Rethinking the 3-Book Model

steeldragons said:

Since we're talking about 5e...why would "the 3e core" or "LA anything" have any effect on this conversation, whatsoever?

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It doesn't, directly. But there are good reasons for all three restrictions - humanoid because you don't want the core PC races to be too alies, LA +0 because they need to be "not too powerful" (and whether or not 5e has LA as such, it will have some concept of some races being more powerful than others), and "non-evil" because the moment you allow PCs of a 'villain' race, the character of that race instantly changes. Suddenly, they go from being bad guys you can slay with impunity to being friends and family - if any member of the race can demonstrably be redeemed, then it opens the door for any member of the race being redeemed.

Orcs are easily included...even with "usually chaotic evil" included...if you want.

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Of course. And they can be omitted just as easily.

I was merely noting that there was a reason they had been omitted in 3e (and, quite likely, 1st Edition as well).