Region (NA/EU): NA

Suggestion(s)/Comment(s): Rework “species” types to follow a consistent and intuitive structure, rather than maintaining the existing mix. Of the possibilities, following the example of Kamasylvian and Edanian as "regional species" would be the best approach.

Details:

The current set of "species" types are confusing, being half species (human/adventurer, demihuman) and half regional (Kamasylvian, Edanian).

Let’s look at one example: Thornwood Forest.

• Are these corrupt elves humans or demihumans?
• What about the inclusion of bats and bears (oh my)?
• Why is it Kamasylvian damage when we’re in O’dylitta?

We could approach a rework in a number of ways:

• Focus on species, using more intuitive assignments than “human” and “demihuman”.
• Focus on regions, following the examples of Kamasylvian and Edanian.
• Or, could just remove species damage and simplify all this…

Focusing on species may be possible, but it's likely too tricky to categorize everything in the world of BDO into 4-5 neat and obvious categories. We also see examples like Thornwood where we would have a mix of species in the same spot, like “elven” and “animal”.

Instead, I’d advocate that the “species” types be determined by regions.

This would allow for neat categorization, such as something like this:

• Greenlands – Balenos, Serendia, Calpheon, Elvia, Islands (Padix, Protty, Sycraia)
• Aridlands – Mediah, Valencia, Ulukita
• Elflands – Kamasyvia, O'dylitta, Orzekea
• Highlands – Dreigan, Eternal Winter, Morning Light
• Blightlands – Edania, Stars End

Done this way, we could convert the existing types like this:

• Human → Greenlands
• Demihuman → Aridlands
• Kamasylvian → Elflands
• New Type – Highlands
• Edania → Blightlands

I am assuming that, with this approach, we can have this regional damage apply to all creatures in the regions, eliminating the “animal” designation that currently has no species damage.  All put together, this would minimize player confusion. If you’re grinding anywhere in Valencia, then use aridland damage. If Land of Morning Light, then highlands. Etc.

The one outlying detail would be the “Damage against Adventurers” that exists currently alongside Human damage.

• Adventurer damage could be tacked onto one of these 5 like it is now, likely "Greenlands".
• Adventurer damage could be made into a distinct type, the one non-PvE exception.
• It could also be removed entirely, but not sure what to do with Olucas crystals to balance things.

I must mention another suggestion about species damage– allowing players to combine existing species items into "all species" versions– by JariWeis which prompted this distinct idea.  Sounds good, but I'd want something like "regional damage" first.