New customization options for blood elves and void elves

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Senti-die-aldor

“It’s only a minority” Do you have any numbers to support that or is it just your perception? And how do you know they are “Blood Elf” only? Are you sure it isn’t just wishful thinking?

Because of the obsession with elves, of course.
Although I suppose I have also established that I am quite fanatical when it comes to elven lore, yet I still play all the races available, so

@Senti-die-aldor

You tell me. The Sunwell is cleansed since TBC, a gathering of Light and Arcane Magic radiates from it and the Sin’dorei took a step back from the Fel crystal thing. Given what we know about magical influcenes on Elves, should their eyes really stay green from a story perspective?

I think you misunderstand my point here. I do know what the Sunwell is a mix of, not all know of my posts and that is fine, despite the insight I provide and the direct sources to the reasonings for my insight in regards to lore. But I digress.

I have always made long, reasonable arguments for why the blue eyes should be available to Blood Elves and should have for the longest time ever since golden eyes was presented due to the sheer implications of it. Initially I believed it would take several hundreds of years for the fel taint to dissipate but the golden eyes proves otherwise.

I have also argued in another perspective, that golden eyes should actually be the only eye glow for High Elves and Blood Elves due to a developer interview implying as such.

But of course, I am equally skeptic towards developers and their statements on lore, but I am open minded and will take what they say into consideration unless it is outlandish, such as Ion’s: “Blue eyes for Blood Elves does not make sense considering how they evolved”.

Anyhow, above statement and now the release of blue eyes for Blood Elves anyway… do we truly know if they were released because that is what lore says, or is it just because some minority of cultists whined long enough for playable High Elves?

Yeah, you do get a long rant here, to understand the context of what I said it means that YOU would have to do a lot more research and be more invested in what has happened in the discussions back and forth in regards to High Elves.

This is the shortest I can make it.

@Senti-die-aldor

Or you could say “Because people were asking for it for a long time and they already were High Elf NPCS in the Alliance, so they finally found a way to please these fans without taking anything away from the Blood Elves.” Except… pride from the Ego of some “Horde fanatics”, seemingly.

Sadly, they are taking away from the Blood Elves. I don’t care about a small group of NPCs with no identity to define them by and have them seperated from the main bulk of their race which is the Blood Elves.

High Elves are irrelevant in the larger scope. Their continued existence is an insult to the High Elven lore that I know and love. And I have loved their lore from WC1 up to WC3 Frozen Throne. I loved their characters, I started hating some of their characters (Alleria, Sylvanas and Vereesa specifically) and started loving other High Elven characters (Lor’themar, Halduron, Kael’thas).

@Senti-die-aldor

The only time they contradicted themselves was when Hazzikostas said there were not enough High Elves around

I could be mistaken, but I don’t think Ion was the one who said this.

[Paxmillian-argent-dawn]

I said blander, not more confusing. The comment at the end was a jokey quip.
I never really see pandaren in BGs anyway. Certainly never see more than one and on opposite factions in the same match so that hardly introduces blandness. You’re going to be seeing pale velf fighting belf every match, and in many cases more than one of each.

I mean we only need to assume what, 10% of Velf players will tint their velf pale and they’ll already outnumber ally pandaren (I don’t think only 10 % doing it is realistic). Belf outnumber horde pandaren over ten times.

Comparing them because “lol there’s already the same race so what” disingenuous because pandaren are exceedingly rare whereas both elves are amongst the most popular in their factions. And as said only a minority of Velf need to utilise the pale skins to make the situation more jarring than the pandaren one, and I really don’t think they’ll be a minority pick, do you?

At the end of the day its no issue people play what they want, but let’s not pretend pale elves at war isn’t going to become a permanent fixture of just about every BG now because currently we don’t see that for pandaren.

[Yae-earthen-ring]

cant we get a 8.3.5 patch realiced already with this new blood elf and void elf stuff ? why shadowlands patch ?

