Most Intelligent Race

[Mortifera.6138]

Asuras are scientific/mathematical geniuses, but Norn have.... ART. Also, humans are conniving, etc.

[derd.6413]

asura, don't be daft

[Sublimatio.6981]

mostly asura but sylvari and humans also have potential to be equally intelligent or better (scarlet, uzolan). its worth noting though, intelligent doesn't mean smart - asura sometimes hinder their potential by arrogance, pettiness and envy

[EpicName.4523]

Stupid bookahs. What kind of question is that?

[Djahlat.9610]

Also in terms of organized forces, and collective intelligence, Charr are pretty high up there.

Get enough Skritt in the same room and you might just be able to equate or beat the genius of the most intelligent of Asura.

Like yes ofc no one is going to argue that Asura are the race that favours brains over brawns (save a few exceptions), but ultimately that's out of necessity because of their lack in other area. They have lots of difficulty working in teams, generally dubious ethics and morals, little to no physical prowess, and I would assume have a diminished vision compared to the other races because they evolved underground with little to no sunlight, which explains their huge eyes (but that's just my own extrapolation so don't take that seriously). So their own hubris ends up doing them in.

[Alek Seven.2374]

 

Vulcans . Nothing else to say.

[Oglaf.1074]

I don’t think it is a matter of IQ but rather of racial/cultural proclivity. Charr tech rivals Asura in function but it just looks cruder because it reflects the nature of the Charr. Their vehicles (both airborne and ground) are quite advanced relative to the GW2 setting and their weapons blow stuff up just as well as the Asura’s.

 

Humans and Norns also show off some marvel of engineering in that Divinity’s Reach and Hoelbrak are quite magnificent (especially considering that Hoelbrak is really just a makeshift refugee camp-turned-settlement). Clearly there has been a Norn or two who wanted to make a legend as an architect and engineer.

 

The Sylvari are the least technologically inclined race but that’s not down to low IQ but rather a childlike naïveté (and the fact they can just grow houses and the like!) as Scarlet showed.

 

So in the end I don’t think the Asura are that much smarter than the rest, but rather they are just waaaay more inclined towards intellectual pursuits than the rest. After all, you do meet quite a lot of dumb Asura NPCs in the game and they do consider individuals such as Snaff and Zojja geniuses which indicates that their IQ varies - just like the other races.

[TexZero.7910]

Jotun technically.....before they had their intellect wiped.

 

[Cuddy.6247]

Tengu, they've walled themselves up from everyone else. Obviously the smartest folks.

[Rognik.2579]

I believe asura are generally considered the most intelligent race, if you go by law of averages. They dedicate themselves to research and invention. Part of the reason the asura are rivals with skritt is because the skritt in enough numbers can surpass the asura, although individually, it's a wonder skritt can function.

As far as industry goes, the charr seem to be the best. They are most like Industrial-Age levels currently, with humans close behind. The norn have the largest structures, though, with doors large enough to house even the giants should one approach Hoelbrak. Sylvari are naturally curious, but that doesn't make them any less intelligent.

 

So, much like Oglaf said, all the races have their geniuses and idiots, but the asura are the most likely to hone their intelligence. Clever norn may try to make their legend by using their smarts to take down a foe, charr use their wits to build war machines, sylvari will try things just to see what they do, and humans... I don't know what motivates humans, but they have their geniuses, too, like Uzolan.

[starhunter.6015]

Asura and Charr are the top two races for intellect. which one is the top is hard to really say. Asura focus on magic while Charr focus on tech moving away from magic. There are a few npc asura's who mention that the Charr a formidable race, intelligent enough to find a solution to get through a obstacle and strong enough to just smash through it.

[Castigator.3470]

To add to the topic: Intelligence can be split into several aspects.

Charr, for instance, seem to have very good spatial awareness and keen minds when it comes to the sciences and mathematics. (Good engineering)

On the other hand, the charr seem to have the lowest social sense of the five main races, which leads to simple methods of conflict resolution.

Not necessarily bad, but do consider, before you get on the bad side of these 250kg felines.

 

Asura seem at least competent in their weakest area and excellent in their strongest. Really good 10/10 material. They are only held back by their personal flaws.

 

Humans are at least competent in every area, but do seem above average when it comes to social awareness. Sadly, all that social intelligence seems to lead to a lot of intrigue in human society.

