Modern note: This is now the officially designated High Elf discussion thread. Delight go on all give-and-take regarding this race in here.

Both sides of the topic are expected to behave civilly and inside the forum guidelines.

Official modernistic alarm: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ane#post49414231
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Post YOUR design ideas! So far, the biggest roadblock to adding Loftier Elves equally an centrolineal race seems to be their lack of distinction from Blood elves. This is a thread for brainstorming design options that could prepare them autonomously. I looked back at the Warcraft 2 concepts and in game characters, and here is what I came upwards with.

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Now this is interesting, coming from Ythisens, a erstwhile Warcraft CM:
https://curiouscat.me/CadenHouse/post/843519134

Originally Posted past Ythisens

How do you lot feel personally about the idea of High Elves condign as an allied? What did the team think about them at the time of the massive megathreads?

Personally I have no result with them becoming an allied race, as the arguments against it are pretty difficult to make.
"Blood Elves and High Elves would wait roughly the same." Pandaren already practise this across factions.
"Lore wise in that location isn't enough Loftier Elves to justify making them a playable race." Void Elves lore wise have less people than high elves but are playable.
"There's also many elf races." It'due south a fantasy game... and they already be anyway.

There isn't a good reason to me apart from merely flat out saying they don't want to do them. It's hard to justify game and lore wise why they can't be playable.

I can't talk about anything internal on the conversations, I'chiliad just referencing what's been said in Q&As.

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The "rural elf" concept from designs by @ercarp
These take a great feel, fit the look of WCII Loftier Elves, and have a unlike feel to the "majestic" claret elves. With a new idle stance to create a new silhouette, these would brand an excellent Centrolineal Race.




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Customization Options

High Elves are, by their nature, fundamentalists/traditionalists. These older designs highlight the survivalist, nomadic lifestyle the Silver Covenant has been forced to prefer. Claret Elves are pampered, loftier society types that rely heavily on magic. Past contrast, the High Elves would seem more "primitive" or dorsum to nuts. Plus, all these pattern changes fit correct in with established lore, as seen in the examples.

Official Warcraft III Concept Art & Alleria Windrunner (Wacraft 2 era High Elf Ranger):

These are "Bird Mode" hairdos that fit the ane Blood Elf hairstyle of this type nosotros have in game. These are less "out there" than the 80's hair shown below and might fit better with the style of the game.

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Groups

When we talk about High Elves and Blood Elves, we're really talking about three distinct groups:

1. WCII elves
two. WCIII Blood Elves
3. MMO Blood Elves

Group 1: the elves of WCII are the High Elves of today. These include the farstriders who left and the magi of Dalaran.

Group iii: the blood elves of today's mmo WoW did not get involved in the kickoff, second, and third wars (with some rare exceptions) because they didn't want to be involved.

Group 2: the blood elves of WCIII became the villainous claret elves of Outland and the Island of Quel'Danas that remained loyal to Kael'Thas. They drew from both other groups, so some were from Dalaran and some were from Silvermoon.

Group iii: the blood elves of today's mmo didn't go quite equally full-on Kael'Thas. Group three as well stayed home.

Group 3: the MMO WoW blood elves are the ones who joined the Horde. We don't really take examples of them prior to WoW itself, because the ones we did run into in WCIII all died. Void Elves also fall under Grouping 3.

The history of these 3 groups throughout the franchise is very distinct with very petty overlap.

Group 1: the High Elves honored their old alliance to the humans and went off to fight their wars. They lived in Dalaran and mingled with human kingdoms. That's in abrupt contrast to the (Group 3) Blood Elves that were isolationist and thought the whole humie-loving matter was madness. Group 2: the WCIII blood elves that followed Kael were kinda in the middle of these two groups. They had no trouble romping around everywhere, but they also had no problem with Kael'due south crazy, which they fell into.

Players request for playable Loftier Elves equally an Allied Race are looking to play members of Group 1. This is something we cannot do with

Grouping 3, the Blood Elves of WoW or the Void Elves. They are unlike, and they accept washed dissimilar things, had different loyalties, and had different affiliations throughout the franchise.

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Pare Tones


Boxing Scars! High Elves take been constantly on the motility with no metropolis of their own, fighting for every scrap of ground and constantly struggling to survive. These are subtle enough to not be distracting and give a slight variation from the oh-and so-pretty Blood Elves.

