Final Fantasy XIV is Square Enix's MMORPG that originally launched in 2010; after being negatively received on release, a new team was brought in and it was re-released in 2013 under the A Realm Reborn banner. The game has since gone on to become a massive success, being nominated for and winning multiple awards, as well as releasing several expansions.
The game boasts one of the best character customization options for players that any MMO has to offer, and with the additional races that have been added via expansions, there are now even more ways to perfect your personal character. One of the more recent races to be added is the rabbit-like Viera race, and though it has been in the game for roughly a year now, there's probably a thing or two you didn't know about it.
10 Viera Was Originally Going to Be Added For Heavensward
The development team originally planned to add the Viera into the first expansion, Heavensward, as it was such a fan-favorite race. However, it was ultimately decided that as the first additional race to be added, the new race should be entirely unique to Final Fantasy XIV. As a result, the dragon-like Au Ra was added instead.
Fans would then have to wait for two more expansions to be released until they finally got their hands on the Viera with the release of Shadowbringers in 2019.
9 Male Playable Characters Were Considered
Viera is a gender-locked race and only offers female playable characters. The lore does tell of male characters existing, though they are extremely rare as 80% of Viera born are female. The males are solitary keepers of the jungle, called the Wood Warders, and will take on male protegee to train when children come of age.
When Viera was originally being considered for Heavensward, the design team actually drew up concept artwork of the male Viera, as well as younger equivalents similar to the idea of the feol Viera. Regrettably, the male equivalents did not make it into the game, though director and producer Naoki Yoshida hasn't ruled out that they may appear one day, but has made no promises.
8 Viera Is Not a New Race to the Franchise
The Viera has appeared in other games in the Final Fantasy franchise, with the race debuting in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. However, the race became more well known when they were included in Final Fantasy XII, with one of the main characters, Fran, being Viera. Incidentally, Fran has also been included in Final Fantasy XIV as an NPC.
Fran's outfit also appears to have heavily inspired the base outfit of the Viera for Final Fantasy XIV, as seen in the images above. Additionally, the Viera race of both games shares the same home of the Golmore Jungle, as well as the same two clans of Rava and Veena.
7 Rava
Like the other races within Final Fantasy XIV, the Viera has two separate clans that offer visual differences as well as different backgrounds. The Rava Viera lives in the Golmore Jungle and features umber colored skin to help them blend in with their surroundings. Most abide by a strict “Green Word” law that forbids them from interacting with the world outside the jungle unless necessary.
There are some Viera who have chosen to venture out regardless of this law, though all that do leave are then banished from the clan. The Rava Viera are skilled hunters who have managed to remain self-governing despite repeated attempts by the Dalmascans to subjugate them.
6 Veena
The Veena Viera features fairer-colored skin and they reside in the forests in the southwestern foothills of the Skatay Range. Unlike the Rava, this Viera clan is more open to its members visiting the outside world, with many also choosing to leave permanently and emigrate to Eorzea in an effort to escape the war.
Much like the Rava Viera, the Veena clan are also skilled hunters and gatherers, and they use their skills to protect and nurture the woods that they call home.
5 Origins
The Viera are a leporine race and originally come from Southern Othard, with the majority of their population keeping to itself and away from the rest of the world. However, recently the Viera have begun to explore the rest of the world, largely in part to the recent war, and now the Viera comprise 5% of the population of the Kingdom of Dalmasca.
Viera children are not gendered and do not show sexual dimorphism until they come of age at thirteen years old. At this time, any children who are male are taken by the older males to be trained in seclusion in the forest. On the first, they are called "Viis", instead of "Viera".
4 Base Stats
Rava Viera shares the highest dexterity base stat with Wildwood Elezen, Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te, and Plainsfolk Lalafell, but also shares the lowest base stats for Vitality. Veena Viera shares the highest intelligence base stat with Duskwight Elezen and Midlander Hyur, but additionally shares the lowest base stats for Strength.
Rava: 20 Strength / 23 Dexterity / 18 Vitality / 21 Intelligence / 21 Mind
Veena: 19 Strength / 20 Dexterity / 19 Vitality / 23 Intelligence / 22 Mind
3 Race Restrictions
There are certain race restrictions when it comes to the Viera, much like those of the Hrothgar race that was added at the same time with both launching as part of the Shadowbringers expansion. Because of the special design of the heads for both races, the majority of equipped headgear will not be visible when worn.
Originally, this was going to apply to all headgear, however, as an added treat for fans, the development team worked hard to ensure that certain headgear pieces such as glasses could be worn by both races.
2 April Fools' Prank
After a poll in which Naoki Yoshida asked fans which race should be added to Final Fantasy XIV, the results were that players loved both the Viera and Bangaa races from Final Fantasy XII the most. In 2013, as part of an April Fools' prank, the development team shared that they would be combining these two fan-favorite races to create a new race - the Viangaa, which would be added to the game.
The development team even shared images of this new race, which clearly showed the mixture of the two Ivalice races. Fortunately, it was just a prank and this horrible looking creation was never truly intended for the game.
1 Possible Last Race
Viera, alongside Hrothgar, is likely to be the last race added to Final Fantasy XIV. Naoki Yoshida explained in a Letter from the Producer that due to the amount of work involved in creating new races, not only in designing and modeling the new race, but also ensuring all previous gear works with it too, is a massive commitment of resources.
As a result, he went on to say "that this is likely to be the last time we add new playable races", as otherwise, it would create too much work to continue adding new content while implementing it for more than seven races, each of which has two different clans and most of which have two genders.