Race changes and new dwarf race is comming!

**Echoweaver** · Aug 04 2019, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Pontin_Finnberry

and to note this isn't first added Female dwarf options, years ago old community manager sapience, said during early beta there was female option but never made official to live, due to player feedback pointing out the lore. but 12-13 years later we getting them now officially.

Did I miss an announcement that there would be female Stout-Axes? It seems reasonable, but I didn't see any official word.

Edit: Whoops. Just found it. Awesome!

**auximenes** · Aug 05 2019, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Pontin_Finnberry

and to note this isn't first added Female dwarf options, years ago old community manager sapience, said during early beta there was female option but never made official to live, due to player feedback pointing out the lore. but 12-13 years later we getting them now officially.

I've been here since Alpha II and I don't remember ever seeing a female option but I'll take Sapience's word on it. I would think that if the option did exist at one point it would be brought up every time female dwarfs are discussed.

**Arabani** · Aug 05 2019, 12:27 AM

The best thing here is that no matter how hard people argue about lore, we are getting female dwarves and noone can change it!

**Pontin_Finnberry** · Aug 05 2019, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by auximenes

I've been here since Alpha II and I don't remember ever seeing a female option but I'll take Sapience's word on it. I would think that if the option did exist at one point it would be brought up every time female dwarfs are discussed.

I asked the question many years ago why they didn't add female dwarves to the game, at the time didn't know much lore yet. Here's is his quote I had to dig for it and I'll post link as well as thread was locked. https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...female-dwarves

Originally Posted by Sapience

Go to the character creation screen and take a look at something different about Dwarves. We didn't make "male" Dwarves either. It's the only race that doesn't give you a gender option.

As mentioned above, according to the Professor you can't tell them apart. So your Dwarf is exactly what you think it is. Whether or not anyone can tell.

Also, for the record, they were originally identified by gender in the original SOA beta. The player base pointed out the lore points on distinguishing the gender of Dwarves. We changed the character create options accordingly.

**Nymphonic** · Aug 05 2019, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Radhruin_EU

Oh please, intentional departures from LOTR are a thing, have been since day one and have grown more frequent as time's gone on. Female-looking Dwarves being playable would just be the latest, just as the way the game's version of Dis looks was one before that, and the notion of female Dwarves (authentically male-looking ones) being even theoretically playable was one from long before that.

Originally Posted by Narthalion

This.

And those few who continue who defend SSG as being completely faithful to the Original Text...well...I suspect you're in a form of denial.

As much as I like SSG, I have to agree with this. And I think it’s getting to be a bit much.

**Arnenna** · Aug 05 2019, 05:28 AM

Long thread, with many opinions.

I like the idea of being able to change race.

New race! Again? Not so excited about this. A new class however, would have been something to get worked up over.

Female dwarves! Yeah, I'm fine with players choosing the "female" option on the creation screen, or parading their dwarf around Middle Earth in a dress, but that's as far as it goes in my book. They should not look feminine, they should have beards, and they should talk like all other dwarves. The second I see one in the world, and I can without any doubt, see it's female, is the second SSG break their connection with LotR.

**Erionor** · Aug 05 2019, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by Arnenna

Female dwarves! Yeah, I'm fine with players choosing the "female" option on the creation screen, or parading their dwarf around Middle Earth in a dress, but that's as far as it goes in my book. They should not look feminine, they should have beards, and they should talk like all other dwarves. The second I see one in the world, and I can without any doubt, see it's female, is the second SSG break their connection with LotR.

Agreed. If this goes through, it will be such a shame.

**Wolfhelm** · Aug 05 2019, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by Arabani

The best thing here is that no matter how hard people argue about lore, we are getting female dwarves and noone can change it!

Who is this Noone fellow, and can he really change it?

**Narthalion** · Aug 05 2019, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Wolfhelm

Who is this Noone fellow, and can he really change it?

lol Perfect.

Hmmmmm...on second thought, if this "Noone" is so powerful....maybe we can get him to work on the LI grind?

**highlandgirl** · Aug 05 2019, 10:57 AM

My bet would be a small group of a "few" stout-axe dwarves escaped the clutches of Sauron and escaped west. I would bet the pocket starter zone will follow that line with them ending up hiding out in TH, then going out to help free their brethren. Only way it'd make any sense.

**Amdi** · Aug 05 2019, 11:29 AM

As an avid LOTR fan and a fan of Dwarves... this news is VERY exciting. I understand it may cause controversy in regards to male female and whether it's "lore appropriate" but leave it to the players to RP lore appropriate. Dwarven Runekeepers that act like Palpatine and shook lightning from their fingertips isn't lore appropriate either- but those who keep the spirit of Middle Earth well in their hearts will do it justice.

Personally, the main reason I am so excited is I hope the two things I love most might finally come together- I love Dwarves.... and I love Burglar playstyle. I REALLY hope this "breed" of Dwarf can marry these two together and I can FINALLY have a main character after all these years. If this happens, I would be the happiest person! LOTRO could finally be the #1 MMO I play.

**Radhruin_EU** · Aug 05 2019, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Narthalion

Hmmmmm...on second thought, if this "Noone" is so powerful....maybe we can get him to work on the LI grind?

No-one works on so many needful things in this game that sadly, he never gets round to finishing anything

**Kaeneth** · Aug 05 2019, 12:53 PM

Now what would be really kind of neat is if the female models were slightly different to set them apart, without making them look too feminine, however they were only visible by other people who were playing dwarves. For anybody playing any other race the model would only appear as the male version's equivalent customization settings. I don't think anything like that would ever happen, nor do I even know if it's possible for LOTRO, but it would be the coolest way to implement female dwarves if we have to have them distinctly separate. Or even if the models were the same, just something where only other dwarf players would be able to tell who was playing a male or female dwarf.

**Valakircka** · Aug 05 2019, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by highlandgirl

My bet would be a small group of a "few" stout-axe dwarves escaped the clutches of Sauron and escaped west. I would bet the pocket starter zone will follow that line with them ending up hiding out in TH, then going out to help free their brethren. Only way it'd make any sense.

noooo!
they have established a colony in minas morgul n they ll open the gates for us!
really now? we r so happy with this already creating stories?
devastated.........

**Valakircka** · Aug 05 2019, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Kaeneth

Now what would be really kind of neat is if the female models were slightly different to set them apart, without making them look too feminine, however they were only visible by other people who were playing dwarves. For anybody playing any other race the model would only appear as the male version's equivalent customization settings. I don't think anything like that would ever happen, nor do I even know if it's possible for LOTRO, but it would be the coolest way to implement female dwarves if we have to have them distinctly separate. Or even if the models were the same, just something where only other dwarf players would be able to tell who was playing a male or female dwarf.

accepting thet they finally making this lore abomination,
what i want to see is dialogs remaing the same and every NPC speak to those females as they were males!!!
i would be so happy with this!
i would be really really happy with one more thing i have in mind and it is coming with these females,
not saying anything yet, waiting till beta!
what is really weird is that no blue names have said a word after 5 pages of comments!
now i understand why we didnt had a proper producer's letter about what is happening in next year!

**Cordovan** · Aug 05 2019, 01:00 PM