Meeting with someone isn’t exactly “race/class” identity in my book.
Especially when class trainers are pointless nowadays.
There should be a bigger focus on doing specific visual effects that is unique for class/race combo.
For example Sunwalkers to get more Tauren/ Native American themed spell variations.
It doesn’t have to be much, even if it would be just one spell per expansion.
I even knowa very “cheap” version for Zandalari Prelate who instead of sumoning super weird and super dated angel creature could instead call for Zandalari Spectre : https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpedia/6/6b/Zak%27rajan_the_Undying.jpg
It doesn’t require to actually create a special VFX but it’s a matter of coding to replace one model with another.
For nelf priests to have silverly special effects for their “light” spells instead of Golden.
Fans have a lot of creative ideas, one posted concept to change troll moonkin to a form which resembles Hi’reek : https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625441760428163092/707055580455632947/dd8lapn-c28a4949-2165-4ef8-a7fa-715d310f2d74.jpg
Moonkin never made sense for a troll, unless it would be Forest troll. But we’re playing Darkspears.
Hearthstone can also give interesting ideas, for example, Arcanosaur for troll mages:
Eeeem, what? I only elaborated how class/race identity could be expanded visually and that trainers are irrevelant nowadays. Provided nice examples as well.
I like your idea - I was just thinking that certain race/class combos should seek out specific lore characters, relative to said race/class combo.
A Blood Elf Paladin being inducted into the Blood Knight order by Liadrin.
A Darkspear Rogue being inducted into the ways of the shadow-hunter by Rokhan.
A Night Elf Hunter being inducted into the Sentinel Army by Shandris.
I must agree with what some others have said that as a rule, males and females of each race should have access to the same options for eye and skin colors.
The difference is especially striking for the Night Elves, where the males have much darker skins, such as purple and brown, while the females have prominently lighter and more saturated colors. I am really hoping this gets fixed with Shadowlands.
Furthermore, about the COLORS of the Night Elves… I would personally love to see some more variety within the same palette.
Unfortunately I am not allowed to embed images in my posts, but since I have photoshopped a few mockups, I shall link them and describe the colors in case anybody cares to check them out:
Hello everyone, I’ve seen the new dwarven customization options available during Shadowlands. I think they are super cool, since you would be able to play as a Wildhammer Dwarf, which is something I’d like since Vanilla. Aesthetically they are amazing but I fear that they would be meaningless, if in reality you are not a Dwarf coming from the Wildhammer Clan. What I mean is that I don’t want to play a Bronzebeard Dwarf, flagged Ironforge, that looks like a Wildhammer but in reality he is not. Since Blizzard is going to implement the new starting zone, I’d like the possibilities for players to choose which faction to belong. For example you want to start playing a dwarf firstly you have to choose which clan you belong, Bronzebeard or Wildhammer, and then you have a selection of customizations that reflect your clan. The same can be done with all races. Otherwise you choose a customization and then based on your choice your flagged as a Bronzebeard or a Wildhammer.
Danuser said in an interview a couple of weeks ago, that they realistically can’t do starting areas and quests for every group they want to give you customisation options to play.
He stated that blizzard no longer expect you to let the set narrative dictate who you are playing, basically it is this way only because of developmental limitations, not lore ones. You are now free to decide who your character is and the customisation options are giving you many more options to play factions and groups previously unplayable.
This does give hope for Farstrider and Highborne customisations as those 2 groups are very large in blood elf and night elf lore and are huge fan favourites.
What they could help the process of identiciation is having an option in dwarf characterisation that has the “Wildhammer preset” or in blood elf charater creation you can click on
What this does is give you an example of what each of these are, so you know what they look like and what the customisation opton means.
IF they want to be really good, selecting the preset would bring all the options related to farstrider to the front, or only have them highlighted, so you have a smaller band of options that are there for Farstriders to choose from.
Unselecting farstrider would open up the rest of the options in case you wanted to add additions belonging to other presets or the blood elf in general.
Well, many of the new Night Elf features seem to hold a very strong “Highborne” feel. The darker skin tones give off a very “Highborne” like-feel. The black hair, but also the orange hair does the same. The latter is a very gaudy and it suits the ancient Highborne’s dress sense.
But this is all relative to role-play.
Not every Blood Elf Mage is a Magister. The Blood Elves have so many variations of their “Mages.” We could have Magister, but we could also have Arcanist, Ley-Keeper, Sorceress/Sorcerer, Apprentice.
My Blood Elf Mage is an Arcanist and Ley-Keeper. I don’t consider her a Magistrix.
But then, my Warlock is strong, and so he wouldn’t suit a “Magister preset.” He’d suit a “blood knight preset.”
Maybe tehre is a better name, but aren’t the Magisters are magic order of the Blood elf society that in theory, arcanists, Ley-ieepers, Sorceeress all belong too? I would even expand it to all non-religious magical classes.
