Quote Originally Posted by Alucard135 View Post
What does gender-locked classes and race-locked classes have in common? Both have a feature (class in this case) in the game that you’re locked from accessing by either a gender or a race.

Now for the term gender-locked race to be correct (which I stated in my reply), there has to exist a model of the gender that you’re not able to access (locked from). If a male Viera NPC was to be seen in the game files, then the feature exists, and you’re locked from it. The only thing that exist for male Viera in this case is lore only.
Heres the logic

Race = A
Class = B
Gender = C

A class being locked to a Race = Race locked Class (A x B)

A Class being locked to a Gender = Gender Locked class. (C x B)

Logically

A Race being locked to a Gender = Gender Locked Race (C x A)

The structure demonstrated is something being limited to another facet, you can say it is Locked. That's the semantics argument. If the core criticism is saying "Genderlock" =/= "genderlocked race", then thats a contextual issue in regards to the discussion that isnt being addressed, since this game does not lock any class to a race or gender, so the Class aspect is irrelevant, and what we can discuss is Gender and Race.



Im pulling the semantics argument here specifically to point out the logic being used and why it is self defeating. If were strictly talking about semantics, what I illustrate above discredits the semantics point broadly. Instead, the big crucial caveat that youre trying to push is the game asset has to exist for it to be locked, an then turning the focus to the 'locked aspect' being used literally, rather than figuratively. Consider WoW, if a race cannot be a certain class, it is not race locked class if you include the assets point caveat because there is no in game asset for that race/class combination (and for clarity assets here is certain attack animations which do differ which is cosmetic assets). If we talk about mechanics, such as skills, then that falls apart in FFXIVs case cause there is no racial skills/passives, as class is purely cosmetic.

So if your argument flies for WoW is based on a selection choice, but only with gameplay mechanics and doesnt need to worry about cosmetics (animations, look and feel, etc), then it doesnt work with ffxiv as race is a purely cosmetic choice. If this argument about assets works for FFXIV and it is about cosmetics included, then WoW (or any MMO which does this) is race or gender locked to the max if the cosmetics between races/genders differs, making the term meaningless. As another quick example, Vindictus is not gender locked because some of those classes do not have a male equivilant assets....except in common discussions it is referred as such. See why if you include the asset portion it doesnt work half the time, and it's also depends on how you consider assets.

If we go by broad basics, where there is credible inference that a race and class exist, but that combination cant be played, then racelocked class makes sense. Much like if we go broad and say gender and race are options, but certain combinations cannot be played, then its gender locked.