Final Fantasy

This is a /v/ related article, which we tolerate because it's relevant and/or popular on /tg/... or we just can't be bothered to delete it.

Final Fantasy is a long, LONG running series of fantasy-themed video-games created by Square Enix. First released for the Nintendo, the original Final Fantasy was the company's last hurrah, as they were teetering on the brink of bankruptcy; the name was an ironic dig at this. Then, to everybody's surprise, it caught on, and the videogaming world would never be the same.

/tg/ Relevance

As perhaps the most iconic fantasy gaming series on /v/, Final Fantasy inspires more than its share of gamers to try and convert the games to the tabletop gaming experience. As such, threads about converting races, classes, jobs, spells and other such things from the games sporadically appear on /tg/.

The original game, Final Fantasy 1, is particularly beloved for its efforts at replicating the Old School Roleplaying feel, and is practically a Dungeons & Dragons game in everything but name - it even steals many classic D&D monsters and throws them at the party.

Most notably, an article in Dragon Magazine #323 saw the adaptation of the Chocobo running bird to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition.

Settings

The Final Fantasy series is quite complicated to get into for one major reason: it's not a continuous series, but rather a shared title. Different games take place in their own worlds, and whilst some games share a common universe (the world of Ivalice is particularly fleshed out), the connections between are... rocky at best.

Races

There are a wide variety of races in Final Fantasy, and many of them only appear in one game. A large varities are just different tribes of humans, such as the Al Bhed (green-eyed humans with a racial proclivity for machina). The more unusual species tend to capture the imagination more.

Moogles are cutesy little humanoids who look, depending on the game, like either a cartoonish white bat or a bat-winged mixture of cat (or rabbit) and teddy bear. They've also been called Mogs and Moglis.

Burmecians, who only appeared in FF9, are a race of ratfolk (arguably kangaroo rat-influenced). Their society is based on togetherness, family, and close community, and they are known to be quite religious, with practices focused on worshipping through dance.

Elvaans (FF11) look like your classic elf, but are proud, disciplined, hardy warriors who have no talent for magic and instead devote themselves to proving their skill with the art of the sword.

Galka are hulking, seemingly all-male ogre-like creatures in FF11.

Genomes (FF9) are a race of artificial life-forms that resemble humans with monkey-like tails, which were created to exist as back-up bodies for an invading alien race.

Mithra (FF11) are infamous for being the catgirl race. There apparently are males, but due to their scarcity, they are kept strictly segregated in the Mithra lands, looking after the children. Like cats, they are playful, curious, and prone to mischief. They are best at being thieves, rangers, ninja, and mages with their high dexterity and agility.

Qu (FF9) are a bizarre race of androgynous, long-tongued humanoids which dwell in swamps. Known for their obsession with gourmet cooking and their love of frog-meat in particular.

TaruTaru (FF11) are basically the gnomes of Final Fantasy, although they look more like the titular Chipmunks and Chippettes from the 80s cartoon "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Dedicated and hard-working, they use their skill in magic to make up for their lack of physical prowess.

Ivalice Races

Ivalice has made the most appearances of any one Final Fantasy game, and thus has the largest array of potentially playable races to show up so far.

Aegyls are a primitive race of winged humanoids, in a state of cultural and spiritual decline.

Bangaas are a powerful race of hulking lizardfolk, distinguished by their two pairs of long, droopy, bunny-like ears. They are note for their strength and agility, favoring classes that require high physical power.

Garifs are a primitive race of ogre-like humanoids, characterized by their thick fur coasts and their cultural doctrine of wearing masks throughout their life.

Gria are an all-female race of humanoid dragons, with the classic "dragongirl" appearance of a dainty tail, horns and dragon wings on an otherwise human body. Despite their girlish looks, Gria are formidably strong.

Nu Mou are effectively the kobolds of Ivalice, resembling a surprisingly cute mix of lizardfolk and long-eared dogfolk or rabbitfolk. They are known for their proficiency with magic.

Seeqs are basically the orcs of Ivalice, appearing as large, bulky pig-men. Barbarous and cowardly, they often tend to be bandits.

Viera are perhaps the most famous of Ivalice's races, being a species of practically all-female amazon rabbitfolk-elves of legendary beauty and with a preference for skimpy clothes. Quick, agile, great shots, long-lived and equally proficient with both magic and martial combat, only female vierra ever appear, as their menfolk are both rare and extremely territorial, hiding even from their women until it's breeding season.