Alliance

The ancient and reclusive night elves have played a pivotal role in shaping Azeroth’s fate throughout its history. More than ten thousand years ago, their heroics during the War of the Ancients helped stave off the demonic Burning Legion’s first invasion. When the scattered remnants of the Legion on Azeroth rallied together with the vile satyrs centuries later, the night elves again rose to meet the threat. The ensuing War of the Satyr exacted a heavy toll from the night elves, but ultimately they vanquished the forces that had set out to wreak havoc on their world.

The Legion’s emergence, however, had forever changed night elven society. The night elves had resolved to shun the practice of arcane magic because its reckless use had attracted the Legion to Azeroth. They cultivated a peaceful, naturalistic existence along the slopes of Mount Hyjal under the leadership of Tyrande Whisperwind. For many long years, Tyrande oversaw night elven governance, ever vigilant for signs of further demonic incursions. Much of this time was spent apart from her love, Malfurion Stormrage, who, alongside his fellow druids, upheld the balance of nature from within the Emerald Dream.

The night elves’ tranquil existence was shattered again when the Burning Legion launched a new invasion of Azeroth. At the height of this conflict—known as the Third War—the Legion and its terrifying undead Scourge assaulted the night elves’ lands. After awakening Malfurion and his druids from their slumber in the Dream, Tyrande gathered the other night elves, and they fought alongside the Horde and the Alliance to defeat the demon lord Archimonde and his minions at the summit of Mount Hyjal.

Although victorious, the night elves suffered greatly from the battle. Their beloved World Tree Nordrassil, created and blessed by the Dragon Aspects Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu to grant the night elves immortality, had given off a massive blast of energy to slay Archimonde. To facilitate this colossal explosion, the night elves had chosen to forever sacrifice their protection from aging, disease, and frailty.

Over time, Nordrassil slowly began to heal its wounds, but a number of druids led by Fandral Staghelm desired to create another World Tree that would restore the night elves’ immortality. Malfurion warned against this act of self-interest, but when he suddenly fell into a coma, his spirit lost within the Dream, Fandral forged ahead with his plans unopposed. The second World Tree, Teldrassil, was planted off the northern coast of Kalimdor, and eventually it towered among the clouds.

Unlike Nordrassil, this new World Tree was not blessed by the Dragon Aspects, and thus it did not restore the night elves’ immortality. Rather, Teldrassil became tainted due to the Emerald Nightmare, a dark malady that had taken root within the Dream. In addition, it was learned that Malfurion’s dire ailment had been caused by this shadowy force. When he was finally awakened from his comatose state, Malfurion set about cleansing Teldrassil of its corruption, and he led efforts to contain the sinister Nightmare.

These momentous events have raised spirits throughout night elven society. Even so, this valiant race now faces many new challenges. Recent Horde attacks have seized night elven lands in Ashenvale, while areas along Kalimdor’s western coast have been decimated by the catastrophic upheavals unleashed in the wake of the Cataclysm. Still struggling to cope with the loss of their immortality, the night elves must prepare to stand against any threat as Azeroth itself breaks apart at the seams.

Start Location:Teldrassil

The loss of the first World Tree, Nordrassil, during the Third War ushered in a new era in night elven history—one in which this venerable race would no longer be immune to aging, disease, and frailty. As the night elves struggled to cope with their fate, Fandral Staghelm and a group of like-minded druids conspired to create a new World Tree that would restore the night elves’ cherished immortality. Through these druids’ efforts, Teldrassil was planted off the coast of northern Kalimdor, and the bulk of night elven society took up residence atop the new World Tree’s mighty boughs.

Teldrassil, however, was not blessed by the Dragon Aspects as Nordrassil had been, and thus the new World Tree did not change the fact that the night elves were mortal. Even worse, the World Tree and its inhabitants began to manifest signs of an unnatural ailment, later revealed to have been caused by the Emerald Nightmare. Much to the night elves’ dismay, it was discovered that Fandral had fallen to the Nightmare’s influence and had allowed Teldrassil’s corruption to take hold. Ultimately, Fandral’s wayward schemes were thwarted by the powerful archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, and Teldrassil was cleansed. To punctuate the victory over the Nightmare, the Dragon Aspects Alexstrasza and Ysera blessed the tree to ensure its vitality in the years to come. Yet as great and noble as this blessing was, it did not restore the night elves’ immortality.

