Guild Wars 2

At the risk of being told “Just cos”…

… Why do Sylvari have funtime organs but not these little tidbits?

how would you even know? they have leaves covering their stuff. and what would be the point of nipples if they can’t breastfeed because they’re not mammals? and why do these creepy questions keep showing up when i login?

Do we know for certain that they don’t? If the Sylvari are to experience the full range of sensuality experienced by the other races (and all indications are that they can and do) then they need nipples. Presumably they’re hidden under strategically-placed leaves like everything else.

really!? did we just go there?

they’re trees. Meaning ‘plantae’ more than ‘animalia’. How many plants do you know that procreate by inserting tab A into slot B? Not too many. I’m sure they have some method of pollination that they find quite pleasurable. Probably something that you, being an animal wouldn’t comprehend much less enjoy.

Which begs the question… why do the female Sylvari have breasts?
Well, that one’s easy! … Because teenage boys need something to gawk at when playing as this race.

Next question!

Well. I think they have, but they’re covered by leaves. Sylvari were made in the form of humans. The pale tree is obsessed with the Ronon and Ventari.
I wonder why don’t we have centaur sylvari…

^

that has always been my biggest question with the sylvari. (the no centaurs thing. I never even thought about nipples)

Centaurs are, as a rule, extremely xenophobic. Centaur-shaped sylvari would have a difficult time integrating with other races and would probably not be accepted by the centaur tribes. I’m sure the Pale Tree knew this and so ensured her children took on a more generally acceptable form.

… OMG SPECIES-ISM

SPOILER

Actually the fact that sylvari are humanlike seems to be a characteristic of any sylvari rather than the Pale Tree. We meet in one of the sylvari personal story steps a sylvari from another tree and he has the same form as a Pale Tree sylvari.

BrunoBRS.5178:

how would you even know? they have leaves covering their stuff. and what would be the point of nipples if they can’t breastfeed because they’re not mammals? and why do these creepy questions keep showing up when i login?

We got confirmation from the developers that they do indeed have genitalia.

The reason they don’t have nipples is because they don’t have mammary glands.

Verteiron.8734:

Do we know for certain that they don’t? If the Sylvari are to experience the full range of sensuality experienced by the other races (and all indications are that they can and do) then they need nipples. Presumably they’re hidden under strategically-placed leaves like everything else.

Look at male sylvari topless. No nipples.

Sylvari intro video has a female without the leaves covering – no nipples either, side view.

Ludovicus.7980:

Well. I think they have, but they’re covered by leaves. Sylvari were made in the form of humans. The pale tree is obsessed with the Ronon and Ventari.
I wonder why don’t we have centaur sylvari…

Because the Pale Tree didn’t actively chose the sylvari shapes. That’s how they are – if that’s not the case, explain Malyck.

i didn’t do the storyline with malyck and had forgotten about him. that answers that, but opens up a million more questions….sigh….stupid lore…never ending quest for answers.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

BrunoBRS.5178:

how would you even know? they have leaves covering their stuff. and what would be the point of nipples if they can’t breastfeed because they’re not mammals? and why do these creepy questions keep showing up when i login?

We got confirmation from the developers that they do indeed have genitalia.

The reason they don’t have nipples is because they don’t have mammary glands.

i know they have that.

i don’t know how anyone got to the conclusion sylvaris have (or don’t) nipples, given that there are those leaves covering their breasts.

and it’s still a very odd topic to discuss >.>

Males don’t have leaves covering their chest. They have no nipples. Observe:

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/7/76/Sylvari_figged_render.jpg

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Males don’t have leaves covering their chest. They have no nipples.

males also have even less reason to have a nipple than a female :P

Female charr have three pairs of nipples. They’re just under fur. Same with the males.

Auruan.2837:

For some reason this entire discussion held me captivated. Long enough to read everything and burst into a fit of near inexplicable giggles.

What’s next, the lack of three pair of nipples on the female Charr?

joke’s on you, charr nipples are a thing and are covered in lore lol.

well, more like the lead charr designer saying “charrs are felines, felines have a bunch of nipples, not a pair of huge, impractical boobs”.

