lizard folk do not really do anything is more the problem. Optimal lizard folk life means nothing in the area is going to change for thousands of years.
necessary no but some could be more useful than others.
arrogant and superrior is a personality type and not the one the player should likely be using if only to not get left to die.
I was describing look and vibe of the whole of elven kind.
it is a sad thing for anything to slowly fall behind and languish, or at least I see it that way(save...
grace is more an elven thing and looking all light boned and sort of ethereal, like an asian boy band or deer in foggy woods, also ties into the magic they have going on.
pillars of fantasy races as no one seems to be interested in making many of their own any more, which is depressing.
but...
out there means something much more high-concept, something weird
As for why
humans are like the bread of the sandwich, largely boring but providing structure and some familiarity to the setting.
elves are grace they add an ethereal quality and have long had supporters
dwaves are enduring...
Goblins are iconic as cannon fodder and would take work to reformat into something more fitting, not that it is a bad idea to do that more that it would need to be done
Something aquatic could work, but grung would need work
Genasi do not work as a major species as they are just mixed human...
I am honestly considering if this is the optimal possible setting species list.
human the base line
elves
dwarves
dragonborn
a second furry race
out there option number one
out there option number two.
my point is that for teiflings it is irrational for them not to be mostly human unless they are derived from a different base.
However, your point existed more out of a lack of definition, the other options are harder to rp as they are less defined thus if they where better defined, you would...
I think some of it is more that many are ill-defined, we know elves and dwarves very well.
other parts is that some are fundamentally human offshoots and thus are mostly us in the ways that matter like tiefling