Faces by @Jokubas

Pilus Styles by @Jokubas


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Other Ideas

New standing posture
Unlike facial expression
New eye colors (purple, white)
Wooden Ear jewelry with feathers
Feathers in some hairstyles
Tabard with Unicorn Blueprint

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ane. Rangers from Warcraft 2

The High Elves of Quel'danil Guild have expanded their home and rallied the High Elves from other lands to their banner.


Paramilitary Rangers
In order to survive, the remaining High Elves have embraced the culture of the Rangers. Each Ranger is taught to survive at all costs, maintaining the legacy of the Loftier Elves. Their purpose is now maintaining their ancient ideals and finding ways to push the Brotherhood forward.

Never Again
The Loftier Elves are now extremists who desire results and volition never compromise. Their greatest allies have been the Wildhammer Dwarfs, and they value their input and prophylactic above all others. Feeling the time has come, the Council of Three Hammers invites the High Elves into the Brotherhood. We too learn the Wildhammer Dwarfs have trained shamans under the High Elf imprint.

Possible Racials
Perfect Shot: Increase attack range past iii-5 yards.
On The Motility: Increases flying path speed past ten%.
Perception: Increases your stealth detection.
Nimble Feet: Increases your Agility by 10 (scales with level).
Troll Bane: Feel gains from killing trolls increased by xx%.
You're A Natural: Herbalisim skill increased past fifteen.
An ability similar to Hunter Undo
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2. Rune Casters, Wardstones, and Shipwrights

Returning to their roots, the Silver Covenant begins using ward stones to power their defenses, their ships, and their weapons. This renewed focus is perfect for their nomadic lifestyle.

A People on the Edge
They take little resource or manpower, then they have tapped into the most powerful magic they had access to and are using it to devastating effect... the consequences could be deadly...

No True Dwelling house
With no place to call their ain, the home base for the Silverish Covenant has become a flotilla of High Elf ships, many of them salvaged or repaired from the 2nd War. This wandering home crosses Azeroth as needed, making the Silver Covenant highly mobile and efficient. Wardstones protect the fleet from aerial attacks.

Crewed with highly-skilled Elven seafarers, these swift-sailing vessels are prepared to engage the enemy wherever they may be found. Elven Destroyers constitute a disquisitional part of the Alliance umbilicus defense force equally they can unleash their firepower upon the dreaded aerial forces of the Horde.

Possible Racials
Runestone: Create a field that lowers aggro inside. (Based on the elven runestones that dampened the trace their magic left so they were harder for dark forces to discover.)
Battle Magic: Attacks have a gamble to do bonus Arcane damage. (Inspired past the war mage artwork.)
Covenant Buoy: Political party members can employ the beacon to return to their Hearthstone location. (Just based on the Kirin Tor Beacon from the Isle of Thunder.)
Arcane Guidance: Increases resource regeneration for the party. (Inspired by the high elves having taught the humans magic.)
Territorial: Gain increased experience from Brotherhood-exclusive quests. (Inspired past the Troll Wars).
Exile's Meditation: Channel this ability to quickly regenerate hp, mana/energy/rage, and remove debuffs (can just be used if out of combat for X seconds). In their years cutting off from the Sunwell, Quel'dorei learned to quell their magical needs with rigid mental discipline. They can nevertheless employ such meditation.
Cocky-Preservation: Escape to hearthstone-leap location when nether ten% health (channeled cast). As the remnants of an endangered race, every High Elf learns when to retreat to battle another mean solar day. (This is probably sorta useless, but I like the thought of Helfs making tactical retreats)
Arcane Exploits: Take chances for extra materials from milling and disenchanting. The Quel'dorei accept ever been gifted in the arcane. This cognition gives them a natural, practical reward when pursuing mystic disciplines. (Every bit a sort of counterpart to Belf Enchanting bonus)

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three. High Elf Exiles from Outland

Talthressar : The right mitt of Alleria on the Alliance Expedition's invasion of Draenor, Talthressar was in charge of Alleria'southward rangers when she disappeared. He was ane of the founders of the Allerian Stronghold, and was a big believer in the Alliance with Dwarfs and Humans. Talthressar was last seen in Terokkar forest earlier the destruction that shattered Draenor, creating Outland.

