Since Alpha 1, we haven't seen the dwarves in gameplay. While the latest concept art suggested they would appear tougher and broader, as the dwarves in Alpha 1 looked more like hypertrophied muscular hobbits than traditional dwarves. After watching yesterday's stream, I'm still not convinced by their design.
Of course, there's no single way to portray dwarves, and perhaps Ashes of Creation intends to present them differently. However, in my opinion, the dwarves in AoC appear too short. They seem to be the same height as typical hobbits or gnomes from other fantasy universes, where they only reach up to a human's abdomen. In those same universes, dwarves usually reach the chest of an average human.
In the attached image, the dwarf reaches only the bard's abdomen. This makes them look more like a hobbit or a gnome than a classic dwarf. To better fit the classic dwarf look, they should be a bit taller, reaching at least to the bard's chest. Additionally, the body model should be broader, especially in the legs, which currently don't look strong enough.
Looking at other fantasy universes, we can see that dwarves typically have a similar height range, reaching the chest of an average human, while gnomes and hobbits only come up to the abdomen or slightly above the waist.
Dungeons and Dragons:
World of Warcraft:
Besides their height, dwarves are known for being strong, with big bushy beards, strong voices, and muscular builds. Classic dwarves are shorter than other races, but these attributes prevent them from looking small. The dwarves in AoC appear very short and small, almost like midgets flipping around. Dwarves aren't supposed to be small; they're meant to be stout and hardy. I don't get that impression from AoC's dwarves.
I would prefer a dwarf design similar to those in Warhammer Fantasy:
Or even if they don't look that stout and hardy, at least not that short. In The Lord of the Rings, Gimli's height reaches the chests of Aragorn and Legolas. While he might not look as hardy as Warhammer Fantasy dwarves, he still appears taller than hobbits, which sets him apart and makes him look bigger.
In summary, in my opinion, they should change the model so that:
- They should make them taller, because otherwise they look like hobbits or gnomes.
- The legs look too thin and disproportionate compared to the torso. They should make them stronger and more muscular.
- Overall, they should look more stocky and broad, so that despite being the shortest class, they don't look small but rather like tanks.
- I also think it should be mandatory for them to always have some kind of beard. I believe a dwarf without a beard (at least a Dunir) is not a dwarf.
Perhaps some people like the current concept of dwarves and it fits their vision. In my case, I would prefer a redesign closer to the examples I mentioned. What do you think?
