These races are the ones available from your list of choices at the character creation. At the beginning of Final Fantasy XIV and A Realm Reborn, the base game offered five races at first but has since increased to eight playable ones as of Shadowbringers, with each one divided into two clans.

However, according to the development team, the playable races introduced for Heavensward and Shadowbringers might be the final ones to be added to the game as they require new faces, hairstyles, bodies, and other assets to create and to be capable of equipping all existing items.

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In General

Charles Atlas Superpower: Though all of these races are capable of feats beyond human comprehension because of aether, training in one of the various combat disciplines is still needed to reach the superhuman level. Even the smallest playable race, the Lalafells, can become formidable even with their remarkable height and short reach.
Everyone Is a Super: All of the playable races have an affinity for manipulating aether, allowing them to perform feats of magic. In fact, most of the widespread schools of combat in Eorzea involve manipulating aether in some form, as evidenced by the glowing effects around weaponskills like the Gladiator's "Fast Blade" and the elemental effects accompanying a Samurai's iaijutsu. However, it's noted that affinity for magic varies from person to person. While some are born with bountiful reserves of aether, others may possess so little aether that performing magic of any kind could be lethal, effectively rendering them an Un-Sorcerer.
Expy: The first five playable races are all based on the playable races of Final Fantasy XI.
- Hyur: Not a lot different than the Hume.
- Elezen: The less muscular but somewhat more agile looking version of the Elvaan.
- Lalafell: They stand slightly taller than the Tarutaru and their bodies are more evenly proportional.
- Miqo'te: Their facial features are more human-like, though a few can appear more or less cat-like like the Mithras. They also let their men get out more.
- Roegadyn: The difference between them and the Galkans are their lack of tail, more evenly proportional bodies (legs and feet aren't small) and have females (Galkans were of one gender and reincarnated after death).
Fantastic Naming Convention: All of the races have their own naming conventions. Even between clans there are differences as well.
- Midlander Hyur tend to have Anglo-Saxon and Briton names, with their surnames relating to their appearance or profession, akin to medieval times. Highlander Hyur have Nordic or Germanic names, with their surnames reflecting their strength and battle prowess. (Examples: Thancred Waters, Lyse Hext, Minfilia Warde, Gerolt Blackthorn)
- Elezen have French names, though modified slightly to reflect their gender; male names usually end with silent X's or T's, female names usually end with "elle", "ette" or "ne" among other pronunciations. There's no real difference between Wildwood and Duskwight names, and the difference is insider-info. (Examples: Alphinaud and Alisaie Levellieur, Urianger Augurelt, Estinien Varlineau)
- Lalafell emphasize alliteration and rhythm, following a pattern based on one's gender, with their surname based on their first name. Male Plainsfolk have a AB-CB rhythm, each part being one syllable long. Female Plainsfolk have a ABB-AB repetition. Male Dunesfolk follow a more repetitious AAB-CCB, with B being two syllables. Female Dunesfolk are slightly modified from Plainsfolk, following an AAB-AB pattern. (Examples: Tataru Taru, Papalymo Tatalymo, Teledji Adeledji)
- Miqo'te have their names accompanied with apostrophes as a way to denote signifiers in their name. Seekers of the Sun use a prefix based on the letter of their tribe, while Keepers of the Moon relegate theirs to only the males to signify the order of their birth. Male Seekers also technically only have one name; their surname is actually their social standing within their tribe: "tia" for the non-breeding men, and "nunh" for the breeding man. Female Seekers take the name of the father who sired them as their surname. Female Keepers, while sharing similar-sounding names, tend to be very short to pronounce and lack any apostrophes. (Examples: Y'shtola Rhul, G'raha Tia, F'lhaminn Qesh, Leih Aliapoh, Gota'a Panipahr)
- Roegadyn names are based on their ancient language, with their surname amounting to "son/daughter of father/mother". Hellsguard, however, have their names translated to common tongue as part of their mercenary background. (Examples: Moenbryda Wilfsunnwyn, Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, Hoary Boulder)
- Au Ra have mostly Eastern names, with Raen names being Edo-era Japanese names related to forces of nature. Xaela, being based on Mongolia, have Mongolian names, with their surname being the tribe they belong to. (Examples: Yugiri Mistwalker, Cirina Mol, Sadu Dotharl)
- Viera names tend to vary, though usually Icelandic in origin, with their surnames being based on their birth village. It's also possible for a Viera to discard their birth name entirely as a way to forgo their forest life. (Examples: Fran Eruyt, Lilja Sjasaris)
- Hrothgar names are Slavic in origin, taking on their queen's name as their surname. Their surnames can either have the A- prefix to denote their continued service to their queen, or the -sch suffix to those who lost their queen. (Examples: Bajsaljen Ulgasch, Marsak Apella, Rostik Liubasch)
Fantastic Racism: A lot of this can be found between the playable races, though it's not on the face and for the most part they get along. But there are blatant cases of these stated in the background between them and other creatures like the ones that are called "Beast Tribes" and the reason why the Garleans despise their magical counterparts.
Interspecies Romance: There are multiple cases of this in the game like for example one character is a child between a Hyur woman and an Elezen man or a Miqo'te who perhaps has Hyur ancestry. There's also an Au Ra and Hyur couple in the Faculty of Anthropology Studium quests that you help eventually tie the knot.
Maligned Mixed Marriage: Though interracial pairs exist, the practice is frowned upon among people. A Hyur and Miqo'te couple in the Wanderer's Palace quests got cast out of their respective homes for this reason.
The Migration: According to the lore of Eorzea, the Elezen actually held sole dominion of Eorzea before the arrival of the other races like the Hyur, Lalafell, Roegadyn and Miqo'te.
Mysterious Past: As of Endwalker, with the knowledge you gained from visiting Elpis, when they did exist is not entirely confirmed yet. While the Ancients' reaction to the player's appearance indicates some familiars with similar traits could have existed, the exact point of time is still unknown. The Hyur look the closest to the Ancients, though with some subtle differences, so it's possible the modern races simply appeared after the Sundering.
Purely Aesthetic Gender: Though there are some stat differences, it's only between races and clans. Gender has no bearing on stats whatsoever, and even then, the stat differences are minor enough to be irrelevant beyond the early game.
Stereotype Flip: While most of the races follow the stereotypes propagated about them there are some characters that follow this trope just like some players does things not really typical to the race they choose.

Playable since A Realm Reborn

Hyur

Height Range:

Midlander, Male: 168–182 cm (5'6"–6'0")
Midlander, Female: 157–170 cm (5'2"–5'7")
Highlander, Male: 183–200 cm (6'0"–6'7")
Highlander, Female: 168–187 cm (5'6"–6'2")

"Over the course of some one thousand years and three great migratory waves, the Hyur have come to be the most populous of the civilized races in Eorzea. Compared to the others, theirs is an average physique, both in terms of height and build. The Hyur champion personal freedom and liberty, and their espousal of an eclectic variety of languages and traditions is a legacy of their diverse heritage―as is their resulting lack of a unified cultural identity."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

The most populous of the races of Eorzea, the Hyur make up a significant number of people in each city-state. They first came from neighboring continents and islands and with their migration, they brought with them sophisticated technology and traditions. They possess a modest build and stature compared to other races. Two distinct clans of Hyur inhabit Eorzea: the Midlanders, on the low-lying regions and the Highlanders, on the mountainous regions.

