wow The Unofficial Race/Species Evolution Chart 2.0

[Stan 5,239]

Tedecamp613 has put together an unofficial race/species evolution chart for WoW lore enthusiasts.

The image is huge and you must zoom in multiple times to see all the little details, but it's definitely worth it if you're interested in Warcraft lore!

Source: Reddit

[Arcling 898]

Seems rather inconsistent, it shows species, but includes individual characters into it. Some connections are also quite strange. For example, Ethereals leading to Void Elves. Void Elves only acquired power from the same source, but aren't related to them in any way. Also, a lot of it is based on assumption, since not every species had their origin explained. We mainly know that all playable ones are related to Titans in one way or another.

[Dahaka99 49]

Really wonder what will Denatrius is planning he survived and saved inside Remonia (sword) and the dreadlords stole it but after that we dont know nothing.

[azatoth668 2]

Ethereals are responsible for the creation of voidelves because they taught them I think.

[SidonisAntares 290]

15 hours ago, Arcling said:

Seems rather inconsistent, it shows species, but includes individual characters into it. Some connections are also quite strange. For example, Ethereals leading to Void Elves. Void Elves only acquired power from the same source, but aren't related to them in any way. Also, a lot of it is based on assumption, since not every species had their origin explained. We mainly know that all playable ones are related to Titans in one way or another.

Alleria learned much of what she would need to control the Void rather than fall to it from Locus-Walker, a Void Ethereal.

[Perak 25]

9 hours ago, Dahaka99 said:

Really wonder what will Denatrius is planning he survived and saved inside Remonia (sword) and the dreadlords stole it but after that we dont know nothing.

I just hope that he will not show up in future like Arthas in Shadowland. Bc if yes, than there will be realy bgt riot. Denatrius as a eccentric character were prety popular 🙂 same as Bwomsandi (who got extra place in shadowlands when there were no original plans for that 🙂 ) .

[Arcling 898]

3 hours ago, SidonisAntares said:

Alleria learned much of what she would need to control the Void rather than fall to it from Locus-Walker, a Void Ethereal.

Exactly! She learned from him, not evolved from. Another thing, this tree shows some species as naturally evolved. Hard to say which is natural with so much magic involved.

[SidonisAntares 290]

On 4/9/2024 at 11:57 AM, Arcling said:

Exactly! She learned from him, not evolved from. Another thing, this tree shows some species as naturally evolved. Hard to say which is natural with so much magic involved.

Well the kaldorei evolving from dark trolls due to exposure to the Well of Eternity rather than through deliberate spellcasting is a case for evolution based on environmental conditions. The queldorei are abandoned moon worship and by extension their nocturnal existence, causing their purple skin to evolve over time to the same pinkish hues as other diurnal races in northern climes.

The sindorei and shaldorei could be considered mutations (albeit viable ones), due to a combination of concentrated exposure and regular magic usage (Sunwell and Nightwell respectively), but lacking the deliberate intent to cause that kind of change.

Satyrs however, are a transformation of kaldorei through the intentional use of fel magic as a catalyst. Had they come about due to continuous exposure to fel magic over an extended time it would be evolution. If they came to it due to concentrated exposure plus deliberate usage of fel magic, it would be a mutation.

Either way, magic is just another environmental factor, albeit one that can be used with deliberate intent to cause a biological transformation.

[Arcling 898]

1 hour ago, SidonisAntares said:

Well the kaldorei evolving from dark trolls due to exposure to the Well of Eternity rather than through deliberate spellcasting is a case for evolution based on environmental conditions. The queldorei are abandoned moon worship and by extension their nocturnal existence, causing their purple skin to evolve over time to the same pinkish hues as other diurnal races in northern climes.

The sindorei and shaldorei could be considered mutations (albeit viable ones), due to a combination of concentrated exposure and regular magic usage (Sunwell and Nightwell respectively), but lacking the deliberate intent to cause that kind of change.

Satyrs however, are a transformation of kaldorei through the intentional use of fel magic as a catalyst. Had they come about due to continuous exposure to fel magic over an extended time it would be evolution. If they came to it due to concentrated exposure plus deliberate usage of fel magic, it would be a mutation.

Either way, magic is just another environmental factor, albeit one that can be used with deliberate intent to cause a biological transformation.