Of late, Teldrassil’s recovery has slowed, and signs of the Nightmare’s corruption have resurfaced. Already burdened by political tension and the vast destruction unleashed by the Cataclysm, the night elves must now ascertain the cause of their beloved World Tree’s ailment and refocus their efforts on the dire situation facing Azeroth.

Home City:Darnassus

Atop the massive boughs of the second World Tree, Teldrassil, lies the wondrous city of Darnassus. The elegant bridges, beautiful groves, and leaf-covered pathways that dot the city’s landscape are testaments to the night elves’ reverence for nature. One of Darnassus’s most notable structures is the stunning Temple of the Moon, the center of worship for High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and her Sisters of Elune.

Darnassus is home to night elves of all vocations, and the city has recently opened its doors to human refugees from Gilneas as well. Many of these embattled humans have contracted a strange curse that transforms them into feral wolf-beasts known as worgen. Although they’re usually reclusive, the night elves have allowed these outsiders into Darnassus because they know the perils of the Gilneans’ cursed state all too well: it was, in fact, a group of night elf druids that created Azeroth’s first worgen millennia ago. Despite the arrival of these new residents, Darnassus remains a symbol of the night elves’ rich culture and glorious history.

Racial Mount:Nightsaber
Nightsabers are considered to be among Kalimdor’s most vicious creatures. In ancient times, none of the continent’s denizens was safe from these agile beasts’ swift and ruthless attacks. The night elves saw great potential in the ferocious nightsabers, domesticating the species’ finest pedigrees to act as battle mounts. In particular, the highly trained Sentinels used them to great effect while patrolling the borders of night elven lands. To this day, nightsabers remain an invaluable part of the night elves’ culture as companions, hunters, and mounts.
Leader:High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage

Since the War of the Ancients, High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and her mate, Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, have led the once-immortal night elves. Time and again, Tyrande’s and Malfurion’s wise guidance has helped the night elves prevail against the demonic Burning Legion and other perilous enemies. For many of the past ten thousand years, however, Tyrande has borne the mantle of leadership alone while Malfurion has spent long stretches of time preoccupied with his duties in the Emerald Dream.

Shortly after the Third War, Malfurion became trapped within the Emerald Nightmare, a shadowy affliction that had spread throughout the Dream. Due to Tyrande’s brave actions, Malfurion was later freed, leading to a grand reunion and wedding between the two leaders. Now, amid political turmoil, natural disasters, and violent Horde incursions into night elven lands, Malfurion and Tyrande are focused on leading their people into Azeroth’s uncertain future, just as they have done in ages past.

Night Elf Racial Traits
Shadowmeld

Slipping into the shadows and waiting for the right moment to strike is second nature to the elusive night elves.

Wisp Spirit

Fallen night elves assume the form of wisp spirits, which navigate the spirit world much faster than normal spirits.

Nature Resistance

Night elves have a natural resistance to Nature magic.

Quickness

The nimble night elves have a slight chance to completely avoid being hit by melee and ranged attacks.

Available Classes
These are the classes available to Night Elf player characters:
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Comments (2,324)