[Senti-die-aldor]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Initially I believed it would take several hundreds of years for the fel taint to dissipate but the golden eyes proves otherwise.

If it only took them a few years to develop green eyes, why should it take longer for other types of magic?

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Ion’s: “Blue eyes for Blood Elves does not make sense considering how they evolved”.

Yeah, we should not forget that he’s the Game Director, not the “lore guy”.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

do we truly know if they were released because that is what lore says, or is it just because some minority of cultists whined long enough for playable High Elves?

We… “kind of” know that. Hazzikostas confirmed that only after his last interview, the guys at Blizzard started to talk about High Elf options and blue eyes again - had it not been for the pro High Elf faction and their continuing interest in that topic, they probably wouldn’t have asked that question in the interview.
And since Blizzard never really shut the door for playable High Elves storywise, they could introduce them that way. Or any other way, can’t get worse than the Void Elf intro.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Sadly, they are taking away from the Blood Elves.

Okay, what did Blood Elves lose? What did they have before the announcement what they won’t have anymore in Shadowlands?

@Savotar-argent-dawn

High Elves are irrelevant in the larger scope

As long as Blizzard decides they’re not. Remember how Khadgar reappeared in The Burning Crusade and didn’t do anything with for years, before they mentioned that he returned to the Kirin Tor in one of the novels?

@Paxmillian-argent-dawn

The comment at the end was a jokey quip.

Okay.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I just don’t understand why people complain about MORE OPTIONS now. It’s not like you can’t play Blood Elves or “Emo”-Void Elves anymore. Nobody is losing any options and storywise (or in role play) people tend to play what they like anyway.

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Senti-die-aldor

If it only took them a few years to develop green eyes, why should it take longer for other types of magic?

You are quite unaware of the lore, eh?

Alright. Because the orcs are green and the Blood Elves are in a similar spot as the orcs, the frostwolf orcs to be precise.

The Frostwolf orcs never drank the demon blood, nor did they have warlocks in their own ranks, but like the Blood Elves they were affected by fel energies in close proximity and that is why their skin turned from brown to green. We have talked so much lore as well in regards to the High Elves, it takes a very long time for fel to wear off, so it was confirmed in a Creative dev Q&A years ago.

@Senti-die-aldor

We… “kind of” know that. Hazzikostas confirmed that only after his last interview, the guys at Blizzard started to talk about High Elf options and blue eyes again - had it not been for the pro High Elf faction and their continuing interest in that topic, they probably wouldn’t have asked that question in the interview.

They probably would because the reason the question was asked was because of datamined blue eyes that was initially thought to be for Blood Elves due to the upcoming additions to customization options to core races. The High Elf crowd had no deal in that.

@Senti-die-aldor

Okay, what did Blood Elves lose? What did they have before the announcement what they won’t have anymore in Shadowlands?

Their uniqueness as a playable race. Void Elves lost that too, and it is a shame. Even Night Elves and Nightborne don’t even look entirely the same, if at all, I atleast can easily see the difference between the two.

Not just in bodyshapes and skin colours, but in racial appearal style as well.

Blood Elves are now losing that… to an allied race no less.

@Senti-die-aldor

As long as Blizzard decides they’re not. Remember how Khadgar reappeared in The Burning Crusade and didn’t do anything with for years, before they mentioned that he returned to the Kirin Tor in one of the novels?

High Elves have been involved a lot of times.

No less irrelevant every time. Their involvement have largely been a crux for Blood Elves.

[Tahra-earthen-ring (Tahra)]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Blood Elves are now losing that… to an allied race no less.

There’s going to be some cross over, but hardly every option will be available to both. So the uniqueness is still there if that is what you crave. I personally couldn’t care less; I just want loads of options to make the kind of character I like.

[Saeryn-auchindoun]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Their uniqueness as a playable race. Void Elves lost that too, and it is a shame.

Personally don’t see the problem.