In today's age, different clans of Hyur are spread across Aldenard, Ilsabard & Othard. Meracydia, the islands of the Bounty like Thavnair, Old Sharlayan of the Northern Empty and even the New World, which is according to the official narrative not newly discovered but rather found again, is inhabited by Hyur. The hint of Hyur in the New World would be the Whalaqee Tribe, the origin of the discipline of the Blue Mages. With the aforementioned examples one could say that the Hyur might be the most widespread race of the planet Hydaelyn.

Divergent Character Evolution: Hyur are the only race who's two playable subraces use a different skeleton for their in-game model, resulting in each having unique animations.
Humans Are Average: Their diverse cultures, the ability to adapt to any place and unconventional thinking that influences past conventions contributes to the appearance of multiple Hyur clans everywhere in Hydaelyn.
Humans Are Special: Though they tend to look ordinary, Hyur are anything but, as they have their fair share of intelligence and magical aptitude equal to the more supernatural races.
Humans by Any Other Name: Hyur are the humans of the Final Fantasy XIV world. In the First, they are called Humes instead.

Midlander Hyur

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 22
Dexterity: 19
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 23
Mind: 19

"The Midlander clan comprises over half of Eorzea’s total Hyur population. The name derives from the clan’s long tradtion of settling in low-lying regions, though in truth Midlander lines hail from a wide variety of ancestral homelands. They have established themselves in every city throughout the realm, and can be observed leading lives as diverse as their heritage"

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Girly Run: Female Midlanders has a running gait where they hold their arms in front swinging them side to side.
Human Subspecies: The white-horned youthful beings residing in the Black Shroud called Padjal are of Hyur descent. To be exact, they come from old Gridanian Hyur Midlander families who were blessed by the Elementals, dating back to the founding of Gridania. The Tank Role Quests in Endwalker reveal that this status is not a permanent change. They can be stripped of their horns and status as punishment from the elementals.
Perma-Stubble: As of Endwalker, male Midlanders are given another face option with some extra scruff that allows them to look closer to the poster boy Midlander in the CG trailers.
Transhuman: Hyur that are blessed by the Elementals become Padjal, eternally youthful horned people with ability and sanction to cast white magic. However, Elementals are just as capable of taking that blessing away as punishment. One such padjal, Ea-Sura-Supin, was subject to this in Endwalker, setting in motion his transformation into the blasphemy Gleipnir.

Highlander Hyur

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 23
Dexterity: 20
Vitality: 22
Intelligence: 18
Mind: 20

"The Highlander name comes from the clan’s history of dominion over the mountains of Gyr Abania. Compared to their Midlander brethren, the Highlanders are noticeably larger in build and musculature. Following the fall of their ancestral homeland of Ala Mhigo, many have sought refuge in the bustling mercantile nation of Ul’dah"

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Amazonian Beauty: Female Highlanders are distinctly more built and muscular compared to their Midlander counterparts, and can be decidedly attractive.
Heroic Build: Highlanders are generally taller and bigger than their Midlander counterparts.
No Brows: Male Highlanders don't have eyebrows as they usually shave them off to appear more intimidating.
Proud Warrior Race: While Highlanders are found in many other places in the world, they are primarily associated with the nation of Ala Mhigo, which prior to its fall had a proud warrior culture and worshipped the god Rhalgr the Destroyer.

Elezen

Height Range:

Male: 194–209 cm (6'4"–6'10")
Female: 183–200 cm (6'0"–6'7")

"The Elezen are a characteristically tall people, long of limb and slender of build. They are also possessed of a somewhat extended lifespan in comparison to the Hyur. The Elezen once claimed sole dominion over Eorzea, their presence predating that of the other races, and, as such, developed a heightened sense of honor and pride. In years past, the Hyur migration into Elezen lands sparked bitter conflict. At present, however, the mutual understanding reached between the two races allows them to work towards mutual peace and prosperity."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Expy: To the Elvaan from Final Fantasy XI in terms of appearance, less so in culture - except in Ishgard, which is very similar to San d'Oria.
- In a more literal case in-universe, what we call Elezen are called Elves in the First.
Long-Lived: Downplayed. On average, Elezen can live for an extra ten or twenty years longer than other races save the Viera.
Noodle People: The Elezen are long limbed and have this sort of stance to set them apart from the other races.
Our Elves Are Different: Elezen take pages from the three most common types in media, though all of them have a reputation for being prideful to a fault.
- The Wildwood Elezen draw primarily from wood elves and live in the sylvan Black Shroud.
- The Duskwights are similar to drow and hail from subterranean settlements beneath the Black Shroud.
- The Elezen of the Holy See of Ishgard are technically Wildwoods, but are a more religiously pious take on high elves rather than wood elves. Heavensward also reveals that they have dragon's blood running through their veins, allowing them to mutate into dragons under the right circumstances.
Pointy Ears: Standard fare for being the Eorzean equivalent of elves, in varying lengths too.
Short Teens, Tall Adults: As expected, Elezen kids are much smaller than adults. You spend a good portion of Heavensward with the teen-aged Alphinaud and many adult Elezen NPCs, and may quickly note that he is roughly half the height of most adults. As Urianger notes, Elezen usually get a big growth spurt by the time they reach their twenties, but until then, young Elezen are as tall as your average Hyuran kid.
Statuesque Stunner: Elezen are quite tall and beautiful, being the second-tallest race only dwarfed by the roegadyn (fourth tallest male race if you factor in male Au Ra and Hrothgar).

Wildwood Elezen

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 20
Dexterity: 23
Vitality: 19
Intelligence: 22
Mind: 19

"The forests, of which the Black Shroud is the tangled heart, have been home to the Wildwood Elezen for hundreds of years. Many of the Wildwood, however, have been drawn to city-states they helped found, such as Ishgard and Gridania. Their fondness for law and order has contributed to a reputation for being haughty and argumentative."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Ishgardian Elezen are a motley mix of west European influences, notably British castle architecture, a religion structured like the Roman Catholic Church - complete with its own Arthurian-esque Knights of the Round-style order - and a French-inspired dialect.

Duskwight Elezen

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 20
Dexterity: 20
Vitality: 19
Intelligence: 23
Mind: 21

"For the past several centuries, the Duskwight Elezen have lived in the woodland caverns of Eorzea. These cave-dwelling Elezen are descendants of a branch that split from the main Wildwood clan during the founding of Gridania. The Duskwight despise the “shackles” of urban life, and it is not uncommon for this reclusive people to avoid the city-states altogether."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Amazing Technicolor Population: Downplayed. Though they can potentially have realistic skintones, they also have a range of faded blues and grays that harken to their Drow inspiration.
Dark Is Not Evil: They're the setting's equivalent of dark elves but they're no more evil than any other race.
Expy: They are the elezen equivalent of drow, being dark skinned, living underground, and being discriminated against by their racial cousins.
Fantastic Racism: Duskwight are often victims of discrimination in Gridania for being descended from those who did not enter the pact with the Elementals. Many Duskwight are openly harassed by Gridanians, denied employment opportunities, and even forced into a life of banditry to survive.