Sure, Night Elves' evolution can be considered somewhat natural, although Well of Eternity comes from Azeroth Titan's blood. So it is magic, but it became a part of planet's environment. Troll origins are less clear, they possibly emerged from some of these life conservatories that Titans left behind, to stimulate growth of life on Azeroth. They probably also came from Well of Eternity and then those who remained close to it eventually became Night Elves. High Elves' change of skin color was due to arcane and their usage of Sunwell, so this one goes to magical category.

As for Blood Elves, they aren't a mutation, because they simply renamed themselves from High Elves (but they are still a mutation of Night Elves). After destruction of Sunwell, they tried to rely on different sources of magic (draining arcane from mana wyrms, fel crystals and light from imprisoned Naaru), but after Sunwell's restoration they no longer have a need for these. Only their eyes change depending on the magic they use (or don't, because now they can have various colors of eyes), but they aren't physically different from High Elves. I guess only Nightborne are a mutation, because they are a bit different physically from Night Elves, but not too much. Void Elves are High Elves infused with Void magic, but only some of them have changed their skin color, otherwise they are identical to High Elves, so technically both Blood and Void Elves are High Elves.

[SidonisAntares 290]

32 minutes ago, Arcling said:

Sure, Night Elves' evolution can be considered somewhat natural, although Well of Eternity comes from Azeroth Titan's blood. So it is magic, but it became a part of planet's environment. Troll origins are less clear, they possibly emerged from some of these life conservatories that Titans left behind, to stimulate growth of life on Azeroth. They probably also came from Well of Eternity and then those who remained close to it eventually became Night Elves. High Elves' change of skin color was due to arcane and their usage of Sunwell, so this one goes to magical category.

As for Blood Elves, they aren't a mutation, because they simply renamed themselves from High Elves (but they are still a mutation of Night Elves). After destruction of Sunwell, they tried to rely on different sources of magic (draining arcane from mana wyrms, fel crystals and light from imprisoned Naaru), but after Sunwell's restoration they no longer have a need for these. Only their eyes change depending on the magic they use (or don't, because now they can have various colors of eyes), but they aren't physically different from High Elves. I guess only Nightborne are a mutation, because they are a bit different physically from Night Elves, but not too much. Void Elves are High Elves infused with Void magic, but only some of them have changed their skin color, otherwise they are identical to High Elves, so technically both Blood and Void Elves are High Elves.

There were multiple generations between the exile from Nordrassil before the vial given to them by Illidan was used to create the Sunwell. Good old web archives.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080109074127if_/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com:80/info/encyclopedia/429.xml

Quote

The Founding of Quel'Thalas
Gradually the exiled Highborne developed striking differences from the night elves. Cut off from the new Well of Eternity, they diminished in height, and their skin lost its characteristic violet hue. In addition, the elves lost their resistance to injury and illness, and they became mortal. Many of the elves died from exposure or starvation during their long journey. In addition to these hardships, the elves were forced to flee the site of their first settlement, Tirisfal Glades, due to a mysterious evil influence that drove many of their number mad.

As they pressed further inland, the elves developed a blood feud with the cunning forest trolls of Zul'Aman, who controlled most of the northern reaches of Lordaeron. Finally the exiled elves reached a region whose forestland reminded them of their distant homeland in Kalimdor. They drove out the resident Amani trolls, founded the kingdom of Quel'Thalas, and began calling themselves high elves. They also crowned Dath'Remar as their first monarch.

In spite of the hardship they had endured, the high elves remained determined to continue their spellcasting, for they had come to consider arcane power their birthright. Using a vial of sacred water stolen from the first Well of Eternity, they created a fount of mystical power at a convergence of powerful ley energies in Quel'Thalas. They named this fountain the Sunwell. Although it was weaker by far than the first Well of Eternity, the Sunwell's potent arcane magic fed and strengthened the high elves.

[Arcling 898]

17 hours ago, SidonisAntares said:

There were multiple generations between the exile from Nordrassil before the vial given to them by Illidan was used to create the Sunwell. Good old web archives.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080109074127if_/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com:80/info/encyclopedia/429.xml

Oh yes, I remember this. You are correct about Illidan's vial. This is old lore though, so not sure how much of this still holds up. Chronicle had some changes (even though this is also uncertain, since then they added new material as well that Chronicle doesn't mention). After leaving Kalimdor, their bodies became to change and they started to feel unwell without their source of magic, so in this case it wasn't natural for them. Again, lines blur here a bit, because magic was part of their nature, so their change into High Elves wasn't exactly natural evolution (or devolution?).

Edited April 16 by Arcling