The Long Exile
Talthressar and his High Elf forces fled into the Spires of Arak equally Draenor tore itself autonomously. The Spires swirled into the Under, cutting off from the rest of Outland and leaving the Loftier Elves stranded with the Arakkoa who lived there. This sparked a cruel conflict. Desperate, the Loftier Elves harvested apexis crystals, using them to ability ward stones on their armor and giving them access to dangerous new abilities. As the tide turned, the Loftier Elves took to adorning their armor with the feathers of fallen Arakkoa and using war pigment to intimidate their enemies.

The Truce
When the Arakkoa realized they could non bulldoze the Loftier Elves out, some of them forged a truce with Talthressar. These Arakkoa joined the ranks of the Loftier Elves as their allies against their Arakkoa brethren who were oppressing them. With time, the High Elves found a place, and were eventually accustomed as a begrudging part of the guild of the Spires of Arak. Most of the Arakkoa hate Talthressar, merely they cartel not move confronting him.

The Render
One of Talthressar's rangers spots a landmass floating in the Nether—Outland! The High Elves gather the power of their apexis crystals and the new ward stones they've constructed, causing the Spires of Arak to ride the winds of the Nether until it returns them to the mainland. The long years have given the High Elves enough of fourth dimension to brood on their hatred of the orcs, and Talthressar blames the Horde for the events that left him stranded.

The High Elves are now eager to hear word of Alleria and discover what has go of their home world.

Possible Racials
Warding: Removes condition furnishings
Bluish Flames: A form of snare
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four. Silver Covenant Spellbreakers

This would not require a new form. It could be done with a racial or two that has the flavor, but it would demand to be different from the Blood Elf silence racial.

A Lost Art
After spending several years combating the Sunday Reavers, the Silver Covenant has developed Spellbreakers of their own to counteract the Claret Elf Mages.

Renewed Power
A new leader of the Silvery Covenant emerges from Dalaran to guide the Spellbreakers. This prompts the Alliance to strengthen their ties to the Silver Covenant to gain access to these new troops.

Possible Racials
Dampening Field: A small dome where enemy magic does not function
Remove Curse
Spell Steal

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Pros and Cons of Playable Loftier Elves

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Heritage Armor
Something with a Ranger feel. Play up their paramilitary experience. Employ a caput piece that does non obstruct the hair/war paint such as a headband, tiara, or thrown-back hood.
Wonderful heritage armor design past @Jokubas! This is what a Quel'dorei should expect like!

Should Quel'Dorei utilize the pale blue hypogryphs, or should they utilize dragonhawks like those they raise at Quel'danil Lodge? Or something entirely dissimilar? Footing mount idea:

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High Elf Form Options

Iconic Classes:

Mage

Loftier Elves first trained the humans in magic, and the alliance betwixt Dalaran and the High Elves remains strong to this day. This is perhaps the most iconic High Elf class available. Information technology should be noted that Highvale elves no longer practice arcane magic.

Priest

High Elves and humans share the same faith. The close connection of Loftier Elves to the Light has fabricated their healing skills invaluable to the Alliance for many years and across many great wars.

Hunter (Ranger)

Archers and scouts. Many of these Rangers were sent to support the Alliance in the Second War. High Elves often look to Ranger-Generals for guidance and leadership.

Rogue (Ranger)

The stalker that fights with twin blades and leaps from the leafy shadows. These Rangers have been the advance scouts of the High Elves for many years. Their protection has prevented many losses and allowed the Loftier Elves to stay one stride alee of threats to their people.

Appropriate Classes:

Paladin

High Elves were office of the alliance that created the outset Azerothian Paladins. Their members joined the Lodge of the Silverish mitt before the Third War.

Warrior

High Elven swordsmen have protected their people with distinction for generations. Their traditions have been passed down to the Loftier Elf exiles, bringing thousands of years of technique.

Monk

The calm and tranquility of the Pandarens was vital in helping the High Elf exiles deal with their lingering habit. Today, Loftier Elf monks are expected at every settlement to lead their people in meditation.