Lalafell

Height Range:

Common: 87–97 cm (2'10"–3'2")

"The Lalafell are a folk both rotund and diminutive. Small by any race's standards and possessed of a childlike countenance, it proves difficult for non-Lalafell to gauge an individual's age with any degree of accuracy. Originally an agricultural people inhabiting the fertile islands of the south seas, they found their way to Eorzea via the burgeoning trade routes. Lalafell are welcoming of outsiders, and share prosperous relations with all of the other races of Eorzea."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

A race very noticeable for their small stature and what others might take as a childlike appearance, the Lalafells originated from the Southern Islands in which they have an agrarian lifestyle. Through mercatile trades, they eventually arrived in Eorzea in the past. Traits they possess in addition to their small body are their rotund figure and large ears which might remind you of the Elezen.

Added Alliterative Appeal: A number of Lalafell have a habit of elucidating their thoughts with extensive amounts of alliteration. None more so than Wawalago, the flirtatious and frequently absent guildmaster of the Fishers' Guild who rarely responds in any other fashion. This is because Lalafellin tradition preserves its culture through song. When Lalafells transitioned to speaking the Common Tongue, they kept that rhythm and pattern of speech in their dialogue.
Ascended Meme: Their general body shape and waddling walking animation gets Lalafells frequently compared to potatoes (or, as they're known in Eorzea, popotoes) by the playerbase. Several references to this popped up in the years following, such as Martyn saying that his Miqo'te and Lalafell proteges are taking to blue magic like cats and popotoes to water. The "Giant Popoto" item in Endwalker also says that it's not considered cannibalism if Lalafells eat them.
Badass Adorable: Very small and with cute animations to boot. Nonetheless, Lalafell adventurers can be found all across Hydaelyn, battling threats and supporting their fellow comrades.
Butt-Monkey: Owing to their size and rotund shape, Lalafells are a favorite snack of monsters the world over, as many FATE descriptions will tell you. Be they birds, morbols, bugs, or fish, beasts of all sorts seem to love the taste of Lalafell. In one FATE, the description is more concerned with how a morbol stole a nameday cake than how the same morbol devoured numerous Lalafells alive.
Expy: To the Tarutaru from Final Fantasy XI. Tarutaru are a little more squat and magically oriented (and many have a Verbal Tic), though. Tataru Taru's name is meant to reference this.
In a Single Bound: A Lalafell can jump twice as high as they are tall, allowing them to leap the same distances as other races despite their small stature.
Little People: Easily the smallest race, barely breaking 3 ft. / 97 cm at their tallest. Despite their short legs and rounded bodies, they're noted to be capable of astonishing feats of agility and long-distance running.
Our Dwarves Are All the Same: To the point of parody, at least in the First. There, Lalafell are called Dwarves outright, and are hard-drinking, stubborn miners and engineers who are proud of their long, bushy beards - though all the beards are fake, and come attached to their helmets!
Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Don't let their diminutive sizes fool you; Lalafells are just as strong and hardy as the other races when it comes to adventuring. In 1.0, it was shown that they can even pick up and throw full-grown Hyur out the room, when Poppokkuli and Seserukka dealt with two unruly miners in Ul'dah. There's also nothing stopping them from taking up one of the Tank classes in the game, where it's their job to take the front lines and perhaps swing around an axe or sword as large as they are with little issue. Papashan and Pipin Tarupin are two such frontline fighters.
Pointy Ears: Much like the Tarutaru of Final Fantasy XI, Lalafell have large ears. They tend to be pointier on Plainsfolk Lalafell, who possess sharper hearing than their Dunesfolk counterparts.
Repetitive Name: Lalafellin names run on alliteration and rhythm, and their ethnicity has different rules to how names are made.
- Plainsfolk Males have an AB-CB pattern, and each part of their name typically has one or two syllables. e.g. Alka Zolka.
- Dunesfolk Males have the longer AAB-CCB pattern, A and C being one syllable and B having two. e.g. Wawalago Momolago.
- Plainsfolk Females follow a ABB-AB pattern, and they're strictly one-syllable pieces. e.g. Ulala Ula.
- Dunesfolk Females have a similar AAB-AB pattern, also having strictly one syllable per part. e.g. Tataru Taru.
Two First Names: Literally. Lalafellin have no concept of surnames — their "last names" are simply an extension of their first names that are granted upon reaching adulthood. The sole exception to this rule is the royal family of Ul, who do possess traditional last names... that go in the middle of their name, in between their two first names.
Vague Age: Due to looking childlike and dwarfish for their lifetime, there's no easy way to tell how old one is by just looking at one (although men past a certain age can grow facial hair). This is evident in a sidequest in Ul'dah, where you do meet a Lalafell explicitly said to be a child, and they look just like any of the many adult Lalas you see elsewhere in the game. Endwalker introduces the first visibly old Lalafell in Professor Rurusha, who has a wrinkled face unlike any other Lalafell.

Plainsfolk

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 19
Dexterity: 23
Vitality: 19
Intelligence: 22
Mind: 20

"The Plainsfolk have settled in La Noscea and other regions where the ground is flat and easily cultivated. Though many live the life of farmers, it is not uncommon to see Plainsfolk residing in Limsa Lominsa, holding positions in the navy or working in the fisheries. They are well known for their relaxed and carefree demeanor."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Lalafells who lived in huts across the rolling plains of the Southern Islands. They tend to be fairer in skin tone than their Dunesfolk counterparts and are prone to being farmers and sailors.

Beneath the Earth: The Plainsfolk Lalafell originated from the Southern Islands. There they live in thatched huts connected by a vast underground network of tunnels.
Hobbits: They have traditionally led relatively peaceful lifestyles compared to the other races. That being said, some of them (like Teledji) can scheme with the best of their Dunesfolk counterparts.
Super-Senses: Their Pointy Ears are said to grant them incredible hearing able to detect the slightest movements of fauna on the plains they called home.

Dunesfolk

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dunefolk.jpg

"The Dunesfolk can be found on the scorching sands of Thanalan and other such arid areas. As the founders of the merchant city of Ul’dah, they are famous for their obsession with commerce. A natural inclination to transform ideas into action has served the Dunesfolk well in their business dealings."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 19
Dexterity: 21
Vitality: 18
Intelligence: 22
Mind: 23

Lalafells who are prone to traveling on the backs of their beasts of burden. They're best known for their mercantile pursuits and their distinctive glassy eyes, an adaptation that protects their vision from the glaring sunlight of the deserts they call home.

