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I chose the Corleiks. Their ability sounded the most imaginative, and easiest to apply in interesting ways.
It was actually a toss up between the Corleiks and Exatiaz; but some word choice broke the tie.
I have a more in-depth explanation following this; but I very bluntly gave my brutally honest opinion on each race as it is presented here, so I put it under a spoiler tag in case you'd rather not hear it. It is unfiltered constructive criticism designed to point out problems not pander to feelings so consider yourself warned if you choose to read it.
Before reading this, know that I mean it as constructive criticism. I am not attacking you; but rather trying to help by offering my opinion and criticism to the best of my abilities. Czigus - This race actually sounded interesting too; but the way you described them as voodoo casters not only shows a fundamental lack of understanding of voodoo; but also seems unnecessary. What you are describing here is more like necromancy and calling it such would be less offensive to an entire culture. It also would prevent the use of a term that might not exist in your world from anachronistically existing. However, whichever you call it I feel like the word casters sounds irrelevant. I am not sure how being a voodoo-doll plays in to possessing dead bodies to have a corporeal form.
I might have liked them better if they were described as spectral or energy beings that needed to possess the dead to give themselves a body. Perhaps explaining that inhabiting a body slows the decomposition rate but it still happens so eventually they need a new form. Something like that without throwaway terms like voodoo would have sounded more appealing. Additionally it would make them sound like a separate race instead of just a separate culture.
Honestly, I tend to play characters like this all the time so its also a personal taste thing that I would lean towards something different.
Altamone- Alchemists in FMA and what alchemists actually were are very different things. If you want a similar effect you might have called them circle magicians or something to imply a similar system without directly plagiarizing fma. Additionally stating "the four elements" but then adding light, dark, time, space, and Gravity, makes it unclear if you are talking about scientific elements or more magic themed. Dark being something like an element sounds like a magic base; but it is hard to say. It might have gone over better to me if you had just spelled out the full list of forces they manipulate through circle magic. (and stating it that way might also have been more useful than a mis-used term like alchemists) Ultimately my irritation with this and the fact that FMA feels played out and over done to me made me choose something else.
Vanutei- No Requirements. No Limits. No Complexity. No Oritinality. This sounded like the most bland and dull choice in the lot. Kryptonite (and magic) is the thing that allowed superman to go on for as long as he has. Without a weakness there is no challenge, and nothing to overcome. Without challenges, there is no story worth telling. If this is supposed to be for a multi-player setting not only will 90% of these be the most uninteresting and most chosen playable races; but they will also be the most abused. The fact that you closed with a very over-used line in an attempt to make them sound edgy and dangerous, just made them sound even more bland and uninteresting than they already did to me. Having an option like this even on the table made me immediately feel like I should avoid whatever world this is for. I'm sorry but nothing kills a story or a role-play faster than something overpowered.
Exatiaz- Innuendo-based comedy implication aside, this was actually one of the most appealing and interesting options on offer here. Being able to somehow utilize their organic body as a weapon sounds like an interesting ability. It's not un-heard of; but its not so overdone to feel un-original. Someone who has figured out how to focus their style of fighting around their heart sounds like a fun learning exercise and a challenge for a writer. Plus there are simple routes for less creative types like finger-bone claws.
It gives you flavor almost on-par with the x-men (I could see someone of this race having used their eyes to collect and reflect light into laser beams, or someone who manipulates their adipose tissue to serve as a defensive shock absorber) This option brings diversity, encourages creativity, and has a stronger chance of balance.
They also match very well along side the Corleiks. Serving as an organic counterpart to their inorganic style. I could easily see these two races existing in the same world. Possibly even being two cultures of the same species? The mythology you would use to explain how both do what they do could easily be related as a similar form of energy that they are able to manipulate in different ways.
In the end the only reason I didn't choose them instead of the Corleiks is because you called them "The Immortal Ones". That cliche shot them in the foot. If they are manipulateing single part or parts of the body in various combat forms thats cool. If they all have incredibly long life spans based on this manipulative technique, that is cool too; but I feel like them being known as "the immortal ones" is a bit much. Something like "The Fleshcrafters" sounds much more fitting.
Regg- Default humans, not a lot to say here. Nothing wrong with this choice. Its good you included them. I just never like playing a human in my off time.