Proposed New Class:

Shaman

High Elves have never been shamans and nosotros take no examples of this in lore. Still, if a lore reason was given, such equally training with Wildhammer shamans, it could be a possibility as something new. This would create an extra layer of distinction between High Elves and Blood Elves.

Unlikely Classes:

Druid

This theme is strongly 'Nighttime Elf'. While information technology could certainly exist appropriate for High Elves, and many Loftier Elves accept displayed limited nature magic in lore, it probable creates besides much pattern/theme overlap with Night Elves.

Death Knight

The story of the Death Knights does not seem to work with High Elves and their particular themes. However, High Elves were killed past the Lich King in mass and would certainly authorize to be Death Knights. The real question would be if these Death Knights would bring together the Alliance or the Horde.

Prohibited Classes:

Demon Hunter

Much like the Blood Elves, Demon Hunters took on fel energies to gain their powers. This is the antithesis of who the High Elves are and what they stand for. The Thallasian elves that joined the Illidari were all Claret Elves because they were followers of Kael'thas when he pledged his loyalty to Illidan.

Warlock

We do accept an example of a High Elf warlock that is a trainer in the Silver Covenant. All the same, it makes no sense that a spellcaster that practices fel magic is not a Blood Elf already. Information technology as well contradicts every theme of the Loftier Elves. This ane NPC trainer would be an exception that players could not indistinguishable.

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Potential Loftier Elf Outposts

These are ideas for places that High Elves could establish new settlements or strongholds equally an Allied Race.

i. Theramore

High Elves were living in Theramore when it was destroyed. I of these High Elves is

Captain Darill of Northpoint Tower and his High Elf Theramore Sentries. His tower seems to accept remained intact after the fall of Theramore, and his troops survived the Horde attack. Captain Darill could institute a new Loftier Elf Theramore settlement to support a War Forepart in the Barrens. This would bring back a fan favorite city and allow for it to accept updates and improvements as the Loftier Elves from other lands come up to support him.

These ocean faring elves are natural allies of the Kul'Tirans, sharing the same imprint and allying with them before in the attack on Orgrimmar by Daelin Proudmoore.

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2. The Crater of Dalaran

Dalaran has e'er been something of a High Elf city being freely shared by the human inhabitants. The Silvery Covenant specially is a militant faction of the Dalaran High Elves. In gild to secure the lands of Dalaran from Horde invasion while the metropolis is flight about, the Loftier Elves send

Ravandwyr to build a new settlement over the crater. The homeless High Elves of diverse lands flock to this stronghold, seeing the run a risk for relevance once once again. This would be an excellent Brotherhood back up for the newly invaded lands of Lordaeron.

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3. Hearthglen

Fellari Swiftarrow and her High Elf rangers were long ago captured by the Forsaken and locked away in the dungeons of Lordaeron. No one knows why Sylvannas kept them live. In the siege of Lordaeron, Fallari breaks costless from the dungeons with her rangers.

She feels abased by the Scarlet Cause later on her years of imprisonment. Instead of returning to the Ruby-red Monastery, Fellari heads to Hearthglen in the Western Plaguelands and assumes command of the Argent Crusade forces there now that Tirion Fordring is dead. With her rangers, she reestablishes the base as a High Elf bastion, welcoming all of her Alliance kin to use Hearthglen as a staging point against the Horde and the undead. Fifty-fifty

Renthar Hawkspear is drawn to Fallari in the hopes of a new hereafter for the Loftier Elves.

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four. Northern Lordaeron

This

unused zone most Quel'Thalas could presumably hold a forest controlled by High Elves. These hidden exiles have erected a wardstone barrier that has kept intruders out and allowed them to stay hidden. They've strived to stay out of the conflicts of the Alliance and the Horde, but a bulletin from Kriss Goldenlight informs them that the High Elves are a dying people with no where left to get but the lands of bottom races.

No longer feeling they can hide, these High Elves lower their barrier and welcome dorsum their scattered people. They are grateful to the Brotherhood for protecting their people and decide to join their cause.

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5. Quel'Danil Lodge

The High Vale elves take dug in at Quel'Danil. Over the by several years,

Jalinde Summerdrake has been expanding information technology into a proper settlement, with several new buildings surrounding the lake and a defensive wall protecting the social club. The Wildhammer dwarfs have been a cracking assist, offering gryphons and soldiers as well. Their Draenei allies bolster the ranks of Quel'Danil, making the lodge into a formidable fighting force that the Alliance tin can no longer dismiss. More than High Elves make it every 24-hour interval to see the restored power of their people.

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6. Stormwind City Mage Commune

Many High Elves live in Stormwind, so it would make sense to use establish a base of operations in the Mage District. This could either be in some of the unused portions of the district, or the unused land outside the district could be expanded into a High Elf bastion.

Every bit the years pass, the High Elf forces of the Alliance have naturally migrated to and organized within Stormwind. Subsequently years of watching her people languish,

Elsharin decides to take a leadership role, declaring the High Elves of Stormwind to be under her protection. Elsharin has spent a great deal of time navigating the politics of both the mage hierarchy and the nobles of Stormwind. She now stands ready to lead her people to greatness.

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7. The Silverish Enclave

The Silver Covenant already used the Silver Enclave of Dalaran City as a base of operations, so it would brand sense for them to do so again. From this mobile perch, the Silvery Covenant mages tin teleport their forces to whatsoever strategic location at a moment'southward notice. The urban center of Dalaran offers a stability that is highly-seasoned to many of the High Elves, and more than have consolidated here every twelvemonth.

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Originally Posted by Ion Hazzikostas

But besides there isn't a clear case of who or what High Elves are every bit a larger group that notwithstanding remains in Azeroth. There's a couple, we simply met Alleria over again for the first time, merely they're not out in that location in the same mode.

And so, to address some of the things Ion said yesterday (4/26/xviii). This statement here is very telling regarding what it would have to create a High Elf Allied Race. They need something distinct, and we need to meet clear examples of it out in the game world. Currently it's very difficult to depict the differences between Blood Elves and High Elves. Even though Void Elves and Blood Elves are nigh exactly the aforementioned in credo and theme (and clash hard with Loftier Elves, hence their rejection by High Elf fans) it yet remains that it is elementary to describe the differences between Void Elves and Blood Elves. "Void". It's that easy. Ane word describes the articulate difference and it's even in their name.

For High Elves to be added, they need something clear and unproblematic that sets them apart. Something the boilerplate player (who doesn't intendance near lore and can't tell a gnoll from a worgen) can instantly come across and recognize. This is why Highmountain made the cut. "Moose" vs "Bull" is very easy to describe and identify. Lightforged are a little trickier (I still tin can't e'er tell them apart). Just they are like shooting fish in a barrel to depict. "Affections" vs "Alien".

Right at present, we don't have that for Loftier Elves. Clearly, if added, Blizzard would want High Elves to have a elementary and effective theme of this kind and implement it out in the world for the player to meet. The Argent Covenant (as an example) would need to adopt this theme and be easy to tell apart from Blood Elves. Currently, simply banner/colors set them apart, which is a poor theme.

Here is the big win from Ion's interview:

Originally Posted by Ion Hazzikostas

If you want to be a fair-skinned, light blonde-haired, tall, majestic elf; that is a Blood Elf. And giving that race directly to the Alliance, I think would have blurred a lot of the lines between the two factions.

We now know what Blizzard sees the Blood Elf design philosophy to exist. Blood Elves are the tall, fair, majestic elf. And this tin be summed upwardly in one discussion: "Majestic". Their theme at cosmos was vampire/fel/slightly goth. This assorted with High Elves considering they were the majestic elf. But that'south now inverse. Claret Elves are the "Majestic" elves.

And then, the blueprint for High Elves needs to clearly, hands, and only describe a departure for High Elves that contrasts to "Purple" elves. Most designs for High Elves try to retain the "Majestic" blueprint philosophy because information technology was theirs when the Blood Elves were the "Fel" elves. Now that it'southward shifted, High Elves will never be implemented equally long as we try to blueprint them every bit the "also Majestic" elves. There has to exist a simple, clear contrast.

Originally Posted by Ion Hazzikostas

Annihilation is possible in the hereafter, merely no plans in the virtually term to add High Elves as an centrolineal race.

Almost probable, they would implement such a difference over time, like how we were slowly introduced to near of the current Centrolineal Races.

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What are your ideas? What unique design elements could be added to Silver Covenant Loftier Elves to make them stand out?