A simple question.
If you could choose a single species / faction that you would shift to in the endless space universe, which would it be?
You can't choose any of the human factions (Mezari, UE, Vaulters, Pilgrims, Sisters of Mercy etc) including Horatio. (as he technically is a human).

Myself, I am a teenzy bit unsure.
My favorite factions in Endless universe is either Riftborn or Amoeba.
But the Riftborn experience our reality as pure nightmare... and while being a Telekinetic aquatic blob would be neat, is it also quite the leap to wish to be an Amoeba too.
So I would probably choose Riftborn, if I were to make a pick. :)

​

DabMCfapDAB wrote:

Quite the difficult question actually, most factions have their pros and cons. Additionally there are factions that stick out with their negatives as instant NO's and some that might be a strong maybe.

Races that i think are the best choices
Unfallen
The unfallen seem like the most normal answer though, even for how limited their horizon is as a species. 

Riftborn
Regarding the riftborn, I wouldnt mind being a being like them. Even if my race would hate the reality we are in.

Though as you said we would be shifted into a Riftborn, that means our views of the our reality would be very similair to that of the normal denizens of the endless universe so the negative perspective would not even properly apply to us as we never have known the perfect geometric reality the riftborn experienced.
Also them basically mastering time as a concept is very appealing. Though they as a race are just a remnant of what they used to be.

Automatons
Another race similair to the riftborn but of far simpler origin they are just very mercantilistic compared to the industrious Riftborn i feel the machines can very much work good in a sense that you just a part of a society that runs on dust and tries to accumulate as much as possible through trade, while at the same time needing dust to function. In the long run the automatons just want to be part of the endless reality whilst the Riftborn wanna remake their own in the reality of the endless.

Neutral Factions
Umbral Choir
The Umbral Choir is just a race hidden from the eye of others, i dont really have any concrete thoughts on them so a very neutral faction i think, the bodyless aspect might be a minor downside similair to your Amobae thought

Amobae
Similair problems as the Umbral Choir

Dangerous choices
Hissho
Just to their general warmongering nature and sacrificial rites they are generally just bad for being shifted into a random as Hissho, if you can gurantee yourself to be of a highers caste though you could still enjoy that existence.

Vodyani
Their Religious dogmas regarding themselves and the virtual endless just hurt them in the long run, them also being a race that runs on a timer is also a bad thing but not as bad as the Cravers.

INSTANT NO
Cravers
Cravers is just an existance that is even more limited and fleeting than that of a Hissho prepped for blood sacrifice. So they are an instant decline.

---

Overall i would probably have a bigger tendency towards the Riftborn or the Automatons but in the grand scheme of things both races fill a very similair role in my perception, the unfallen are in my eyes just an eh? I dont really think of them as a potential canidate when it comes to being one of their own. Though the Automatons in the larger scheme feel like a more "safe" choice due to the fact they arent geometric puppets twitching constantly. Also the black plague that harmed the riftborn from which they escaped might even come and finish the few riftborn left for good.

That is a fair break down, have to admit. :)
But I am curious, not a fan of the Amoba and their telekinetic abilities? :3
(I find it curious how we have actually never seen an Amoeba in "action" before, we only see glowing orbs)

Perhaps I'm boring but it would totally be Sophons for me. A culture built around scientific curiosity and the haphazard exploration of the universe and all things in it sounds like a load of fun. Sure, there's the ever-present threat that I might blow myself up in some obscure experiment but I hear that's how Sophons make history in their society...that and blowing up moons. 

I kinda totally forgot about the Sophons, yeah they would be another great contender for normal race that doesnt suck. I kinda focused on the cant be human part, and thus removed all humanoid esque races as well. 

​

A_Star_called_Sun wrote:

I kinda totally forgot about the Sophons, yeah they would be another great contender for normal race that doesnt suck. I kinda focused on the cant be human part, and thus removed all humanoid esque races as well. 

True.
The Lumeris also are fair game.

​

A_Star_called_Sun wrote:

Quite the difficult question actually, most factions have their pros and cons. Additionally there are factions that stick out with their negatives as instant NO's and some that might be a strong maybe.

