With Guild Wars 3, the Asura return as a playable species. They were the race that MeinMMO editor Alex always shunned in the predecessor, but the fresh design and the story now lead to a change in the new installment.
Yes, you may hit me (but not too hard), but I could never really warm up to the Asura in Guild Wars 2. I found them fitting and important as part of the world, but as a playable species, they never really appealed to me.
I have to confess that I once created one, but didn’t even make it to the end of the intro. And that’s despite regularly playing Guild Wars 2 since Heart of Thorns. They were somehow too … ugly? Too fidgety? Too annoying? They reminded me too much of goblins and were just not funny enough and too unpleasant.
Somehow, the overall package just didn’t work for me.
Although I have always been very impressed by the animations – which I believe are the most unique and coolest of the races in GW2 – it was never enough to convince me. The Sylvari were definitely more my style.
So I was all the sadder when I learned that they will not and cannot be in Guild Wars 3 because the story takes place long before their time. But now, first images and information about the “new, old” Asura have been revealed, and I must say: I might have found my extremely underestimated new favorite here, who will help me get over my loss.
A cute mix of hobbits and dwarves with a touch of goblin
The Asura in Guild Wars 3 are quite different from their descendants that you know from Guild Wars 2 – both in appearance and in their character. They are somewhat larger compared to the bald, skinny, modern Asura and possess a certain fur.
They are a little bit smaller than the eye level of humans. They resemble a mix of werewolf, hobbit, dwarf, and goblin, and exude significantly more adventure. They appear more nature-oriented and indigenous than their descendants, which somewhat diminishes their break from classic fantasy.
But that’s exactly what I think is good! The story of GW3 takes place over a millennium before the dragon Primordus awakens, so it makes sense that the races would have developed over that time. The new “old” look makes them appear more magical, adventurous, and approachable than their descendants, and I particularly like that.
Through their deep (heh) relationship with the underground, more possibilities arise here to integrate the underground world of Orr, giving them a more dwarven touch. Their connection to Maguuma also piques my curiosity and shows that there will be new input regarding the lore in Guild Wars 3 and answers to questions that arose, for example, in Heart of Thorns in Guild Wars 2.
Another race that will be playable in Guild Wars 3 for the first time are the Kodan. They have significantly more fur and are also considerably larger, but they have just as much heart to offer. So if you also mourn the Sylvari and do not like the Asura despite their changes, check out the Kodan: A new playable race makes its premiere in Guild Wars 3, which has been rarely seen in MMORPGs before
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