. Theloria feels like she’s been abandoned by her homeland and “the forest” is her true home. Taela is “both annoyed and bemused” by the player confusing her for a blood elf. Its a pretty well known fact that most Void elves are former Blood elves, and I highly doubt that either would want to associate with them- even if its for the Allaince cause.

Summoner Nolric on the other hand is kind of a wild card.

[Alamara-goldrinn (Alamara)]

That’s why I’d make it part of the original void elf event and not a choice. They’d have to cope with the transformation/curse.

[Bladinas-scarlet-crusade]

That’s why I’d make it part of the original void elf event and not a choice. They’d have to cope with the transformation/curse.

Well, thats a different story completely. Kinda like how void elves were predicted and how they came out.

[Talendras-sargeras]

Really it’s just the same scenario, except this time it’d be solid characters with actual background and seeding in the world rather than some guy who never existed before and whose name coincidentally is synonymous with “shadow”.

Though if you ask me, I’d probably would have kept him for the allied race recruitment scenario and make the whole “Alleria’s cursed followers” part of the Argus story-line.

[Alamara-goldrinn (Alamara)]

Exactly.

You’d have different camps of void elves: the blood elf researchers fascinated with the power, the military-minded high elves forcibly transformed, and how they relate to each other.

[Lavinya-moon-guard]

Were it up to me, I wouldn’t have made Void Elves at all

However if the only choice was how they came to be, I’d have none of the Blood Elf exile stuff. Have Alleria visit the Allerian Stronghold, meet her comrades again. Then Durzaan or whoever it was shows up with his posse to mess with Alleria again and the High Elves there get corrupted as collateral damage.

[Alamara-goldrinn (Alamara)]

Were it up to me, I wouldn’t have made Void Elves at all

I’m assuming there would be no choice. “You, high elf fan! We WILL make void elves instead. How would you make their story more interesting?”

However if the only choice was how they came to be, I’d have none of the Blood Elf exile stuff. Have Alleria visit the Allerian Stronghold, meet her comrades again. Then Durzaan or whoever it was shows up with his posse to mess with Alleria again and the High Elves there get corrupted as collateral damage.

Problem is: without the researchers, would they even be interested in finding a way to replicate the transformation?

I think Umbric is necessary. But the story could have been way better.

[Talendras-sargeras]

Were it up to me, I wouldn’t have made Void Elves at all

I would only ever accept lack of Void Elves if Blizzard owed up to what they promised Worgen would be or didn’t try to wipe away the shadow aspects that Dark Iron Dwarves had.

[Vexander-wyrmrest-accord]

As I’ve said before, were it up to me, I’d had made Auric Sunchaser, Taela Everstride, Theloria Shadecloak and Summoner Nolric into void elves during the recruitment scenario.

Honestly? At this point I’m hoping Auric leads the High Elves. I know Vereesa is a Windrunner and all but really, Auric is much more of a blank slate, and the Writers do pretty well with Blank Slates rather than pre-established characters. Players are generally warming up to Umbric, for example.