I was trying to think of something to write about (news in the mmo world has been slow, and I’m not currently doing anything interesting myself in an mmo either) when I came across this thread on the Nerfbat forums: Your Ultimate MMO in 10 Bullet Points. While I could have simply posted my 10 bullets and moved on, I realized I could probably ramble for hours about each single point. So, instead, I will be making 10 different posts over the next couple of days, each one explaining why a specific point makes it on my list of the 10 things I want in my ideal MMO.
One note: I don’t count setting as one of my bullet points, even though it could be. I will only ever play Fantasy MMOs and therefore I consider it a given. There’s no reason to write a post about why I want Fantasy, as it’s just my personal preference. Some of the other stuff could be considered as preference as well, but it’s a least a little more interesting to talk about. That said, on to point one:
1: Diverse Choice of Player Race
One of my complaints with WoW is how limited I feel when it comes to choosing a race. I do not, however, consider this a design flaw on Blizzard’s part, they are simply sticking to their predefined lore. Furthermore, the racial selection feels smaller than it actually is due to the splitting of Horde and Alliance, bringing your choice of race down to 5 from 10 once you’ve chosen which side to be.
When it comes to my preference for racial selection, I’m a little old fashioned. EQ offered the best diversity in my opinion with 16 choices, though technically EQ2 now has more. I like a large amount of races, but not so many that you have to start picking random animals and making them humanoid – I’m looking at you, Vanguard. I also prefer the races to come from the Lore, and not the other way around. Make the world first, decide who populates what region, and then look at the races you have. This way, you don’t have to scramble to make up lore that will probably be very patchy just to fit a race into the game. Lastly, I prefer that the races are inspired by the classic iterations that have already been established. By this, I mean I prefer the standard DnD races, or any offshoots that you find in various campaign settings. I feel that grounding yourself in something that has already been established, and then tweaking it with your own unique touches allows you to avoid alienating fans of the fantasy genre while still offering you freedom to be creative with their history and culture.
Since this theoretical MMO has no previous games in its lineage, we can start from scratch and have whichever races we want without butchering the lore. I already know what the world is like for my ideal MMO, as it is a world I have previously made myself (possibly coming in a future post), so I can go ahead and make a list of the races that would be found there. While many are simple tried and true staples, there may be something in there to interest you anyway.
The Races:
Humans – The youngest of the races, but the fastest growing. Other races find them constantly surprising, for they are never idle and no one human is ever the same as another. There are four human kingdoms in the world, and players would be able to choose which they wish to pledge their loyalty to – if any. Aside from these kingdoms, humans have also established a huge port city that is known for its acceptance of all travelers – so long as they remain civilized. This city has become a bustling center of activity, and is a common area for adventurers to meet more of their kind. A human’s alignment can start anywhere from Good to Evil, and they have the easiest time of any race changing alignment and faction.
Dwarves – Dwarves, as tough as the stone they mine, inhabit the mountains and caverns of the Northlands where they beat back the ever advancing threat of Orcs and Giants, thanklessly protecting many of the other races’ settlements below. Most prefer to keep to themselves, spending the day mining ore and crafting flawless weapons and armor, but there are many who choose the adventuring life. Most are Warriors, Paladins and Clerics, and they are a valuable addition to any traveling party. Their hardiness grants them a bonus to natural armor and hit points, and their dedication to their Gods makes it more difficult to interrupt a dwarven spellcaster. They always start of Good alignment, but can fall to Neutral if they choose to live a more roguish life. Dwarves are natural blacksmiths, and can grant bonuses to armor and weapons that no other smith can bestow. They also enjoy mining and brewing. It can be difficult to gain the favor of a Dwarf, but once you do, you have a friend for life.
Gnomes – Gnomes are small, wiry cousins of Dwarves with large noses and sparse white hair. They love mining gems and thinking up incredible inventions, and are responsible for most of the technology found in some human cities as well as their own city. Other races are reluctant to accept anything invented by a gnome as…safe for use. In the last few decades, Gnomes have managed to create a power source out of certain gems which seem to hold and retain mana. These gems can be used to power all sorts of inventions, and when given other enchantments can also be used to empower weapons and armor with additional magical properties. This has become a very lucrative practice for the Gnomes, and they have found great success trading in major cities. Gnomes are also very adept at magic, particularly enchanting and illusions, and many adventuring Gnomes choose a magical profession. They are also capable Warriors though, and excellent Rogues. They are usually of Neutral alignment leaning towards Good. Greed, for riches or power, can sometimes turn them towards an Evil alignment. Gnomes are excellent tinkers and jewelcrafters.
