đŸš« Why High Elves are a bad idea

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Note: Yes I understand that there is a thread about why “high elves don’t work” as a playable race but this thread is not about that, this thread is about why Having high elves in-game as story characters is bad for the story, and the game.

With that said, here is why high elves are a bad idea to have in the game.

Void Elves
First things first, Void Elves are the Compromise that Blizzard has implemented to allow the Alliance to even get close to playing as High Elves or Blood elves for their faction. You may not like it, but this is the best they can do, and they’re here for a reason and will most likely not go away, I will explain.

If you have done any of the Alliance war stories from 8.0 and up it’s clear that Blizzard set up the void elves to have specific Goals and personalities that are as of now unique to the current playable Alliance races some of the most notable being;

  • They were the Thalassian elves that were loyal to the Alliance through and through since after the destruction of the Silvermoon.

  • They Vilify the Horde, and hate that the current leader of silvermoon chose to join them, it’s also implied that the void elf leader umbric was either a second or third war veteran.

  • They want to bring back Silvermoon to the Alliance, no matter the cost. (note not an independent silvermoon, but an Alliance one)

This leads us to our first problem

Similar Stories
If you did not notice they Gave Everything that the High Elves had for them to keep them unique to the blood elves story-wise, to the Void Elves outside of one class, and faith (that still can be further developed, Void Elves don’t worship the Void this goes against what they stand for, however Umbric specifically mentions at one point that he still prays) with that said the only difference between high elves and void elves now would be.

Playable vs Non-Playable
Unlike the High Elves, Void Elves are in Fact Playable (obviously) so considering what I said earlier what’s the problem here? it’s that one of them need to progress in the story to achieve that similar goal, or at least make some progress towards it and between those two knowing blizzards stance of (since most of you don’t believe that they ‘politely’ said no) delaying high elves release till whatever time. Void Elves need to take up that mantle to further develop their story (which they are currently doing right now) because compared to the high elves these void elves are at least playable.

If silvermoon was invaded, who do you think deserves the spotlight? the npc race? or the players?

The High Elf Problem
To put it simply Void Elves, and High Elves can not share in the same spot light, in this case the spot-light is the story, and by the time the void elves progress in their story (which they are starting to do now) that’s less, and less story to give to the high elves until there is nothing left to give in the grand scale of things, and having high elves steal the spotlight over the void elves (in places where it could have been done by a void elf) gives them less story representation as well.

Thank you for reading my post, I am not a native english speaker but I hope you understood

TL:DR You have to sacrifice existing Void Elves, to make those High Elves.

Edit (thanks for summing it up better than me Vexander)
New TL:DR It’s better to give the spotlight to the playable race than the non-playable ones.

“Anywhere you would put a High Elf, put a Void Elf instead.” unless it’s something a void elf can’t do like becoming a paladin

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Interesting argument.

Here’s a counter argument:

Not all High Elves became Void Elves, and none of the High Elves that stayed with the Alliance became Void Elves. So none of our High Elves would have stopped being High Elves.

In practice, Umbric was a Blood Elf by the time he went in search of the Void and it’s mysterious powers. Arthas had already come and gone, though the nation hadn’t yet joined the Horde. The followers of Umbric, and he himself, were all from Silvermoon City after they renamed themselves. Though the pool of elves in Telogrus Rift are made up of the original Blood Elves, new Blood Elf scholars, and some High Elf wayfarers. However, it was a specific failed ritual that created the Void Elves, so I’m not sure if any of the “Alliance High Elves” could become a Void Elf if they wanted to.

That’s all besides the point, to some extent. The question is whether or not they occupy the same story niche, and whether or not they can coexist without stepping on each other’s feet.

I believe they can.

High Elves have existed as Alliance NPC’s throughout history, without overstepping their boundaries and interfering with the Blood Elf story. It’s likely that the three Elves are distinct culturally at this point.

High Elves never changed factions, but Blood Elves changed once, and Void Elves have now changed twice! The High Elves retain the same cultural differences from Blood Elves that they always did
 but what of the Void Elves? They didn’t suddenly adopt the High Elven distaste for magic absorption and the like.

