How to play Blood Elves

[SachikoMaeda]

I support this guide.

On the subject of "people play elves wrong", there are some things that others will do that will conflict with your own views. Instead of jumping with the "UR DOIN IT WRONG" route, roll with it like Rensin said. Example, I always have Aendron criticize the younger elves, blaming their "idiocy" for most of the problems the reach faces.

But like every person, every character is different. To call a character wrong is calling a person wrong. For the lack of better terms, calling a person wrong makes one look like an ass.

Posted from le phone

[Aadora]

I really appreciate guides like this, even if people seldom read them.


What irks me though, is how suddenly when something like this pops up, everyone has an opinion on how others should RP their characters... in this case, namely elves. This is a trend I've noticed for, well, years. The most played race in Warcraft is always a topic of debate because everyone has an opinion to what is "right", when right is actually something that's always up for interpretation. I know people feel strongly about this topic, and will most likely argue my point...

But why is it, that every time something like this is brought up, we have to go and niggle every little detail down to the floor? The "I saw someone doing this" ICly thing gets to me, if it's very bad RP, and it's not fitting of CoTH, tell a GM. But in all honesty, there is -always- going to be an imbalance between "Proper elves" and "Not-so-proper elves". Why is this? Because again, it's the most played race along with humans in the game. Telling people not to roll them, or that they are doing it is counter productive, as you can't really fight something that isn't actually wrong.

What am I saying? Guides like this are -guides-. They guide you along. People will put their own embellishments on their characters how they see fit, and as long as it's not something like, "They were born brother to Heir of the throne", or something equally ridiculous, we shouldn't start to worry then.

If an elf swears or acts like a spoiled brat, roll with it ICly. Make your elf offended, if you view yourself as playing the character the correct way.

Roll with the flow. Don't fight it, because it will always be there. GMs do handle situations, and if it's something really crappy it doesn't go unnoticed. I know that for a fact.



Edit: Popcorn comment came off to me as "Oh look, a post about elves. LET THE OPINIONS FLOW WHILE I WATCH!"

I know people feel strongly about this topic, and will most likely argue my point...

Indeed.

But why is it, that every time something like this is brought up, we have to go and niggle every little detail down to the floor? The "I saw someone doing this" ICly thing gets to me, if it's very bad RP, and it's not fitting of CoTH, tell a GM.

Because when people don't like something, they discuss it in areas related to it. This is a guide on how to RP an Elf, thus we started discussing the differences between that and how people already RP their elves.

The "I saw someone doing this" ICly thing gets to me, if it's very bad RP, and it's not fitting of CoTH, tell a GM.

Examples are a common part of a debate.

It's not just about people RPing their characters in an offensive/wrong way. It's the fact that EVERYONE is doing it.

As I have said many times... what is supposed to be the "Oddball" Of the race is starting to become all people RP anymore.

A lot of Draenei I see are marksmen with eyepatches. No really, I mean that precisely. Eyepatch and gun, not just a vague example.
Understandable, but it is getting a bit over-used.

Even more Draenei are master Engineers. As far as I know, Draenei in the past like, ten thousand years or so, the only need for an Engineer suddenly sprang up with the Exodar, which lasted a day. So I never say Draenei as being very technological. Yet most are here.

Kal'dorei are supposed to be nature loving, friendly people.
Most Elves I have met on the server are brutes that are either overly muscular women or quiet "Master fighter" men.

Sure, I understand that IC there are far too many people to count that are -normal- for their race.

But why is it that everyone has to play the oddball?

Back on subject of Sin'dorei:

It has been said before, but I will point it out again.

Most people pick what kind of personality their character will have, before even picking the race. Often times they don't even take race into consideration.

People far too often play by whatever is their favorite looking race.

If you are going to have an Elf that acts like an Orc... then either have a good explanation for why they act so differently, or just make them an Orc.

People play Elves, Humans, and Draenei... because their models are what many would consider attractive. Sin'dorei are like, in the top 2 for this.

This guide is made to point out what Elves are like by culture, and how that should affect your character as who they are.

But the discussion is about how people disregard what their culture is like and just make the character act like whatever they want them too without thinking about a reason, or consequences.

