Please implement long, more creative hairstyles and make Au'Ra females taller.

[Terrini]

Also, I will say I absolutely hate the vast gender height difference. This was so obviously a last-minute change that was not thought-out. Yes, FF XIV requires a sense of disbelief, but I still have real trouble accepting that the male and female au'ra we have are the same race. It was like adding a Luchador (Greco) to Chrono Cross. Yes, that was awesome, but it really didn't make sense. XD

There really is no basis to believing that the petite Au Ra female is a last minute change. In fact the opposite has EVIDENCE because before any information on Au Ra was released to the public Yugiri was presented in game as a dainty petite female ninja type of an unfamiliar race. If anything the male disparity is the true disappointment... I was hoping for equally small and petite males.

[Shouko]

There really is no basis to believing that the petite Au Ra female is a last minute change. In fact the opposite has EVIDENCE because before any information on Au Ra was released to the public Yugiri was presented in game as a dainty petite female ninja type of an unfamiliar race. If anything the male disparity is the true disappointment... I was hoping for equally small and petite males.

Because the Au Ra character models were not ready even for demonstration until December 2014, while patch 2.2 was released some nine months prior, on a technical level the model used to represent Yugiri in her appearances in patches 2.2 and 2.4 is actually that of a heavily-modified female Miqo'te, utilizing a custom-built tail, gloves, tunic and headpiece. The headpiece ensures no facial expressions are obvious, but the general posture, idle, and talk animations for Yugiri utilize the standard Miqo'te animation skeleton.

[Terrini]

Because the Au Ra character models were not ready even for demonstration until December 2014, while patch 2.2 was released some nine months prior, on a technical level the model used to represent Yugiri in her appearances in patches 2.2 and 2.4 is actually that of a heavily-modified female Miqo'te, utilizing a custom-built tail, gloves, tunic and headpiece.

But even so, the fact that Yugiri's body type was meant to be similar to Miqo'te was made canon long before any actual information was revealed. People used her shrouded silhouette to make guesses as to what the race was. My point is that the revelation of Yugiri proves that the bigger more dangerous concept art of the Au Ra female was considered and already scrapped before they brought this character into the story. They had already made the decision to make females of the race small and delicate.

The lore of female Au Ra's is written that they are MUCH smaller than the males. Personally, I love their design and find them to be anything but a Miqo'te with scales and horns. Female Au Ra's were the only other race that caught my interest, but I ended up going midlander because I don't like having a tail.

I also love the lore that came out in Stormblood on the race and it makes perfect sense as to why they are as they are. I would have enjoyed a midlander/highlander racial clan split where Raen are small and delicate and Xaela are big and fierce... but I love the story from the Azim Steppe quite a bit, and it would not have worked with that kind of clan racial difference.

[Tsumdere]

But even so, the fact that Yugiri's body type was meant to be similar to Miqo'te was made canon long before any actual information was revealed. People used her shrouded silhouette to make guesses as to what the race was. My point is that the revelation of Yugiri proves that the bigger more dangerous concept art of the Au Ra female was considered and already scrapped before they brought this character into the story. They had already made the decision to make females of the race small and delicate.

It doesn't mean much since they use the models of other races for certain NPCs. Minfilia and Lyse are Highlanders yet they use the Midlander model. Nero is also another example as he is a Garlean but they use the Elezen model for him.

[Shouko]

But even so, the fact that Yugiri's body type was meant to be similar to Miqo'te was made canon long before any actual information was revealed. People used her shrouded silhouette to make guesses as to what the race was. My point is that the revelation of Yugiri proves that the bigger more dangerous concept art of the Au Ra female was considered and already scrapped before they brought this character into the story. They had already made the decision to make females of the race small and delicate.

That's the point I was making, I'm saying that the initial reason it was like that was because it was based off the Miqo'te. Personally I would rather have the concept art looking models, they just scream dragon-like race. They could have made the Xaela be the concept art style and the Raen be the ones we have now, think the highlanders and the midlanders for the Hyur, that way both worlds would be happy and it would be more fitting lore wise.

[ScarletDawn]

Hairstyles: Yes!

Taller female Au'Ra: NO!

[Xerek]

Hairstyles: Yes!

Taller female Au'Ra: NO!

...and this is why you won't see the au'ra changed. They've been in the game as-is for a couple years now. And while there are people that don't like the current design it would be completely unfair to take that away from the people that currently do. They were presented the au'ra as they are now as a new playable race and in good faith chose them.

So, while I think SE really should have gone with the original design and consider the genders horribly mismatched, it's far too late to change their design now. About the only way I could see them doing it would be to add a third au'ra clan to character creation, containing more the original design and smaller height difference, in a way similar to how highlander hyurs differ from midlanders. But the moment you do that, people are going to start yelling for the others races to get a third clan, too.

[Naunet]

Hairstyles: Yes!

Taller female Au'Ra: NO!

Letting them be taller wouldn't hurt you.

[ErryK]

Letting them be taller wouldn't hurt you.

She plays a female Au Ra tho... she already prefers them the way they are.

[Naunet]

She plays a female Au Ra tho... she already prefers them the way they are.

Letting them be taller does not change how her own character looks.