Night elf (playable)

This article is about the playable race. For the night elf lore, see Night elf. For the in-game faction, see Darnassus (faction).

{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]]Night elves
{{#if:NelfHunt.webp|File:NelfHunt.webp}}
Character classes	Druid, Hunter, Priest, Rogue, Warrior
Main language	Darnassian
Secondary language	Common
Starting zone	Shadowglen, Teldrassil
Racial leader	[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:nightelf |night elf=NightElf |blood elf=BloodElf |high elf=HighElf |#default=NightElf}}{{#if:Female|_Female}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Tyrande Whisperwind [[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:nightelf |night elf=NightElf |blood elf=BloodElf |high elf=HighElf |#default=NightElf}}{{#if:Male|_Male}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Fandral Staghelm
Capital	Darnassus
Racial mount	[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:saber |night elf=NightElf |blood elf=BloodElf |high elf=HighElf |#default=Saber}}{{#if:|_{{{2}}}}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Nightsaber

The night elves of Darnassus are one of the playable Alliance races in World of Warcraft. Amongst the oldest races on Azeroth, this ancient people saw the world nearly sundered by their own reckless use of magic. Forsaking the primal magics of their past, the elves then went on to live harmoniously with nature. After thousands of years in isolation, the night elves eventually made contact with the younger races and found common goals alongside them, resulting in their Alliance with the races of men, dwarves, and gnomekind.

They start in Shadowglen, an area located inside the great tree Teldrassil. The elven capital is Darnassus, where their High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and Archdruid Fandral Staghelm lead their people. The night elves has long rode the mighty nightsaber, and their racial language is Darnassian. The Common tongue is a secondary language they share with their allies.

For the Alliance, the druid class is exclusive to the night elves.

Background

Creation screen description

Ten thousand years ago, the night elves founded a vast empire, but their reckless use of primal magic brought them to ruin. In grief, they withdrew to the forests and remained isolated there until the return of their ancient enemy, the Burning Legion. With no other choice, the night elves emerged at last from their seclusion to fight for their place in the new world.

Opening cutscene

For ten thousand years, the immortal night elves cultivated a druidic society within the shadowed recesses of Ashenvale Forest. Yet recently, the catastrophic invasion of the Burning Legion shattered the tranquility of their ancient civilization. Led by the Arch-Druid Malfurion Stormrage and the Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, the mighty night elves rose to challenge the demonic onslaught. Though victorious, the night elves were forced to sacrifice their cherished immortality and watch their beloved forests burn. Seeking to regain their immortality, a number of wayward druids conspired to plant a special tree that would reestablish a link between their spirits and the eternal world. Despite Malfurion's warning that nature would never bless such a selfish act. The druids planted the great tree, Teldrassil, off the stormy coasts of northern Kalimdor. Among the twilight boughs of the colossal tree, the wondrous city of Darnassus took root.

However, the great tree was not consecrated with nature's blessing and soon fell prey to the corruption of the Burning Legion. Now the wildlife and even the limbs of the great tree itself are tainted by a growing darkness. It is your sworn duty to defend Darnassus and the wild children of nature against the Legion’s encroaching corruption.

Character

Classes

• Druid
• Hunter
• Priest
• Rogue
• Warrior

Racial traits

Shadowmeld - instant - 1 min cooldown
Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or moving and remains active for 2 sec after either action.
Quickness - passive
Increases your attack speed, casting speed, movement speed and dodge chance by 1%.
Nature Resistance - passive
Nature resistance increased by 10.
Wisp Spirit - passive
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 50%.

Videos

{{#ev:youtube|5gQt3vxhYAs|Opening cinematic}}

Patch changes

• File:Expansion logo mysteriesofazeroth.png Patch 1.17.2 (2024-11-01): Shadowmeld now persists for 2 seconds after being canceled or moving. Cooldown increased from 10 seconds to 1 minute.