These new skin colors plugged the plothole when it came to the creation of Void Elves, as it’s impossible to create new “blue ones” in current lore.
And even if Hair Colors were to be added on top of that, that would still leave a lot of eye colors, hair styles, facial hair and jewelry customization that would remain unique to the Blood Elves.

And besides, kitted up in armor there’s no visible difference between Void Elves and Blood Elves today. Unless you get close enough to look at the tips of their ears or their racial procs and they turn blue/purple.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Blood Elves are now losing that… to an allied race no less.

Allied Races aren’t lesser…

The customization available to a Dark Iron isn’t less important than the ones available to a Dwarf, just because one is an Allied Race and the other is a Core Race.

I’d rather they removed the “Core / Allied Race” concept in Shadowlands and just called it “races”.
Some races are very unique and others are very similar to each other. Just like it would be if our world had many different intelligent races living together.

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Tahra-earthen-ring

There’s going to be some cross over, but hardly every option will be available to both. So the uniqueness is still there if that is what you crave. I personally couldn’t care less; I just want loads of options to make the kind of character I like.

A lot of options is nice, I agree.
But it should remain within bounds of what the race is.
I do not mind pale skin for the Void Elves all too much, but I would prefer blizzard went along something like this instead.

https://i.imgur.com/3zuCYG1.jpg

It looks a whole lot cooler, and it is still ‘void elves’ which is what the race should be… void elves.

[Tahra-earthen-ring (Tahra)]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

But it should remain within bounds of what the race is.

And Void Elves are literally blood and high elves with some void influence. Literally.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

https://i.imgur.com/3zuCYG1.jpg

It looks a whole lot cooler

I couldn’t disagree more. I think it looks horrendous. I’d never use that.

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Saeryn-auchindoun

These new skin colors plugged the plothole when it came to the creation of Void Elves, as it’s impossible to create new “blue ones” in current lore.

Fans did create far better alternatives for the pale skin that would still keep the uniqueness of the Void Elves as well as the Blood Elves.

@Saeryn-auchindoun

Allied Races aren’t lesser…

Yes, yes they are.

@Tahra-earthen-ring

And Void Elves are literally blood and high elves with some void influence. Literally.

Perhaps. Does not mean a Horde race should lose it’s unique traits because of the whining of some. Nor does it mean that Void Elves should be made any less cooler.

@Tahra-earthen-ring

I couldn’t disagree more. I think it looks horrendous. I’d never use that.

Of course you wouldn’t… neither would the High Elf cultists.
But regardless, it is a far more defining customization option that does not take away from the Blood Elves, and still allows to convey: “We can create new Void Elves” while sticking to the ‘Void’ concept for the race.

[Saeryn-auchindoun]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Fans did create far better alternatives for the pale skin that would still keep the uniqueness of the Void Elves as well as the Blood Elves.

And how would you explain that “slightly Voidified” blue skin on their arms and legs in lore?

A tight tourniquet to cut blood flow to the affected limb?

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Yes, yes they are.

Agree to disagree.

Your attitudes seem somewhat elitist though. I’d rather see more customizations for all races. Blizz has more than enough resources for it.

But dividing up your playerbase is a good way of keeping them from unifying their voices and complaining too loudly I guess.

---

Disclaimer: I’ll just add down here that I’d like white and black hair colors for Void Elves because it’s cool and it’s not copying a Blood Elf Hair Color.
Blood Elves don’t have the white or black I’m talking about, close but not really. Their black is a kind of “blue-black” and their white is more of a platinum-blonde.
Also I add this disclaimer here before I’m accused of demanding “blonde hair” again.

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Saeryn-auchindoun

And how would you explain that “slightly Voidified” blue skin on their arms and legs in lore?

A tight tourniquet to cut blood flow to the affected limb?

How would I explain anything to happen?

How do I explain Sylvanas’ corpse being in such a pristine shape when Sylvanas took it back, or the corpses of any other Dark Ranger for that matter.

