Gar

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I wanted to know. I'll definitely be reading your guide. I'm still a little on the fence, but really eventually I'll have both leveled and geared for their respective niches. That was pretty much what I was hoping for in this 2.0 version, that both tanks would be balanced with their own styles. Is your tanking guide going to be in the same place as you update it, or will it be a different url I'll need to hunt down?

I'm not sure what to make of these last tables. The total is 242.12%? And I feel like some of these numbers might be a little high. Yes, Miqo'te females are the popular choice, but that seems a huge gap between them and everything else. Is everyone RPing a girl Miqo'te with an alt or two on the side to make it seem like there are actually other races to choose? I'm curious about these job numbers, too. Gladiator/Paladin is waaaay higher than I thought it would be. I mean it'll get a decent percentage because its a tank class and there are less options for that role, so DPS classes will be more spread out percentage-wise. But damn. This makes me wonder if there are gonna be a bunch of homeless Paladins sitting around in shiny gear begging for a team. My new image of FFXIV: A bunch of Female Miqo'te Paladins running around.

Terra! (Did that girl have green hair, or was I just projecting that because I wanted that to be Terra with Wes and Biggs?) Soooo.... we have Lightning/Snow clothes, therefore I am gonna go ahead and hope that they add a FATE where I get to wear Locke's clothes.

Honestly? Part of it is most likely an ego thing. I have been tanking in MMOs for almost ten years now. Its been a unique experience. Depending on how the game worked, some of the time the "offtank" was just the less talented/geared tank who only really did things if the main tank died, and the rest of the time was just a gimpy DPS. Though games have gotten better with two tank mechanics with aggro swapping and two boss fights, etc, so sometimes the offtank is just the tank with a little less leadership. And maybe that is another part of it. I like being the main tank because I strive for leadership in a party/raid setting. In a lot of settings the tanks are highly scrutinized. I remember countless times being raged at for losing one mob's aggro when I was learning to tank the game I was in. So when I commit to tanking, I really get into it. I do my homework, I keep my gear updated, and I practice to learn every fight. I really don't know the raid mechanics of this game, but Warrior actually is a perfectly made offtank. Like its been said, they have good AoE enmity so they can deal with adds, and when they're not put out some DPS (Not to the level of a true DPS, but more than a mitigation tank) So a Paladin/Warrior tanking duo would actually be a pretty good fit. In some games, there becomes "the tank." Other tank classes just sort of fall short, so that is part of the reason I'm fretting between the two. I just hope they keep the two balanced with their respective strengths. It always sucks when a class starts to become obsolete. Like I mentioned, given time I'll level both and we'll see from there. So maybe my biggest concern is an IC role? I dunno, I almost feel like I'm having an identity crisis if I don't go with the good 'ol fashion sword and board tank haha.

So I've come to a crossroads. When I first decided to play FFXIV, I instinctively knew I was going to play Paladin. I always tank, and that was the tank back in FFXI that I played. But the more I read about Warrior, the more I start to debate if I want to be the standard sword and board tank. I've read a few different sites debating the differences between the two tanking classes, but I want to know what you guys think. Honestly, one of my biggest worries is that Paladin is going to shine as the main endgame tank, and Warrior put into offtank position for raids or something. In all reality I'll probably end up leveling both and seeing the differences for myself, but I want to hear some opinions to decide what I want to focus on first, and possibly what job my character is going to be ICly. So even if you want to shout out RP preferences or whatever, please do. My brain is so on the fence that its making me go cross eyed.

