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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: I rolled a Belf, and I think I liked it
by Michael Gray 
Aug 3rd 2009 at 8:00AM
I've never been a fan of Blood Elves. My dislike of them goes back to the days of the Burning Crusade beta, when the word was they were beefed up to appeal to notions of masculinity. (Uh huh, you heard me: the boys playing Blood Elves wanted their men beefy and all twinkie to satisfy them. I'll just leave that repression thought alone.) Nonetheless, that impromptu steroid injection just set me off on the wrong foot with the Sindorei.And then my initial dislike for Belfdom found a quick reaffirmation when I saw Silvermoon for the first time. Everything's so . . . posh and pretty. Luxurious color, rich fabric, and cushions. I've been an Ironforge man all my life. We don't do cushions! Cushions are for namby pamby elfs! And they have brooms! And those brooms magically clean things!
Yes, gentle reader, I'm aware that one part of my brain was rebelling against the beefy-ization of Belfs because of gender assumptions, while at the same time the other part of my brain railed against Belfs for being "namby pamby."
So, yeah. Blood Elves. Never been a fan.
And then, recently, for some hare-brained reason, I rolled a Death Knight. I wanted to finally give those guys a whirl, and see what it was like on the other side of Death Grip. Smirking at myself for my cleverness, I made the DK a Blood Elf. I gave him a bouncy little top knot, and I went off to play the starting quests.
It didn't take long to knock out the quests, and (for the first time) I accepted the portal to Orgrimmar. Still in that tentative exploration phase, nervous about myself and the people around me, unsure of what I was doing but so, so eager to try . . . I queued for Warsong Gulch.
And it was wonderful. I laughed, I gasped for excitement, my breath caught in my throat. In my very first match, the Horde achieved Warsong Perfection. Alliance fell at my feet as I moved like a scythe slicing through wheat. Every time a Paladin would try and heal near me, I would literally say "LOL" as I let an Arcane Torrent rip. It was glorious.
And now, I have a Belf. A Belf Death Knight, no less. I can't hide my dirty little shame. But, tonight when I get home . . . I'll log in again.
And so, to you, have you ever tried the other side? Perhaps tentatively reached across the faction gap, and taste what it's like over there? Or, perhaps, you switch back and forth readily -- do you have tips for those of trying it out for the first time?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Death Knight
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 9)
Cyrus Aug 3rd 2009 9:37AM
Overrepresented? Heh, I confess. A couple months into BC, I rolled a Blood Elf paladin. I basically had to do it; in one character she would be my first paladin, my first blacksmith, my first toon of either of the new BC races and only my second horde toon (third, technically, but the first two were both locks). But Blood Elves were still the flavor of the month and I didn't want to just jump on the bandwagon, so I named her by way of apology for that: Obligatory.
Vandesdelca Aug 3rd 2009 7:04PM
On my server, the conflict is: Alliance vs. The Blood Elves and a few ragtag non-elves that seem to have gotten lost.
They're THAT overrepresented.
Mr. Tastix Aug 3rd 2009 9:33PM
Yeah, Blood Elf Death Knights and Blood Elf Paladins. I'd love to see the data on those two Blood Elf classes, just for sheer amusement.
schm0 Aug 3rd 2009 9:29AM
How did you do so well in BGs?
I am very surprised because DKs are the most underpowered class in the game.
*cough wink cough*
Cymru Aug 3rd 2009 9:39AM
i have an gnome mage and a belf hunter, both 80 and ive found the same idiots play both alliance and horde, but i love them both, i love gnomes full stop (kinda wierd i know and is a topic of great humor in my guild) but hit 80 on my hunter this week, and i love him (maybe more than my gnome) his run animation, backround story and especially his jokes. i think people who dont play the other faction are wierd to be honest, i love seeing my alliance guildies on my horde character in a BG and hunting them down with all my might then instantly logging and making fun of them.
and belfs... well there not beefcakes lets be honest, i think there there as more of a normal race on the horde side, since all that was there before was a dead guy, the hulk a cow and a troll, a TROLL!!!
tauren hunters - a cow can have a pet cat is fine but we cant have warewolfs as pets...
MechChef Aug 3rd 2009 9:40AM
Some people don't like BE's, and that's fine. To date, they're the easiest Horde race to call "silly", and I think that's why there is the hate against them. I think gnomes, NE's, and dwarves are sort of silly too.
My main is an UD rogue, and I have a pally alt who is obligated to be BE. My DK is BE, but I sort of wish I had made him UD instead, prior to leveling his professions.
Rollheiser Aug 3rd 2009 9:48AM
As my IRL friends have come and gone from WoW, I have been forced to roll both alliance and horde. Whenever I feel my faction pride swinging too far to either side, I load up WC3, smoke up, and get sentimental at how "they're all Blizzard's children." (WoW players who haven't experienced WC3/TFT might be shocked at the level of polish therein, particularly in regards to the voices and sound. Numerous and hilarious "annoyed" sound clips for every unit was a hallmark of Warcraft to me.)
Best races, my 2c:
Horde:
1. Troll
2. Orc
3. Forsaken
4. Tauren
5. Blood Elf
Alliance:
1. Human
2. Night Elf
3. Gnome
4. Dwarf
5. Dranei
pahus Aug 3rd 2009 9:49AM
It's okay, come out of the closet.
Tirrimas Aug 3rd 2009 9:54AM
My very first toon was a Nelf hunter, rolled on the trial, before I realized that my friends were all Horde. Darkshore pretty much killed my enthusiasm for Alliance - that and the nearly-dead AH.