How do I explain the High Elves’ skin going from a violet hue to a paler one, whereas the Nightborne’s did not.

@Saeryn-auchindoun

Your attitudes seem somewhat elitist though. I’d rather see more customizations for all races. Blizz has more than enough resources for it.

Oh, I don’t mind more options.

I just want the races to be properly defined by what they actually are.

We don’t see trolls get any elven additions as customization, why not? Oh, could it be because they are trolls and not elves?

The Void Elves are Void Elves… the void is what makes them unique, what makes them special and it really should be shown.

And I speak as someone who play all the races.

But yeah, now we will have Blood Elves in all groups to come, both on Alliance and on Horde, it is great.

[Saeryn-auchindoun]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

How would I explain anything to happen?

How do I explain Sylvanas’ corpse being in such a pristine shape when Sylvanas took it back, or the corpses of any other Dark Ranger for that matter.

How do I explain the High Elves’ skin going from a violet hue to a paler one, whereas the Nightborne’s did not.

I like customization options, but I’d like for some reasoning for it. Not just “because”.

Sylvanas’ corpse? Well, in-lore she’s supposed to be a little less pristine than we see in the game. Seem to remember a line where her skin is “dry and cracked”, but that might have been retconned for all I know.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

How do I explain the High Elves’ skin going from a violet hue to a paler one, whereas the Nightborne’s did not.

Nightwell would be my guess.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

I just want the races to be properly defined by what they actually are.

We don’t see trolls get any elven additions as customization, why not? Oh, could it be because they are trolls and not elves?

The Void Elves are Void Elves… the void is what makes them unique, what makes them special and it really should be shown.

Well, a troll is a troll…

A Void Elf is literally a High/Blood Elf at the core, they’re just physically changed by their Void leanings.
The Blueberries through the ritual that Durzaan put them through, and the normal skinned ones through passive accumulation of Void Energies I guess?

If they want to keep the “normal” hair colors from the Void Elves at least make a reason for that to be the case. Not just “because”.

---

Disclaimer: I’ll just add down here that I’d like white and black hair colors for Void Elves because it’s cool and it’s not copying a Blood Elf Hair Color.
Blood Elves don’t have the white or black I’m talking about, close but not really. Their black is a kind of “blue-black” and their white is more of a platinum-blonde.
Also I add this disclaimer here before I’m accused of demanding “blonde hair” again.

[Tahra-earthen-ring (Tahra)]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Perhaps. Does not mean a Horde race should lose it’s unique traits because of the whining of some. Nor does it mean that Void Elves should be made any less cooler.

Well, the horde in all honesty should have never received the Blood Elves in the first place. That wasn’t based on lore. That was based on the asian market. And so Blizzard made up some lore to ‘explain’ it.

So by rights it should have been an alliance race. To be even more realistic; night elves should have not been part of the alliance. But high elves should have.
But it is what it is.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

But regardless, it is a far more defining customization option that does not take away from the Blood Elves, and still allows to convey: “We can create new Void Elves” while sticking to the ‘Void’ concept for the race.

A lot of people don’t WANT the void concept. The void concept was bad. They again just invented some lore so fit an agenda, but they misjudged what a LOT of people really wanted.

Again; it is what it is now. But I’m glad they’re getting more normal looks, because the edgy void stuff is NOT cool imo; it’s fine that there’s the option, but I don’t care much for it.

And yes, I have a void elf and yes, I will damn sure change his appearance as soon as I can. I’ve avoided any and all ‘tentacle’ hair for instance; it looks absolutely horrendous to me and that makes customization for that race even worse than it already is; so I welcome these new options with open arms.

[Saeryn-auchindoun]

@Tahra-earthen-ring

because the edgy void stuff is NOT cool imo

No need to get personal

Sad Blueberry noises

[Táhran-earthen-ring]

@Saeryn-auchindoun

No need to get personal

Sad Blueberry noises

On behalf of my silly human main, I apologize.

Ps; I can’t wait for my natural skin color to return.