 

Sylvari are an odd bunch. They seem in every way competent on average, but they also have a great deal of variance. The σ² is what has been giving us Caithe (Great sneak, good kinaesthetic sense, bad manners), Faolain (Smooth talker, good at intrigue, dumb as a brick), Trahearne (very good intelligence, social awkwardness), Scarlet (Excellent intelligence, ahead of most asura, very smooth talker, bad coordination, unstable person even before Omadd, negative charisma** [HOW!?] )

 

Norn. The norn have a bad reputation of being foolhardy and reckless, but followers of the raven rejoice, they don't need to shy away from debate with the other races. Whem the norn actually stop and use their brains, they can come up with great solutions, it's just that when you're a race of giants and even a charr warband has trouble to restrain you*, rushing in is often the most efficient solution.

 

*(lore and gameplay have a good reason for separation, else norn would be OP!)

**(Caithe mentions in the Aetherblade path that Ceara used to be "unremarkable", but the tone said she was always this annoying.)

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

Most of the sapient and cultured races tend to be of equal smartness by all appearances. Grawl and skritt are probably the dumbest of the group, not counting the declining jotun. Individual intelligence overall is determined less by the race, and more by the individual's nurture. With obvious notable exceptions. Just like with humanity in reality.

 

A charr, norn, human, or sylvari given asuran education will be just as smart any other asura in those topics.

[Oglaf.1074]

This really makes me wonder how dumb/smart the current Jotun are. Thrulnn is clearly not just intelligent but also wise (Asura take note, as while they have plenty of the former, they are severely lacking in the latter!).

 

Yet all the other Jotun react to the player with unconditional hostility and are seemingly incapable of speech (unlike both Grawl and Skritt who are quite talkative when attacking).

 

Are the majority of Jotun even dumber than Skritt and Grawl with Thrulnn being both blessed, and cursed, in somehow being allowed to retain his wits just to be able to see how his race has fallen? Are his brothers and sisters blissfully unaware of their current situation because their wits have gone?

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

The norn storyline of "Defeat ancient foes" shows that the jotun are still fairly intelligent - more so than the grawl and skritt. But they're also very, *very* egotistical and narcissistic. It seems to me to be less of "they can't speak" and more "they don't think others are worthy to hear their words."

[Oglaf.1074]

> @"Konig Des Todes.2086" said:

> The norn storyline of "Defeat ancient foes" shows that the jotun are still fairly intelligent - more so than the grawl and skritt. But they're also very, *very* egotistical and narcissistic. It seems to me to be less of "they can't speak" and more "they don't think others are worthy to hear their words."

 

Aye, after I made this post before going to bed I too realized that it was a possibility.

[Fluffball.8307]

Asura are extremely specialized in their knowledge, which gives them the "illusion" of being smart. They spend their entire lives researching a single topic.

[Randulf.7614]

1 billion skritt in the same place

[Ardid.7203]

Please just remember that the concept of "Intelligence" is not very clear, even in the real world...

You need an specific measuring tool, first, and then, you inevitably limit the concept to such measuring tool. It is really annoying.

 

It's clear Asuras like to delve into intellectual terrain. However, does that makes them more intelligent? It's clear it doesn't make them less stupid.

Similar applies for all the races, and for each individual, in fact.

[draxynnic.3719]

> @"Ardid.7203" said:

> Please just remember that the concept of "Intelligence" is not very clear, even in the real world...

> You need an specific measuring tool, first, and then, you inevitably limit the concept to such measuring tool. It is really annoying.

>

> It's clear Asuras like to delve into intellectual terrain. However, does that makes them more intelligent? It's clear it doesn't make them less stupid.

> Similar applies for all the races, and for each individual, in fact.

 

Pretty much. Asura are the most scientifically advanced and have the best education, but that doesn't stop them from being colossal morons in other aspects. It's quite hard to establish if any of the races are actually more intelligent, or whether it's that they have different focuses culturally that leads them to use their intelligence in different ways.

 

If there _is_ a most intelligent race, it's probably still the asura. But they tend to be lacking in wisdom.

[Tenrai Senshi.2017]

The standard definition of intelligence is "The ability to acquire knowledge and skills". It often gets mixed up with "knowledge", which is the information/skill you have acquired through various means (such as education or through personal experience).

 

So, if we're talking about intelligence strictly, we are not necessarily talking about how much knowledge or skill a race has, but rather their capacity to acquire said knowledge and skill. It could certainly be argued that Asura have acquired the most knowledge/skill out of the current main races, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are the most intelligent. Rather, it may just be more of a reflection of their interest in scientific pursuits, an interest that not all other races necessarily share to the same degree as they do.