Corleiks- These seem like the inorganic counterpart to the Exatiaz, and that is wonderful. Its a very anime-esk power with lots of appeal but it even has tie-ins to things like the monkey king's magic staff. Again the diversity this provides is exciting and creative, as well as balancing. I could just envision a Corleik whose chosen weapon is wire or string which they use to slice through all manner of things thanks to the way they power it. More importantly I can envision that Corleik fighting in a difficult battle against an Exatiaz whose power is to make their skin incredibly durable, making the string less effective against them.
While weapons and items might be more powerful tools to channel than body and limbs, giving them an advantage over Exatiaz, this is compensated for by the fact that you can theoretically separate a Corleik from their item; but you can't exactly separate an Exatiaz from their power (and if you can then it is likely they were not the greater threat in that instance). This is the kind of balance and tradeoffs that provide exciting story telling opportunities.
Corleiks seem to be the most balanced both in their actual ability, and how you chose to present them here. Though I might have chosen to pick a more exciting example of power use than just greatsword earrings, that's a matter of taste at that point, because you managed to clearly convey the idea of the Corleiks and their powers across the short description and the example.
While their power might seem to be one of the most generic anime inspired abilities, it comes across as something that isn't dull and overly familiar. For this reason they were my choice given the options provided. (A few minor tweaks to the description of the Exatiaz and I would have picked them)
If you want to tell me more about any of this or ask more questions feel free to shoot me a PM. I hope you found this to be helpful and informative, as that was my intention. I did not in any way mean to come of demeaning or cruel, so I hope my message was conveyed clearly.
Additional Side Note: On the whole I would say many of these descriptions and ideas need refining and flavoring; but you have a good groundwork. I would also say that in the future, it might be more interesting to explain more than just what powers they have; but the kinds of cultures they are from. That can also largely influence someone's choice in a setting where a player is picking a race. Though that is trickier because if you are creating this for a multi player creative setting, you want to keep the backgrounds of each culture loose enough to maintain player/writer freedom.
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I haven't made a choice, though normally I'd go with Regg since I tend to prefer technologically orientated characters and societies, I'll also give some of my thoughts though I consider them merely my own opinions rather than tangible advice; also, I have an interest in world-building that has probably influenced my view. Apologies if my criticism is scathing or somewhat irrelevant to what you're exploring in this thread.
Spoiler: click to toggle Essentially, the main issue I have with these is that they are standard genre conventions, with very little deviation from the established cultures of these in writing. Now, this isn't itself a problem, but rather as a reader I need to know why I care about your particular interpretation over someone else's; to elaborate, the Regg are almost standard humans, with no powers and only technology to help them. While this isn't itself an issue, there is nothing else about them currently to make me care about this particular interpretation and want to know more about it.
To Elaborate: Czigus – Necromancer with a parasitic twist – This is actually of some interest to me, since this interpretation while keeping conventions from its roots actually possesses a difference; the parasitic nature of its people, and how they themselves utilise bodies as a vessel rather than mere servants is different enough to escape the regular conventions, though it would be easier to explore these with better understanding of their powers. (Obviously, what you've written is short summary, which can make analysing them more difficult.)
Altamone – Magi Archetype – This again isn't particularly revolutionary, though requiring books is an interesting dynamic to throw in rather then the standard wands or needing nothing. However, while you do state they can have two elements, it isn't really specified that well what they can do, it is good framework, but more tangible information about their powers specifically is needed to understand them better, what is difference between someone who can use fire and ice over someone who can use dark and time – Also, why can they only have two elements, is it known, or is it the great mystery that Altamone's wish to discover? Consider also how these affect their perception of the world, someone who manipulates time will have a vastly different to perception to someone who messes around with gravity.
Vanutai – Druid Archetype – The idea of having two forms is interesting, having a connection with nature and being able to influence is interesting, though not unusual. You mention how the forms are used in battle, but how about outside, would the large core form or the nature form be particularly untenable in say, communicating with other species?
Exatiaz – They can manipulate their bodies, I'm not precisely sure of the exact term for this though it has been done many times before. However, you describe them like the internal version of the Corleik... yet the Corleik isn't introduced to the reader until the very end, far after the Exatiaz is discussed. You only provided one example of their powers, which makes them seem somewhat limited to the other species as well.