Better question, why do female krait have them? They’re reptiles so they shouldn’t need them…

It’s a better question cuz it makes no sense. Sylvari not having nipples makes sense – no mammary glands. Charr having six covered by fur makes sense. Krait, reptiles, with two lumps that are breasts (and furthermore, wearing bikinis) however makes no sense whatsoever and in fact breaks the style Anet was going with other races (especially since males are naked, iirc).

Of all this discussion we can only notice that 1- Sylvari have genitalia
2-They only appear similar to humans

I knew that the developer in charge of creating the female Charr stated she either wanted six boobs or none… wasn’t aware they stated they do have six nipples under the fur. Huh, the things I learn these days.
Still amused.

No! Konig! you’re ruining the fan service by questioning the biology!

While Sylvari might not have nipples because the males do not and some hinting through concept art, the reasoning that they don’t have them because no mammary glans would be the same reasoning to a conclusion that sylvari had no genitalia because they can’t reproduce. However we know for a fact that they do have ahem, have “Stamin” and “Pistol” which are essentially vestigial for anything but mimicking an act of reproduction.

So why not nipples? I mean they’re obviously covering something with those petal bikinis, as the general trope for nippleless yet breasted species is that they censor themselves., therefore why modest clothing, right? I don’t take men not having nipples as an indicator of anything, one too many times have I seen this in fantasy where the male race are excluded of nipples solely for atheistic reasons, I think male trolls in WoW lacked nipples.

As for Krait having mammary glans, ummm Fishmammels maybe? I mean look at quaggen, egg laying but also full of mammalian traits. Given that krait are intelligent, perhaps the adaption of mammary glans was vital for the species to transfer enough nutrients for brain development. If you noticed there are plenty of mammal like reptile species(based off real mammal like reptiles) in Tyria. The line between mammal and reptile is pretty much blurred in Guildwars.

Edit: As a side not, perhaps they’re not exactly nipples, but nipple like flowers O_O*

Dangit you’re onto something there.

And here I’ve been thinking that dem breast coverings were censorship!

You did get my original point though— if they’re going to give Sylvari all of the other inefficient stuff why leave this out?

Hierofan.2415:

Of all this discussion we can only notice that 1- Sylvari have genitalia
2-They only appear similar to humans

Sylvari having genitalia isn’t a surprise if you know about real plants. Since actual plants reproduce they do have sexual organs. Infact! There is a whole wikipedia page on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_sexuality

Sylvari having nipples could be explained by human mimicry, but their lack of nipples would make sense from a plant sexuality perspective, since they would probably not nurse their children.

The aspect of Sylvari covering themselves is a culture/social thing and not related to whether or not they have nipples. Actual human cultures have differing positions on whether it is acceptable for women to walk around with bare chests/certain level of clothing so Sylvari probably have some sort of social norms in regard to this.

However, Krait having boobs/nipples/bikinis is just weird but typical for fantasy environments I guess.

The internet, a magical place where people can discuss plant nipples.

Okay, seriously now: probably because nipples are little bumps in the middle of an otherwise smooth area, which is a whole lot of intricacy to form with leaves for not a whole lot of effect.

They could easily be the forms of buds from trees in spring.

Who knows? Maybe Sylvari have retractable nipples the way some plants in real life can open and close their flowers (extending and retracting their stamen) during the day.

haven’t thought I d ever post in thread about plant nipples, but: what the hell? they are plants, not mammals, they don’t need nipples.. Even the fact that they have breasts is a bit confusing, but well, teens playing sylvari have to look at something to enjoy. By the way, I am more concerned that they have flowers growing out of their butt… still I guess that they just don’t use it.. naturally

I think the Sylvari can experience all the same kinds of feelings (pain/pleasure/irritation) one would have with nipples in that general area without the actual having of them. This seems like the most reasonable answer.

One of the reasons I love Sylvari is topics like this. Serious discussions about the possible existence of nipples.

