I like short races in MMOs. Not exclusively, but if there is an option to go small or go home, you can bet that I’ll at least have one seriously played character who is hacking away at an ogre’s shins. For me, it’s the feeling of a character who might be underestimated but overcomes any height obstacle to become a powerful hero.
So let’s look around at various MMORPGs to see where and how studios have put shorter races into these worlds. Some of the entries will be more generic, as those races are shared by multiple titles, while others are specific to a particular MMO. Go short stuff go!
Dwarf
The racial fantasy with Dwarves often draws great inspiration from Tolkien, featuring a stout bundle of sheer muscles and stubbornness. Out of all of the shorter races, Dwarves tend to exude physical prowess the most, kind of undersized gym bros who can’t wait to drive a hammer or axe through a foe’s skull.
Gnome
Let’s go with another common pick throughout fantasy realms, which is the Gnome. Now the interesting thing about Gnomes is that there is far less of a universal standard for them than, say, Dwarves. Sometimes they’re gem-obsessed underground miners, sometimes they’re tech wizards, and sometimes they’re just straight-up wizards.
Asura
Going in its own unique direction with a short race, Guild Wars 2 gifted — or cursed — us with the Asura. Squinting at them in a certain light, they’re cute Lilo-like big-eyed friends. But when you look straight on, you see a demon from hell with sharp teeth that wants to burrow into your torso. Either way, they’re pretty good at magitech and have a monopoly on mad science, so don’t cross them.
Halflings (Hobbits)
I still get a chuckle out of how Dungeons & Dragons added Hobbits but legally had to call them Halflings instead, but, c’mon, they’re totally Frodo and Bilbo. Anyway, hairy naked feet, a penchant for eating you out of house and home, and an admirable inner strength that will see you through to whatever volcano you’re bringing your jewelry to this week are what define this race.
Gibberlings
Another way to go small in MMOs is to give your players adorable little balls of fluff. Allods Online went two steps past that by creating the Gibberling race where players controlled a trio of fluffy hamster-people (?) with far too much energy. Maybe they’re official Red Bull sponsors, I don’t know, but I am not awake enough to play them on most days.
Ratonga
Leave it to the EverQuest games to make rats not only palpable but edgy, exciting choices for the unorthodox adventurer. These bipedal rodents really filled in the role of swashbucklers, just in case “pirate rats” never crossed your mind. Honestly, if EverQuest 3 had only Ratonga options, we’d be cool with it. Best game ever, probably.
Guineceans
It’s safe to say that the moment that Crowfall showed us an idea for a muskateer guinea pig, we were in love with the audacity of this concept. And while the game itself may have tanked, in our minds the Guineceans live forever. All fantasy MMOs — and maybe most sci-fi ones — should port them over!
Chua
Of course sunsetted MMO WildStar let us play angry fluffy chaos balls – that’s exactly what this title did with the Chua. They may have looked like some kid’s pet, but that impression lasted only until they bit your fingers off and then constructed — and used — an atomic death ray on your city block.
Lalafel
Call them “potatoes” or not, the Lalafel don’t care. They’re going to starfish in surprise, worry about their lack of noses, and then pick up a weapon about six times their weight and go to town on an enemy 70 times their size. Some players love to hate these FFXIV characters, but the Lalafel have a pretty strong cult following in defiance of that.
Vulpera
I could also do an honorable mention for World of Warcraft’s Goblins on this list, but I’m going with the MMO’s fox-like Vulpera for their more unique nature. I think they’re absolutely swell, especially since foxes haven’t been done to death as fantasy races. And what do they say? No one knows.
Everyone likes a good list, and we are no different! Perfect Ten takes an MMO topic and divvies it up into 10 delicious, entertaining, and often informative segments for your snacking pleasure. Got a good idea for a list? Email us at justin@massivelyop.com or eliot@massivelyop.com with the subject line “Perfect Ten.”
