I realized none of the FFXIV races appeal to me, anyone else?

[AmiRose]

Now before I start, let me say I do appreciate how most of them look and I'm in no way trying to bash Square Enix on this. I'm aware this is a personal issue.
I'm also aware some people might think "Who gives a damn" but I would really like to know how other people feel and if they might have/had the same problem.


Over the course of years, I have used Fantasias quite a bit. I used to think it was due to me liking how they all look and that it was making me indecisive but I realize now it's because none of them hit the sweet spot.

I personally love playing Elves or small races (what they are called depends on the game) but neither Elezen nor Lalafell fully appeal to me.
Elezen, just like Elves in general, can feel very elegant but I don't like their faces and I cannot get over their neck and animations.
Lalafells are adorable when played by other people but when I try I cannot get over the "toddler" walk and neither do I feel like they portray what I wish to portray when I want a more badass/edgy look.

Miqo'te are very cute and all of their customization/animations/emotes are good. It's no wonder they are that popular. Butt.. that is also where my issue lies.
Currently, I'm playing a Miqo'te and I see a twin version of myself (minus skin/hair/eye) every 2 minutes. It makes me wish even more for more in-depth customization.

Au ra have an entire problem of their own with the horns not being separated from the faces and as you might guess, yes I'm one of those who suffers from their fav face being stuck to horns I don't like and vice versa.

Viera is a very limited race and therefore I already cannot play it. I want to be able to use my unlocked and bought hairstyles as well as hats. Other than that, very beautiful race.

Hyur, well.. they have nothing that stands out to me. I know, they are just your everyday human race and I get it but that never appealed to me as much in fantasy MMO's.

and unfortunately, Roegadyn is just not my cup of tea.

This makes it so whenever I decide on a race, I start seeing the things I don't like about it then I get tempted by another race because "the grass seems greener", just to end up not liking it again because "insert reason here".
It has been a never ending cycle so far. All the races have something that I either like but also dislike or is not my cup of tea period and I feel this is mostly due to the lack of "real" customization options.

Anyone else has/had this problem? and if you had, how did you overcome it?

[Jybril]

I personally love playing Elves or small races

So Loli's?
Not shaming. Just wondering if that's what you meant.
Or the Elin's from TERA maybe?

[AmiRose]

So Loli's?
Not shaming. Just wondering if that's what you meant.
Or the Elin's from TERA maybe?

No not Loli's, I think? I did play Elin in Tera, Lyn in Blade and Soul and Dwarves in a couple of other games but some people would also call all those Loli's so ehm. I don't know!

[Berteaux_Braumegain]

I had the same issue when I started. Elezen bothered me the least, though, so I just went with that and got used to it.

[Nedkel]

Oh look, a miqote is trying to find her own self how cute.

If you are not going to accept the bads, you dont deserve for the bests.

[AmiRose]

Oh look, a miqote is trying to find her own self how cute.

Just a cat with an identity crisis. Very nice Elezen though! ^^

[Nedkel]

Just a cat with an identity crisis. Very nice Elezen though! ^^

I can give you two tips how to solve your elezen problem.

First: Wear a something on neck to make look ton better
Second: wear high heels on elezen, so animation actually is going to make a big sense and you will not want to change it for anything else. I cannot imagine how other races could run so "manly" in heels.

Thanks btw :P

[Sated]

I had a similar disconnect when I started playing.

Right now I'm extremely happy and I can't imagine ever using a fantasia (except to change eye color or ear length or something equally frivolous).

For many people I think the race that they enjoy might be considered based on glams, animations, job/race aesthetic pairings, or any number of things (which I also care about and consider) but ultimately for me, finding The Right One was a lot of reflection on:
- How I perceive myself and what I'm comfortable projecting onto
- What makes a satisfying WoL for me in the MSQ

Longer version/history, because I didn't start this way:
I wanted to start as femqote because I played a mithra in XI, but I was very uncomfortable playing miqo'te in FFXIV - I do not enjoy it. I tried again recently, making an alt of her at the end of SB based on my original mithra but despite the nostalgia I have for her she's still at 71 because the disconnect is so huge. I like her but I do not want to play or be her.

So when I started FFXIV I tried a lala to mimic my old taru alt instead. I loved her very much as a character and enjoyed running around Eorzea as a lalafel, but she never felt like the WoL to me. The MSQ I did on her (ARR through SB) never really landed the way it should - the way it does now.

Toward the end of SB I returned to FFXIV after returning and quitting each expansion (for what is likely the final time, I am so happy now) and realized I needed to change to a character that really clicked with me to enjoy the story. I did not think it was going to be elezen. The growth spurt from lala to elezen was originally very off-putting, and I had never mained a male character before either, but it works for me. It works so perfectly.

I also now have a catboy who I enjoy immensely, despite the fact that (like previous characters) he doesn't feel like the WoL to me - watching cutscenes were he's referring to in such high regard is actually so jarring that I end up skipping a lot of my second playthrough on him, but the point is that I enjoy my first playthrough on my elezen to its fullest now.

I'm not sure what advice to give other than keep an open mind, what works for you may not be something you expect to enjoy, but also don't go broke trying to find that out either.

Personally I hate using fantasias... Each character I create is with purpose, backstory, and personality, so to change their race erases so much of that for me. I might eventually have an alt I want to re-purpose after years of not playing them but I can't imagine ever using a fantasia on my main now that he's fully realized.

[Puksi]

Square is unfortunately too afraid to give us many options that aren't smoothed down to an anime aesthetic. My solution is to try to make the least popular face work, and it usually does! I haven't encountered a "twin" of either of my mains. But for Miqos, I do not envy you THAT challenge, lmao.

[reivaxe]

The way I see it cats are popular because they're the best non-boring-human option. Elezen can look good ... when they're standing still. Viera are elezen with slightly better bods + whomp, no hairstyles and very few head gears. Roebros are big Gorilla men (tis why many swapped to the much beter bods of the Hrothgar) and Femroes don't have the curves to balance out the buff.
Scale folk have horn clipping problems, Hrothgar are whomp- no hair styles or hats AND you gotta pay $10 to change your mane and keep your face (Sucks cause they're actually an amazing race. The default pose also doesn't help). Not even gonna talk about the tots and humans ... can't make a convencing black human for highlanders and mid women have that anime girl run.

Tis why I went cat girl. Hoping Female Hrothgar give me what I want if they ever happen.