Acquired Poison Immunity: Dunesfolk tradition requires that all children consume regular amounts of a special herbal concoction to increase their resistance to the various poisonous plants and animals that inhabit the deserts they call home. Not that this effects the playable Lalafell's resistance to poison in any way.
Exotic Eye Designs: They have uniquely glassy, doll-like eyes without obvious pupils. This is an evolutionary trait they developed to protect their eyes against the glaring sun of the deserts they call home.
Proud Merchant Race Guy: The Dunesfolk originated largely as wandering Intrepid Merchants, travelling from place to place atop beasts of burden to sell their wares. Ul'dah, the richest of the Eorzean city-states, was founded and is primarily led by Dunesfolk Lalafell who value money above all.

Miqo'te

Height Range:

Male: 159–173 cm (5'3"–5'8")
Female: 150–162 cm (4'11"–5'4")

"Though their presence in Eorzea is lesser than that of the other races, the Miqo'te are easily distinguished by their large, projecting ears and restless, feline tails. The ancestors of this line first made their way to the realm during the Age of Endless Frost in the Fifth Umbral Era, traversing frozen seas in pursuit of the wildlife upon which they subsisted. Instinctual territoriality causes many among them to lead solitary lifestyles. Males in particular are said to shy from contact with others."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

A race known for their feline ears and tails. They originally hailed from the southern continent of Meracydia.

Ancestral Name: Miqo'te inherit family names based on their ethnicity's culture.
- A Female Seeker's last name is based on the father who sired her. e.g. Y'shtola Rhul, the daughter of Y'rhul.
- Male Keepers take on their mother's full name, with a suffix appended to their first name based on order of birth. e.g. Zhai'a Nelhah is the firstborn son of Zhai Nelhah. Secondborn would be Zhai'to Nelhah, thirdborn is Zhai'li Nelhah, and so on and so forth.
Animal Motifs: Seeker of the Sun miqo'te society resemble lions, tribes associated with daytime and are active hunters run by a single male who has sole mating rights until he is ousted by another male. Keeper of the Moon miqo'tes on the other hand resemble the domestic house cat, nocturnal stealth hunters where a family unit is led by the mother and the father has little to no involvement.
Cat Girl: And cat boy, too. They're easily distinguished by their cat ears and tails of varying shapes and fluffiness.
Cat Ninja: If a miqo'te takes on the Ninja job, of course. V'kebbe counts too, as the Rogue class is a requirement for becoming a Ninja.
Cats Are Mean: There's a few villainous miqo'te, such as Pawah Mujuuk from the Archer storyline, H'raha Tia from the Heavensward Monk storyline, and Nhaza'a Jaab from the Allied Tribe quests.
Classical Hunter: Hunter-gatherer lifestyle is a heritage that the clans share.
Cloud Cuckoolander: Most Miqo’te characters have shades of this with rare few exceptions. From forgetfully locking orphans in their basement to more than one example of a Mad Bomber the Miqo’te are a mixed bag of cuckoolander traits.
Expy: To the Mithra of Final Fantasy XI, though here they're a little less bestial.
Expressive Ears: The Miqo'te's feline ears are quite animated in many of their emotes. Notably, male Miqo'te have joyous ear wiggles for their animations in victory cutscenes.
Facial Markings: Miqo'te have face markings on their face. The male miqo'te have swashes that start from their eyes and draw towards the bridge of their nose that then go outwards, and sometimes at the corners of their eyes. Female miqo'te have stripe-like markings around the cheeks.
First-Name Basis: Anyone with strong relations with a Miqo'te may drop the apostrophe prefix or suffix as a familial informality, such as the tribal letter for a Seeker of the Sun, (Shtola (Y'shtola) from Y'mithra and Matoya, and Raha (G'raha) from Krile), or a male Keeper of the Moon's suffix (Nhagi (Nhagi'a) from Kipih).
Furry Confusion: Dialed back compared to Hrothgar, but they live in the same world where coeurls, gaelicats, and cat minions roam around, too. The Monster Hunter: World collaboration makes a jab at this when a Miqo'te questions the Felyne's ability to talk despite being cat girls or cat boys.
Furry Reminder: Restrained compared to other examples, Miqo'te still demonstrate shades of this in dialogue and animations. While not represented in ingame text, their native tongue according to side material includes many altogether feline sounds such as hisses and growls. Miah Molkot has a particularly bad habit of saying "meow" instead of "me" in her speech, which she tries to break to little success. U'odh Nunh trills his R's to represent a thick cat trill sound.
Improbably Female Cast: Nevermind the fact that only female Miqo'te were playable in 1.0, there's far more female than male Miqo'te roaming the land, even if you only count the named ones. There's also far more female Miqo'te with story appearances, such as Y'shtola, M'naago, and F'lhaminn. This is especially true for Keepers of the Moon, who are noted to have three males per family at most on average, and exactly four named characters of varying levels of appearance: Zhai'a Nelhah and Nhaza'a Jaab, Rubh'a Epocan, and Nhagi'a Jakkya. Zhai'a is only seen during the Black Mage job quests, Nhaza'a can potentially be unseen entirely due to his relevance to Beast Tribe quests, and Rubh'a is simply a minor NPC in Endwalker. Nhagi'a Jakkya was only mentioned in passing in 1.0 by his sister Kipih Jakkya, writer of The Raven, and only got a name in The Rising 2022 and 2023 events as a newly registered adventurer. He may not even appear ever again due to the nature of seasonal quests.
Insistent Terminology: Many Miqo'te will insist that they are not cats nor are they related to cats. This in spite of their obvious appearance, cattish behavior, and scholars showing definite shared ancestry with common housecats.
Little Bit Beastly: They have feline ears and tail. The Sunseeker tribe additionally have silted feline pupils, while Moonkeepers have large, dilated ones and Cute Little Fangs.
Ms. Fanservice: In a general sense. Female Migo'te make up the majority of the wenches in Limsa Lominsa, almost all the dancers in Ul'dah, and a sizable portion of the Gold Saucer's attractively clad attendants. If the profession involves being attractive, there's a good chance a female Miqo'te will be filling the position.
Punctuation Shaker: Miqo'te names often have apostrophes sprinkled in, and how they're used is based on their ethnicity.
- Seekers of the Sun have a tribal letter prefix appended to their given name, representing their tribe. There's one for every letter of the alphabet.
- Keepers of the Moon have a suffix appended to only the males, designating the order of their birth. Though it goes up to ten, it rarely counts past two or three in most families.
The Unpronounceable: Miqo'te names tend to have aitched H's that non-miqo'te are unable to pronounce, as it comes out as a rough hissing noise. For that reason, those names have an alternate, easier to pronounce pronunciation, or drop those H's entirely to avoid this.