Races that i think are the best choices
Unfallen
The unfallen seem like the most normal answer though, even for how limited their horizon is as a species. 

Riftborn
Regarding the riftborn, I wouldnt mind being a being like them. Even if my race would hate the reality we are in.

Though as you said we would be shifted into a Riftborn, that means our views of the our reality would be very similair to that of the normal denizens of the endless universe so the negative perspective would not even properly apply to us as we never have known the perfect geometric reality the riftborn experienced.
Also them basically mastering time as a concept is very appealing. Though they as a race are just a remnant of what they used to be.

Automatons
Another race similair to the riftborn but of far simpler origin they are just very mercantilistic compared to the industrious Riftborn i feel the machines can very much work good in a sense that you just a part of a society that runs on dust and tries to accumulate as much as possible through trade, while at the same time needing dust to function. In the long run the automatons just want to be part of the endless reality whilst the Riftborn wanna remake their own in the reality of the endless.

Neutral Factions
Umbral Choir
The Umbral Choir is just a race hidden from the eye of others, i dont really have any concrete thoughts on them so a very neutral faction i think, the bodyless aspect might be a minor downside similair to your Amobae thought

Amobae
Similair problems as the Umbral Choir

Dangerous choices
Hissho
Just to their general warmongering nature and sacrificial rites they are generally just bad for being shifted into a random as Hissho, if you can gurantee yourself to be of a highers caste though you could still enjoy that existence.

Vodyani
Their Religious dogmas regarding themselves and the virtual endless just hurt them in the long run, them also being a race that runs on a timer is also a bad thing but not as bad as the Cravers.

INSTANT NO
Cravers
Cravers is just an existance that is even more limited and fleeting than that of a Hissho prepped for blood sacrifice. So they are an instant decline.

---

Overall i would probably have a bigger tendency towards the Riftborn or the Automatons but in the grand scheme of things both races fill a very similair role in my perception, the unfallen are in my eyes just an eh? I dont really think of them as a potential canidate when it comes to being one of their own. Though the Automatons in the larger scheme feel like a more "safe" choice due to the fact they arent geometric puppets twitching constantly. Also the black plague that harmed the riftborn from which they escaped might even come and finish the few riftborn left for good.

Wait, what timer does Vodyani running on? Isn't their only weakness is lack of dust, and dust is pretty common in Endless universe? Or you mean before virtualization?

I know OP mentions no humans, but I doubt it extends to humanoids, so if minor faction are also fair game, Galvran. Good, long nap and supposedly very social. Kalgeros would also be an interesting one for similar reasons, it seems like they create very tight groups, with emphasis of bettering themselves and each other.

​

DNLH wrote:

I know OP mentions no humans, but I doubt it extends to humanoids, so if minor faction are also fair game, Galvran. Good, long nap and supposedly very social. Kalgeros would also be an interesting one for similar reasons, it seems like they create very tight groups, with emphasis of bettering themselves and each other.

All species in the endless space setting counts with the exception of Humans (aka, UE, Pilgrims, Vaulters and Horatio)

So yeah, Galvran and Kalgeros are fair choices. ;)
Everyone loves Kalgeros.

Y'know, if we aren't limiting ourselves to things already in the Endless universe, I was thinking of some races from Star Control. (And if you've never played SC games before, go grab yourself a copy of "Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters" - free on Steam and probably everywhere else, it's an "unofficial" update to SC2 and it's endorsed by the original creators.)

I think Pkunk and Orz would be fun additions to the Endless universe.

https://wiki.starcontrol.com/index.php?title=Pkunk

https://wiki.starcontrol.com/index.php?title=Orz

And then, outside edge, maybe as a minor race, the Spathi.

https://wiki.starcontrol.com/index.php/Spathi

... and now I've realized I mis-read the post. Thought this was "races to shift INTO the Endless Universe" and not what's actually discussed. I haz a sad.

Anyway, Sophons.

​

Moltar1138 wrote:

... and now I've realized I mis-read the post. Thought this was "races to shift INTO the Endless Universe" and not what's actually discussed. I haz a sad.

Anyway, Sophons.

Sophons are a very valid choice for sure.
Everyone loves our Science Geckos. XD