Not my work.
This explains
1.) Why the Blood Elves are 'Evil' (to the Alliance anyway, If you play Horde like me, the correct term is "Good".)
2.) How they will be different...In a cool way
3.) The Thirst..
"The entire race, once known as the High Elves, was nearly wiped out when their homeland was crushed by the Undead (as depicted in Warcraft III. The High Elves were dependant on the "Sunwell" for their magical energies, and after Arthas used it to resurrect the Lich Kel'Thuzad, it was consumed. What remained of the Elven population was a wreck: like junkies without a hookup, the best among them were like zombies and the worst went insane. With no magical energies to draw from, they grew desperate.
Then a hero rose from among their ranks, named Kael'thas Sunstrider (Kael for short). Kael taught his people how to tap into their own ambient magical energies, and how to suck the mana from creatures around them for sustenence. Like magical vampires, the High Elves -- renamed the Blood Elves in honor of their fallen dead -- learned to survive.
But the ****thirst**** for more magic is always within them, like a demon. This ****unquenchable thirst**** is a big part of the Blood Elf mythos: even as a level one character, you're introduced to it. Those who learn to control its power will thrive, whereas those who don't are headed for misery. "The Winnowed" are what the Blood Elves call those who have become hopelessly addicted to magic and insane. "Control your thirst for magic," Arcanist Helion explained to us at the start of a quest at Sunstrider Isle. "It is a thirst unending."
So, how is this reflected in gameplay? ........All Blood Elves have a racial ability to suck magical energy from magic-using creatures......... This "Mana Tap" ability will drain mana from a target creature, and that energy will be stored in your body. You can stack several mana taps together. A second racial ability helps you channel that energy: "Arcane Torrent" expels the energy from a tap into some sort of class-specific bonus. As a Warlock, when I used the Arcade Torrent, I silenced all nearby creatures for several seconds and regained a huge amount of mana. Warriors could use it to generate rage, and Rogues would generate energy.
Thus, Blood Elves play the game in a whole different way. Often you'll detour past some magical creatures in order to suck them dry. Then, you'll carry that energy around like a giant battery, expending it in the heat of combat when you need it the most. As for the negative drawbacks to this power... well, we'll have to wait and see."
