Magical change of appearance in the lore

[Nilanar]

Hi all!

So.. how to start.. I'm trying to get into deeper touch with all the lore from the FF14 universe and while I know all the more basic stuff and history of the game, I still don't have a clue about magics.

I managed to find out that Fantasia isn't really canon and it shouldn't be viewed as such. But is there any other way to change appearances through magic schools? Like.. illusions or transformation? This could range from changing hair colors temporarily, the height of a person or even the whole body, as in temporary gender or race transformation.

If this was already answered in other topics, I want to apologize. D:

[Cleretic]

Glamors exist enough that you can swing those no problem.

Also, depending on why you care, Fantasias being 'not really canon' is basically just not a thing. The roleplaying community generally just lets it exist, although you'll find disagreements in how rare they are or how they work. And fanfics play even looser with the lore than roleplayers, so they won't care either.

[SilversLyu]

My favorite headcannon is that Fantasia is some sort of rare miracle potion on the blackmarket. People are drawn to tales of the miracle water and get scammed by the vast majority of merchants, a lot of people just think of it as bogus then, but it exists.

[Rongway]

Fantasia is a meta-item that exists strictly to provide a cash shop service. Using one doesn't do anything in-universe because using one rewrites reality so that you were always whatever you fantasiaed into and nobody remembers otherwise. "Did you take that potion you bought from that traveling merchant the other day? It doesn't seem to have done anything. What a waste of gil."

[Yuella]

Using Fantasia rewrites your entire history. If you were a Lalafell in 2.0, and changed into an Aura in 6.0, the NPCs will have always known you as an Aura since 2.0.

[Kranel_San]

To me, fantasia does not exist. Nor anything from the cash shop.

I have seen MMOs where they try to incorporate pure game mechanics into the lore, but XIV is not one of them in regards to the cash shop. Saying Fantasia exists is like saying MSQ skip also exists in-game

[Turnintino]

To me, fantasia does not exist. Nor anything from the cash shop.

To be fair, I think a fantasia is still rewarded to you during ARR MSQ, so it's not strictly a cash shop thing in that sense. But the canonicalness of quest rewards is its own can of worms lol.

Anyway, we could argue that retainer fantasias might be as good an indicator as any of the concept's status in the lore, since -- while its description makes plain its literal utility as an appearance-editor -- when you actually speak to a retainer vocate to use it, the vocate treats the interaction as if you're letting go of your current retainer and hiring a new one; not literally enabling an alchemical cosmetic procedure that you may or may not be forcing upon them. BUT that's probably presented that way as much to side-step the problematic implications of molding the appearance of your employee as it is to hand-wave the silliness of fantasias in general.

[shadowclasper]

Wait, I though fantasies were Canon, just heavily regulated and hard to get access too. Almost everything in the game (including party finder) is Canon and has an in universe explanation.

Plus the Korean lore Q&A confirmed that the limitations eye r I ngs au ra have are created via magical manipulation of appearance as a cultural thing (which is why they have a slider). So one must assume some level of transformative magic right down to gender transitioning is available.

[MikkoAkure]

Wait, I though fantasies were Canon, just heavily regulated and hard to get access too. Almost everything in the game (including party finder) is Canon and has an in universe explanation.

According to Koji Fox:

Fantasia works in a unique way. It can’t simply turn you into whoever you want, or people could get away with anything. Crime would be out of control. Even on Earth, people have the opportunity to change who they are – cut their hair, get a facelift, find a new career or a different spouse – but we often aren’t willing to make those drastic life changes. Fantasia gives you the courage to make the changes you’ve always wanted to make. Maybe you are Lalafell trapped in a Roegadyn’s body, it’s time to break out! And all you needed was that courage in a phial!

https://gamerescape.com/2014/10/25/f...st-london-qas/

According to what seemed to be an unofficial meetup with someone from the localization team:

While the Fantasia potion has some in-world flavor text, it’s mainly meant to be seen as a meta object. For example, you wouldn’t see it’s use, or reference to its use in storylines since in effect it doesn’t actually exist

https://nunhofthat.tumblr.com/post/1...ck-im-in-japan

Koji’s answer seems a bit tongue-in-cheek so I’m more inclined to go in line with the 2nd one.

Not everything in the game is canon. Hildebrand for example is “as canon as you want it to be” since much of it breaks character and defies the laws of physics and logic.

[Cleretic]

Not everything in the game is canon. Hildebrand for example is “as canon as you want it to be” since much of it breaks character and defies the laws of physics and logic.

But in that case, your answer for 'how canon you want it to be' can't be 'not', because there's a bunch of things that are first divulged in Hildibrand but then become important later, like Godbert Manderville and the truth about Sil'dih.