Regg – Humans – I'm liable to say far too much about this one. You describe them as 'pretty much the human race' – However, Humanity is so wide and varied that normalising humanity is extremely difficult to do, are these humans extremely rigid in their culture and genetic appearance, or does that better describe the other species whereas humans are indeed varied. Also, you describe '100 years after Japan.' Ignoring the grammar which would imply that they are from a strange world where everything about Japan is a distant memory, I understand this probably means that they are culturally based on Japan. However, 100 years in the future is difficult to understand; we don't know if 100 years in the future will bring lasers or if we'll be stuck with simplistic projectile based weaponry.
Also; by using Japan you bring out another issue, if it is Japan, then that implies that culturally the Reggs are based off of Japan. Consider that Japan has its first known history appearing in the the first century A.D. Along with a culture documented for hundreds of years, with large periods of isolation, followed by a brief period of Chinese influence, with more isolation, Portugeese influence, then more Isolation until the 1800's. Japan was controlled by first the Emperor, then the Fujiwara family which dominated the Imperial court, until they were overthrown and replaced with the Shoguns, whom dominated the country until the Meiji restoration in the 1800's. Then a century of imperial ambitions in imitation of Europe, being the only non-European country to easily transfer from a traditional to an industrial economy, as well as notions of Japanese Ethnic Nationalism and even introducing a Korean Ethnic Nationalism to their Korean colonies, alongside an American Military Occupation and then an Pacifist Democracy alongside being one of the Great Powers of the modern world. Thats not to mention Japan's massive religious history with Shinto mythology that goes farther then Japan's recorded history, Buddhist and Confucian influences from China and Christian influences from the Portuguese and even the Russians in the 19th century.
Essentially, while basing the Reggs off the Japanese itself isn't an issue, you'll have to consider why the Reggs would be so culturally similar to the Japanese, which leads to another point, language is a massive part of culture, and Reggs are implied to be extremely culturally similar, yet gg or gh aren't sounds in the Japanese alphabet. This is extremely minor, but it should be considered if you are going to base them off a real life culture.
Also, the description of what the Reggs can do is extremely vague, I know they have scientists, lazers, machinery, etc. However, again there is little to make me care about this particular branch of humans, opposed to another authors interpretation, though having them based on an Asian culture is refreshing, since most English writers will base them on western cultures, they are still very generic, and I feel you'd need to expand on what makes Reggs interesting in this world in order to improve on them. Again, a lot of this is to do with world-building, which is a massive interest of mine, plus history, hence why I can write a lot about this. Also, every other species has a focus on spiritual energy, do Reggs lack this, do they have a too little, or are they incapable of tapping into their own energy? Can they use technology to overcome this limitation?
Corleiks – This is another typical convention, mostly in Anime where and video games where characters have special unique weapons they can summon. The description is pretty short, though they can I presume have only spirit weapons of artificial objects. It's pretty standard summoning class focusing on using its spirit weapons; which brings more questions, do the weapons reflect the characters psyche, are they random or even chosen, is there a stigma among the Corleiks in having a certain weapon, can their spiritual energy be used for other things, or are they limited to just their weapon?
In short, while your ideas are good groundwork, I really feel they need to be expanded upon to differentiate from simply being standard archetypes. I need to stress though that abandoning the archetypes completely isn't necessary, or even possible, but I think it's important to consider what makes your interpretation of your species abilities unique to your world, and also how they fit into the world in a larger context, to use the Regg as an example again, the inability to use spiritual energy is pretty unusual, since every other species possesses it in some form, are the Reggs stigmatised by other species for this, how did they survive in the years where they didn't have advanced technology, etc. Again, the framework is good, but it is abit difficult for me to judge when lacking wider context of the world and what makes the world what it is. Obviously though this is my opinion, and regardless you need something as the basis to create such a world, which these certainly do.
Also, I feel you should consider the cultural implications of each species spiritual powers, are the Czigus repulsive to other species because of the powers, does their decentralised nature of hiding in other forms make the race very disunited to comparison to others? Are Reggs looked down upon for their inability to use Spiritual Energy, does this encourage Reggs to band together and to dislike other species, does Corleik culture pride itself on their weapons? These kind of issues can in my opinion massively improve species, since it adds another layer unto them that listing their powers simply doesn't show. However, you may wish to finalise their powers completely before dealing with these issues, since minor changes to them could require complete revamps of what you've developed for them culturally, but I feel the focus on powers has meant other facets of these species has left them devoid in other areas, and these things can completely change someone's view of them. However, that might be intentional. Regardless, these are all my opinions and mostly because I find world-building important.
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