Seekers of the Sun

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 22
Dexterity: 23
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 19
Mind: 19

"The self-proclaimed Seekers of the Sun are the diurnal clan of the Miqo’te race. Their preference for the warm light of day pervades all aspects of their culture, as is apparent in their devout reverence for Azeyma the Warden, goddess of the sun. Though relatively few in Eorzea, a small number of them have been accepted into everyday life by the other races in the port city of Limsa Lominsa. Others are known to make their home in the region of the Sagolii Desert."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Animal Eyes: The easiest way to tell a Seeker from a Keeper: Seekers have the vertical slit pupils of a cat, while Keepers have rounded pupils.
Battle Harem: The nunh and the tia of the tribes are not the only ones who can fight, even their women are just as capable of fighting for their tribe if they can.
Harem Seeker: Every tia that becomes the succeeding nunh by challenging the previous nunh successfully in a single combat or starts a new tribe are technically this. Their duty as the a nunh is to form a harem and ensure the next generation is of the finest stock. Those that start their own tribe however are fairly rare, as Miqo'te women will largely refuse to join the tribe of someone who couldn't win against a nunh, and even if he manages to forge one, it usually doesn't last.
Informed Attribute: According to Word of God, a nunh is not inherently a leader of the tribe and while a nunh can rule a tribe, it is extremely rare. In game, however, the only two tribes the player can meet and learn the tribal structure of, the U and M tribes, are both ruled by their nunh. The former even has a series of sidequests related to tia wanting to replace the nunh and showing their worthiness to the position by demonstrating how effective they are at training and leading the other members of the tribe and the man himself, U'odh Nunh, at one point tells the player that as nunh, his word is law for his tribe.
- A more downplayed attribute is that Seekers are described as having long, claw-like nails that their Keeper counterparts lack, but the hands of both Seekers and Keepers are modeled with blunted fingernails.
Meaningful Rename: When the Seekers of the Sun migrated to Eorzea during the Fifth Umbral Era, they discovered records of the written language and saw that it had twenty-six letters in its alphabet. Since there were twenty-six tribes of Miqo'te, the immigrants took it as a sign of divine provenance and each tribe took one of the letters as their new identity.
Only One Name: Male Seekers of the Sun technically don't have a surname, as it's meant to denote their status in their tribe; "Tia" for the non-breeding subordinates, and "Nunh" as a breeding male. A tia can even become a nunh by challenging the current ones. Smaller tribes usually only have one nunh, while larger ones can have multiple. Additionally, per the dev team on the official forums, nunh status does not equate to leadership within a tribe, and in fact, very few nunh ever become leaders.

Keepers of the Moon

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 19
Dexterity: 22
Vitality: 18
Intelligence: 21
Mind: 23

"The nocturnal among the Miqo’te have dubbed themselves the Keepers of the Moon. Shying from the garish light of day, they revel in the shroud of night, with most offering their piety to Menphina the Lover, goddess of the moon. Their tradition of hunting in the thick woodlands of the Black Shroud have for years thrown them into conflict with the forestfolk of Gridania, who condemn them as poachers. Of late, however, many Keepers of the Moon have found some small peace with the Gridanians, and taken to living within the city."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Amazing Technicolor Population: Downplayed. Though they can have normal human skintones, their palette is grayer and can have faded blue and sooty-gray skin.
Cute Little Fangs: One of their traits, which their Seeker counterparts lack.
Evil Poacher: Before the Calamity, Keepers of the Moon would simply hunt freely within whatever they considered their territory. While nowadays the majority abide by the Trappers' League, which sets the guidelines on what can be legally hunted for trade, there was a substantial amount of time where the original practice brought them into direct conflict with Gridania and their elementals, and a few still refuse to acknowledge any outside authority on principle, so there's a stereotype among Gridanians that Keepers are all hostile poachers.
Matriarchy: In contrast to the Seekers of the Sun, Keepers of the Moon run by this, with hardly any named Keeper of the Moon males in sight. The men are more inclined to wander the land and are at their best in smaller numbers. That said, the men are allowed to visit to mate and offer game. It's also what makes the Coeurlclaw King, the leader of a notorious poacher tribe, an outlier among the Keepers.
Tribal Face Paint: A tradition practiced by them before a hunt, in the belief it makes them ready to hunt and be hunted down. It's also believed it grants them lunar powers when worn.
Walking the Earth: What the male Keepers eventually become at a certain age, which is why they're never seen in concentrated amounts.

Roegadyn

Height Range:

Male: 214–230 cm (7'0"–7'7")
Female: 192–223 cm (6'4"–7'4")

"The Roegadyn are easily identified by their massive, muscular frames. They are descended from a maritime people that roamed the northern seas, though many of their ancestors turned their longships south to brave the crossing into Eorzean waters. Often considered a barbaric race, the fiercely competitive Roegadyn are also known for their compassion and unswerving loyalty. Many of the greatest warriors in history were born of Roegadyn stock."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Adjective Noun Fred: Technically the naming convention of the Sea Wolves and Hellsguard Roegadyn are the same but the difference is that Sea Wolves name themselves with the traditional Roegadyn tongue that has the patronymic naming system and the Hellsguard in common tongue but getting rid of the aforementioned naming system.
- Examples:
  - The name of Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, a Sea Wolf, translates to "Sea Woman, daughter of Blue Fish". Bloefhis was her father.
  - The name "Broken Mountain" is a an example for a Hellsguard name. Hellsguards happen to have a culture that despise being defined by the actions of anyone but themselves. Hence those who leave their mountain homes will completely drop their surnames and will be completely referred by their first name.
Amazing Technicolor Population: It's subtle, but Sea Wolf Roegadyn have green and blue-tinted skintones, while Hellsguard Roegadyn can have red-tinted skin.
Amazonian Beauty: Common among female Roegadyn, with bigger frames compared to female Highlanders. In fact, even a minimum-height Femroe is taller than any Midlander, male or female.
Expy: To the Galka of Final Fantasy XI. However, the primary difference is that the Galka were a One-Gender Race of men who reproduced through a reincarnation system and had tails. Before "A Realm Reborn", players could only choose male Roegadyn, though even then female NPCs existed.
Genius Bruiser: As big as they are, Dumb Muscle they are not. They're just as capable of practicing magic arts as any other race. In fact, a Roegadyn is the acting guildmaster of the Arcanists' Guild, which is noted to be a mentally demanding discipline to practice and master. Furthermore, it was a male Roegadyn that discovered and established what would eventually become (Old) Sharlayan - Hydaelyn's hub for magical and scientific research and scholarship.
Heroic Build: Roegadyn have big muscular builds and have a history of being powerful warriors. The male Roegadyn in particular have big bulky bodies that makes a male Highlander Hyur pale in comparison.

Sea Wolves

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 22
Dexterity: 19
Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 18
Mind: 21

"The Sea Wolves were once feared as brutal pirates of the north seas. Now, however, they are one of the principal races of Limsa Lominsa, most often seen employed as sailors or seamen. In keeping with the old ways, the Sea Wolves bear names taked from the ancient Roegadyn language."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Born Under the Sail: Sea Wolves are aptly named, sailing has been a large part of their culture since before they came to Eorzea.
Genius Bruiser: While any individual Roegadyn can be as smart as anyone else, this tendency is more nurtured and concentrated within their culture than that of the Hellsguard. Sea Wolves have played an instrumental role in founding and developing many of the most advanced civilisations in or around Eorzea.
Gratuitous Foreign Language: Their names are basically butchered Dutch. For example, "Merlwyb" is a corruption of "Meerwijf".
I Am X, Son of Y: A Sea Wolf's last name is their father's name with the suffix "-syn" ("Son of") or "-wyn" ("daughter of") attached. For example, Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn would mean "Merlwyb, daughter of Bloefhis".
Pirate: Sea Wolves have a history of being pirates, and they mostly congregate in Limsa Lominsa. Some of them have left that life behind, but most still turn to piracy to make a living.
Proud Merchant Race Guy: They're a maritime culture, and trade both legitimate and illegitimate is their lifeblood. It's implied to be why they're a byword for sophisticated technology, artistic innovation, and academic excellence.