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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/8/2013
lore wise (before wow of course) almost all night elf females were exclusively warriors and hunters and rogues while all male night elves were druids.
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Bosenti
Nazjatar
Bosenti
3/9/2013
@Djsne: mabye during the warcrafts but before that and the sundering both night elf men and woman were warriors and mages druids did not exsist yet.
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Ratam
Scarlet Crusade
Ratam
3/8/2013
I LOVE Night elf lore, but I can't stand the way the males look in-game :/ (and I don't play female characters :P)
The Night Elf in the artwork at the top- THAT'S what I want to play.
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Thugstylin
Deathwing
Thugstylin
3/8/2013
Night Elves are strong ! Join the Horde !!!!!
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/8/2013
@Thugstylin: Impossible the main reason we joined alliance is to protect Ashenvale from the horde exclusively the Warsong orcs. Convincing us to join the horde would be like convincing you guys to switch to alliance.
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Makkizz
Saurfang
Makkizz
3/9/2013
@Djsne: Hate to agree with the Elf, but she is right the Night Elves will never join the Horde, they don't like us chopping down their trees. Personally I LOVE chopping down their trees, it warms my heart to chop down a forest as old as the planet.
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Epiktom
Gnomeregan
Epiktom
3/7/2013
I've always wanted a nelf priest or something, but i just can't get past how dull teldrassil and darkshore are. any tips?
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/7/2013
@Epiktom: Teldrassil is my favorite starting area with all the tall colorful trees and buildings. It's literally a giant tree with hundreds of other trees how cool is that. The lore behind it is also interesting: it's basically an attempt for the night elves to regain their immortality however they fail to do so and instead bring about many demons and other mischief's. The quest-lines are where you come into play and try to correct this mistake.
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Epiktom
Gnomeregan
Epiktom
3/7/2013
@Djsne: BORING!!!
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/7/2013
@Epiktom: Well you got no taste boy.
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Isilohtar
Doomhammer
Isilohtar
3/8/2013
@Epiktom: That's a good question: for the first 10 levels, you ''might'' have to suffer through Teldrassil; but after that, I pretty sure you can begin the opening missions of the Draenei, the Dwarves/Gnomes, and/or the Humans (I myself am fond of completing Teldrassil and then moving on to Azuremist and Bloodmist [the Draenei missions]). In any event, you should have some options after reaching level 10.
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Violine
Gilneas
Violine
3/8/2013
@Epiktom: NE starting zones are huge so there's lots of walking invoved. I'd recommend leveling the first 10 in a fun group.
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Goldskin
Boulderfist
Goldskin
3/5/2013
night elfs are prob the coolest race out there love their stories
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Akaveary
Maelstrom
Akaveary
3/5/2013
Love Night elf lore
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Drawen
Drakkari
Drawen
3/3/2013
This race deserves my respect, gives the whole horde fight without help from other races.
These elves are not to be taken lightly.
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Alphos
Doomhammer
Alphos
3/1/2013
I have a great amount of respect for the Kaldorei and admire the humble and tranquil demeanor with which they compose themselves (from an Alliance perspective, at least). Therefore, I'm surprised by the tone of some of the messages posted by certain Kaldorei on this forum: they convey a sense of arrogance and haughtiness that I would not expect coming from the ''Children of the Stars''. These posts, while espousing Kaldorei pride, seem to do a great disservice to the race's reputation.
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Chabash
Muradin
Chabash
3/1/2013
@Alphos: Best post on this page.

/applaud
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Gondril
Drak'thul
Gondril
2/27/2013
A word to the stupid Djnse, you can like a race, you dislike one, but you cant judge the players by the race they play, that's when the line between Normal intelligence to Stupidity gets crossed.
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
2/27/2013
@Gondril: So much for playing alliance you traitor.
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
2/27/2013
@Gondril: A word to you stop posting on different toons to act like you have support that's really immature and idiotic and use some common sense and logic as I have in the past. All you do is bash on me since you have nothing better to do with your life kid.
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Chabash
Muradin
Chabash
2/28/2013
@Djsne: If you actually had any common sense,you wouldn't be bullying other players. Just stay off the forums for a while,please.
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/5/2013
@Walerina: What a butthurt little kid your logic and observations are about preschool level jeesh I wonder how well your parents raised you.
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Epiktom
Gnomeregan
Epiktom
3/7/2013
@Walerina: I applaud thy noble efforts, priest.

/applaud
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Bloodhowl
Nazjatar
Bloodhowl
2/26/2013
A loon guide you. :)
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
2/26/2013
@Bloodhowl: You're just jealous that we are much more beautiful than you. Your entire race is plagued by demon blood which makes you green and your lives don't mean that much. Just look at how and where you live look at your homeland pretty much a landfill in the middle of a barren wasteland. Are you happy with your way of life I doubt it. Then compare it to ours a luscious land filled with streams and trees we live a wonderful and happy life so I would take the time to say this " it sucks to be you".
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Bloodhowl
Nazjatar
Bloodhowl
2/27/2013
@Djsne: I did not play this game to be pretty. The orcs choose Orgrimmar to be in Durotar on purpose. We did not want to become soft to endless resources. The Demon blood isnt there anymore the blood curse is lifted read your lore. The green skin is from demonic corruption and it started to happen before we drank the blood. Im completley happy with my life as a soldier of the horde destroying the soft pathetic excuse you night elves call a military. Enjoy your happiness while it lasts because the Orcs will take what they want and your forest is somthing we want.
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Kerindra
Drakkari
Kerindra
3/1/2013
@Bloodhowl: Lol, this man is saying stupid things.

