Is it considered "weird" to play a Miqo'te?

[Drej]

I'm a bit new to these parts. Did some roleplaying on Balmung last year, but had to step out due to financial reasons. Trying to edge my way back into the community, and I just had a question. However slightly awkward it might sound.

 

I've decided to Fantasia my main character into a Seeker of the Moon. She was previously a Roegadyn, then an Elezen, and briefly a Hyur, but my brain and I have finally settled on the fact that her, erm, brusque personality would work fine on a Miqo'te. Love their lore, their philology is pretty cool, and I just think they're pretty unique from a character design standpoint.

 

Unfortunately, I've gotten a lot of heat from people for choosing to play "another catgirl". I really like the way I designed her, but there's been more than a few comments of the "you just want to play something tiny and cute" line of thinking.

 

Guess I figured I'd just ask here. I know a lot of people play them, but I guess I'm a bit nervous playing one because of the reception I've gotten from others.

[Gegenji]

Ultimately? Let them whine and play what you want. If you feel your character clicks best as a Miqo'te, then have her as a Miqo'te. The popularity of the race really shouldn't hinder your choice to be one.

[Perth]

I adore miqo'te, and before I settled on Willow being a hyur, I played a miqo'te. I will always love them and advocate playing them. Consider this. At the end of the day, they're not paying your subscription and they're not the ones staring at your character 24/7, you are. So keep being an awesome cat girl. Rock it. We need more intriguing miqo'tes out there.

[Aya]

Everyone is a little weird!  Miqo'te are (probably) the most popular race for RP characters, so I don't think you can go wrong with it

[Sophia_Grave]

Can't really be weird if its by far the most popular choice.

 

In any case, as with anything popular, it becomes very easy to notice the trends and common themes simply because there are so many examples. This leads to people making blanket statements like "Miqo'te are all the same" which anyone knows isn't true. There are spectacular Miqo'te RPers and bland, boring RPers using other races.

 

There's also the lore tidbit about male Miqo'te being 'rare' which has been completely obliterated by the RP community.

 

Regardless, don't let comments like that get to you. Play your character the way you want.

[Kilieit]

Criticism needs to have a few things to be valid. It needs to be solicited, it needs to be constructive, and it needs to be based in facts (or, where the issue is subjective, well-reasoned opinions).

 

The things these people are saying aren't solicited (you didn't ask for it), are not constructive (they're basically telling you to start over - to tear it down, instead of building it up), or based in facts (you know you have reasons for making your character Miqo'te that they are refusing to into account).

 

So I think it's safe to disregard them.

 

Are these, like, random people in the Quicksand, or are they friends? I'm just wondering what kind of people they must be to think it's their place to make such snide unsolicited comments about another's, at the end of the day, fairly arbitrary choice.

 

So what if you want to play a cat person. Game exists to have fun. Even if you HAD rolled a miqo because you wanted to be tiny and cute, so what. Tiny and cute characters are allowed to exist, and people are allowed to have fun playing them. If these people want something different, they should roll it themselves - not bully other people into rolling it.

[Thunderbolt300]

At the end of the day? Play what makes you happy. Forget everyone else- the whole point is for you to have fun.

 

Plus, y'know. Miqo'te master race. Ahem.

[Ellmida]

I don't know. I'm of the sentiment that it you play your character well, the race shouldn't matter. That you're playing a popular race should not factor into how others view your character anymore than if you chose to play something more obscure. It seems short sighted that anyone should make you feel like less of a person because of your character choice IMO

[FreelanceWizard]

Speaking as someone who's been playing a Seeker of the Sun since beta... no, there's nothing wrong or weird with playing the race of your choice. Play what you want to play. If you're concerned about the lore, there's a lot of great resources around on it. If you're concerned about them being very common in RP, again, remember that player characters are the minority of characters that exist in the world and, hey, you'll at least have lots of other fellow miqo'te to interact with.

 

#seeker pride and all that.

[Aya]

There's also the lore tidbit about male Miqo'te being 'rare' which has been completely obliterated by the RP community.

Well, canonically they are rare among the general population.  We can make up whatever headcanon we like for understanding why they are so common in the circles our RP characters tend to associate with, most predominately: adventurers. 

 

I always look at it as the result of their rarity creating strictures and expectations that lead most of the more independent male Miqo'te to abandon their old like and seek a new one among a group of people where they can be more free.  That's us!

[Kismet]

Play what you want. Anyone who feels THAT strongly about what you choose to play probably has some insecurity issues they need to sort out that they're just projecting onto you... and people like that can go get stuffed.

[Aaron]

Long as it's not a futa it's not weird playing a catgirl if you wanna.

[TK Hikaru]

Honestly? As long as you're not hurting anyone else and you're happy, I say play whatever you want.

 

The whole 'It's popular so it sucks' mentality is a bunch of hog shit. Yes there are a lot of players who pick miqo'te because they're cute and tiny. However, some of the most fascinating and intriguing characters I've had the chance of meeting have been miqo'te.

 

People are going to give you flack for playing the most popular race, it's gonna happen. Don't bend over backwards for the people who aren't going to be satisfied. Find the people who will enjoy your character no matter the race.

[Miriamele]

I've definitely heard people shoot comments about female Miqo'te and how popular they are or how there is so many, both good and bad meaning. Play what you want, have fun! It's what we're all here for - fun! Personally I love Au'ra and have two of them!

[Faye]

Considering it's by and large the most popular race, it's definitely not weird. If the criticism is bothering you, it may be worth looking into to see if there is any truth behind it or any reason these people are saying these things--not to change your Miqo'te into another race, but perhaps to take a different approach to playing your Miqo'te in a way that will be fresh, inoffensive, and avoidant of the same tired ol' tropes. Otherwise, there will always be naysayers to any concept and character. Just keep doing your thing and play what you want to play.