[Zenethen]

Want to find normal blood elves? Check out the NPCs. Leave being 'normal' for a race to the NPCs. PCs are built on the fact that they are basically the 'heroes' of their race, or at least the 'above-average citizens'. Above-average means you're going to find things like this that people seem to have issues with.

It's acceptable for each race to have their oddballs. Ironically enough for CotH, most all of the PCs are oddballs of their races.

Hope that clears things up. Good day.

[McKnighter]

Even more Draenei are master Engineers. As far as I know, Draenei in the past like, ten thousand years or so, the only need for an Engineer suddenly sprang up with the Exodar, which lasted a day. So I never say Draenei as being very technological. Yet most are here.

They've been in a space-ship for a loooong time. I'm sure they know engineering.

Kal'dorei are supposed to be nature loving, friendly people.
Most Elves I have met on the server are brutes that are either overly muscular women or quiet "Master fighter" men.

Till you chop down their trees, invade their lands with demons and orcs. Then they're going to kill everything.


By the way, I support this guide. ^_^

[Aadora]

Ironically enough for CotH, most all of the PCs are oddballs of their races.

Then the player base is growing in number of people that would rather leave what makes a race what it is to the NPCs and behind the scenes IC so that they can have different or special characters.

[Zenethen]

Then the player base is growing in number of people that would rather leave what makes a race what it is to the NPCs and behind the scenes IC so that they can have different or special characters.

I see absolutely no problem with this, personally, and I'm sure many agree on this point. Nonetheless, telling people that they have to at least follow -most- of the guidelines of their race doesn't offer much room for changes and uniqueness, if you consider.

And as stated above, this guide is a guide. A line for people to start at, and then branch forward from there. What they branch to is their decision, and as long as it doesn't break the rules of RPing in CotH, I see no problem with it.

>This Wild zenethen supports this guide

Good day.

[DaveM]

You can have your cake and eat it too, I think.

The feeling of -too many oddballs- comes not from the amount or proportion of oddballs numerically, but rather from it feeling like the racial -back-ground is ignored by the -players- depicting the oddball concept.

Most of my characters are probably such oddballs, quite a few are individuals that even intentionally counter the norm of their race. This is done, however, I like to think, with full integration, awareness and immersion into the vast background that is the racial background. They understand that they are cultural outcasts and come with the full weight and side-effects of that.

Looking at blood elves: I tend to notice in real life that scholarly intelligentsia tend to be quite like horny teenagers in what they consider their "off" time. I find it fine to go loose in a tavern, but Kretol-help-you, you better be aware that you're a 365 year-old doing so, with all that entails.

The oddball-ism should stand up to scrutiny. The attempted concept of "Rough vile arena-fighter/merc meanstreak draenei" can be a random lore-breaker or, well executed, an actual re-enforcer of draenei background through credible contrast.

Love oddballs, hate random-2012-teen-in-[race]-body. What I hate most though, is how sloppy oddballs discredit well thought out and executed oddballs.

[Aadora]

Then the player base is growing in number of people that would rather leave what makes a race what it is to the NPCs and behind the scenes IC so that they can have different or special characters.

I see absolutely no problem with this, personally, and I'm sure many agree on this point.

It's the point that when it comes time that everyone is ignoring such things, it will branch out to other things. And what is the point of RPing in WoW when everything that makes it WoW is just background information that is often ignored?

There is a difference from being an oddball and being someone completely suited for another race, but you are an elf simply because you like how they look.

doesn't offer much room for changes and uniqueness, if you consider.

That's the thing... the majority of people that play the "Oddball" character are the same as everyone else that plays the "Oddball" character. They aren't unique... they are just trying to fit in with everyone else that decided to try and be special.

And also I can't help but feel you are saying "Good day" as if when you post something that is the end of it...

I love unique characters. I have even been quoted before for saying I love unique characters and then apparently -turning around- and saying that certain things are wrong about a character that is different.

Well, here is the thing most don't get.

It's not about straying from the normal.

It's about having a reason for it and knowing the consequences.

Not just playing a Night Elf that lives almost exactly as a Dwarf does, but you don't want to play a Dwarf because they are -ugly-.

