Gender locked race?

[cicatriz313]

* raises hand *

Final Fantasy XII was the first FF game I bought with my own money as a kid and ever since HW’s concept artwork was released I’ve wanted to see and play as a male Viera. imo, Hrothgar can be cool but Hrothgar will never be as cool as finally getting a male Viera in a Final Fantasy game.

I could see that. I don't think I ever even thought of the male Viera when playing 12, I was so into Fran's character and the idea of them communicating with the wood, plus I was young, that nothing else really came to mind lol. Also I never took the concept art to heart since there were so many different versions. Did you like the grown man versions or the little bunny boy version?

[JamiaHaab]

Cant wait til fanfest so we can end all the arguing for the sake of arguing and just ask the devs directly for male Viera/female Hrothgar endlessly until they give in.

[Gwenorai]

Yeah, the same thing for me as well. FF12 was the first FF I actually played all the way as a child/teen. I loved the Viera - and ever since I figured out there were males, I was just, wow, if the females are this badass and look like this then the males must be on another level. So yeah, I'm excited to see them expand on my favourite race in the FF universe. My want for male also stems from the fact as a female I don't actually like playing as 'female toons' they just irritate me.

When you've been waiting so long for them to reveal/expand upon something you really like, well excitement grows, and thus we end up here where the whole 'Are they going to do it? Are we finally going to see the male and put an end to all those years of wondering what they look like?' type of deal.

As for how the males looked like; I thought of the manly grown up version. Not the child version. I wanted them to be badass and rugged.

[Iscah]

O: But what if it isn't! I'd actually be really disappointed that they're going to add in another race - two races. And instead of having one of the new races have a spotlight in the important NPC role, it's another Miqote. Like get outta here, we seen plenty of you boys - kind of, since these madlads are supposed to be rarer than Viera testosterone.

Which is why it makes more sense if he's a pre-existing character who happens to be a Miqo'te, than a new character - and not even with a unique face, which seems unlikely for someone important enough to get a spot on the poster.

The tattoos are similar for sure, but not much else I would say. Pretty sure that hood is Ascian, so probably just the third Ascian we have yet to meet.

Also he's opposite Solus and the Ascians helped create his empire, so I would say probably linked.

As already covered, Solus most likely is that third Ascian, unless they're going to pull another one from somewhere.

The hood looks somewhat like the Ascian cloaks, but not really, and also resembles the (Allagan) Dreadwyrm Hood of Healing. The rest of the robes are quite different to what the Ascians wear - more drapey, more colourful and leaving the arms bare.

His position on the poster is probably the closest thing to a hint that he's on the Ascians' side, but it's also possibly deliberate misdirection, or simply for the sake of artistic balance. (The other matched pairs are more obviously connected, so it's possible that they're just the 'leftovers'.)

Yeah, it's what has me rather interested in just who he. If it's the Miqote, I'd be pretty interested in why they brought him back - though this would be tied into the Leak from the 'bad leaker' who people are simply dismissing regarding the crystal tower. Hence me hoping/thinking it's a male Viera instead. A male Viera could be an ascian - or rather the host of one.

The "bad leak" off Discord, yes - that also claimed Minfilia was coming back and was going to be the poster girl for 5.0...

Without double-checking, I think the main thing wrong with that post was the information about Blue Mage being a melee support DPS, but that's actually in BluFever's claims as well.

Who knows what's going on there, really.

Regardless of whether the leaks are right or just making some educated guesses, I was expecting we'd need to come back to the Crystal Tower at some point. There's the hanging plot point of Nero throwing away his magitek compass at the end of that story arc, only for it to detect something down below the tower.

[Theodric]

As for how the males looked like; I thought of the manly grown up version. Not the child version. I wanted them to be badass and rugged.

That's what I'm hoping for. Though given how the bunny suit was designed for male characters, I don't have high hopes.

I'll never stop pushing for true dad cats, though!

[Iscah]

Can you explain what makes you want male Viera? Is it the name? The lore behind them? Because that's all we have so far compared to Hrothgar. I would agree that Hrothgar is a weird race name.

I'd say it's just strange to have one and not the other. Even with the lore that says they go unseen, you can still start coming up with your own character's story that works around that idea.

And I like the appearance of them, from the concept art that has been posted - the tall ones that match the female design that's been implemented. They seem the more interesting design of the two. "Bunny girls" are... well, it's been done, but the male ones are more unique.