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Saeryn-auchindoun

Sylvanas’ corpse? Well, in-lore she’s supposed to be a little less pristine than we see in the game. Seem to remember a line where her skin is “dry and cracked”, but that might have been retconned for all I know.

Yes, ‘In the Shadow of the Sun’

But then we are always shown otherwise in lore cinematics and I believe we were told otherwise in another more recent story as well.

@Saeryn-auchindoun

A Void Elf is literally a High/Blood Elf at the core, they’re just physically changed by their Void leanings.

Certainly… but that void influence should still be shown.

I do let Alleria pass because… lore-characters, they all suck either way.

@Tahra-earthen-ring

Well, the horde in all honesty should have never received the Blood Elves in the first place. That wasn’t based on lore. That was based on the asian market. And so Blizzard made up some lore to ‘explain’ it.

So by rights it should have been an alliance race. To be even more realistic; night elves should have not been part of the alliance. But high elves should have.

The High Elves officially left the Grand Alliance following the second war, blaming the humans for poor leadership.

After the scourge and during ‘The Frozen Throne’ Kael’thas tried to make amends with the remnants of the grand Alliance buuut Garithos pushed them aside.

They didn’t belong any more to the Alliance than the Horde at this point.

But yes… I agree, they should not have been playable, neither should High Elves or Night Elves for that matter… or even undead.

@Tahra-earthen-ring

A lot of people don’t WANT the void concept. The void concept was bad. They again just invented some lore so fit an agenda, but they misjudged what a LOT of people really wanted.

What people wanted was to play Blood Elves… blizzard should have stuck to their guns here.

The fact that Void Elves is a crack-squad of Blood Elves is the bad t hing here, when they should have been the High Elves inspired by Alleria’s own journey.

Kill off the High Elves for good, and let the Void Elves take their place permanently… a much better option.

[Tahra-earthen-ring (Tahra)]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

What people wanted was to play Blood Elves… blizzard should have stuck to their guns here.

Agree to disagree.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

The fact that Void Elves is a crack-squad of Blood Elves is the bad t hing here, when they should have been the High Elves inspired by Alleria’s own journey.

Kill off the High Elves for good, and let the Void Elves take their place permanently… a much better option.

Agree to disagree.

I’m glad they’re giving us what they are. But… I do have to say it’s dangerous… you can already see people now asking for more and more and more… Give someone a finger and they take a hand.

[Senti-die-aldor]

@Savotar-argent-dawn

You are quite unaware of the lore, eh?

I am aware of it, but when new lore overwrites old lore, what can you do?
Just as they retconned Metzen’s original statement that Kal’dorei wouldn’t “marry” in a traditional way, they gave golden eyes to the Blood Elves, despite the earlier statement. So by that, the old statement is no longer relevant. It’s annoying, but it is how it is.

The demon blood you mentioned is another example. When the Orcs drank it, their skin turned green and their eyes turned red. Now look what happened to the AU-Orcs in Draenor when the ingested fel magic or demon blood. Blizzard is just not a fan of hard magic systems. That’s why we have a Light infused corpses and a Light infused demons now.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

They probably would because the reason the question was asked was because of datamined blue eyes that was initially thought to be for Blood Elves due to the upcoming additions to customization options to core races. The High Elf crowd had no deal in that.

Do you really think we would even have Void Elfes, were it not for the “High Elf crowd”?

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Their uniqueness as a playable race. Void Elves lost that too, and it is a shame.
Blood Elves are now losing that… to an allied race no less.

I wonder if that argument would still hold up if the Void Elves were a horde race. When the Worgen came - along with their own human form and options, I didn’t see people complain.

Blood Elves get a ton of completely new ways to be “unique” through new hairstyles, hair colors and jewelry. Looking at the options now, no matter HOW you configure your Void Elf, he could never look exactly like a Blood Elf.

