Garlean Physiology

[Absimiliard]

Zenos seems to be a special case even among garleans, but yes, Garleans seem to be physically superior with the weakness of not being able to use aether.

The garlean scientist guy in SB alludes to this. At the time I thought it may have just been propaganda, but then Hien also makes a comment about it not being fair that 'Zenos' i 4.5 has both a garlean body and magic.

I had noticed that line from Hien as well. There is a lot of debate about it now. The general consensus, at least on Balmung, seems to be that it isn't canon until something comes out that confirms it. But uh... When you've got both a renowned scientist and a well respected king - a warrior-king, no less - commenting on the power of Garlean bodies, it makes you think.

[Bright-Flower]

I had noticed that line from Hien as well. There is a lot of debate about it now. The general consensus, at least on Balmung, seems to be that it isn't canon until something comes out that confirms it. But uh... When you've got both a renowned scientist and a well respected king - a warrior-king, no less - commenting on the power of Garlean bodies, it makes you think.

Hien's comment is what solidifies it for me. The scientist guy you could argue as being biased, but Hien? I don't think he would buy into garlean propaganda like that. Plus, greater strength would help to offset them not being able to use aether to some degree.

[Absimiliard]

Hien's comment is what solidifies it for me. The scientist guy you could argue as being biased, but Hien? I don't think he would buy into garlean propaganda like that. Plus, greater strength would help to offset them not being able to use aether to some degree.

It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. Even if they didn't already have their increased physical abilities from the start, I'd wager being driven out into such harsh lands by the other aether-enabled races would've lead to them becoming quite a bit hardier over generations.

[Enkidoh]

Hien's comment is what solidifies it for me. The scientist guy you could argue as being biased, but Hien? I don't think he would buy into garlean propaganda like that. Plus, greater strength would help to offset them not being able to use aether to some degree.

Remember though that scene was not actually even the real Zenos but Elidibus in Zenos's body, so the 'magic' he used was Elidibus drawing on his own Ascian powers rather than relying on his Garlean host (in much the same way when Lahabrea possessed Thancred back in ARR he used Ascian powers rather than Thancred's). So Hien's "no fair" comment is still right as 'Zelidibus' was basically superpowering himself in having the best of both worlds - a Garlean's superior physical strength and stamina (from Zenos's body), and Ascian magic (from Elidibus), and Hien had already eluded to earlier about "an Ascian wearing Zenos's face" so he outright knew the person he was facing was not actually Zenos at all but an Ascian in a Zenos-meatsuit.

Rule of thumb with the Ascians seems to be that even though they need a physical host to inact force on the corporeal realm, once they have a host though that Ascian is free to draw on their considerable magic power regardless of the native power of the host body they happen to be inhabiting.

[Bright-Flower]

Remember though that scene was not actually even the real Zenos but Elidibus in Zenos's body, so the 'magic' he used was Elidibus drawing on his own Ascian powers rather than relying on his Garlean host (in much the same way when Lahabrea possessed Thancred back in ARR he used Ascian powers rather than Thancred's).

Rule of thumb with the Ascians seems to be that even though they need a physical host to inact force on the corporeal realm, once they have a host though that Ascian is free to draw on their considerable magic power regardless of the power of the host they happen to be inhabiting.

Yeah I know it was Elidibus using his ascian magic, but it was still a garlean body using ascian magic, Hien's comment makes no sense if pureblood garleans don't have high physical strength.