Baseless speculation: I think that in the 4th edition Players' Handbook, there will be at least one race (eladrin, with the wizarding focus) that gets a mental ability score bonus (Intelligence, in this case).
Why do I think so:
Assumption 1. In the past, the argument against mental stats bonuses seemed to revolve around the importance of a single ability to spellcasting. If a PHB race had a bonus to Wisdom, everyone building a cleric or druid would feel overwhelming pressure to take that race. I don't know if I believe it, but it seems to me that the designers did.
Assumption 2. This pressure did not exist for physical stats -- there were plenty of non-half-orc barbarians and fighters and plenty of non-halfling rogues in 3.xed.
Assumption 3. Casting in 4ed will look more like "standard" combat did in 3.xed. There will be hit rolls for attack spells, criticals, etc.
Conclusion. In 4th ed, with the pressure off, there will be more lee-way for mental ability score bonuses. So, eladrins with a bonus to Int.
Effect. With the changes in halflings' flavor away from hobbits, I don't think I will ever see the bonus to Wisdom that I seem to remember from at least one edition. But I really like mental ability score bonuses and penalties to help with role-playing -- in this case to help explain that halflings were simpler, more "grounded", and less likely to be mentally dominated.
For example, a member of a race with a bonus to Int might be more likely to use intellect to solve problems, even if Int was not a high stat. That is just how that race is "wired" to think. A member of a race with a bonus to Cha would default to focusing on a social way to solve problems. A member of a race with a bonus to Str and a penalty to Int and Cha would be more likely to just start knocking heads together (i.e. half-orcs).
This helps to avoid the problem of elves, etc. acting just like humans. My players could use some more framework to build alternate racial psychologies.
Why do I think so:
Assumption 1. In the past, the argument against mental stats bonuses seemed to revolve around the importance of a single ability to spellcasting. If a PHB race had a bonus to Wisdom, everyone building a cleric or druid would feel overwhelming pressure to take that race. I don't know if I believe it, but it seems to me that the designers did.
Assumption 2. This pressure did not exist for physical stats -- there were plenty of non-half-orc barbarians and fighters and plenty of non-halfling rogues in 3.xed.
Assumption 3. Casting in 4ed will look more like "standard" combat did in 3.xed. There will be hit rolls for attack spells, criticals, etc.
Conclusion. In 4th ed, with the pressure off, there will be more lee-way for mental ability score bonuses. So, eladrins with a bonus to Int.
Effect. With the changes in halflings' flavor away from hobbits, I don't think I will ever see the bonus to Wisdom that I seem to remember from at least one edition. But I really like mental ability score bonuses and penalties to help with role-playing -- in this case to help explain that halflings were simpler, more "grounded", and less likely to be mentally dominated.
For example, a member of a race with a bonus to Int might be more likely to use intellect to solve problems, even if Int was not a high stat. That is just how that race is "wired" to think. A member of a race with a bonus to Cha would default to focusing on a social way to solve problems. A member of a race with a bonus to Str and a penalty to Int and Cha would be more likely to just start knocking heads together (i.e. half-orcs).
This helps to avoid the problem of elves, etc. acting just like humans. My players could use some more framework to build alternate racial psychologies.
