Ok...how 'bout this...
I, personally, have advocated in numerous of these 5e threads, specifically about Race, that the starter box (which I am assuming will cover, about, levels 1-5, maybe 1-10) and the near-simultaneously released complete PHB (which I am assuming will cover the "whole pre-epic" game, so say levels 1-20) include all of the following as such...
"Classic" Game option: the basic 4, Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling
"Legacy" Game option: Dragonborn, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, and Tiefling.
Additional option/add-ons: whatever's left that people want to see...another 4, I suppose.
You [the DM!] get to pick and choose what races are goign to be present in your world...or the section of your world the PCs are starting in...and go from there.
BUT...the baffling length and statements of this thread are making me think now...
WHAT IF...
...both the starter box and the PHB do the Races as follows...
RACE TYPE
NAME
Size
+X to one ability score
Movement Rate Adjustment, if necessary
+Y resistance to or save from Z
3 Special Abilities (with a list -I'd say not more than 1 page, maybe more- of a number of
sample special racial abilities for DMs and/or Players to choose from
and/or [note the
"and" and the
"or"] use as guidelines to generate their own!)
SO, you'd have sample "templates" I suppose you'd call them for:
"Brute" Race (for the Dragonborn, Minotaurs, Half-giants/ogres, Goliaths, prolly Warforged, etc...whatever you want)
Large
+2 to Strength.
Movement Rate: *whatever 1 or 2 categories above humans.
+1 to saves vs., say, Fire (for a Dragonborn) or "Push"/forced movement effects for a goliath or whatever. But a +1 to something.
[Sample] Special Abilities:
+2 to damage egardless of strength with a (if they include such mechanics) save or "Push"/"Stun"/etc. lingering effect.
Carrying twice normal encumbrance regardless of strength.
Able to weild Two-handed weapons with One hand (thus able to utilize shields to enhance AC).
"Human" Race (humans, half-elves, half-orcs, FULL orcs -maybee with an extra +1 to str., hobgoblins, etc..)
blah
blah
blah
"Elf" Race (also applicable might be Eladrin, Tieflings or Aasimar, etc.)
[again, just as a sample/example. Please don't quote me and start posting back: "But elves should get +2 blah blah" or "Tieflings should be in the Human block yada yada." I honestly don't care how you categorize them. That's not the point! This is an exammmmpull.]
Size: 5-6 feet tall.
+1 to Dex.
Movement: +1 category faster if not heavily encumbered.
+2 to saves against charms/enchantment magic
Special Abilities
Low-light vision
Move Silently
Arcane Afinity (however that's defined. I'm not writing out a whole page of sample abilities in this thread.
Then have a:
"Sturdy" Race block (usable for say 4-5 feet tall, with or without the stocky and you could get your satyrs, your dwarves -all sorts- a tall gnome if you wanted, an "Elfquest/Wolfrider" build elf, "little people" humans, whatever.)
and a "Small Races" block for those under 4 feet: for those who want gnomes, halflings, sprites if you like, goblins, kobolds, a "Keebler/Santa's Helper" elf build, etc.)
And that's it. Culture and those traits/abilities form them are for the DM to decide and form for their game.
There you go.
NO list of available races...only what you/your DM choose(s) to make yourself.
Will that make everyone happy?
Or do the numbers and letters need to spell out every +/-, special ability, resistance, weapon/spell proficiency, appearance and culture for you?
Just typin' out loud here with my first coffee, so maybe its been done or thought of or dismissed already...but c'mon, it's my first cup of coffee.
Happy Sunday all.
--Steel Dragons