Please make Living Shadow copy the player character's model

[CerusSerenade]

I think Living Shadow is Fray honestly. He was called from the regret in the WoL's heart in the level 70 job quest after all. Only he uses that particular claymore model too.

I don't mind it being a copy of our character too, I'm just throwing out the possibility.

[Gula]

NO!
*hisses*

[kamikrazy]

Why is every single character's "simulacrum of their darkside" a hyuran man? Especially if said character is a woman?

I just don't understand this design decision. There's no way that copying the player's character is too resource intensive either given that Ninja gets a fully colored second character model for Bunshin.

It’s Fray, not a copy of your character. It’s the WoL specific drk lore.

[Zwynfalk]

It’s Fray, not a copy of your character. It’s the WoL specific drk lore.

Yeah, I know. That's the problem.

I don't care about Fray. He was dead to begin with. No WoL ever met him.

Having Fray be the form of ever single character's Darkside is boring. It tosses the cool moment of the level 50 quest in the trash. Plus it's weird and gross gender-wise for female WoLs.

Yes, I know that Fray was already the form used in the level 70 quest. That sucked too. It was the icing on top of the crapheap of the 60-70 quests. From misgendering female characters to forcing characters to canonically feel sad about some dumb, horny elf getting himself killed, to failing to bring back the character-copy Darkside NPC, those quests were terrible.

This is the chance for the devs to finally make a good decision in regards to DRK again, and instead it's a job that I'll literally never touch unless they change this.

I will never stop being mad about the lore direction they've taken.

[Tizzy_Tormentor]

No thanks, I much prefer fighting alongside my mad lad Fray rather than a carbon copy of myself.

[Freyyy]

Come on is that the only alarming thing about ShB DRK for you ? We don't even see what race/gender it is since it wears a full set of armor on top of being a pitch black shadow. If you were a male Roe I could understand since there's a big difference in body shape/size but it's really far from being the most important issue about the job right now.

[Epperson]

This was so painful to read.

[Nullianac]

Alternatively, they could keep the coolest thing they've done for DRK yet by keeping Fray as the Living Shadow model. After all the job quests with him and story stuff, being able to actually fight alongside Fray in a non-instanced situation; even if it's only in a form like this; is the best choice thing I've seen yet. I'm glad they made the choice and wouldn't have it any other way; a great way to respect the lore for DRK while adding in a bit of fanservice.

[Kanitezz]

I want to throw somethin else in here too. After a bit of thought I kinda like the idea of Fray always being with you in a way. It hits me in the heart.

[HyoMinPark]

Considering lvl 70 story i think it makes perfect sense

The Level 50 quest has you fighting a copy of yourself. In the Japanese, it directly addresses you with:

I am you. The fear and hatred that you keep locked in the darkness of your heart, all the negative thoughts you deny… I am your shadow. You see, when you first touched that soul crystal, the darkness nurtured by the real Fray was invoked… and his desire to live reflexively stole some of your aether. He took not only your aether, but the darkness that lived in your heart… So I came to inhabit his body.

CREDIT for translation.

As for the Fray versus your Shadow Self argument—

In the level 50 quest, your Darkside tells you that they will be waiting should you ever call for them to “take the reins”.

…If this is how it must be, then so be it. But know that when you tire of this charade, I shall be here…waiting to take the reins… You need only ask…

In the level 70 quest, when you confront Myste in The Peaks, you’re given the choice to say “I tire of this charade”. Given this, it ties in more directly with the being that appears as “Fray” in the level 70 quest being your self that you fought in the level 50 quest.

We never knew the real Fray. The being that was with us all through the 30-50 quest chain was ourself.

Personally, the only reason I think they didn’t make Living Shadow a copy of our characters is “technical limitations”. Not the best excuse, but I’d rather see myself fighting alongside the Me I interacted with from level 30 to 50 and fought in the level 50 quest. That feels more touching, in my opinion.