Come on, this not about the “Blood Elves’ no longer being unique”. This is about certain players who loved to mock the “Pro High Elf crowd” for years losing the base for the mockery.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

I do not mind pale skin for the Void Elves all too much, but I would prefer blizzard went along something like this instead.

https://i.imgur.com/3zuCYG1.jpg

It looks a whole lot cooler, and it is still ‘void elves’ which is what the race should be… void elves.

My biggest problem with the Ren’dorei was that when they were introduced, Blizzard contradicted all these (relevant!) arguments against High Elves while basically ignoring the Quel’dorei as a faction. In my opinion, it would have worked way better if they had just turned the remaining High Elves into Voidelves.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

How do I explain the High Elves’ skin going from a violet hue to a paler one, whereas the Nightborne’s did not.

That’s exactly what I mean with “Blizzard doesn’t care about a hard magic system” ^^

@Tahra-earthen-ring

A lot of people don’t WANT the void concept. The void concept was bad. They again just invented some lore so fit an agenda, but they misjudged what a LOT of people really wanted.

I think they realized at some point the biggest problem they had created with Chronicles: The Void as that “all powerful cosmic force” and counterpart of the Light, yet almost never to be seen in the game. Looking back, the Void was never a “major player” like the Light, hell, most of the time, people thought the counterpart to the Light were Fel and Death magic.
So they probably needed a way to bring this all powerful force into the game and ended up with Void Elves. Who also reside in Stormwind now, right next to the Light infused Draenei - I just… love this absurdity.

@Savotar-argent-dawn

I do let Alleria pass because… lore-characters, they all suck either way.

It’s kind of weird though, especially, when you want to use her as a plot device and turn her into a prototype of “FIRST MORTAL VOIDWEAVER OG”

@Savotar-argent-dawn

Kill off the High Elves for good, and let the Void Elves take their place permanently… a much better option.

I agree!

[Savotar-argent-dawn (Savotar)]

@Senti-die-aldor

I am aware of it, but when new lore overwrites old lore, what can you do?
Just as they retconned Metzen’s original statement that Kal’dorei wouldn’t “marry” in a traditional way, they gave golden eyes to the Blood Elves, despite the earlier statement. So by that, the old statement is no longer relevant. It’s annoying, but it is how it is.

The demon blood you mentioned is another example. When the Orcs drank it, their skin turned green and their eyes turned red. Now look what happened to the AU-Orcs in Draenor when the ingested fel magic or demon blood. Blizzard is just not a fan of hard magic systems. That’s why we have a Light infused corpses and a Light infused demons now.

That is fair yes.

@Senti-die-aldor

Do you really think we would even have Void Elfes, were it not for the “High Elf crowd”?

We might, actually. But if they were the result of the High Elf crowd, then I would start blaming them for ruining everything in general.

@Senti-die-aldor

I wonder if that argument would still hold up if the Void Elves were a horde race.

If they were Horde we would not even be in this mess.

@Senti-die-aldor

Blood Elves get a ton of completely new ways to be “unique” through new hairstyles, hair colors and jewelry. Looking at the options now, no matter HOW you configure your Void Elf, he could never look exactly like a Blood Elf.

That is what we say now, but just look how many Blood Elf options the Void Elves get… the demand is going to increase, blizzard have already shown that they’ll give in.

@Senti-die-aldor

Come on, this not about the “Blood Elves’ no longer being unique”. This is about certain players who loved to mock the “Pro High Elf crowd” for years losing the base for the mockery.

I never mocked them. I did explain how the addition of High Elves is redundant, irrelevant and how they have nothing to define them as a people and thus not as a playable race.

And now they are going to do that to Blood Elves as well, which is a darned shame.

@Senti-die-aldor

It’s kind of weird though, especially, when you want to use her as a plot device and turn her into a prototype of “FIRST MORTAL VOIDWEAVER OG”

It is very weird.

I actually thought she would be stuck in her glowy-purple form after absorbing the void naaru or whatever they are called nowdays… would have made sense.