The ways I see it is that them having working genitals does serve a purpose, just not a reproductive one. Nipples, though, do not and they lack the glands to attach to them anyways. If we are assuming that the Pale Tree did design the Sylvari in a somewhat purposeful manner, it seems like it just picked the main bits: Human shape, important organs,…. bits…., and left off some more, uh, subtle areas.

As far as Malyck goes: until it is explained I assume that the various Pale Trees are interconnected but possibly not in a way that the conscious element of the Grove’s Pale Tree can notice. That is just my theory.

Well dimalit, the notion that they are plants, not mammals is completely moot at this point. Sylvari have a lot of things plants don’t have, such as eyes, vocal cords, lungs, ect.

I’m not going to get scientific about it or anything. Without much research, it would be safe to say that sylvari do have nipples since their bodies are based on humans. However, male sylvari do not have nipples in the character creation (while humans and norn do) which would suggest otherwise.

However, there is one piece of armor (there may be more) that indicates visible nipples in the texture. You can compare the other races for yourself on the same website. The details on the sylvari are very close (if not identical) to the human and norn.

^ lol, that’s probably not supposed to be hard nipples.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Krait, reptiles, with two lumps that are breasts (and furthermore, wearing bikinis) however makes no sense whatsoever and in fact breaks the style Anet was going with other races (especially since males are naked, iirc).

This is something that gave me pause a little while back, especially when you consider how they handled the charr and asura. To give the krait breasts (which, oddly, only one model seems to have – the other female krait are flat-chested) is nothing short of bizarre. Maybe there’s more to them? Some screens from the first game made it seem like they had plantigrade legs, which none have now.

The most likely explanation is just an oversight creating inconsistency.

i think main problem here is why do leaves grow in that strategical places

I’m more confused about them having kitten It’s not like AN is trying to make every girl character super feminine, female Charr and Asura don’t have breasts. So why give them to the Sylvari if they don’t have nips? I mean a species wouldn’t just develop breasts for no reason, that doesn’t make sense. Unless they have pollen in them? Or something? But Sylvari can’t mate right, they are just born from the Pale Tree? …Urrggh this is confusing, why did I read this topic xD

lol this thread.

Erewolf.3648:

I’m more confused about them having kitten It’s not like AN is trying to make every girl character super feminine, female Charr and Asura don’t have breasts. So why give them to the Sylvari if they don’t have nips? I mean a species wouldn’t just develop breasts for no reason, that doesn’t make sense. Unless they have pollen in them? Or something? But Sylvari can’t mate right, they are just born from the Pale Tree? …Urrggh this is confusing, why did I read this topic xD

you didn’t read the topic properly.

sylvaris are made on the image of humans, hence their, err, “features”.

ugh…plants don’t need nipples. they emerge full grown, not suckling newborns. and they don’t lactate…cuz they’re plants. and plants have reproductive organs…it’s how they reproduce. they’re just not exactly like mammals’.

Aequitas.6402:

The internet, a magical place where people can discuss plant nipples.

Dimalit.7543:

By the way, I am more concerned that they have flowers growing out of their butt…

BrunoBRS.5178:

^ lol, that’s probably not supposed to be hard nipples.

This is an amazing thread, really.
But, yeah, I’d guess no nipples… just pecs and breasts. The Pale Tree(s) didn’t look too closely at the humans she (they) was (were) emulating.

Gryphon.2875:

Aequitas.6402:

The internet, a magical place where people can discuss plant nipples.

Dimalit.7543:

By the way, I am more concerned that they have flowers growing out of their butt…

BrunoBRS.5178:

^ lol, that’s probably not supposed to be hard nipples.

This is an amazing thread, really.
But, yeah, I’d guess no nipples… just pecs and breasts. The Pale Tree(s) didn’t look too closely at the humans she (they) was (were) emulating.

Or maybe it is that they were kind of rotting and it was sensing them with its roots alone.