[Gwenorai]

-snip-

I'm not talking about Blufever, the bad leaker I'm talking about is the one who mentioned the crystal tower from what I recall. I don't remember Blufever mentioning it, just the discord chap whos leaks were pretty bad. They mentioned the crystal tower, bara cats, viera, gender locks - and some predictable information about new Eureka. Unless I'm missing something I honestly don't remember if they mentioned Minfilia? I will have to double check this.

[Lauront]

And the whole plot the Empire has is having all 'humanoid' races, become one like they once were? This wouldn't include Ronso - would it? No, they'd just be on the empire's 'kill list' because they worship primals.

I think there's a lot of misunderstanding surrounding what was said during that scene. Varis was basically outlining the Ascian agenda. The talk of races is misleading, and I think it was intended to simply make it sound more plausible that it was still him speaking than anything else; the whole "one race" thing is all very reminiscent of the Ardor and the Rejoinings that the Ascians believe are required to revive Zodiark. What would it matter, anyway, whether they fit into such a scheme?

Funny you should ask.... we've been discussing this over in the Lore forum and there's a definite candidate.

(Well, okay, I'm one of the main people arguing for it. But still.)

It's one of those few things we agree upon. As soon as someone reminded me of the NPC, it clicked, as he is a very near match. Any differences can be put down to the corruption the body appears to have experienced. It baffles me when people say they look nothing alike. Put aside the corruption, and they most certainly do. I wasn't aware of the Crystal Tower leaks until after it, but given that the Crystal Tower - with the right power source - could sustain a gate to the Void, it makes sense that it could be used for shard or time travel, with something of sufficient power... maybe like the Heart of Sabik.

That doesn't really mean anything since all the Ascian overlords are named after a Scion of Light in FFXII (sans Elidibus, after the host of Zodiark in Tactics, but his status as emissary makes him different from the overlords). Nabriales the Majestic, Igeyorhm the Martyr, Lahabrea the Abyssal Celebrant. In a very roundabout way, their titles as Scions of Light fit them (Nabriales' egotism, Igeyorhm's death in the very same patch we the WoL meet her), so they could be going the Irony route with Emet-Selch by making the "Angel of Truth" actually be in charge of all the lies surrounding the Garlean Empire... or since the second he showed up in game was to reveal the truth behind those lies...

Indeed, and the dark esper associated with him is associated with death - given his fondness of the Black Rose, we can see where that might go. Their names may tie into their true origins, which we will learn more of in 5.0.

Assuming Solus is Emet-Selch (there's multiple Overlords left, that we have yet to encounter, but it makes sense that he may be one of the top brass), the robed figure could be Elidibus, if there is Ascian possession. Control over the Crystal Tower would certainly provide one a reason to engage in such possession. The Allagan flair to the robes would not be amiss either. I'm partial to the view that Elidibus is going to give Zenos's body back to him when he realises he's returned, simply because their current agenda aligns... possibly powering him up a little, and then claim another body. Of course, a lot could change once the mechanism behind the transition to the WoD is explained and the mysterious voice revealed.

[Rokke]

I could see that. I don't think I ever even thought of the male Viera when playing 12, I was so into Fran's character and the idea of them communicating with the wood, plus I was young, that nothing else really came to mind lol. Also I never took the concept art to heart since there were so many different versions. Did you like the grown man versions or the little bunny boy version?

With 12 itself I was far more into the girls because they were all that there was to enjoy. Eventually got wind of the Ultimania notes and hoped that we'd get to see the dudes in some form eventually, the concept art and reveal that they had been considering implementing them as a playable race had me over the moon.

The concept art had 3 main versions- buff option, wiry option, and tiny cutesy option. I interpreted the cutesy ones as npc kids so I never held out for them but either of the "grown" males or even a combination of the 2 would have been great by me.

[Iscah]

I'm not talking about Blufever, the bad leaker I'm talking about is the one who mentioned the crystal tower from what I recall. I don't remember Blufever mentioning it, just the discord chap whos leaks were pretty bad. They mentioned the crystal tower, bara cats, viera, gender locks - and some predictable information about new Eureka. Unless I'm missing something I honestly don't remember if they mentioned Minfilia? I will have to double check this.

Okay we're talking about different things then, I think. I meant this one that got posted to my FC's Discord around the time Blufever's leaks were coming out.

https://m.imgur.com/a/CWHVfir

Thought it was a leak, then thought it wasn't because the blue mage info was wrong, but then it's been right about the other "wild lore prediction" of Minfilia's return.