Halflings – Ever curious, these furry footed creatures often find themselves getting into trouble, and have perfected the art of getting out of it again. They are very small, generally chubby, and one of the most fun-loving and friendly of all races. They love exploring and getting into mischief, and thus are often found in adventuring groups or roaming about the various cities of the land, taking in the sights – and the food. They lean towards Good to Neutral alignment, and are never truly evil. Halflings are particularly good Rogues, though they can be found in nearly every other adventuring profession as well. They also love cooking, harvesting and mapmaking.
Barbarians – Hearty men of the north, the Barbarians make their home in the mountains where they revel in hunting, drinking and brawling. They are much larger and more quick to anger than their human cousins, but they are known for their honor and valor in battle as well. Barbarians are generally of Neutral alignment, some leaning towards Good. They are allied with the Dwarves and Humans in protecting the land against the nearby Orcs, Half-Orcs, and Ogres. Fans of melee fighters might especially be attracted to Barbarians, whose racials such as Berserking gives them an edge that could turn the tide of any battle. A Barbarian Shaman is also a welcome addition to any group, and they have access to some spells which the more vile Shaman of other races cannot attain. They are also particularly good skinners, leatherworkers, and brewers.
Wood Elf – Formerly sworn protectors of the woodland realms who rarely left the trees, the Wood Elves are now found commonly across the lands. They are the friendliest of elf-kind, and look kindly towards most goodly races, especially good-aligned Humans and Halflings. There is tension between Wood Elves and High Elves, but they are not openly hostile. Wood Elves despise Dark Elves and other evil races. They are descendants of an ancient branch of elven-kind called the Wild Elves, and still carry a streak of this feral ancestor in their blood, which can show itself in times of great conflict where they are fierce and capable companions. They are often seen as Warriors, Rangers, Bards and, more rarely, Druids (though only because Druids themselves are a rarity). They prefer peace, and have a great love for nature, art and song. They are always of Good alignment.
Dark Elf – Far from the Dark Elves you may know of old who hid under the ground or in dark forests, these Dark Elves make up one of the most vast and powerful empires of the modern world. They rule almost the entirety of the eastern continent, where their black towers and looming spires can be seen for miles. Dark Elves are similar to other elves in build, though their skin ranges from dark indigo to purple, and their hair is generally white, but sometimes black. They possess a vast army of warriors and wizards which defends their land, and believe it is their destiny to expand across the sea to the west, where they will overtake the human kingdoms and enslave their elven kin. They are known for their sprawling cities of black marble, stone, and steel, with a unique architecture fitting of their race. Dark Elves command great respect even from their enemies, and they are tolerated in neutral cities, albeit cautiously. Good aligned cities will generally turn them away at the gates, but not openly attack for fear of reprisal – with the exception of the elven kingdoms which consider it their duty to rid the world of their tainted kin. Dark Elves begin as evil aligned, but it is easy for a player to become neutral if they choose. It will take much more effort to be accepted among the goodly races. They can excel at nearly any profession, but are particularly deadly spellcasters and assassins.
High Elf – Elves that consider themselves the only remaining pure-blooded elves left from the original line. They have used powerful magic to raise an island into the sky and they live there cut off from all other races. They are sometimes seen in the lands below, but never without a specific purpose or agenda. Players would have to start with lower faction with other races, but it could always be raised through deeds. They are the only race permitted in the High Elf skycity and have a unique ability to teleport there once per day. They are of Neutral alignment, and can become either Good or Evil, usually whichever will benefit them more. They are the most powerful spellcasters, and are particularly good at Elemental magic. While they don’t often come down from the sky to trade, when they do they offer incredibly potent magical items, often with enchantments not available from any other race. They are also adept at crafting runestones, which allow even a non-magic user to teleport to a location inscribed in the stone.
Half Elf – Half-Elves are a versatile race with great potential. They are the result of the pairing of an elf and human, though it is much more common for them to be raised among humans. They are most commonly adventurers, finding it difficult to fit in completely anywhere except the open road. They are commonly Bards, Rogues, and Rangers. The Half Elf player would have the ability to choose where his heritage lies, with the exception of High Elves which never mate with Humans. This would restrict his starting area and initial alignment, though Half Elves are always able to forge their own path and become any alignment. Heritage would also open up varying visual customizations, differing a half-dark elf from a half-wood elf, and so on.
Dune Elf – Dune Elves are nomadic elves that wander the deserts of the world. Often thought to be a mirage when seen by weary adventurers, they travel in small groups and never settle in one area for very long. Some say they are searching for the ancient ruins of their people, while others say they are cursed to roam the scorching desert forever for some unknown treachery committed against the Gods. Although rare, some Dune Elves have been known to leave the desert and become mercenaries, taking up with adventuring bands – for a price. They tend to be much more rugged and violent than a typical elf, but still possess their great agility and intelligence. They are extraordinary melee fighters, especially with bladed weapons such as the scimitar.
