Can You Choose Gender in Lost Ark? The Definitive Guide
The short answer is no, you cannot freely choose your character’s gender in Lost Ark. The game employs a gender-locked class system, meaning that each Advanced Class is tied to a specific gender. This means, you don’t get to pick a male or female avatar and then choose any class. Instead, your class selection inherently dictates your character’s gender. While the game does offer customization options to create more androgynous characters, you’re ultimately locked to the designated gender for your chosen class.
Understanding Gender-Locked Classes in Lost Ark
The concept of gender-locked classes in Lost Ark has been a significant point of discussion within the player community. This approach means that certain classes are exclusively available for male characters, while others are restricted to female characters. For instance, the Warrior class is only available to male characters, while the Mage class is exclusive to female characters.
This system stems from how the game’s classes were initially designed. According to developers, each class is deeply connected to its character model in terms of function and animations. Therefore, creating an alternative gender for a specific class would require significantly more work than simply providing a different model.
However, the developers have publicly stated their intent to address this. Franchise lead Soomin Park mentioned that multi-gender class options are in the pipeline and will be rolled out over time. The goal is to eventually offer players a greater freedom of choice in terms of class and gender combinations.
The Current Class and Gender Breakdown
To illustrate the current state of gender-locked classes, here’s a quick rundown of some notable examples:
- Male-Only Classes: Warrior, Berserker, Gunlancer, Paladin
- Female-Only Classes: Mage, Bard, Sorceress, Martial Artist, Soulfist
It’s crucial to note that this is not an exhaustive list, but it provides a clear idea of how the game’s classes are presently divided by gender.
Character Customization: A Partial Solution
Although you cannot choose your character’s gender freely, Lost Ark offers robust character customization options. These options allow players to modify their character’s appearance, including:
- Facial features
- Hairstyle
- Skin tone
- Body proportions
While this customization doesn’t allow you to change the fundamental gender, it enables you to create a character that aligns more with your preference in terms of androgyny or a particular style. Therefore, players looking for a non-binary character experience may find that customization allows for an acceptable representation, despite the underlying gender lock.
Future Changes to Gender Restrictions
The key takeaway is that the gender lock in Lost Ark is not a permanent feature. The developers have acknowledged that this is an outdated approach that doesn’t align with the modern gaming landscape. They have plans to introduce more multi-gender classes over time. However, the actual implementation timeframe for this change remains unclear.
This potential update is important to many players, and there is often much discussion about the topic across Lost Ark forums. The future implementation of gender unlocks is a highly anticipated event for the Lost Ark community.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to gender choices and gameplay mechanics in Lost Ark:
1. Can I change my character’s gender after creating it?
No. Once you create your character, its gender is permanently tied to the chosen class, and you cannot change it without creating a new character.
2. Will all classes eventually be available for both genders?
The developers have stated that their goal is to eventually release multi-gender versions of all classes but have not provided a timeline.
3. Does the gender lock affect gameplay?
The gender lock does not affect gameplay mechanics or abilities, and there is no statistical advantage for one gender over the other within a class.
4. Are there any visual differences between genders within the same class?
Currently, there are no different genders within the same class; however, as mentioned, that could change. Character customization allows for unique individual aesthetics for your characters within each gender.
5. Why are classes gender-locked in Lost Ark?
The classes are gender-locked because they are tied to the original character models, function, and animations, and creating opposite gender versions requires considerable development time and resources.
6. Is the gender lock the same in the Korean, Russian, and Japanese versions of Lost Ark?
Yes, the gender-locked class system is consistent across all versions of the game.
7. Has there been any update from the developers on when multi-gender classes will be released?
While the developers have acknowledged that they will add multi-gender options, no specific timeframe has been given to date.
8. Can I make my female characters less revealing?
While some of the initial outfits in Lost Ark were considered revealing, the Western version of the game has seen modifications to armor sets to be more culturally appropriate. Character customization also allows for modifications.
9. How does the lack of gender choice affect character identity?
Many players feel that the lack of gender choice limits their character identity and their ability to create their ideal representation in the game.
10. What are the most popular classes currently in Lost Ark?
Popular classes include the Berserker for male characters and the Sorceress for female characters. However, player preferences often change based on balancing updates and the meta.
11. What is the process for a class to get a multi-gendered version?
The process involves a full re-creation of the class’ character model, animations and potentially certain gameplay aspects, so it is a major development undertaking.
12. Are the animations and abilities of the opposite gender classes expected to be the same?
It is highly likely, given that the current gender-locked classes do not have any statistical differences or different move sets based on gender.
13. Will the gender-locked system impact potential new classes in the future?
New classes might be released with both gender options, as the developers are moving toward that goal.
14. Is there any discussion of offering more inclusive gender options (beyond male/female)?
While the game has not announced inclusive gender options that are non-binary, the extensive customization options allow for more freedom when creating non-binary representations.
15. What other controversies is Lost Ark facing besides the gender lock?
Other controversies in the game include concerns about bots, censorship, and microtransactions, however these issues do not impact the character creation aspects of the game.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lost Ark does not offer full freedom of gender choice, primarily due to its gender-locked class system. However, the game provides robust customization options, and the developers have committed to introducing multi-gender class options in the future. While the current system may not be ideal for everyone, the prospect of future updates gives the player base cause for optimism. For now, players need to be aware that their class choice will dictate the gender of their avatar.