 

With that being said, if I had to hazard a guess, I'd perhaps place my bets on the Sylvari being one of the most intelligent races. When you consider that they are a relatively young race, their capacity for acquiring knowledge and skill, and their subsequent fast integration into the world at large, is quite a significant sign. Though their base nature means they can come across as a bit naive at times, their almost childlike sense of curiosity and wonder typically means they will often excel in areas that win over their interest, whether those pursuits are artistic, scientific or merely adventurous in nature. But on the flip side, it also means that if a topic does not interest them, they will likely see no need to actively pursue it, which can make them seem ignorant in certain respects. That being said, I think Scarlet in particular serves as a great example of what a Sylvari can achieve when their mind is focused on a specific area of interest, or on a certain goal. She pretty much bought the whole of Tyria to its knees, and displayed a mastery over matters of science and magic to such an extent that even some Asura admired the skill of her work (coughTaimicough).

 

Besides them, the Charr also speak for themselves when it comes to their capabilities, but I wouldn't look past humans either. The Watchknights they designed and revealed at the first Queen's Jubilee were quite a feat of engineering, and were sentient constructs made to follow human commands (they could be considered comparable to Asura golems from a technological standpoint, though also different in terms of their construction). Of course, they were corrupted by Scarlet shortly after and haven't seen use since (perhaps because of fear), but I think it's a good example of human ingenuity, especially when an evil scientist on Scarlet's level believes your work is good enough to steal and use for her own ends.

 

Lastly, I can't rightly end this comment without mentioning the Skritt, who might have an infinite potential for intelligence proportional to their numbers within close proximity.

[Oglaf.1074]

> @"Fluffball.8307" said:

> Asura are extremely specialized in their knowledge, which gives them the "illusion" of being smart. They spend their entire lives researching a single topic.

 

... which, when you pool the Asura together as a race gives them a rather vast library of knowledge.

[Ardid.7203]

> @"Oglaf.1074" said:

> > @"Fluffball.8307" said:

> > Asura are extremely specialized in their knowledge, which gives them the "illusion" of being smart. They spend their entire lives researching a single topic.

>

> ... which, when you pool the Asura together as a race gives them a rather vast library of knowledge.

 

If only they were more open with the data... I love Asura precisely because the beautiful contradictions they show up as a race and as individuals. They could dominate the entire world in a whim, but are too stingy with their knowledge to invest on it, even the inquest!

[Oglaf.1074]

> @"Ardid.7203" said:

> > @"Oglaf.1074" said:

> > > @"Fluffball.8307" said:

> > > Asura are extremely specialized in their knowledge, which gives them the "illusion" of being smart. They spend their entire lives researching a single topic.

> >

> > ... which, when you pool the Asura together as a race gives them a rather vast library of knowledge.

>

> If only they were more open with the data... I love Asura precisely because the beautiful contradictions they show up as a race and as individuals. They could dominate the entire world in a whim, but are too stingy with their knowledge to invest on it, even the inquest!

 

Except that they are very open with the data...? You realize of course that they turn all their research into a kind of peer review to get recognized for it? Even the Inquest does this. The entirety of Asura society and civilization is built upon this vast resource of scientific breakthroughs that has been pooled together through many generations.

 

The only time an Asura won't do that is before the thesis is finished so that nobody beats him or her to the punch to claim credit for it.

[Cuddy.6247]

> @"draxynnic.3719" said:

> > @"Ardid.7203" said:

> > Please just remember that the concept of "Intelligence" is not very clear, even in the real world...

> > You need an specific measuring tool, first, and then, you inevitably limit the concept to such measuring tool. It is really annoying.

> >

> > It's clear Asuras like to delve into intellectual terrain. However, does that makes them more intelligent? It's clear it doesn't make them less stupid.

> > Similar applies for all the races, and for each individual, in fact.

>

> Pretty much. Asura are the most scientifically advanced and have the best education, but that doesn't stop them from being colossal morons in other aspects. It's quite hard to establish if any of the races are actually more intelligent, or whether it's that they have different focuses culturally that leads them to use their intelligence in different ways.

>

> If there _is_ a most intelligent race, it's probably still the asura. But they tend to be lacking in wisdom.

 

Just remember that the smartest cookie we know so far is likely looking at turning herself into a golem. They're smart, but still lacking social cues.