Gone.

They already do based on some replies in this thread.

I'm pretty sure "ultimately it's how the mage uses their powers that defines moral standing" implies that both forms of magic can be abused...

I don't, either, especially when it contradicts a number of statements from people much higher up in rank. Anything less than Yoshida or the Japanese writing team should be considered suspect, really. Doubly so when it comes to lunchtime musings posted on Tumblr of all places.

White magic borrows, or rather rearranges aether. Black magic just eats it up. That's not to say that the latter can't be used respectfully, however. As Rahal said, ultimately it's how the mage uses their powers that defines moral standing.

I have no problem with having people hit level 30 before playing AST, MCN and DRK. They are, after all, classified as jobs. What I do take issue with is locking them behind weeks worth of questing when there's just no legitimate reason to in the first place. Play style can make or break a player's interest in a game; the more options available early on, the better. Also I don't think anyone has a problem with completing the MSQ the one time to continue the overarching plot. It's doing it on alts where it becomes problematic and frankly unnecessary.

I'm just going to dodge everything like the Matrix~ Serious answer: avoiding unnecessary firefights usually helps. Both of my ladies are healers, anyway; I'm pretty sure bullets are going to have a hard time getting through a solid aetherical wall of protect, stoneskin and adloquium.

You could passively-aggressively argue localization woes all day (and ironically I would actually agree with you on them making the hostility entirely pointless) but it doesn't change the fact that the original is still there in the game as an option, you just have to switch VAs to do so. Honestly I'm considering it a non-issue unless someone is willing to sit down and translate the Japanese text and post it alongside the English script.

I concur, however I have honestly never come across any people playing a Doman in that manner. As for me, both of my ladies have a slight accent from their homeland and little more. If they do happen to speak in Doman, it's between others and bracketed like a film script.

So nothing changed, then, as I've been playing the game in Japanese from day-one and got the below cutscene myself. Also in a game with dapper zombies, flying lettuce fairies, snow elves that can turn into dragons and various bizarre elemental personifications hellbent on the destruction of life as we know it, a potion that can change one's race is really low-tier on the weirdness factor.

The similarities aren't coincidental, though; it was long officially confirmed that Doma is heavily inspired by Japanese culture by Yoshida himself. Even the NIN quests paint their religion as being blatantly derived from real-world shinto. As far as fantasias go: it's not and has never been a big deal. If people want to use them in their RP, then let them. It's about as harmless as it gets. Would also like to know. It's obvious that he's flamboyantly gay and I sincerely doubt the Japanese text differs much on the subject.

Soldiery maybe, but other gear? Maybe if you're lucky with the rolls. And Coil... endgame? Please, so few people touch Coil that it's a wonder it even has any support at this point. There's a reason it's frequently nerfed and I'm pretty sure it's not because of a high attract rate. Let's be honest: most are here for the continuing story, the fanservice to previous games in the series and like all MMOs, playing dress-up. That's FFXIV in a nutshell. And like I said, just because another game does it doesn't make it good design by default. FFXIV is hardly raiding-focused, anyway. It's story-driven, something it only shares in common with The Secret World and The Old Republic. Who said anything about denigrating? I'm just pointing out that the hardcore audience is never satisfied for the long-term and designing solely for them is a disaster waiting to happen. See: Wildstar. Also you missed the point entirely. No one should have to grind out of necessity. If you want to, sure, go for it, but it should not be a mandatory facet just to accomplish the basest of goals. Leveling is not a grind in this game; you can make significant progress daily without any thought whatsoever. All I'm saying is there's no real incentive to do it on one character when only the magic and tank jobs share gear easily and that's if you're lucky with dice rolls to begin with.

White mages are very much a rarity; it's a taboo art, one safeguarded by the Padjali who are not typically inclined to share their teachings with outsiders. Contrary to some popular opinions, however, white magic is very much obtainable through a number of legitimate means. One could be taught by a Padjal, or perhaps your character is the adventuring sort, stumbling upon a long-lost soul crystal deep in the ruins of Amdapor. Whatever the case, it's doable with a bit of creativity and IC drive. Rather the jobs are consider as 'special' or not is frankly up to personal interpretation; for me, they're little more than extensions of one's skill set, many serving as the root of their derivative class. This is very much true for white mage, the additional spells designed largely for last-ditch efforts. There would be very few IC situations in which any of them would be needed. Keep in mind that there's no shame in being a mere conjurer, either; Vetiver isn't a bard or dragoon, just competent with traditional hunting weapons, willing to use them to defend herself or others if deemed necessary. There just isn't any plausible reason to make these IC. White magic, however, is another story, exceedingly relevant to her past, persona and subsequent imagery, thus she's been gifted with the privilege of safeguarding a white soul crystal. Ultimately it's up to you to decide if your character will end up furthering their healing skills through whatever means is viable to them. Some may shun your decision, but they're the ones in the wrong for that, not you. If you want to play a white mage, then by all means, go for it! It may be a grey area, but it's not like the lore disagrees with it, either. With that in mind, feel free to bend things to your heart's content; I'll certainly be willing to RP with a fellow white witch any day of the week. Know plenty of others that would, too. :love: Edit: In regards to glamours, full body ones can and do exist in-game. It's how I've played Foxglove all this time, actually; she's a Raen Au Ra disguised as a Doman Midlander until the release of Heavensward.

