# Plantigrade or Digitgrade? (Fussy creature design work)



## Zooty (Oct 28, 2016)

Hello everyone I'm developing a miniatures game and these are two characters from it who belong to a predator species called the Hethrell. I was wondering which foot type was preferred out of digitgrade or plantigrade footed. I would like some advice to help me decide before I get any more artworks of them from the artist I'm working with. Please leave a response with which you prefer and why (note this is just talking about the different foot types, not the actual characters themselves)


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## Shameful_Cole (Oct 28, 2016)

I tend to prefer plantigrade feet because a character is able to balance itself better with a base foot. Understanding that this is a game with fantasy characters, you could get away with either. Both of these designs look very good! Enjoy developing this.


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## JesterKatz (Oct 30, 2016)

I'd say it depends more on the world and how you perceive how the species has "evolved". Plantigrade to me means they are more human then animal, and perceives them as being as sophisticated like humans in terms of creating and technology. Where as digitgrade seems more "realistic" in how they look, and makes them seem more "primitive."

I'm probably looking at this more indeph then necessary. Though I will say that there isn't really a significant difference between how the artist drew the feet. Actually that gives me an idea, something I like to do when undecided is try to "get the best of both worlds." In this case, the species "favor" being on their toes like digitgrades, especially in casual settings. But if tired or need to be nimble, they'll resort to being plantigrade-like, for better balance and whatnot.


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## JumboWumbo (Oct 30, 2016)

If the character is bipedal, then plantigrade would make more sense. With digitgrade, it would be like standing on your toes all the time.


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## CuteCheetahGirl (Oct 30, 2016)

I honestly like both, but plantigrade makes more sense to me in this case.


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## Tetrachroma (Oct 30, 2016)

JumboWumbo said:


> With digitgrade, it would be like standing on your toes all the time.


Doesn't sound that bad, for years I did that as a subconscious habit. It's a very liberating feeling once you get your toes accustomed to it.


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## RileyTheOtter (Oct 30, 2016)

Tetrachroma said:


> Doesn't sound that bad, for years I did that as a subconscious habit. It's a very liberating feeling once you get your toes accustomed to it.


I still do that, including when running.


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## Tetrachroma (Oct 30, 2016)

Abyssalrider said:


> I still do that, including when running.


Oh yeah, doing that while running is just the best feeling, puts a real spring in your step.


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## nerdbat (Oct 30, 2016)

In general, digitigrade is more appealing to me, since it adds more charisma to the character and makes him look more unique than just "a colored dude with a cat/dog/dragon head". But in actuality it heavily depends on the setting - if you're going for an ordinary setting with anthro characters that act like humans, then plantigrade will do just fine, and if you want their feral aspect to play a relatively big role in the story and lore, then go for digitigrade.


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