For the poll, I basically went with all of the things in my hombrew setting (with "other" for dwarves, half-elves, satyrs and a coupla other things).
For the books, I sincerely hope they organize as follows:
"Classic" Game Module: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling
"Legacy" Game Module: Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc
"Exotic" Game Module: Dragonborn, Tiefling (I'd include Aasimar as well since, why should half-demon/devil guys be "normal/common enough for play" but half-angel guys aren't?), and [lamentably] Drow (folks just luv'um and as much as I wish it weren't so, Drizzt did kinda make them PCs forever more...if a DM allows it.)
The caveat that the races presented in the books are subject to DM approval/setting consistency. That's a MUST! The arguments "it's in core so you have to let me" really need to go away. But that's a playstyle preference thing, not a "Race" thing.
I'm cool with the explanation/categorizing of them as "Common/Uncommon/Exotic-Rare" if that works better for people.
I also find myself in agreement with those that say "If you can be an Elf or Half-Elf then why not be able to a FULL Orc or Half-Orc."
I think the full Orc is long overdue as a core PC Race. Now, I myself do have orcs just traipsing about in human or other colonies/"civilized" areas. But other people might or want to. So, ya know, cool.
So, going on the assumption that we'll see 10-12 races as "core" in a full fledged PHB, my money's on:
1) Human
2) Half-Elf
3) Elf (Eladrin/Elf split needs to go away. Call 'em Grey Elves or "Star Elves" or "Fey Elves" or whatever. But they're just Elves, dammit! Have options for a "High Elf" and a "Wood Elf" with optional sidebar for whatever other sorts you like or put it in the next book or PC options under the MM "Elf" entry.)
4) Drow (again, unfortunate, but a reality)
5) Half-Orc
6) Orc (ideally)
7) Dwarf
8) Gnome
9) Halfling
10) Dragonborn
11) Half-Planar ("Outsider", whatever you want to call them, to include Tiefling AND Aasimar. Genasi? To the back of the bus.
We have a page count to maintain! You can be in the next "set" or a Racial Expansion supplement or People of the Planes book or something)
12) Up for grabs. I'd like to see a Winged/avian race. But a felinoid (Tabaxi perhaps?) or Lizardmen (though there's already the Dragonborn, but a "normal" reptilian and a "bruiser" draco-reptilian might provide a nice dichotomy for beginner play) could work just as well.
OR, a "giant/Half-giant" race as several have expressed an interest in. Not a bad idea. Goliaths/Half-Giant/Half-Ogre/Firbolg...or even Minotaurs for the "Large[-er than humans] hits hard" race would work just as well, I guess...I could get down with a "big bruiser" (bigger than orcs or dragonborn, anyway) race in the starting book.
OR something completely
new, never been considered core before. Phanatons anyone?! Or Vulpin-oid? Volpinids? Whatever, anthro-fox-people.
But some #12.
Seems to cover all of the bases and give those of pretty much every any edition what they want (or at least
some of what. Please, folks, can we keep in mind that regardless of the admirable aspirations of 5e as the "unifying game"
no one is getting
everything they want!)
Also note, this is for the FULL "Advanced" players' book. If there's a "starter box" and I sincerely hope there is, I'd be cool with just: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Half-Elf, Dragonborn, Tiefling. Don't need more than 7 to get rolling (yes, I know you don't really need more than 4, but we're trying to be inclusive here and make people happy).
In that case, save the orcs, drow and others for the "Advanced" book.
--SD