Garryson pulled himself onto the tip of the highest mast on the ship. Finding his center and balancing himself, he opened his arms up wide and took in the stars around him. One of his arms dropped to his side while the other hand came up in front of his view. His thumb and pointer finger closed towards each other until it looked like he was holding one of the tiny stars. Most of my life I've felt... so small. Maybe part of it is being shorter than a lot of other guys I meet... but I think part of it is how insignificant I feel when I think of the grand scheme of things. Can I really make a difference somewhere? Will anyone remember my name? What does it mean to be alive? He awoke in a panic. His gaze turned in every direction, trying to figure out what had happened, and where he was. Once his breathing slowed down he noticed a note stabbed into a nearby tree. With a grunt, he got to his feet and read the note. "Learn what the cost of living is." Garryson stared at the note angrily. How was he supposed to figure that out? Pulling the knife from the tree, he walked towards the sound of water. It truly hit him once his feet hit the sand of the beach. He had been deserted on a small island somewhere. A small sea breeze made him look down at himself. "Naked... of course. Arkus, what the hell? You'll give me a knife, but clothes are too much of an advantage?" Grumbling more complaints, he sat down in the sand and pouted. He stared out at the water, waiting for the others to come pick him up. The sun started to dip below the horizon. Once it had been dark a while he rolled onto the sand next to him and fell asleep. Several hours later he woke up shivering. His stomach growled and felt like it was going to implode. It was too dark to find something to warm him, let alone food. So he curled up on himself and waited the miserable night out. Garryson stood at the edge of the beach, the ocean tide washing over his feet slowly over and over. There were bags under his eyes and his shoulders were slumped in defeat. The sun was slowly rising, lighting his island prison. If he had to stay there even another day he was going to need food and shelter. Trudging off into the trees, he began his first exploration of the island. Once again, I'm not sure how I survived. Days passed. Then weeks. I spent most of my time wandering around finding water and something edible. After getting sick from a few different plants I had little knowledge of, I started to hunt the smaller game around the island. Garryson squatted in the brush, waiting for his prey. He had been having bad luck lately, and was desperate for some food. His hand gripped his knife tighter and tighter as he watched a small animal head towards his trap. Just before it would have fallen for it, a larger animal leaped onto the animal and killed it almost instantly. His heart skipped a beat. It seemed like everything started to spin as he watched his food being eaten by another. A rage he had never felt before started to build inside him. Before he knew it, he felt himself sprinting towards the predator screaming at the top of his lungs. He fought with the beast a few moments that seemed like days, until finally it sunk its teeth into his shoulder. Screaming out in pain, Garryson drove his knife into its side. Shoving the beast off of him, the two stared at each other, each bleeding. Garryson started to slowly back away, keeping his eyes locked on his opponent. Once he was far enough away, he turned and ran towards his shelter in a panic. Blood was flowing from his wound. He was starting to get light headed. If he didn't treat himself, no one else would. And then he would be dead. Once he got back to his encampment on the beach, he started looking through everything he had collected for some sort of bandages. Some days earlier he had found a wrecked boat on another beach. There had been some medical supplies there. His fingers could barely work as he got the first aid kit open and began wrapping his shoulder. Once he did what he could, he collapsed against a rock. His face was clammy and pale, his breathing ragged. It wasn't long before he lost consciousness. I can't count how many times in my life that I honestly can't explain how I survived. I was always weak and uninformed of the world. I should be dead. After that first meeting with a beast I didn't even recognize, I finally began thinking about the lesson I was supposed to be learning. What did it cost for me to keep living day in and day out? While I did that, I was planning my revenge. I wanted it dead. I feared it, so I had to kill it. I had no experience in tracking or survival, but through trial and error I finally found where it lived. I thought that I would be safe once it was dead. I thought I would be happy. Garryson studied his bloodied trap. He had obviously been stolen from by the beast again. There was a trail of blood. Even he could follow that. Anger built inside him as he tracked his nemesis. Garryson caught site of it, his adrenaline pumping. Not wanting to miss his chance, he sprinted forward with a sharpened stick. The beast turned to him and began to bat away the stick that Garryson was jabbing at it. He had to keep his distance. If it bit him again, he probably would not survive this time. Once again the battle seemed like it lasted days. Garryson was not the stronger opponent. He was not adept at surviving. But he had to win. The beast lunged at him, his teeth bared as it got closer and closer to Garryson's neck. He managed to shove the shaft of his stick into the creature's mouth, holding it barely at bay. If he didn't act he was going to die. Pulling out his knife, he quickly stabbed it into its neck. It let out a low growl and immediately began to weaken. He let out a scream of anger as he pushed the animal to the ground and stabbed it over and over. There was blood all over him. The life in front of him vanished, leaving only a lifeless corpse. Garryson threw his head back and howled in triumph. But his elation did not last long. He caught site of something nearby. There were three smaller versions of what he had just killed, and they cowered in fear. His breathing stopped, his heart raced, and his mind went black. There were bones next to the little ones. What he had just killed was a mother. It had been bringing food back for its children. Anguish ripped through his body. What had he done? He didn't need to kill it. What was he thinking? Who had he become? He dropped the knife and slowly walked away from the scene. He found himself at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the ocean below. "Gonna jump?" a familiar voice asked from behind. Garryson glanced back to see Arkus leaning against a tree. With a weak snort, Garryson turned back towards the ocean. "I wish I could..." "Tell me what you learned." Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he whispered weakly, "We are... consumers." Arkus smiled widely to himself. "Go on..." "We... consume life... in order to maintain life. Whether its plants... or animals... we eat other living things to sustain our bodies. In order for us to live... something else must die..." "So I would argue..." Arkus started, pushing off the tree to go stand next to Garryson. "That... if ya live without a purpose... yer dishonorin' all the life that sustained ya... savvy?" Garryson furrowed his brow. "I... never thought about it like that..." "If yer livin' just 'ta live... yer wastin' life. Yer wastin' resources by fiddlin' about." Arkus smirked over to him. "I know ye 'ave that promise... We don't hafta talk 'bout it. But ya can't get by that alone... Y'gotta live fer something." Slowly nodding, Garryson turned to Arkus. "But... what about the life we take that... isn't necessary." His eyes almost pleaded for an answer as he continued. "Why do we kill things we think are threats? Why do we hate them? Why do we make them hate us by killing their loved ones? What is it all for?" Arkus sighed slowly. "Yer finally startin' to see the sad truth of this world... Ya find an ideal... a way of life... a way of thinkin'... then y'have 'ta defend that way. There will always be someone lookin' 'ta kill ya fer it." "We can't all live together?" Garryson asked weakly, tears starting to fall down his face. "I... don't think we can, lad... no." Arkus put his hand on the boy's shoulder with a solemn look. "These sorta things... Ya either numb yerself to it all... or ya struggle. Ye keep strugglin'. Because wisdom comes from strugglin'. It won't be handed to ya." Garryson fell to his knees and started to sob. "Should I... Sh-should I just die...?" Shaking his head, Arkus looked out to the ocean. "No, lad... You gotta live. There is a reason fer yer life you haven't quite found yet." To this day... sometimes I still feel small. Insignificant. Garryson held his hand out to make it look like he held a bundle of stars in his palm. But other times... I feel larger than life. I feel like I can make a difference. The world is changed by small things. Through small things are big things brought to pass. I may be small. I may be weak. But I'm still struggling. I am alive. And as long as I keep breathing... I change the world around me.