No, the Void Elves are Blood Elves were who exiled for tinkering with the Void. If anything, High Elves retain their position as being polar opposite to Blood Elves in ideology, while Void Elves seem to strike an even further evolution of Blood Elves. One’s so bent on acquiring power that they literally became changed by it.

I believe these stories are unique enough to coexist. In fact, it would be an ideal time to expand both stories. How are the High Elves reacting to these new elves? How does this affect High Elven society, or what little of it remains? What skill set do they have that differs from Void Elves? What philosophical distinctions are made.

These kinds of questions can broaden not just Void Elves, but High Elves as well. The interactions between the two can create story without detracting from either side.

I do not believe we’d have to sacrifice Void Elves for High Elves to come into their own. They just have to truly differentiate them between now and then.

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i thought conversation of this was over :weary:

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here we go again

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Considering it’s brought up every day, I have no idea how you would get that impression.

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The time that i look at the forum during the day, i dont see high elves threads. i thought it was done.

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Done, and thank you for waiting :slightly_smiling_face:

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Agreed. The High Elves had their time in the spotlight, but now the story has moved on. It’s time for the Void Elves to take their place as antagonists to the Blood Elves.

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The biggest issue isnt lore wise. THe lore can be shoehorned to fit anything they want it to fit.

Horde get the ascetically please model 99% of the player base approves of with multiple skin tones and hair colors to make them even more ascetically pleasing.

Alliance got the model, but light purple/blue and medium purple/blue skin and black hair. So much less of the ascetics that drive players from playing the race.

If void elves could have pink skin and blond hair without turning purple, there would be much less call for high elves.

Imagine if Blood elves could only have green tinted skin with dark green hair and turned dark green regularly as you play. Oh yeah and fel colored eyes only. BEs need to be green cause of fel, duh. Just like VEs need to be purple cause of void


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The devs have said they are considering giving Void Elves more “normal” looking skin and hair as an option.

Personally I would still want them to look a bit “voidy”. Maybe normal hair colors with void streaks and void tattoos.

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Hey I don’t want high elves either but we don’t need more spam in the forum, for or against

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Moral o’ the story is: NEVER TRUST AN ELF!

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Guess what. High Elves are Great Idea for the Alliance since the Faction itself is really needing a Original Color Skin Elf race that isn’t a Blueberry Dark Elf.

Also this post belongs in the Anti High Elf Thread Thanks.

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Drugs are bad. M’kay.

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When it comes to High Elves, I just ask myself “Did people say this before Void Elves literally got pulled out of someone’s :peach:?”

If not, then the argument is probably :cow: :poop:.

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There are two threads going. Post there
no need to make more threads

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There is an entire thread dedicated to discussing why high elves don’t work. Please post there instead of creating a new one.

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/why-high-elves-dont-work-a-primer/19431/515

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Thank you for the well written reply, but like I said the differences between the two races now is too slim, they may practice a volatile kind of magic but this doesn’t change anything about their personalities or overall goals, if anything it just adds to it making them into something like high elves+

Why i’m saying that it’s bad for them to share in the spotlight is because void elves need to be represented more in the story while high elves are not, and it just so happens that nearly every single role that the high elves did aside from being a priest or a paladin, can easily be done by a void elf. (such as rangers, warriors, rogues) that’s the thing about them, they may not be the alliance’s High Elves but they are the Alliance’s Blood Elves similar to the one’s in warcraft 3, except they share in the high elves personalities while also practicing a dangerous kind of magic (which is the only difference as of now!) I do agree that they should at least show how the high elves react to them, but that will change little, same personality, goals, etc.

I’m just saying why give a race that will keep getting delayed from being playable more chances in the spotlight than a race that is playable? Void Elves deserve Better.

If they want to keep placing high elves in the game as npc’s then it shouldn’t be something that steps over the void elves, it should be something that highlights their differences maybe a Paladin here and there, or a Priest, not Mages void elves can easily fill in that role.

Read the Post this isn’t about why they won’t work as a playable race, in some parts of the post I consider them becoming playable eventually.

Devs said they are considering giving void elves more skin options which I think is a good idea if they find a way to still differentiate it from existing blood elves.

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Doesn’t change the fact that there are two major high elf threads going on. Post in those. This is just spam.

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arent void elves = blood elves = high elves ??? :thinking: