Garlean Playable Race (?)

[grinkdaboy]

throw in a retcon where the blessing of light/echo grants people that are aetherically challenged (like that lalafell from the blm questline) the ability to use aether normally

bing bang zoom done

it'd be even easier since they are literally elezen but with custom heads. even emet was recycled and made from the old couple in ishgard who sell hunt stuff. same skeleton and all. just give them hyur ears and the eye on their forehead and it's all done

[Theodric]

throw in a retcon where the blessing of light/echo grants people that are aetherically challenged (like that lalafell from the blm questline) the ability to use aether normally

That could potentially work. It wouldn't feel cheap to me, either, since the Echo is already something with near limitless potential.

As for the idea that Pureblood Garleans would be shunned and never welcomed during the MSQ's, I don't think that's the case. Certainly, the example of Alphinaud not supporting a Garlean playable character seems strange to me when he was prepared to travel to the heart of Garlemald itself to try and set up peace talks.

It's the equivalent of suggesting that nobody should be able to play an Imperial or High Elf in Skyrim because they're distrusted at the time of the game due to the civil war going on. But as we know from that game, not every High Elf is aligned with the Thalmor and not every Imperial is aligned with the Empire. To bring it back to FFXIV, that's the case with Pureblood Garleans as well. Not every Pureblood Garlean is aligned with Imperial Garlemald.

Personally I don't have a problem with their inclusion and actively support it. Others are free to disagree, of course, though I think it's pretty clear that neither side is going to change their mind - especially when many of the 'issues' and 'obstacles' are based around subjective plot elements.