Race specific traits?

[deadman1204]

Race specific traits are a bad design pattern. They make some races completely better than others for a job/class. Thus new players can handicap themselves at character creation by not choosing an optimal race, and the meta punishes them.

While neat on paper, it 100% is always horrible for games and only causes problems.

[SherlottaEryut]

I'm not against racial traits as I love the flavor it adds in games like D&D both from a gameplay and storytelling perspective. Adding racials with a tangible benefit in combat could absolutely have a negative effect however due to this game's heavy emphasis on a dps meta.

So any racial differences would have to be purely cosmetic. For example, in FFXI every race/gender combo had it's own unique stance for every weapon and a different animation for every weapon skill. I'd be all in for stuff like that as it would provide more flavor, more visual difference between players, and wouldn't have any effect on performance since it's a purely cosmetic difference.

You pretty much explained exactly what I'm thinking

Also, I do love the idea of each race having a different weapon stance and animation for weapon skills... I'd be for it!

[Dzian]

FFXI had it & it resulted on such horrendous pre-determined job/class selection based on race & that influenced player’s mindset to enforce “Meta” which was truly awful

(E.g Elvaans had unusual low accuracy in enchange for higher charisma & strength/ Mithras higher dexterity & Agi i think over intelligence & Galkas very low MP in exchange for HP…..you could sort of make senses what jobs may ought to resonate best with certain races).

While it's true races stats were different. It was a system where most of those differences could either be enhanced upon or compensated for with gear choices or even consumable choices such as food.
An elvaan samurai would typically just chomp on sole or crap sushi to boost there accuracy where a hume / mithra samurai would chomp mithkabobs for more strength

Even HP/MP, A Tarutaru Paladin would have a chunk less HP than a Galka Paladin definitely. but a tarutaru paladin had a lot more sustainability with self heals thanks to that extra MP.
A galka Red Mage often was able to compensate for lower MP than a Taru Taru Redmage through having a higher HP pool to "convert" into mp without leaving themselves exposed.
Galka also had the second highest Mind Stats making them decent choices for healers and debuffers. more mnd meant stronger "paralysis" or more potent "slow" and higher hp regens and cures.

You could play effectively with any race/job combo. (at least in the 75 era where i played 2001-2010 i think.)

I do kinda think it'd be cool in 14 as well. but 14 has gone the path of homogenize EVERYTHING!!!! so yeah..

[Vencio]

I’ll admit,

I’ve only made it by mere luck to Lv. As Elvaan Samurai but even then the cost of food buffs & gear equipment was far primitive & basically it hardly made sn avenue to advance forward at that time (hell crafting was consider only a luxury for those that had the Gil to start it).

I will never forget back in Valkrum Dunes being rejected & booted out of groups often due to having below average MP as Elvaan white despite being geared.

In my opinion, the META in that game that so players reinforced was poison. Hence why I couldn’t bother & sadly resorted to Guild Wars eventually

[Bsrking5]

I dunno, the ability to wear hats is pretty OP. I dunno why the devs feel they must nerf viera and hroth so hard for.

[Soma_Farkreath]

in FFXI every race/gender combo had it's own unique stance for every weapon and a different animation for every weapon skill.

i absolutely love this idea!

[Jeeqbit]

If traits are important, then it forces people to choose races they don't really want to play so that they are more optimal.

There are racial stats in this game but they are small enough that most people choose whatever race they want. There really shouldn't be though because it does still influence some people's decision.

[Dzian]

If traits are important, then it forces people to choose races they don't really want to play so that they are more optimal.

There are racial stats in this game but they are small enough that most people choose whatever race they want. There really shouldn't be though because it does still influence some people's decision.

That depends on how well the progression system is made in terms of options.. To go back to FFXI for example the racial difference between stats were both pretty noticable but at the same time pretty insignificant.

this was because the way gear was designed easily allowed you to accomodate such differences when you were building your character up.

If your race had 100 strength and 90 accuracy then you just wore a ring with +10 accuracy..
if your race had 90 strength and 100 accuracy then you wore a ring with +10 strength.
Gear allowed you to accomodate for any differences pretty well. so you could play whatever you wanted. tarutaru ranger. elvan black mage. you name it.

It was a decent system honestly and i do kinda miss it. made the game more interesting in some ways. a taru pld and galka paladin were both equally effective tanks but they played the job that bit differently.

Wouldnt work in XIV though becuase stats here are basically junk. the only one that really matters is I-Level.. oh here an i700 ring. the one i got is i680. equip the new one... doesnt even matter what the stats are. higher ilevel wins.

[Sclair0]

Im happy with cosmetics only

I'd love more content like the lalafell exclusive houses though! A special mini zone for every race would be awesome. Lemme see that portal to hell the hellsgard roe guard.

[Lihtleita]

I'd rather have more ingame lore or cosmetics associated with the races/clans than anything that could affect gameplay directly.
the au ra of the steppe, for example were a big highlight for SB