[Delta]

I see absolutely no problem with this, personally, and I'm sure many agree on this point. Nonetheless, telling people that they have to at least follow -most- of the guidelines of their race doesn't offer much room for changes and uniqueness, if you consider.

I half agree and half disagree. I do believe that people should be more descriptive than prescriptive where RP is concerned, but I also think it's the duty of someone who rolls a race to know the background of it.

When I was a young, budding artist, I asked a lady where she learned how to paint skewed perspectives with such skill. She informed me that the best way to add your own touches to a piece of art was to first study real life and figure out how to sensibly extrude a scene's features from its original state.

Long point made short, you can't cut corners and skip steps. If you want to make a character who differs from the racial norm, you first have to learn what the racial norm is.

[Aadora]

Long point made short, you can't cut corners and skip steps. If you want to make a character who differs from the racial norm, you first have to learn what the racial norm is.

Pretty much that...

I believe I can safely say this server is a great place to RP all things considered. If you look at retail, you have people RPing and even ERPing as Valkyrie. So we aren't doing too bad.

But I think this has all gotten a bit off subject.

And I don't say -a bit- as a subtle way to say -a lot-. We are still discussing Elves, and how they are RPd, but this is a guide and has been said already here the debate on people RPing characters that differ from the norm is one that has been going on for a long time.

It has a place, and it's not here.

However I feel with a few things said in the guide, and the title of the thread itself that this feels more like a "This is how it should be" rather than a guideline for the normal.

Should be renamed to like, "Blood Elves" because that's simple and doesn't make anyone have to think too hard on a name!

---

Oh yeah and as usual, the off-topicness is my fault.

[Dae]

Most people pick what kind of personality their character will have, before even picking the race. Often times they don't even take race into consideration.

This is a very tidy way of putting what I've been awfully tempted to post here, and I do feel like its a very important point.

This makes me kind of want someone to make a guide about what races (And their factions/ age groups/ genders/etc) most fit common character attributes. There are always oddballs and extrenious matters that play into what makes people who they are, but sometimes some races just work more naturally.

Spiritual, earth-loving person? Probably Taurens, Night Elves definitely, with Trolls and Orcs and Draenei being other likely candidates.

Gruff, badmouthing bandits? Humans, Dwarves, Forsaken, orcs and trolls.

I mean, I had to be directed towards the "right" race when I was rolling a new character the other day; there was a big element of the character being an explorer that just worked so much better for them to be a dwarf than a human.
Sometimes its nice to have someone to be there and nudge you to the more appropriate race than to point out that your character is a bit of an oddball for the race when you're knee-deep in character profile.

Why is it "right"? Why is it important in the first place? That's part of CotH's charm as a whole. We need approval for unusual characters, this isn't an instant eighty server, there are just all sorts of little things designed to make this place feel like a communal story, where everyone's in the same canon. Playing characters that aren't oddballs is an act of respect to the other users.

[Fortwit]

Wow. This guide exploded faster than herpes in a densely populated area. I'm glad I sparked this conversation, because that was a portion of the intention. I posted the guide as, like said earlier, a guide, not a fact. The main reason I wrote this guide however was my concern about the lack of racial pride in CotH blood elves due to what may be a lack of knowledge about the sin'dorei people and their troubles as a race.

Also, I updated the government section to reflect the growing power of the blood knights, and the decline of magisters. Also added a poll.

[Lunaxy]

Woah woah guys stop complaining about elves let me enjoy my elven ERP.

/thread

Also voted for Night Elf because I really wonder how to play those treelovers.

[Aadora]

Playing reasonable characters with personalities that suit them is what separates us from retail.

And the point I was trying to get at first, is that there is no reasoning in the characters I am talking about. They are different -just because-,

[Zenethen]

And also I can't help but feel you are saying "Good day" as if when you post something that is the end of it...

Not at all! Just a friendly thing at the end of my posts My apologies if you got the wrong impression.

Again I'll state the majority of my general point, and thank you, Aadora, for noting that; This thread is for people to start at, to know the norm to be able to branch from there. I think a debate about -how- to play a character of said race should be a different thread... Maybe? I dunno, tired and my body doesn't want to go back to sleep.

You all have a good day now, ya hear?