Yeah, dwarves have always been one of the less popular races, though it may depend of the universe. For example the warhammer dwarves still seem to get a lot of love. Maybe it only depends on how they distinguish themselves from other races. More often than not they just feel like “little humans” instead of being their own race.
Design probably also plays a lot into this. They are small, disgracious, fat, hairy, often portrayed as greedy, grumpy, etc. And they are one of those races that tends to feel the same no matter the universe, like humans.
In the end, it’s often simply that they’re not as cool as some other races. I don’t dislike them, but I rarely choose to play a dwarf, just as I rarely choose to play a human, for the same reasons.
In Warhammer you command an army and not a single person so the unattractive body thing doesn’t really play a part.
But yeah in Dragon Age for example the main reason I didn’t make a dwarf was cause I didn’t like how their body looks like. I played both of the dwarf origins in DAO and they were actually really good but I didn’t play the characters afterwards cause of the body thing I said and cause I mainly played as a mage.
Dwarves also often have the stereotype of being drunk and they don’t feel epic like the elves for example. Even Orcs and undead races while not being attractive have a cool/epic feel to them and feel more unique than playing a dwarf.
Also about humans, the humans race is usually the most popular or among the most popular ones due to people who want to play a character that is kinda like themselves.
Anyway back to the topic, would you meet some dwarves in your game?
I usually never play as a dwarf but I think that they are some of the best characters in fantasy stories, Varric from DA2/DAI being my favourite dwarf of all times for example.
They also have cool stuff like guns, helicopters, cannons and train tanks in Warhammer. That sets them apart from, say, Lord of the Rings elves who just use axes for pretty much everything. The dwarves in the Elder Scrolls series are still my favorite. Although I suppose they are closer to elves than dwarves…
Anyway I liked the old skeleton General this game had gave a awesome portrayal of smart skeletons (who still had some memory) zombies and skeletons have had a bad rap for years. Can’t a zombie get a hug without someone saying “your not gonna eat my brain are you?”, or someone letting thier dog knaw on a skellys leg bone.
In all seriousness I did like the old skeleton General.
Dwarves kinda feel like outsiders in Inquistion. As a mage a lot of the plot focuses on you, as a human it will make sense for you to have ties with the chantry, as an elf also a lot of plot focuses on your race but as a dwarf the only thing focused on them is the Descent DLC which is pretty short. Quanari are kinda outsiders too (though they appear more in Trespasser)
Also they were the only race without an RO of that race. @anon90085413 Dwemer aren’t actually dwarves, they are around the same height as humans and the other elves
Yeah, in the tabletop games and in Total War Warhammer it isn’t a problem. But I was thinking more about roleplaying, and games like Warhammer online and Vermintide, in both video games the dwarves/dwarven character seem really loved.
I really liked the noble path of the dwarves too.
I guess I can’t really be a reference on the subject, because I always try to pick the most unique or inhuman race possible in almost everything.
Depends which dwarves. There is three main clans in this world. The golden dwarves are extremely isolationist, and exclusively live underground, they are the heirs of the first dwarves and, in their eyes are the only true dwarves. They have very caste-heavy and stratified system, and their society is ruled by a council formed by the greatest families and clans.
The steel and bronze dwarves are respectively the result of a failed coup-d’etat or revolution, depending on who you ask. They were forced to retreat into the upper world after their defeat, or be exterminated. The steel dwarves maintained a respectful distance from other races and installed themselves onto the flank of southern mountains, digging their own city, they are ruled by a king. While the bronze dwarves integrated other societies everywhere, and eventually became the nomad people they are today, mercenaries, traders, craftsmen, they offer their services to everyone that has the money for it, they have no official ruler or ruling organism, instead, they arrange meeting between caravan chiefs to set a directing course.
That’s a pretty rough summary, but that’s how they organize themselves.
Varric is my favorite character of the entire Dragon Age franchise, and probably one of my favorite companions ever.
Don’t forget the effing flamethrowers, dwarves really are not kidding in Warhammer.
The Dwarves seem very similar to DA actually.
The golden ones are like the Orzammer dwarves with the caste system and seeing themselves as the only true dwarves (though they are ruled by a king and not a council)
The steel dwarves are kinda like that Hissing Wastes dwarves in Inquisition who had their own city in a deserted place far from everyone else.
And the bronze dwarves are like the surface dwarves like Varric
Anyway will any of them support you or they’ll always be against an undead like you?
Will we ever get the support of individual elves or dwarves? Or even unofficial support from living factions? Even if they can’t officially support us they might still unofficially support us. Especially if we are attacking a rival.
Something you need to understand about the Wight King, is that they are the pinnacle of undead might. They are a being so dark, so monstruously powerful, that the entire world can’t do anything but fear them. A Wight King is seen as a messiah of the end times, as the hand of the devourer. A creature beyond even Death.
If I were to put it in game terms, you are a world boss. A worldwide event that involves every single faction of the world. It doesn’t make anyone willing to trust you, not unless they meet the real you, and not the image of death and destruction that follows you.
It would be very unlikely for any ‘regular’ faction to reach out to you. But you may gain the trust of individuals.
So we’re kind of like the Archaon the Everchosen or Nagash of this world? That makes sense. I was under the impression that while we are immensely strong, we aren’t necessarily a world ending threat. Knowing that we are however just makes the premise so much cooler.
Something I just noticed; at the very start, you have the option of picking a “well, I was just talking a nap” line (it’s something like the second choice in the game). Picking it decreases your Cocky stat, but the flavour text implies it really should increase it instead (they even mention you making a cocky smile as you say it!).