SarahTheGnome Aug 3rd 2009 10:00AM
Gnomes and dwarves have been my first love, and will always be. I rolled alliance, and never regretted it, but I constantly would hear about how alliance were kiddies, we suck at PvP (we do in my battlegroup though), basically, we are terribad.
I was happy alliance side, and never had an issue. Sure there were lolboys (I'm on an RP server) but I sincerely doubted that there were none on horde side.
Then I caved.
I made an undead alt, and rolled horde side. After two years of hearing the propaganda I started believing it. Now, before I share my conclusion, let it be clear that this is just my opinion, I really am not claiming this is fact and the exact same for every server out there, this is just MY experience, so don't get angry.
I HATED horde side. I know a lot of hordies, and I love them all, but I did not like it there.
Everywhere I looked, I saw emo people. Everyone had a terrible childhood, and they felt a need to constantly share. It was like a competition of who is the unhappiest person alive.
I don't play the game to hear people whine the whole time. I tried, I tried to organise RP events on that side, but every event instigated emo-ness (I made up a word yes). A simple fishing night suggestion flared QQ all across the board.
I still respect the hordies I know, and I do respect horde side as well, I really do. I understand how hordies feel a real relation to their chosen faction, because I feel the same about alliance. But it is just not my cup of tea.
Bronwyn Aug 3rd 2009 10:15AM
Man I'm sorry you ended up on the wrong server for horde, is all I can say. Yikes!
Robert M Aug 3rd 2009 10:32AM
"Gnomes and dwarves have been my first love"
YOU ARE MY NEW HERO!
Dreyja Aug 3rd 2009 4:30PM
DWARVES!!! W00T!
Aarkan Aug 3rd 2009 10:04AM
I've only played alliance and gotten anywhere meaningful and my main is a night elf druid but since Blood Elves were announced as Paladins and Hero Classes were a fantasy I imagined hero classes being like the champion levels (I can't remember the exact name) in DAOC and you'd sort of augment your class and I wanted a Blood Elf Death Knight. When they let us make a DK on every server I rolled up my Blood Elf and played him a little over the months and the past few weeks I've been really playing him. Up to 72 now and seeing the Horde side of outland and northrend has been really cool. I'm also enjoying the omfgwtfbbq of DK leveling and using actual weapons and armor rather than just focus items for my shapeshift forms. Since I've only been leveling I've spent about 10minutes total in a major city so I don't know how different things feel as far as player interaction goes but every time I see an undead player I still try and kill it ;x
Chetti Aug 3rd 2009 10:18AM
I started out with a NE druid, that is my main. The friend who introduced me to the game had an ally toon, so I made one too. I really like my druid, having different forms to use or spells to cast, its fun. I started some hordes just a short while ago, the first was a blood elf mage (which I accidentally deleted.. long story, but it was only a lvl 3).. on a different server with another friend (a horde only friend) we started undead mages. My boyfriend and I have started blood elf warlocks also, which gave me the idea to start a human warlock to practice with when he doesn't have the time to play. In the few races/classes I've tried so far (i've only been playing for a year) I like the night elves and the blood elves, I think I just like spell casters... I do want to start a DK, I just haven't decided which facton or race.. Probably ally, but.. who knows.
Jaikara Aug 3rd 2009 10:12AM
I've rolled both Horde and Alliance and whilst my first char was a Nelf Hunter (forgive me, I knew so little back then), I have since enjoyed playing on both sides of the divide. Well except Humans... can't tell you how little I enjoy those porn star dorks.
I also couldn't agree more about Death Knights. They are OP and far too numerous these days but who hasn't had that moment of bloodthirsty glee when first experiencing the power!
Zarfay Aug 3rd 2009 9:19PM
I rolled a Blood Elf Death Knight. And I have no reason to dislike it.
People who refuse to play Blood Elves are either kids who want to be the bad guys or homophobes. I personally chose a Blood Elf Death Knight because unlike most Death Knights I come across I actually intend to tank. I prefer to look at my character tanking with a straight back unlike say, Undead or Troll.
Also, Blood Elf Death Knight /lol is pure win.
SarahTheGnome Aug 3rd 2009 10:39AM
Hahaha, I am neither a kid nor a homophobe, but I dislike belves. Purely for easthetic reasons though. I don't like the look. Same reason I don't like nightelves. Many many many people choose their chars based on how they look, nothing more, so people should not read too much into all of our race biases.
Robert M Aug 3rd 2009 5:11PM
What are you talking about? As a late 20’s gay guy, I do not, and doubt I will ever play a blood elf.
As an avid paladin lover, I don’t appreciate the ideas of stealing the light and bending it to do your bidding and I am not a fan of Sunstrider either. It has little to do with being a homophope. Last I checked with the BF, I wasn’t one. Need more proof?
I don’t play the humans, partly because I think of them as the Rachel Green’s (ya, the one from Friends) of the Alliance before she left Barry at the alter. Varian has become the epitome of that belief, it’s just a shame he hasn’t had to server coffee at Central Perk.
There are enough players who have male and female toons that drawing lines in the sand to describe players as kids or not kids or homophobes or not homophobes is ridiculously unfair.
I’d go so far to say that the real prejudice lies in the person who believes the races we choose are such exact representations of our WoW-less selves.
Ben Roethlisberger might play a blood elf, Doogie Howser just might play an orc, Danny Devito might roll tauren, and Michael Jordan may have a couple gnomes. They are toons and our choices probably have less to do with our sexuality or real life images than you might imagine.
Zombi Aug 4th 2009 2:14AM
If you intend to tank, why not roll tauren? With DG and Strangulate it's not like you'll actually need Arcane Torrent, and that Warstomp and passive stamina boost might come in handy after the nerfs DK tanks are about to receive...