Btw, I got a reply deleted for crossing the line with a sex joke. I’m sorry if I offended anyone u_u

God isn’t interested in technology! He knows nothing of the potential of the microchip or the silicon revolution! Look how he spends his time! Forty-three species of parrot! Nipples for men!

If I were creating a world, I wouldn’t mess about with butterflies and daffodils. I would have started with lasers, eight o’clock, day one!

makes a gesture and accidentally shoots an energy bolt from fingers; a shriek of pain from off-screen is heard

Sorry.

Sylvari biology is very different from any other race. They do not have internal organs, but instead are formed of growing plant matter, sap for blood, leaves and bark for skin. A jaw, for example, can be formed by leaves, vines, or even shards of bark that grow and press together to form the silhouette, but if you look closely you can still see the fibers and holes of the structure. Instead of bones, an arm is a mass of tightly-woven stems and leaves that work together to do the work of such a limb.

As an adopted custom, they cover themselves as humans do, concealing certain portions of their anatomy where it seems culturally appropriate.
http://www.arena.net/blog/dream-and-nightmare

Sylvari are a plants intertwined and twisted to imitate humanoid form. They don’t have real organs that provide the same function as our own. They are not people made of plant material, they are plants twisted to imitate people. They don’t have nipples because they the pale tree didn’t see it neccessary to imitate, apparently.

Atlantea.3854:

God isn’t interested in technology! He knows nothing of the potential of the microchip or the silicon revolution! Look how he spends his time! Forty-three species of parrot! Nipples for men!

If I were creating a world, I wouldn’t mess about with butterflies and daffodils. I would have started with lasers, eight o’clock, day one!

makes a gesture and accidentally shoots an energy bolt from fingers; a shriek of pain from off-screen is heard

Sorry.

Time Banadits reference? Took me a while to place. +5 for you.

Wait so sylvari do have private parts? And if they do wouldn’t it be really hard and rough in there? You know they are tree people.

Who knows? Maybe they feel like the squishy gel inside an aloe vera plant.

Kristen Perry actually answered this question back during the third Beta Weekend Event, in the BWE forum:

“As many of you may have read in the articles, the sylvari are plants, but they do have a small chest. The reason a plant has imitation chest is because it is imitating a human. The breasts aren’t real (and no, you would not find nipples ;} heh), but they are there for a specific purpose. In the options, I have made sure to have curvy for those who want curvy and as small as I can get them without breaking the model properties. The normal map prevents it from going completely flat chested, but I managed an ‘A cup’.”

http://ie.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/tcwj0/the_sylvari_sex_and_gender/

/thread

Yeap, Word of God pretty much ends the speculation.

Naught.2316:

“but they are there for a specific purpose.”

And what purpose would that be? (Aside from player gratification, of course.)

Zaxares.5419:

Naught.2316:

“but they are there for a specific purpose.”

And what purpose would that be? (Aside from player gratification, of course.)

“A sylvari may have breasts because it is nature trying to look human.” -Kristen Perry

From the same source.

Additionally, it is regarded in the game and in the lore to be a mystery that sylvari have genders at all, but the fact that they do means that the presence of breasts could make sense. Whatever process makes sylvari male or female gives them stereotypical gender features, so that females have breasts and wider hips, males have narrower hips and more triangular torsos.

I guess in terms of player gratification, it could be much worse. Norn breasts, anyone? One of the settings makes them so large that they clip through some armor.

Dustfinger.9510:

Sylvari are a plants intertwined and twisted to imitate humanoid form. They don’t have real organs that provide the same function as our own. They are not people made of plant material, they are plants twisted to imitate people. They don’t have nipples because they the pale tree didn’t see it neccessary to imitate, apparently.

The problem with your statement here is that your implying that the Sylvari aren’t really people, which is contrary to Arenanet’s stance.

Also, Ree later corrected her statement about Sylvari not having organs, that rather they have organs that we wouldn’t recognize.

Honestly, whether Sylvari have nipples or not is of very little importance to me. And really, even if they did, your aren’t going to be able to see them anyways.