Not exactly. Say you pick up BRD, but you've been a mage at heart. Well, guess what? Now you have to pick up 34 levels of LNC just so you won't run out of TP and have a reasonable burst, all skills you won't be able to use on anything but those two classes. That is hardly an incentive, especially with all the gear nonsense; only soldiery gear is able to be acquired on a reasonable time frame. Everything else is either luck and/or a grind. And I'm sorry, but if you have to artificially elongate progress in a video game to keep people in it, then the problem lies not with the pacing, but with the core design itself. Ironically, FFXIV doesn't have this problem, so why does SQX bother? Cosmetics and housing are the only real end-game, not a hackneyed treadmill that only a minority will enjoy for a few months before picking up the next new shiny MMO.

Staples in some MMOs. Not that it changes anything just because another game is guilty of the same flaws. It's punishment via tedium, plain and simple. Either make multi-classing viable on one character outside of the magic classes or give those eight character slots some incentive. It's really not that hard either way.

You forgot tome caps, cross-class skills, gear lockouts, etc. FFXIV punishes you for doing everything on one character to begin with, contrary to how it's advertised. Either have one or the other, you know?

It has story potential. The need to prove yourself to people who fundamentally suspect or dislike you. Being misunderstood/distrusted and having to win the trust of those around you. As Seriphyn pointed out, not everyone will welcome this kind of conflict but many people will see it as the beginning of an interesting story. What is there to prove? Au Ra were born like that, it's not their problem to begin with. Racial tension is one thing, sure. It's there in the game (and much more tasteful in comparison), but lets be honest; a lot of this is just a glorified excuse to bring OOC feelings about Au Ra design into RP just like with the Miqo'te before them. It's going to burn bridges, not build them. Besides, it's insulting and disrespectful to those of us that actually have to deal with being a minority. I get enough harassment in real-life as-is; I certainly don't need any of it here, not when I'm trying my hardest to escape from my worldly woes for at least an hour or two. Edit: For the record, I'm fine with fictionalized conflict, but only when it's actually justified. This isn't.

I mean it when I say I am genuinely pleased that you welcome the sort of conflict I am proposing. I'm not confident all Au Ra roleplayers will encourage it, and that's fine, all a matter of taste. I do worry about that whole "kicking the puppy" business, where I'll attempt to incite conflict with Au Ra in-character, only to fail to realize the other player is probably not looking for such an intense sort of roleplay as I am! I really don't understand this and maybe I'm missing something, but what is there that's enjoyable about being treated like a racial minority circa late 1800s?

Vetiver would enjoy her company, I think, and hopefully vice versa. Any times that work well for you?

Can Vetiver just snuggle with Y'shtola and call it a day? I'm pretty sure that's what would end up happening. Well, aside from not carrying poison-like substances found under mysterious circumstances into the Ul'dahn throne room, anyway.

I can't help but feel there's some sort of unintentional irony here...

Four plus hours into RPing with Avis and I can honestly say she's one of the best characters I've had the pleasure of interacting with in this community. Don't regret reaching out to Elysia at all; a kind, friendly, skilled writer all around.

Back story is important to a point. It can set the tone and mood for a character as well as help build those initial layers. In short, back story is one of many building blocks in the writing process. It is, however, not a replacement for actual development, especially when there's additional people involved. If you end up writing a novel's worth of history for your character, then you might as well be flying solo; you've decided all of the growth on your own, railroading the journey long before it even begins. Once a level of imbalance like that is reached, back story no longer serves as an aid; it just becomes a hindrance, one that needs to be addressed immediately if you're ever to succeed.

Only if he won't mind the rejection on account of her love for women. Vetiver is a hard six on the Kinsey scale. *nods* Mmm, I think I can work with this, scolding and all.

A potential plot with Nebbs is a plot I can't resist~

Welcome! It never is easy, is it? Unfortunately, you'll have to do a bit more soul-searching to really narrow things down. Everyone here wants a sizable quantity of quality RP and of those, many enjoy it in the heavier sense. Sit down, think about what you're really looking for; action, adventure, romance, drama, slice-of-life, light or dark, carefree to emotionally oppressive and everywhere in between; it doesn't matter what, just so long as it suits your needs best. Only then can we really advise you for any potential homes to be. :love: