Last week we examined seven races we’d like to see in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and the likelihood of them making it into the game. This week, we continue the series with part two as we take a look at yet another seven races. Discussion of last week’s article generated numerous race suggestions, many of which were also on my original list. Read below to find out which ones made the cut in part two!
Feeorin
The Feeorin are a highly tempermental reptilian race who mostly settled on Odryn following the destruction of their homeworld thousands of years preceding the events of the prequel trilogy. The Sanctum of the Exalted on Odryn was the holiest place for the Feeorin race, which the Feeorin made available to the Jedi Covenant prior to the events of The Old Republic as a storage facility for ancient Sith artifacts.
Why we like them: My first encounter with the Feeorin was in Star Wars: Starfighter, where the most recognizable Feeorin, the pirate Nym, made his debut and he simply made a lasting impact on me. The guy was just cool, and the idea of playing a Feeorin smuggler simply sounds fun!
Likelihood of making it in: While a bit more obscure than some other races, the few notable Feeorin in the Expanded Universe made appearances in a number of the Knights of the Old Republic comics. Zayne Carrick, the protagonist of the Knights of the Old Republic comic series fought Feln, a Feeorin, in a vicious duel on Odryn. I’d put this one down in the “Maybe” list.
Kel Dor
The Kel Dor are a distinct and intimidating looking race from the planet of Dorin. Kel Dor are forced to wear goggles and breathing masks when off-world due to their homeworld’s unique atmosphere. There is a strong tradition of Force use by the Kel Dor even preceding the establishment of the Jedi, these Force using Kel Dor were practitioners of Baron Do and were referred to as Sages or Baron Do Sages. As equally distinct as their appearance is the manner in which the Kel Dor approach issues of morality, as they largely view such issues in black and white. Kel Dor are known as having no qualms about taking things to the extremes when faced with some of the more ambiguous moral scenarios.
Why we like them: Outside of their extremely distinct look, the Kel Dor’s affinity with The Force, and their particularly interesting views on morality give them a depth we’d love to explore, especially with Bioware’s dialogue system.
Likelihood of making it in: Extremely likely. For one, we’ve already seen the Kel Dor in Star Wars: The Old Republic as an NPC character in an in-game screenshot, which doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be in the game as a playable race, but they are definitely on Bioware’s radar. Jedi Master Gnost-Dural, voiced by Lance Henriksen in the popular HoloRecord series is also a Kel Dor, and Jedi Master Plo Koon was also featured in the prequel films. While many Star Wars fans may not recognize the race by name, most are sure to recognize them by their distinct look and this, along with everything else makes them a strong possibility for inclusion in the game. However, one ironic bit that may be holding them back is in fact that same distinct look of theirs, which may be hard to account for when it comes to item design, considering the fact Bioware will have to deal with both their goggles and breathing apparatus.
Mandalorian
Mandalorians hardly need an introduction, but for the few of you out there who are somehow unfamiliar with these guys the Mandalorians are a warlike people who don’t necessarily consist strictly of humans, but are instead comprised of many races. The Mandalorians are ruled by a single ruler known as the Mandalore, and have a long history aligning with the Sith Empire. Mandalorians are responsible for a great many conquests, decimating entire planets, and races, all in the name of glory and honor. They are also known for being sell-swords, serving as exceptional bounty hunters (a’la Jango Fett) and mercenaries (Canderous Ordo).
Why we like them: Boba Fett, Jango Fett, Canderous Ordo, the notable Mandalorian characters simply exude badass. The “race” is so steeped in lore and history, and its significance in the Star Wars ethos is so far reaching across all the various time periods, that there is simply little reason not to want to include them. Even when the Mandalorians were all but extinct, Boba Fett won our hearts in minds in the original trilogy, short screen time, limited dialogue and all.
Likelihood of making it in: This is a tough one. The Mandalorians are a race, in a sense, but could almost be considered more of a faction. As we mentioned earlier, they are comprised of many different races, though we mostly know the Mandalorians as being humans. I think Bioware could get away with making them a race made up only of humans, and they’d be a shoe-in in that regard. One snag though is the fact they would have to be restricted to the Sith Empire, and we’ve not heard either way if there will be any race restrictions either by class or faction. This one is a toss-up.