[Askier]

I don't think so. I've made at least um, six of the fur balls now over the three years I have roleplayed and haven't encountered negative stigmas. It boils down to how you play them that will garner you a reputation. Sure, some Miqo'te do heavily roleplay the whole breeding thing more than others, but if you focus focus your roleplay on your character's development and their goals, and not just their dating or sex life, I doubt you'll run into any obstacles.

[Mia Moui]

The ONLY reason I'm even remotely interested in FFXIV is because of the Miqo'te.

[SapphireSkylines]

I used to be a full time lalafell roleplayer, and then I started playing a miqo'te. I've had a blast with her! I still like playing my shorties but I would say at this point that my miqo'te is now my main, my lalafell Liara coming at a close second. 

 

Don't let people put you down, play what you want to play. Unfortunately I don't really think I can say much else without saying what other people have said. Just have fun! It's a game.

[Warren Castille]

Miqo'te are the most likely race to be picked for level 1 trash ERP alts.

 

It's a stigma, but it isn't weird. Don't wear slutglamour and idle in public places with an ERP search comment under level 5 and you'll be fine.

[Charity322]

Miqo'te are cute and small? Aren't we confusing them with Lalafells? Miqo'te are average height; it's just the Elezen and Roes who are behemoths.

[Lydia Lightfoot]

A lot of people play them because they have a personal, um... "interest", is the most safe-for-work way to put it... in nekomimi (anime catgirl) or furry... "we're going to call it romantic RP but you know better" activities. Not everyone who plays them is doing so for that reason, though (any more than, say, a girl who wears shorts is doing it because she's trying to get attention by showing off her legs - maybe she's just warm and is wearing them for the same reason boys do). 

 

Play what you want to play. Chances are, people who may protest are doing so to try and conceal their own feelings of insecurity regarding their own behavior (if they can get other people to look at you with judgment, then less people will be focusing on them for judgment). One of the nice things about Balmung being so populous is that if someone bothers you or you feel they're treating you unfairly it's fairly easy to just never encounter them again without even intentionally going out of your way to avoid them.

[Knight Kat]

Almost every race has an OOC stigma attached. My friend gets teased, and subjected to all sorts of BS for playing a Lalafell, and he plays one of the best Lalafell characters I have ever seen. It's like people sit around and have pow-wows about what stigmas to assign to which race.

 

Au Ra had stigmas assigned to them before they even became playable. I've played a Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te for years with great success, and my Au Ra Xaela has been called a "scale-waifu" more times than I can count, but she is relatively well-liked too.

 

Half the time, the stigmas are mere jokes. Some people take the stigmas seriously. You don't have to play with those people.

 

I promise there are more than enough people who will not make their choice to RP with you based on silly racial stigmas.

 

The personal advice I offer you is learn the lore, practice good writing, always try to improve, make your character with believable strengths and weaknesses and RP cooperatively with others. This will make you and your character loved regardless of their race.

[Drej]

Miqo'te are the most likely race to be picked for level 1 trash ERP alts.

 

It's a stigma, but it isn't weird. Don't wear slutglamour and idle in public places with an ERP search comment under level 5 and you'll be fine.

 

Haha, sounds like the FFXIV version of night elves and Goldshire.

 

I guess I was just afraid people would start ribbing me for playing a class that tends to get the "overly sexualized furry" treatment, rather than an actually somewhat dignified character. Literally had a friend who plays go, "wtf you're wasting your fantasia on waifu trash?" No, I just happened to come up with a miqo'te that looks cool enough for me to want to race change. 

 

Definitely grateful for all of the responses thus far, though.  Currently in the process of setting up her character profile and all that.

[Perth]

Literally had a friend who plays go, "wtf you're wasting your fantasia on waifu trash?" No, I just happened to come up with a miqo'te that looks cool enough for me to want to race change. 

 

Yikes, harsh friend.

[Caspar]

Almost every race has an OOC stigma attached. My friend gets teased, and subjected to all sorts of BS for playing a Lalafell, and he plays one of the best Lalafell characters I have ever seen. It's like people sit around and have pow-wows about what stigmas to assign to which race.

 

Au Ra had stigmas assigned to them before they even became playable. I've played a Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te for years with great success, and my Au Ra Xaela has been called a "scale-waifu" more times than I can count, but she is relatively well-liked too.

 

Half the time, the stigmas are mere jokes. Some people take the stigmas seriously. You don't have to play with those people.

 

I promise there are more than enough people who will not make their choice to RP with you based on silly racial stigmas.

 

The personal advice I offer you is learn the lore, practice good writing, always try to improve, make your character with believable strengths and weaknesses and RP cooperatively with others. This will make you and your character loved regardless of their race.

I must second this. I believe that one doesn't really know what it means to play a stigmatized race until your main is Lalafell. Though all races have their own stereotypes among players, the less common ones have very little ability to dispel them. The scarcity of Lalafell players combined with the somewhat inflexible way they're presented by the Main Story Quests means that negative impressions fall heavily upon a small (lol) group that's easy to punch down into. But I accepted this as an issue that I'd have to deal with when I chose the race. People not taking you seriously even OOCly, slandering you, assuming you're a troll, derogatory language, passive aggressive tells; I endure it all with a stiff upper lip. I've definitely been in my share of "that RP is bad" pow-wows where the stigma is brought up. Not to scare anyone but rather than it being "as if" these group deprecating talks occur, it's more like they *do.* For some a cursory sense of superiority is worth it, even if the rush only lasts a few moments.

 

I say don't take it to heart. Miqote may be common, but playing a character you don't love to please others is almost always disappointing to you in the end. Focus on selling your concept to others and committing to developing your character like you would any interesting character in a story and you'll eventually find an appreciative audience as I have.