Hellsguard

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 20
Dexterity: 18
Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 20
Mind: 22

"The Hellsguard are a small clan of Roegadyn that have carved out a home in the north of Abalathia’s Spine. It is clan tradition to enter the mercenary trade; thus the Hellsguard took to giving themselves easily remembered names made up of words in the common tongue. They are a common sight on the streets of Ul’dah, earning a living as sellswords or bodyguards."

— From the official site of A Realm Reborn

Barbarian Hero: The Eorzean subrace who most commonly spawn these, thanks to their remoteness from civilization and martial excellence. Warriors, the archetypal barbarian heroes, are chiefly a product of Hellsguard tribal traditions in the west (as opposed to the east, where they tend to come from the Xaela Au Ra tribes of the Azim Steppe).
Hired Guns: Or more like hired swords. They have a mercenary history that lead to many of their clan living in Eorzean city states like Ul'dah or Ala Mhigo.
Naturalized Name: Due to their frequent dealings with spoken who had a poor grasp of the Roegadyn language, the Hellsguard mercenaries began to simply translate their names into the common language. This practice has continued long after the Hellsguard integrated fully into society.

Playable since Heavensward

Au Ra

Height Range:

Male: 203–217 cm (6'8"–7'1")
Female: 146–159 cm (4'10"–5'2")

"The curved horns and beautifully patterned scales that characterize the Au Ra oft gave rise to speculation that this Hyur-like race native to the Far Eastern continent of Othard are, in fact, the progeny of dragons. This, however, has long been disputed, with scholars citing several distinct differences in the two races as evidence of decidedly dissimilar roots – the first and foremost being the enhanced hearing and spatial recognition granted by an Au Ra’s cranial projections (traits not attributed to draconian horns), and the second being the gross disproportion in body mass between Auri males and females (again, a trait widely unseen in dragons)."

— From the official site of Heavensward

A race of people native to the eastern parts of Othard. Two of the most distinctive traits they bear, the striking scales and horns, are no indication at all that they are related to the dragons. The evidence for their non-relation would be that their horns help them in certain senses like hearing and sight which dragon horns does not do and the difference of the body proportion between the males and females is larger than usual, which is not a common trait among dragons.

Amazing Technicolor Population: Au Ra can have red, green, blue, and even violet skin tones.
Bizarre Sexual Dimorphism: Which even their race description takes note of. No one really knows why male Au Ra are about as tall as Hrothgars, while females are as short as female Miqo'te.
Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Raen Au Ra possess white horns and scales, whereas Xaela Au Ra have black horns and scales.
Divine Parentage: Both Au Ra clans, according to their myth, are descendants of two deities representing the sun and the moon.
Draconic Humanoid: Subverted; although they share similar physical features with dragons, they have no relation to them whatsoever. However, that still hasn't stopped Ishgardians who are wary of dragons from associating the Au Ra with them.
Hartman Hips: Male Au Ra have these, with their thighs noticeably larger than their waist. Certain clothing only serve to accentuate this distinction even more.
Horned Humanoid: Au Ra naturally have horns, but they're where hyur have their ears.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Male Au Ra are among the tallest of the playable races, while Female Au Ra are the smallest outside of Lalafells.
Perpetual Frowner: Their bone structure means that even the friendliest, gentlest Au Ra man's resting facial expression will be a fearsome Death Glare, which probably didn't help their case when the first refugees encountered Ishgardian patrols.
Short Teens, Tall Adults: At least for Male Au Ra, Auri children are barely half the height of an adult male. It's not disclosed when Au Ra men experience their growth spurts, however.

Raen

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 19
Dexterity: 22
Vitality: 19
Intelligence: 20
Mind: 23

"Auri creation myth tells of a Dawn Father and a Dusk Mother from whom all Au Ra are descended. The Raen believe their veins to run thick with the blood of the former – their brilliant white scales and iron wills serving as proof of this divine lineage."

"Unlike their sister clan, the Xaela, who bloody the land with their endless tribal conflict, the Raen have embraced a life of tranquility and solitude, long abandoning the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors to settle the deep valleys of Othard’s mountainous eastern reaches. Only on rare occasions will one emerge from the valley mists to seek adventure in realms afar."

— From the official site of Heavensward

A subset of the Au Ra whose blood is said to run thick with the blood of Azim, the Dawn Father. They have abandoned the old nomadic ways of the Xaela and have settled as far as Ilsabard in Werlyt and Radz-at-Han.

Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Raen in Doma are Japanese, while the ones in Thavnair are Indian.
The Migration: Originally nomadic inhabitants sharing the Azim Steppe with the Xaela, the majority of Raen in the past moved away as they settled across the other parts of the Othard continent and the Ruby Sea. Some eventually reached the western parts of Ilsabard, close to Eorzea. They abandoned their nomadic ways in turn.
- They are also one of the three major populations of Thavnair and perhaps connected to the hostility that the Gajasuras, a very aggressive Matanga tribe, shows to the Xaela in the Azim Steppes. The steward position of Radz-at-Han, the city-state of Thavnair, called the satrap is occupied by a long line of Raen Au Ra.
Underwater City: One group of Raen are the inhabitants of the underwater city of Sui-no-Sato at the bottom of the Ruby Sea. They are intensely isolationist, refusing to make their presence known in the region for fear of outside interference—particularly from the Garlean Empire.
War Refugees: Most of the Raen who have come to Eorzea are refugees displaced by the wars waged by Garlemald in Othard.

Xaela

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 23
Dexterity: 20
Vitality: 22
Intelligence: 20
Mind: 18

"Auri creation myth tells of a Dawn Father and a Dusk Mother from whom all Au Ra are descended. The Xaela believe their veins to run thick with the blood of the latter – their lustrous black scales and fiery wills serving as proof of this divine lineage."

"Unlike their sister clan, the Raen, who lead solitary lives hidden behind the savage peaks of Othard’s eastern reaches, the Xaela are free spirits who roam the vast western steppe in close-knit tribes hunting, gathering and warring as their ancestors have for countless generations."

— From the official site of Heavensward

A subset of Au Ra who claim to be descended from the Dusk Mother, Nhamma. They continue the old ways of tribal conflict on the Azim Steppe, competing fiercely for resources as they have since time immemorial.