Clover, I like the less tan one just a little better. It gives her a bit more of a sweet and gentle look to her with her pink hair color. Maybe because her blush is a little more noticeable. Ashren, both look really good. I really don't know your character or else I'd have a better opinion. The younger one looks like he's gruffed himself up some, but still might have a bit of a charming and/or soft side. The older version looks a bit more angsty, which could be fun. "Dammit! I have to save these stupid kids again!"

This is my character Garryson. I tweaked him just a bit since last Beta. Can the game come out already? " />

Hahaha totally understandable. Thanks for the links and the discussion guys, it is given me a better idea of where to start from. I hardly think the Primal discussion is off topic since its all in the same vein. And Saefinn, that is pretty funny because my character is a pirate as well and I had a similar thought of the whole Peter Pan thing. I imagine my character sorta like the Peter Pan who's wrapped up in Hook's clothes as they sail back to London on the stolen ship. Random sidenote, have you ever read the Peter Pan book? It freaked me out. Peter is a little douchebag and Tink swears like a sailor. It was... kind of amazing. But this is all good stuff. Sounds like I can have a pretty good spread of artistic creativity when it comes to writing my fairy, but I'm getting a better idea of where she'd come from and what have you.

Taaaaal! Errr... Artist formerly known... You get the point. I'm so glad someone I know is converting to the ways of the Final Fantasy. We can awkwardly hunt for RP together. It'll be great.

So ICly my character is going to be a Paladin, but I've been considering a sort of IC sub-job that gives my character a bit more fun things to work with. Then I realized, if it was Scholar I could have a fairy companion! (Other things about Scholar fit too, but the fairy was the kicker) So my question is this: Do we have any lore to these fairies yet? I want my own Tinkerbell. But at the same time I don't want to RP a fairy companion that makes people facepalm every time I am around. I've always wanted to give my character some sort of small companion like a monkey or something. It gives him more to interact with in a scene and gives opportunities for humorous mischief. I will read/hunt for whatever lore/rules to these fairies as the game goes live, and then I'm giving birth to my faithful sidekick.