Now for the purpose of character creation, it’s a look you can go for, so in theory you can have the blood magister look on a warrior or rogue.
You can have the farstrider look on a mage - the idea being that you can roleplay who you want to be, afterall you could come from a magic wielding family, started with the Magisters, not made the cut and are now witht he Farstriders, or vice versa, explaining why a blood mage can have those tattoos. While most of hte Farstriders are ranger hunter types, there could be a unit of magic users who prefer the forest and guerrilla type wr fighting and are part of the farstriders.
the first 2 examples are totally acceptable for character fantasy, the 3rd while plauible is not one we have an example of in game , although you could actually decide you’re a mage who follows the farstriders.
Weren’t you the one insisting that customisation options not be locked to classes?
Well these are presets that just highlight customisable options that fit the preset, you are open to use them for any class and any role you want, , they don’t lock you into a c lass at all - it’s just for players to know “hey, these tattoo options or hiarstyle options, they’re generlaly belong to this group” , but you’re quite free to use them for your character and roleplay your fantasy however.
I am, and the additional Night Elf features are brilliant because they are more “Highborne” in look and matches every aspect of what it meant to be a Highborne.
Darker skin, gaudy hair (orange hair), black hair, tattoos etc, but this won’t be limited to the Mage class, but to all classes.
These are changes that seem to have a core idea behind them, but it isn’t relative to just that one sect.
Gaudy orange hair can easily work for a Druid, for instance.
I’d rather add things and we make the choice ourselves and what it looks like.
Changing stances to suit certain classes, is not an ideal thing. It starts to pidgeon-hole what people’s characters should be looking like and Blizzard should avoid this.
Tattoos can work for Rangers or Mages (Rommath and Alleria) for instance. So, tattoos for blood elves, that come in various colours, such as red, blue, yellow/golden, purple (not green) can work for all classes.
The Magisters are a higher sect of the Magi and it’s said to be difficult for one to ascend to the title of “Magister.”
Not even Thalyssra held the title of “Magistrix” and I think the idea of this title being difficult to reach, should be held. I wouldn’t want to think my level 1 blood elf mage is a “Magister” given the lore, behind the title.
We have no idea what the rankings are and the structure is, Magister could indeed be one of the highest ranks, but that doesn’t mean Arcanists, Sorcerors and other titles aren’t part of that order/organisation.
Unless they’ve structured it somewhere, but I don’t think they have in the stuff they’ve released to us.
But it’s still trying to push something, which I don’t like.
I’d rather they simply go with what they’ve done for the Night Elves, where all sectors of Kaldorei society can easily fit with the new features.
If I may ask out of curiosity, what makes you feel that the the darker skin that has been datamined has a specific Highborne vibe to it?
Afaik Brann reports the Highborne having a PASTIER complexion, if anything.
Also, a real lot of ‘Surviving Highborne’ NPCs used as mage trainers and reforgers have white hair (someone counted them, apparently it is 17 of the 21!) and shades of pink and light purple skin (9+7) versus occasional green (2) and water blue (1) hair and skins in pink with blue hue (2), full blue (1) or darker (2).
So, quite the opposite despite of the exceptions? Or have I missed any lore indication/statement contradicting Brann’s report and establishing them as mostly darker instead?
I absolutely LOVE the idea of some darker skins for the night elf females as well, and I feel a very dark purple skin in combo with WHITE tattoos would look AWESOME, but I am still curious about what makes you specifically say that a dark skin would be a specific ‘Highborne’ thing, although it does not really matter anyway, since there always were and there always will be exceptions since they are just a cast and not a different race of elf…
So in the end THIS, really.
Just genuinely curious about the motives behind your words, as there are people who have spent some time researching on the subject of Highborne skins and the detail about darker ones being a thing was never brought up!
Well, I have been to Dire Maul and the Well of Eternity Dungeon and the Highborne hold very darkish blue skin tones.
It also would go well with the black hair that all Night Elves will have access to. In the Azshara Warbringer, the Highborne mother and the Highborne female to the right of her both had black hair. So darker skin tones, plus darker hair can carry extremely “Highborne” like feels.
Also, this would explain why High Elves and Blood Elves could have darker skin. They are descendants of Highborne Night Elves.
I don’t usually watch him, but Bellular is able to bring the point that I’m trying to make:
Skip to the Night Elves (and indeed the Blood Elves) as they are my focuses and what I based my analysis on.
Night Elves: 7:31
Blood Elves: 10:39
What I will say is that Night Elves should be given more jewelry options. This can work for all sectors of Kaldorei society.
Jewelry for Highborne character is obvious
Jewelry for the Sisterhood/Priests of Elune is also quite obvious
Jewelry for the Druids can also work. A former Priestess or Warrior.
Male Night Elves and Male Blood Elves should also have earring options.