A Day in the Limelight: They get this in Stormblood during the Azim Steppe zone. Uniquely, the xaela are the only playable subrace to have such a focus dedicated to their culture during the entierty of the Main Story Quest, with most other plots focusing on collective nations or city-states rather than a single race within them.
Dark Is Not Evil: For all their dark scales, which enforces a demonic look on men and the women resembling succubi and their tale of being created by the Dusk Mother, they are not necessarily evil, just values differing from each other, Raen and other races.
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Xaela's culture is heavily based on Mongolia and one of their dominions, The Azim Steppe, is based on the Mongolian landscapes where Steppe nomads reside.
Might Makes Right: The Xaela tribes in the Azim Steppe and Nhaama Desert follow this rule.
Proud Warrior Race: Several Xaela tribes have this reputation and are active participants in an annual battle known as Naadam, held at the end of Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year). The Dotharl tribe is most infamous for this, wanting to fight for glory of combat and aren't afraid to die in battle.
Wandering Culture: While some do have a semi-permanent settlement on the Azim Steppe and Nhaama Desert because of their prowess, the majority of tribes mostly wander from place to place. The Dataq take this to the extreme, rarely ever settling down for more than a few hours at a time, and sleep on the move.

Playable since Shadowbringers

Hrothgar

Male Hrothgar

Female Hrothgar

Height Range:

Male: 196–213 cm (6'5"–7'0")

"Hailing from the distant shores of Ilsabard, the Hrothgar are a burly people of lionlike appearance– or the male are, at least. Females number staggeringly few among their population, and thus are rarely so much as glimsed by the other races."

"The Hrothgar’s imposing countenance–mitigated not at all by their sharper fangs–incited panic amongst Eorzeans upon their arrival. As they were unable to communicate, initial interactions with the commonfolk often escalated into conflict. It was not until the Hrothgar gained mastery of the common tongue that the fears were allayed, and in time they would be as neighbors, welcome in all corners of the realm."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers

Amazing Technicolor Population: Hrothgar have a range of fur colors, from warmer browns, reds, and yellows, to colder artic colors. Fur color, however, is not an indication of the clan they belong to, as such a concept is nonexistent to them. It's merely coincidental that The Lost are dominantly pale-furred, and it's not uncommon to see Helions with light colors, and The Lost with dark colors; Radovan, a tan-furred Hrothgar, goes by "Radovan Slobasch", making him one of The Lost.
Amazonian Beauty: Female Hrothgar rival with female Roegadyns for their amazonian appearance, being tall, literally lionine women with a slim-fit physique and a predisposition for leadership.
Astrologer: Astrology and fortune telling is a large part of Hrothgar culture, the leader of Bozja traditionally chosen amongst female seers by the the shaman caste as ordained by the stars.
Beast Man: Compared to fellow feline-based race Miqo'te, Hrothgar are far more beast-like and anthropomorphic.
Bizarre Sexual Dimorphism: While both male and female Hrothgar are properly beast-like in appearance, males are bulkier, with bigger snouts and a slight constant hunch, while females have a slimmer but still fit physique, have smaller snouts, and straighter backs.
Cat Folk: Described to look like muscular, humanoid lions.
Expy: To the Ronso from Final Fantasy X, another burly leonine race which Hrothgar share certain physical similarities with, like the Ronso horns (which are a customization option for one of the Hrothgar faces). The Ronso are also the namesake for their Alternate Universe counterparts on the First.
Fantastic Racism: When they first sought shelter in Eorzea, people didn't know what to think of them due to their bestial appearance and inability to speak Eorzean tongue, nearly getting them branded as beast men. However, prior knowledge from the more travelled and the refugees picking up Eorzean in short order helped show that they were of a culture just as developed as any of the other great nations. This plus in-universe growing backlash against the concept of "beastman" being something worthy of discrimination meant that Hrothgar were recognized as a Spoken race as they started to settle into their new home.
Furry Confusion: Considering they're in the same world where coeurls, gaelicats, and cat minions roam around, this can happen. The pinnacle of this is in the Monster Hunter: World collaboration, where they can question the Felyne's ability to talk despite being talking cats themselves.
Gameplay and Story Integration: The 'clan' labels of "Helion" and "the Lost" are only treated as distinct on the character creation menu, and lore-wise, a Hrothgar's fur color has no bearing on whether they are in a queen's service or not. Appropriately, Hrothgar are the only race whose two clans have the exact same stat modifiers (as minor as those modifiers are).
Gender Rarity Value: Despite the females being the leaders of the nation, they're actually very few in number and are rarely seen. This low population sowed the protective instinct Hrothgar men have for the women, eventually bringing about the matriarchal rule they have to this day.
Genius Bruiser: Like the Sea Wolf Roegadyn, the Hrothgar's savage appearance conceals the sophistication of their native culture. Bozja wasn't all that large or wealthy even before the Garlean Empire took it over, but its history, art, and science were as rich as those of any modern Eorzean nation, and most Hrothgar NPCs you meet are a lot more refined and gentlemanly than you might expect.
Gentle Giant: While it did have an army, Bozja wasn't an especially martial culture, and Eorzean border guards were surprised to discover that the hulking lion-men asking them for asylum were more likely to be scholars and tradesmen than warriors.
Horned Humanoid: While rare, some Hrothgar sport a single unicorn-like horn on their head.
Lost Language: The Hrothgar once had their own language before Bozja's fall, having since adapted to speaking the common tongue. There's almost no surviving speakers left, and those that can don't speak it well.
Matriarchy: Family lines of Hrothgar are lead by its women and only a women are chosen to lead the nation of Bozja as the queen, and the racial lore page for the female Hrothgar mention that the women have naturally dominant personalities and predispositions towards positions of leadership. This is reinforced with the surnames of the males, taking on their queen's name with the A- prefix for those in service, or the -sch suffix for those who are bereft of their queen.
Primal Stance: Male Hrothgar are constantly hunched over, making them seem slightly shorter than they actually are. One of their /changepose idle animations and various combat stances for classes/jobs have them stand up straight and show just how huge they are properly.
Stripperific: Male Hrothgar pride themselves on their physique, favoring harnesses that reveal much of their body.
War Refugees: Most of the Hrothgar that have come to Eorzea are refugees displaced by the destruction of Bozja Citadel by Project Meteor.

Helions

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/helion_4.jpg

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 23
Dexterity: 17
Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 17
Mind: 23

"Helions have traditionally been content to reside in southern Ilsabard with their respective tribes, devout servants to their queens, one and all–and thus have they only but recently begun to make their presence felt throughout the remainder of the three continent. Though these Hrothgar initially had no word to describe themselves, scholars came to call their “Helions” after observing how their lives all but revolved about their queen’s needs, as planets circle the sun."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers

The Lost

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 23
Dexterity: 17
Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 17
Mind: 23

"Unlike their Helion brethren, the Lost are unbound by the whims of any reigning monarch, having long since found themselves bereft of the warm radiance of their queen. Most find that a nomadic lifestyle best suits their situation, and are known to ply a variety of trades that align with their propensity to travel–seasonal laborer, mercenary, and peddler among them."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers

Rebellious Princess: Female Hrothgar who abandon their ruling birthright become this, having chosen to live freely over becoming a queen.
Wandering Culture: Lost Hrothgar are Hrothgar who leave their homes after the passing of their matriarchs and live migratory lives as mercenaries, merchants and seasonal laborers.

Viera

Female Viera

Male Viera

"Of tall stature and slender frame, the Viera’s physical appearance is strikingly similar to that of the Hyur and Elezen, save for their distinctive long ears. Adhering to a strict code known as the Green Word, they are prohibited from contact with the outside world under threat of exile. Their society is purely matriarchal, and males of age are seldom, if ever, found within the bounds of any village. They instead serve as protectors of the wood from the shadows, that no evil may ever encroach on their sacred lands."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers & Endwalker

Height Range:

Male: 172–187 cm (5'8"–6'1")
Female: 179–192 cm (5'10"–6'3")

Notable for their ears reminiscent of rabbits; and height and build not so dissimilar to the Elezen and Hyur people, the Viera are a curious race. In southern Othard, where the majority of them are, they reside in Golmore Jungle and in the forests at the foots of the mountains of Skatay Range, very fitting with their race's name being translated to "People of the Woods".

Bizarre Sexual Dimorphism: Subverted. According to the dev team, it is impossible to tell the sex of a Viera child until into puberty, and as such all children are raised in a gender neutral environment in the women's settlements. Any child that then develops male features is then taken away by the men to be trained in their ways while those that are confirmed to be female remain in their village and are taught the village's traditions. This also explains why adult male Viera are so physically effeminate compared to men of other races. That said, unlike other races, male viera are shorter than the women.
Combat Stilettos: The female Viera racial outfit has clawed stiletto-heeled shoes, notable for being the only high heels compared to the other races' much more practical starter outfits. Male Vieras' racial shoes are also clawed and have slight high heel, but are not stilettos.
Furry Reminder: Their racial version of the /furious emote has them indignantly putting their foot down. Real rabbits stomp their hind legs (usually referred to as "thumping") when angered or distressed.
Improbably Female Cast: The Wandering Dramaturge on the Prima Vista notes that the Viera populace is 80% female. Until their introduction in Endwalker there weren't any male Viera to be seen at all, cutscenes or the overworld. If the Viera's lifespans are similar to what they were were in XII, it wouldn't be out of the question for a female to go their entire 4 digit lifespan without ever seeing a male - at least until the recent upheavals made them have to start showing themselves.
Little Bit Beastly: Distinguished by their leporine ears, upright or lop. Unlike Fran, their faces are human-like instead of having slight rabbit facial features and they lack the long claw-like nails. Their noses are shaded to give the impression of a rabbit nose, but is otherwise humanoid.
Long-Lived: Viera are the only truly long-lived race among the playable races, as they can easily live for hundreds of years. Even Elezen, the settings elves, only live marginally longer than hyurs.
Matriarchy: Viera communities are exclusively run by women, as the males are taken in by other adult males to be raised into sentinels outside their territory.
Meaningful Rename: When a Viera leaves their home, they shed their old "forest" name in favor of a "city" name to mark their change in lifestyle.
Ms. Fanservice: Giving miqo'te a run for their money since their introduction, female viera are Statuesque Stunners whose racial outfit consists of little more than lingerie and Combat Stilettos.
Older Than They Look: Viera live much longer lives compared to most races in Hydaelyn.
Our Elves Are Different: While Elezen is the closest counterpart to fantasy Elves in the game, Viera also took some cues from them, especially The Wood Elves. Mostly living in the forest? Check. Fiercely isolationist? Check. Long-lived? Oh yes check.
Proportional Aging: Viera can live for hundreds of years, but take time to physically mature. Viera children don't develop their sexual characteristics until they're thirteen years old.
Really 700 Years Old: Viera retain their youth into old age, hence it's difficult to discern whether they are in their twenties or more than that as they can easily surpass three lifetimes of an Elezen (An Elezen can reach the age of 120).
Statuesque Stunner: Though a little shorter than Elezen, Viera are still quite tall and attractive, and their ears help contribute to their stature.
Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: Male Viera are generally shorter than average compared to Female Viera, with a 19-centimeter (or 7 inch) difference in height between the shortest males and the tallest females.
Training from Hell: The adult male Viera take the male children into the forest to teach and train them to be protectors, and it's a very dangerous and arduous form of training. Not all of the young males survive it.
Underestimating Badassery: Don't be fooled by their beauty and litheness. Viera are very protective of their forests and each other, and they're accomplished hunters and warriors. Male Viera in particular have been known to kill intruders without a second thought.
Vapor Wear: The female viera starting gear, taken from Fran's iconic look, leaves very little to the imagination. The males' racial outfit also highlights their abdomens.
War Refugees: Most of the Viera who come to Eorzea are displaced peoples either from Garlemald encroaching on their ancestral forest homelands or from certain Othard states like Dalmasca, who had already left their traditions behind.
Wild Man: "Traditional" Male Viera don't have much in the way of society compared to the females, living solitary and almost primitive lives in the forests, living off the land, killing outsiders that the females haven't given entry to and almost never being seen in the process. It's noted in some lore resources that besides their teachers (who they bond with like a father), male Viera may well fight to the death if they encounter one another out of sheer territorial impulse. That said, this isn't any kind of downright instinctual impulse, as Erenville and Loifa prove a male Viera raised in a normal society adapts to it like any other normal person would.
You Can't Go Home Again: Tradition dictates that if a Viera ever leaves their forest home, they're never allowed to return.

Rava

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 20
Dexterity: 23
Vitality: 18
Intelligence: 21
Mind: 21

"Viera of the Rava clan live primarily in the Golmore Jungle, their umber skin allowing them to readily blend in with their surroundings."

"Though the males stand as wards of the forest, the females are adept hunters in their own right, fiercely guarding their homes and their young. Despite attempts by the Dalmascan to subjugate them, they have ever maintained a self-governing dominion. Though most would adhere to the traditions of the wood, some few have chosen to venture out into the world."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers

Veena

Starting Attributes:

Strength: 23
Dexterity: 17
Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 17
Mind: 23

"With skin as fair as snowcapped mountains towering above, the Veena clan make their homes in the forests lining the southwesterm foothills of the Skatay Range. Like the members of their sister clan, the Veena live as hunters and gatherers, laboring not only to protect the woods, but to nurture them. As the winds of war swept up a number of those who left their mountain home, many such hardened hunters chose to set out for the distant shores of Eorzea."

— From the official site of Shadowbringers

Characters / Final Fantasy XIV - Playable Races

Playable since A Realm Reborn

Midlander Hyur

Highlander Hyur

Wildwood Elezen

Duskwight Elezen

Plainsfolk

Dunesfolk

Seekers of the Sun

Keepers of the Moon

Sea Wolves

Hellsguard

Playable since Heavensward

Raen

Xaela

Playable since Shadowbringers

Helions

The Lost

Rava

Veena

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Characters / Final Fantasy XIV - Playable Races

Edit Locked

Playable since A Realm Reborn

Midlander Hyur

Highlander Hyur

Wildwood Elezen

Duskwight Elezen

Plainsfolk

Dunesfolk

Seekers of the Sun

Keepers of the Moon

Sea Wolves

Hellsguard

Playable since Heavensward

Raen

Xaela

Playable since Shadowbringers

Helions

The Lost

Rava

Veena

Previous

Index

Next