Humming a song, Garryson slowly danced around the deck of the ship. He pretended that all the glittering stars were his audience. It had been years since he performed, and he missed it. Its a beautiful thing... when someone learns to love their life. When through all the dark nights of despair... you finally see some light. For me, that happened when I was a teenager. It certainly wasn't the end of anything. It was the true beginning of my life as a man. "Step right up! Come see with your own eyes!" Garryson could not help but marvel at the sights around him. He had been hired to help clean at a circus that was passing through. It was hard not to get distracted. There were so many bright colors and sweet smells. In the dead of the night, people started to finally go home. Garryson took a few moments to lean on his broom and study everything. Why was this so appealing to him? Perhaps he marveled at people's ability to just be happy and have fun. Later on, he was sweeping one of the stages. He began to sing one of the songs he had heard from earlier. After a while he stopped sweeping and used his broom as a dance partner. They glided across the stage, twirling and turning. When he stopped remembering the words of the song, he dipped his broom, pretending it was a beautiful woman in a stunning gown. One person's applause echoed through the tent. Garryson jumped a little and looked around to see who it was. He thought he saw the outline of someone, but he couldn't be sure. A light blush dusting his cheeks, he got back to work and hoped he wasn't going to get yelled at. It was lonely working at that circus. I kept wishing I had someone to share the experience with. I think back then... I believed that a smile that wasn't seen by someone else didn't truly exist. Garryson sauntered towards his next destination with his broom over his shoulder. His long ears twitched as he heard something nearby. He watched as a Roegadyn and some of his companions talked to an Elezen woman. The woman did not seem happy to be talking to them. His feet started to take him closer and closer. "I said to just leave me alone." The woman commanded evenly. "I suggest you listen to her." The Roegadyn turned to see a young Garryson glaring at him. He laughed and approached him. In response, Garryson pointed his broom at him like a weapon. "What are y'gonna do? Clean me?" "I am the bringer of your broom! ... Y'know ... like doom?" Garryson sighed and shook his head. "Hold on, I can do better." He started to chew one of his fingernails as he leaned on his broom and thought. The Roegadyn took a moment to comprehend what was going on before he stepped up to the boy. In response, Garryson quickly swung his weapon at the other man's crotch. A metallic rang sounded out. He realized the large man was wearing armor, but for a few quick seconds his eyes bulged as he thought about how little he knew of Roegadyn anatomy. He held his broom up to block the huge fist coming at him. His broom broke in half and he was sent to the ground. His instincts told him to run, and to run fast. He had no chance. Just as he started to go, he saw the woman being held in place by the other men. What would happen to her if he ran away? Flashes of Kate's face replaced the stranger woman's for a few brief moments. Slowly gritting his teeth, he grabbed the remaining wood from his broom and ran at the Roegadyn. He only could score a few blows, and each felt like they didn't hurt his opponent. But each punch he received sent waves of pain through his body. Bloodied and bruised, he lay on his back struggling to breath. He wanted to run. That is how he had survived all this time. But there was someone in trouble. Slowly getting to his feet, he grabbed his stick once more and pointed it defiantly. The Roegadyn laughed. "You look pretty menacing with that little stick." "Its not a stick." Garryson grinned brightly. "Its a sword. And I'm a knight. There's a damsel in distress." "If that's a sword..." The Roegadyn pulled a large axe from his back and held it ready. Garryson shut one of his eyes as blood trickled over it. He was probably going to die. So he let his imagination boost his confidence. He stared at his thin arm and the broken stick weakly grasped in his hand. After blinking, suddenly his arm was covered in armor, and in his hand was a shining sword. He smiled warmly and ran forward. Next thing I knew... I woke up on a ship. It turns out the circus was all just a front for a band of pirates. Pirates that had evidently saved my life. His head was throbbing when he woke up. After his eyes had adjusted to the dim light, he looked over to see a man sitting in a chair watching him. "Wh-who are you?" "Cap'n Arkus Lionhart..." The man stood up and bowed deeply. "At yer service, lad." He was a Hyur man with crimson red dreadlocks. After giving Garryson some water, Arkus sat back down. Garryson gulped the water down, realizing how thirsty he was. "That was quite a show y'put on, mate. I clapped for ya, but I'm 'fraid ya were awready unconcious." Garryson blushed faintly and looked away. "I-I thought I was gonna die... so I... might as well pretend I was a knight..." "Its the dreamers that make summa the biggest changes in tha world." Arkus leaned forward and smiled kindly. "Those who say there are no heroes... Well, I say they be too scared 'ta do what it takes to be somethin' more, savvy?" "Yeah..." Arkus laughed. "So you wanna be a knight, do ya?" "I-I... uhm..." "Learn 'ta be a pirate first." Arkus stood up and started to walk way. He looked over his shoulder and grinned. "Once y'do that... then I'll teach ya to be a knight. Get some rest. Ya start in the mornin'." My days with Arkus and the others were the happiest of my life. I learned so much about the world and about myself. I wish they would have lasted forever. But I've learned all too deeply that nothing lasts forever in this life. All I have now are memories.

The stars were starting to glitter in the sky one by one. Garryson laid back against the deck and stared up above him. He hummed softly as he tried to make out shapes in the stars. What does it mean to love someone? Does it mean you would do anything for them? I often wonder if what I did at the time was out of love... or of fear. The young Garryson walked silently through the crowded streets. His large hat drooped over his eye, his worn jacket hugging him tightly. People would occasionally bump into him, but he did not react. I stopped speaking after my father died. I didn't really have anyone to speak to anyway. I survived somehow. I don't really remember how. I was just... there. I kept breathing, even though I didn't want to. "Hey, there he is guys!" Garryson didn't react to the small group of boys that had happened upon him. "Whoever knocks his hat off wins." One of the boys declared. So they began to throw rocks at him. Some of them missed. Some of them hit him. He just stood there, waiting for them to stop. One of the rocks hit him on the side of the head, sending him onto the ground. "Hey you brats!" a woman's voice screamed. The other kids scattered immediately. Garryson stared up from the ground, a face coming to hover over him. She smiled kindly down at him. He blinked and was in the present again, staring up at the stars instead. His hand reached out, trying to draw the features of her face. It was getting harder and harder to remember. That was the first time I met her. It seems I am cursed. Red headed women seem to always play a prominent role in my life. Does that mean I'm going to fall in love with one? Maybe. But then again I pretty much fall in love with any girl who smiles at me. But anyway... That was the day I met Kate. She took me in and cared for me. Kate had her hair tied back and was humming a song as she cooked in their small kitchen. Garryson just watched her like he always did. She was always so happy and full of life. With a wrinkling nose, Garryson started to squirm in his chair, wringing his hands together. It was happening again. What would she say if he actually did it? She heard a chair scrape across the floor then looked over to the small child looking up at her. "What is it Sweetheart?" she asked him. He squirmed more before hesitantly opening his arms open. Kate seemed puzzled a moment before realization spread across her face. She stifled a giggle. "Do you want a hug?" It was a minute or two before Garryson finally nodded. Kate knelt down and squeezed the boy tight. She kissed his cheek and petted his messy hair. "You can hug me anytime you like." Garryson slowly clung onto her. After that I was basically a growth on Kate's side. She let me hug her whenever I wanted. So obviously that was all the time. My mother... used to push me away. Kate never did. It was nice. I felt like I had something to lean on. Garryson's legs swung over the side of a stool as he guzzled down another glass of milk. He was in a little restaurant that Kate worked at. The Elezen behind the bar gave him a wink. "Want another one, Champ?" Garryson nodded quickly. I eventually started to speak again. But only to Kate. Its not that I hated anyone. I just... couldn't talk to them. I was scared. But even more than that... I was scared of losing Kate. He watched Kate bustle from table to table. She kept going back to one table that only had one customer. It was a Hyur man that kept watching Kate as well. She smiled differently at this man. Something started to make Garryson's stomach hurt, but he had no idea why. The longer he watched the two, the more it hurt. "Where are my shoes?!" Kate screamed frantically through the house. "I dunno!" Garryson replied, shrugging dramatically with his hands behind his back. "They were--... Wait a minute... Show me your hands." Kate ordered, slowly slitting her eyes at him. Garryson tried to think of a way to fool her before turning and bolting towards the other room. "You little sneak! Get back here!" She chased after him, avoiding the furniture that he was leaping and rolling over to get to him. "I am gonna be late! Give them back RIGHT NOW!" Garryson turned to stick his tongue out at her. She used that opportunity to finally catch him. Pinning him to the floor, she started to wrestle her shoes from him. "Why do you always do stuff like this?" she sighed. "I don't... like when you leave." Garryson softly admitted, turning his gaze away from her. Kate's expression softened. "But you don't do this when I go to work..." Garryson frowned and tried to hide his face. "But when I go out with guys..." This kind of thing happened for a while. I would try and sabotage any attempt she made to date anyone. I wanted her to myself. I didn't want someone to take her away. But eventually I realized that... she was lonely. There were feelings we couldn't fulfill in each other. I was too young. If I stayed I would have either continued to fight it, or lived with the pain building up inside of me. So one night I left and never went back. Looking back... that was probably the worst way possible to do that. I'm sure she worried. I'm sure she assumed the worst. I'm sure she cried... Garryson sighed slowly, the faint mist of air visible in the cold. His brow knitted together as he once again tried to trace her face in the space above him. It was hard to remember. I still wasn't ready to stand on my own after I ran away from Kate. But... by luck, or by will of the Twelve, I met the man who taught me what it means to be alive. Sometimes I think about trying to find Kate. To apologize. To tell her what had happened. But I get scared of how she feels about me now. Or if she even remembers me. Whether or not I ever see her again... she will always be an important part of me. Like so many others... she helped forge my story.

I totally hear ya. I'm new too, and the game isn't even fully out yet so I'm just like, "I'll just put this post here... and then go hide in the corner..."

I don't know if I have a place to say anything like this, but art is hardly a competition. Whatever medium it is, art can globally co-exist. Its hard to compare art and always be like "Oh, yeah this one is better." I'm still an amateur everything myself, but I still want to say to just keep doing it if you love it. Its not like the community is gonna be like "Hrm... well we've already got all these writers that are pretty good... You should go play WoW." Honestly, I want to keep feeling underclassed. That means there is a lot to learn and pick up. Like I said, art isn't a competition. So I'm free to advance at my own pace and enjoy the ride. So my point: Don't think that someone else's art can make your art shine any less bright. It is entirely unique because you created it and no one else.

[[This will be an ongoing story told by my character to help me settle his foundations before things really start happening. All of it is subject to get tweaked as I go along and hammer a few things out. Its mostly for my own use, and eventually reference to any friends I make who want to know more about my character.The style is in honor of Final Fantasy X, where Tidus narrates the story as it goes along. Obviously the difference is this is a literary medium. So anything in italics is the voice of the storyteller.]] Garryson sat on the deck of a slowly swaying ship. The sun was beginning to set, tinting the air with orange hues. He smiled softly and waited patiently. The sun had to go down before he could see the stars above him. Where do you begin a story? Do stories even really have beginnings or endings? These are the sort of things I think about. My whole life I have related everything to stories. Maybe my reality was too much for me, so I had to make sense of it somehow. Not to say my life has been harder or more tragic than anyone else's. I think maybe the Twelve put us in the lives we have because they aren't easy for us. Everyone has to struggle in order to learn. The world is changing. Even more so after the Calamity. I was too young to really comprehend the events at the time. Nor do I really remember much now. I wasn't part of a world-wide picture back then. I was just a kid. Something is about to happen, though. I feel it. Its why I'm finally returning. It is finally my time to be part of the bigger story. Everything I have experienced has prepared me for the path I'm about to take. Listen to my story... It will most likely be the last one I can tell. I'm still young and inexperienced, but I refuse to let the world change without my hand in it. I'll become a Hero, or die trying. And the latter is more likely. The surface of the water was still and calm. It was only broken by a young boy falling in. Underneath the surface, his small frame sank steadily through the clear water. I was born in Limsa Lominsa. I was a timid kid, afraid of everything. I don't know what I was so afraid of... but I just wanted to hide from everything. The boy continued to sink, his over sized hat floating off his head. Being a kid was tough for me. My parents didn't really get along, and they had a lot going on. I felt sometimes like I was in the way. So I just stayed quiet and did my best to not be noticed. His eyes opened. Grabbing his hat, he swam back up to the surface and inhaled as much air as he could. Rubbing his eyes, he looked to see what had happened to the boys who pushed him in. They were laughing and walking further down the road. He slowly pulled himself out of the water and rung his hat out. Looking back, I don't think any of the kids who teased me meant me any harm. Some of 'em probably just wanted to be my friend. But I took a while to grow up. I had a sense of fear and worry ingrained into me. It took me a lot of years to start seeing the good in the world. His pants sloshed around him as he trudged his way back home. His hat never laid how he wanted, sometimes covering one of his eyes. It felt like a long walk home. Pressing his ear up to the door a moment, he walked inside and tried to get to his room without anyone noticing. "What happened to you?" Garryson froze at the voice. He kept his expression hidden a few moments before putting on a bright smile and looking at his father. "The water just looked so nice. I couldn't even wait before my clothes were off before jumping in!" His father laughed and shook his head. "Dry them off before your mother gets home, would'ya? I'm the one she yells at, y'know." With a charming smile, his father patted his shoulder and went into another room. I miss my dad. He wasn't the greatest father, and had a lot of shortcomings just as a person. But he loved me, and I knew that. Once he dried off, he headed towards the kitchen. He stopped in front of his parents' room and peeked in. His heart lurched in his chest. She was doing it again. His mother sat in a chair, staring blankly. It was as if the world did not exist around her. My mother was a very sad person. I don't pretend to understand all that she went through. But how I came to forgive her for what she did... Well that is another story. Garryson and his father stood in front of a grave. Neither of them spoke or shed tears. They couldn't. The shock was still in full effect. Dad had a hard time raising me by himself. I only got a few more years with him after my mother had killed herself. He was old and had lived an exciting life that had taken its toll on his body. A lot of the time he was at different ports. He was in the business of selling ships, so I stayed at home and kept out of trouble. His father wrapped an arm around Garryson's shoulders. It was then he finally started to cry. His father closed his eyes and let his own tears fall down his face. The name of his mother was carved into the stone. I cried a lot when Dad died. I was alone. I hardly knew anything about the world. Honestly, sometimes I wonder how I survived those years. But I'll tell you about those times. After all, this is only the beginning of the story.

So I realize I should probably just take back a lot of what I've said. I think I have been doing a bad job of communicating my overall point, so I apologize. Some of the things I said that people have responded to I can easily see how they could mean more than I intended. I didn't mean for the whole "happy ending" thing to make it sound like everyone should be given a popsicle and a book of poems. It was more my personal opinion on RP that is always depressing and dark and Eeyore. But more so just a happy ending on the OOC side of things. Again, I can't seem to communicate points very well so I apologize. Really all-in-all I just meant to say that RP should be fun, no matter your styles, preferences, or anything else. I've just been in a lot of communities where everything devolves into fighting over this and that and it isn't fun for me, nor do I see it being fun for the people fighting. Also, I'll take back completely what I said about RPers that have something to prove. If you think your RP comes off that way, it probably isn't you I was thinking of. I completely did not intend to start an argument or criticize anyone's RP. My frustration over past RPers that I've met who were total jerks came out in that part. But that's life, and my own beef, so I'm sorry that came out sounding like I was criticizing or belittling. There have been a lot of great lines from this thread, though. I won't quote them all (this is long enough as it is) but I'm surprised at how many times I read something and thought "Hmm. That is a really great way of putting that." So anyway, I'm all but backing off of any point I was trying to make. I don't want people reading a random post I threw out and thinking, "What in Shatner's wet dream is going on here?" Much love to you all. Hope to play with some of ya soon. EDIT: Also forgot to mention, I really did make it seem like I thought RP had to be happy because life sucks. Not what I meant to say. I like my life, and I'm sure most everyone will agree that it has its sucky parts. My point was meant to be that after a day of work or whatever and you're tired and/or stressed, I think the last thing a lot of people would want is to feel stressed from their hobby (aka RP)

First off, you guys are awesome. I have a hard time figuring out what to read on the forums all the time, so this was a good look into how the community is going. I just wanted to pop in and add another 2 gil (As Eva calls it) on the subject. Mostly I wanted to sort of clarify my "happy ending" comment. I didn't mean to make it sound like everything had to have an 80's cartoon moral at the end of every RP session. Nah, the world is gritty and stuff happens that is horrible. That is part of the drama and the fun and the storytelling. I think mostly my point is part of OOC communication. Which falls into the category a lot of you have brought up about style preferences. I totally get that people have their own styles they dig. That is awesome! And yes we sort of need sub-categories so we can have our group of peeps that see mostly eye-to-eye with each other. I totally agree that if you're getting upset that there is a good chance you're putting yourself into it possibly too much. But I'll at least admit that I have to put some of myself into it or I'm not having a ton of fun. Like when I read a good book, I'm emotionally attached to my characters and the characters around me. (Not to say that I throw tantrums and have to have everything my way because I'm attached. No.) Really all this just stems from wanting this community to be everything I hope it can be. I'm going to meet people I don't like. There will probably even more that don't like me. That's life. But I'm trying really hard to respect even those I don't like because they're trying to have fun, too. So all-in-all, I just hope there is more OOC communication than sometimes I've experienced in the past. I hope to play with a lot of you, so I'll say it now: If I ever disrespect you or hamper your fun, tell me! We're all on the same team.

Hey everyone, I am pretty new to the community and sort of on the outskirts since I haven't figured out quite how to find a niche in this giant community. (Which is awesome. This game is gonna thrive like crazy. I'm excited.) I just wanted to post some thoughts and see how some of you felt about it. One of the amazing tendencies of RPers is to get together and communicate. We roleplay to have fun, don't we? I've RPed in a gaggle of MMOs, and honestly a lot of the time it doesn't feel like it. Why is that? Why does RP become this chore that we have to put our serious faces on just to navigate? Maybe part of it is just different people's views of what they want from RP. I love dramatic RP and putting our characters through tough situations, but somewhere along the road can't there be a happy ending? I'll admit, I sorta giggle when people try and zero in on details to make things more like real life. And don't think I'm making fun of you if you do that, I'm really not. I just like to think of RP as a fantasy, or a fairy tale. Our lives are depressing and lonely enough. Should our RP make us feel that way too? I have met a lot of RPers who act like they have something to prove. Like their RP or their style is superior in some sort of way. I'm totally serious when I say this: Can't we just love each other and have fun? OOC, we are on the same side. Everyone. There's no competition. We are a community of like-minded individuals working for a common good. Isn't that amazing? So maybe this post is two parts whining and two parts putting up a banner to find like-minded players. So how about it? Who wants to be friends? Who wants to have fun and just enjoy adventuring through worlds we can create? Let's face it, most games are tanking. For me, this is Final Hope XIV. I'm sure a lot of us have been apart of communities that fell apart. And maybe some of us made mistakes that helped the overall downfall. I know I did. So in the rubble of Bahamut's temper tantrum, let's make this the best community there ever was.

Let me know if you'd like any more help with all of it. Story elements are like crack cocaine to me.

Hey I read your story and have been tryin' to think of a few ideas you could expand things with. Obviously feel free to use none or all of this, just wanted to give you a few springboards to start from. I don't know how depth you want to go with things, but starting with adolescence in Limsa Lominsa: How did your character grow up? It says your parents were fishermen, so that might be a more care free upbringing, or a stressful one if they were trying to make ends meet. Development can be a good starting place to how your character ended up where they are. And perhaps you can have a story in that time somewhere to help add some drama and intrigue to why the dream of a Dragoon is so strong. Maybe there was a Dragoon that became a role model in your character's life. They saved them, gave them advice, or even was just someone they looked up to. And maybe there are more dreams/goals to be fulfilled once the title of Dragoon has been obtained. Can range from wanting to save the world as a glorious hero, to shoving it in the face of a childhood bully. Just a few things to consider. I'll stop there or I'm going to write a novel of possible character paths. :dazed:

I chose a male Miqo'te. Through most of my MMO/RP career I always rolled the human race. It was actually Tera that sort of broke me of that mold. Human guys on that game looked friggin' weird to me. Odd proportions. So I rolled a Castanic. Liked their look, their lore, and the fact they were sorta the male sluts. (Us guys don't get to be the slutty race too often, y'know!) I'm coming over to this game with my best friend who I RP'd with in Tera. I was leaning towards Hyur again, but then she made me realize that my character's personality could have a lot more fun as a Miqo'te. He is bright and over dramatic and a little bouncy. So all-in-all it was the tail. My RP opened up a lot of different ways with another limb to play around with. (Plus I think she likes having a big purring furball with a tail to play with)

This is just my opinion, but I say be as creative as you want (within certain limitations of craziness, but yeah) Its a big world. There are a lot of circumstances that lead to things outside the norm. Even in lets say United States culture, there are all sorts of names that don't necessarily fit any pattern. Some names are Biblical, others are shiny objects parents saw. My own character is a Miqo'te, but was raised by Hyur. His upbringing is going to sway him more towards Hyur culture. So I think if you're getting flak for a name you want (That isn't "Princess Banana Hammock the Third") then honestly I'd just ignore them. A RP community is hardly a place to extinguish individualistic creativity.

Welcome to the community. I'm sure you'll love MMO RP. Its like chat RP except you get to play dress up with your character and have more visual aid to get immersed.

Oh? What's up in the air? Server stuff or what?