Ogre – Hulking brutes who are a distant offshoot of the even more monstrous Giants. They tend to live in the mountains and carve out homes for themselves in the many caves. They are nearly always at war with some clan of Dwarves, often because their dwellings expanded too far into Dwarven territory – or simply because one Ogre chose to have a particularly unlucky Dwarf for a snack one day. Ogres are extremely powerful and violent, though not as unintelligent as many have made the mistake of believing. They do not care much for culture and do not keep history. They are easily bored and it is not uncommon for an Ogre to leave his homeland at a whim and never return. They are hated by most goodly races, but sometimes accepted among evil races such as Trolls and Half-Orcs. Dark Elves are not fond of them, but do not consider them an enemy, though they keep some as slaves. A player who chooses an Ogre would do so for their unrivaled strength and racial abilities that greatly benefit tank and melee damage archetypes. They are almost always evil aligned, though they can become neutral.
Troll – Trolls are disgusting, slimy creatures with extremely long limbs which they can innately regenerate if one is severed. Like Ogres, they are violent and deadly. They tend to stay in their territory, the marshes and swamps of the southern lands, but occasionally they will travel elsewhere for some purpose. They are surprisingly very religious, and commonly participate in rituals dedicated to their vile Gods. They are more intelligent than Ogres, and more experienced with the use of magic, though they lean more towards the shamanistic side than the arcane. The Trolls have recently been expanding their empire further northward, building great temples and forts. It is likely only a matter of time before they violently clash with the other races of the world. Trolls are always evil aligned and are only tolerated by Ogres and evil aligned Half-Orcs. They are particularly brutal Warriors and Death Knights, and their Shaman possess curses and hexes which no other race dare attempt to cast.
Half Orc – Half-Orcs are the result of Orcs breeding with Human females, often through rape. These are generally very disturbed and unstable individuals, though there are cases of some Half-Orcs which gained some renown and respect and lived-relatively-normal lives. They are usually abandoned by their mothers after birth, and it is very rare for a Half-Orc child to survive. If the child is born among Orcs and appears strong, they will care for it and treat it like a normal Orc, and it will usually live out its life among them. More rarely, the human mother will keep the child and raise it, and these unique half-orcs sometimes manage to find their way into society and almost always lead interesting lives. For the player, this choice is up to them. They can choose to play a more brutish, unstable Half-Orc who was raised among the clan, or the type of Half-Orc who was raised by Humans and now searches for his own place in the world. Regardless of this choice, the Half-Orc will always start out with lower faction and of a neutral or evil alignment. With time and effort, the player could choose another path if they wished. They make powerful Warriors, Shaman and Monks.
Planetouched – Planetouched are Humans or Elves who have been manipulated in some way by a planar being. They could have demon blood somewhere in their ancestry, or even have been directly cursed or blessed by a deity or other powerful being. They are generally disliked, or at least mistrusted, depending on the level of abnormality in their appearance. Their alignment ranges from Good to Evil, and whether or not they are accepted among other races can vary greatly. This race, like the Half-Elf, would have a wide variation of customization during character creation giving some insight on the Planetouched’s unnatural blood. It could be something as obvious as demon horns protruding from their skull, or something subtle, such as strangely colored hair or eyes. Gameplay wise, the Planetouched is similar to a Human or Elf, but instead of possessing the racial abilities and bonuses of that race, they take their bonuses from the type of planar being they were influenced by. This could be a temporary demonic form which greatly increases their power for a short time, an ability that reduces the mana cost and empowers all spells of a certain element, or an innate ability to phase out of the material plane briefly, confusing opponents. This could be decided upon and balanced at a later stage. They can excel at nearly any profession – their struggle lies in being accepted by other races.
Merfolk – Aquatic humanoids that come from the depths of the ocean. The race is bordering on extinction due to unknown circumstances, and many young Merfolk have taken to adventuring outside their homeland to search for one who might be able to aid them. Not much else is known about these mysterious creatures, but they seem greatly intelligent and extremely cautious. Through magical means, they are able to transform their bodies and walk on land like a normal bipedal humanoid, as well as breathe oxygen. Recently, more and more of these Merfolk have been appearing among the land-dwelling races, searching for an answer that might save their dying people. They would start in an underwater city (did I just hear a collective groan from the audience?) and have an extremely fast movement speed underwater, as well as enduring breath, obviously. On land, they move like normal races and suffer no penalties for remaining inland for long periods. The game would not have an abundance of underwater areas, so the racials would not be considered overpowered. They are of Neutral alignment and make excellent spellcasters. Those that choose the path of the fighter will find Merfolk to be capable Warriors, especially wielding spears and tridents, the chosen weapon of their race.
Fairly basic, with a few uniques in there. You may have noticed I mentioned alignment and faction a lot – another huge part of my perfect MMO. More on that in Part 2 of this series.
Questions or Comments? Any race you feel should be included that I left out, and why? Would you exclude any of these races for any particular reason?
