Too Few Padjal - Source?

[Urthdigger]

I would imagine that, on top of the rarity of the race, another issue with making them playable is the responsibilities they have. A key aspect of our characters is their freedom to go where and when they choose. Padjal don't really have this freedom from what I've seen.

[Fleurette]

...another issue with making them playable is the responsibilities they have. A key aspect of our characters is their freedom to go where and when they choose. Padjal don't really have this freedom from what I've seen.

Not necessarily--the Padjal aren't entirely bound to the Twelveswood, as we see from Kan-E's traveling to Ul'dah for "The Black Wolf's Ultimatum" and the history of A-Towa-Cant, who traversed Eorzea in search of Elementals. Both are pretty special cases, though, since one is the Elder Seedseer and is supposed to be diplomatic, and the other, who, according to Gerolt, was very unorthodox in leaving the Twelveswood. But for the more traditional "stay in the Twelveswood" Padjal like E-Sumi and the other two Senna siblings, yes, they choose to stay there, probably because the Elementals are in the strongest concentration there.

I don't think it'd be possible for Padjal to be a playable race. If they were, they'd have to fight stuff all the time...and that's against the Pact of Gelmorra, which is like a treaty of pacifism for the Padjal--they aren't allowed to fight like adventurers can.

[AzureZenorag13]

Maybe im wrong, but wasnt it mentioned that one of the genders of one of the five races were also in short supply. If so how is that explained if there are alot of people running around as such? so I dont think it would be so farfetched as to have adventurers chosen by the Twelvsewood to be Padjali.

[Malrend]

The "limited" amount of female Roegadyn and Highlanders, as well as male Miqo'te has been slightly retconned with the advent of ARR.. So that is not exactly the same.

Anyway.. As can be seen from several tidbits mentioned by others, the lack of numbers is not the only thing speaking against the Padjali becoming a playable race.

[Mahri]

The lack of gender representation in some races (thankfully remedied!) was down to a cultural thing. The Padjal are pretty clearly a hyuran genetic mutation, understandably rare.

Funny though. The Galka race in FFXI (on which Roegadyn were based) appeared male-only, but were in fact asexual. They didn't reproduce but always had the same numbers thanks to reincarnation. Interestingly, you'd have young Galka that still retained knowledge of previous lives, leading to Padjal-ish situations where an apparent kid knows more than your grandma.

[ruinedmirage]

How can people even talk about being "chosen" in this game? From a lore standpoint, which one of us was the one who brought down Ifrit? Surely it couldn't have been all million people playing the game! I mean, in the story, there is only one Ifrit, and he was only a threat once (for simplicity sake, going with story mode). It could be just as conceivable that lots of people are "chosen" to become padjal if the times called for it. But my theory is a little more blunt:

I think the idea of a blood-soaked axe-wielding MRD padjal just seems dumb, given their nature (regardless of prior race).

[Urthdigger]

The lack of gender representation in some races (thankfully remedied!) was down to a cultural thing. The Padjal are pretty clearly a hyuran genetic mutation, understandably rare.

Funny though. The Galka race in FFXI (on which Roegadyn were based) appeared male-only, but were in fact asexual. They didn't reproduce but always had the same numbers thanks to reincarnation. Interestingly, you'd have young Galka that still retained knowledge of previous lives, leading to Padjal-ish situations where an apparent kid knows more than your grandma.

I believe they were actually male, but impotent. Also, they had to go on a journey to the desert to reincarnate, it's quite possible those who die violent deaths are a permanent reduction in numbers. Kinda sad really.

[Raestloz]

If Padjals are "ageless children", then surely Kann-E-Senna grows to adult for the purpose of being in that GC photoframe

[HumsterMKX]

If Padjals are "ageless children", then surely Kann-E-Senna grows to adult for the purpose of being in that GC photoframe

They do age to a certain point then stop. The process seems random. Some stop earlier then others.

[Enkidoh]

Yes, it's said that the padjal stop aging when they're 'chosen' by the elementals and are transformed into a padjal, so it's likely that this can happen at any time in a padjal's childhood while they're still a hyur, even in early puberty, which is probably the reason why Kan-E-Senna looks a little older than the other padjal, but still very much physically undeveloped - she was just 'chosen' by the elementals a little later in her life.