The Horde (orcs tauren trolls, and some forsaken) are in Ashenvale from classic wow, and even they could not do anything against ONE race.

The horde needed leverage while the night elves were distracted by the cataclysm, and Protodrakes and magnataur used. Were it not for this distraction, did not win anything, Until wrathion recognize it.
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Chabash
Muradin
Chabash
3/1/2013
@Kerindra: Lol.The only reason Horde hasn't taken over Ashenvale is because the game's developers want it to be fair.Otherwise your whole race would be wiped out and Ashenvale would be looking like Durotar.
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Kerindra
Drakkari
Kerindra
3/1/2013
@Chabash: Not really, never had a chance against the night elves. The only reason that other territories taken Ashenvale was because they took advantage of the night elves were distracted by the cataclysm and the horde attacked with beasts of Northrend.

It is pathetic that they can not four races against one.

The night elves in Wacraft III could against humans and orcs at once, it is not surprising that at this time they can against four races of the horde.

Ah and set as developers excuse is pathetic.

:)
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Bloodhowl
Nazjatar
Bloodhowl
3/2/2013
@Kerindra: The Night elves are loosing. Your army is horrible, since vanilla the orcs force is described as pushing into Ashenvale not getting pused back. As to the four races against one its the warband not whole armies only metzen knows why the horde hasnt actually thrown its weight into Ashenvale if we did that we would beat you alot faster.
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Kerindra
Drakkari
Kerindra
3/2/2013
@Bloodhowl: Not really. The Warsong clan is the most powerful clan of orcs of the horde.

The night elves are not losing, in quest of the alliance falls apart everything that made the horde in their quest, not to mention that the horde and gave all his weight into ashenvale in the novel Wolfheart and the horde lost the battle.

Counting with Orgrimmar closer, and much of the horde is in place it is rare not to take anything (without taking advantage of a cataclysm or use Northrend Beasts of course).

A part of the night elves also have many battlefronts across Kalimdor, looking at the mountains, Darkshore, Ashenvale, Feralas, etc.
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Bloodhowl
Nazjatar
Bloodhowl
3/4/2013
@Kerindra: I may have underestimated the Night elves and they seem to be the forsaken of the Alliance able to hold thier own. A good fight would be the Forsaken versus the Nightelves.
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
3/5/2013
@Walerina: So this is the dumbest wow player I have ever met. I've been looking through the forums and realized that you post on your alts to make it seem that you have support. No one responds to you unless it's to insult you. I am 21, attend college, and work part time. speak about yourself and your life (how bad your life is idk and idc but I'll say this it sucks to be you). Humans are the most played race in game you probably haven't realized that by now because you have terrible logic. Playing one puts you in the overplayed zone.
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Kerindra
Drakkari
Kerindra
3/6/2013
@Bloodhowl: Ohhhhh Forsaken vs Night elves? awesome!!!, would be epic, because one represents death and the other represents life.

The real enemies of the orcs are humans, for me an orc against a human is an epic fight.
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Killsinpvp
Sisters of Elune
Killsinpvp
4/2/2013
@Bloodhowl: Kerinadra is sorta right, the night elves have held their own in ashenvale for as long as we've tried to push forward. They know it inside out, as they have been around longer than anyone else, and they have their ENTIRE military there, besides, the horde has not yet made that huge of a move against ashenvale yet. If they had, the alliance would have sent the rest of the races, including humans, dwarves,gnomes the whole lot. And not to mention the draenei, they are very close, and could easily help out the N-elfs :D But the horde would put up one hell of a fight.
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Rytlockie
Moonrunner
Rytlockie
2/26/2013
I love my Night Elf, don't know if I ever will make another class. :)
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
2/26/2013
@Rytlockie: race dear kaldorei
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Aberlour
Drak'thul
Aberlour
2/22/2013
Sorry Nelfs - you don't have /waggle.
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Djsne
Drak'Tharon
Djsne
2/24/2013
@Glenmorangie: Yeah we also don't have hooves fortunately.
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Kusanage
Kil'jaeden
Kusanage
3/1/2013
@Glenmorangie: very true :)