D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[Minigiant]

In my homebrew setting, Dragonborn have a civilization vaguely akin to the Phoenicians/Carthage. They rule a loose confederation of city-states and are kings of maritime trade. They are also occasionally find themselves at odds with the dominant empire (that's a blend of Imperial Rome, Maurya India and Achaemenid Persia). Their cities are very cosmopolitan, with a large human cohort and a sizable halfling presence (the halfling population nearby are nomadic pastoralists, but some are curious about life in the cities).

In mine, it is the same but with lizardfolk and kobolds due to similar dietary needs.

What would the players gain if all of them were equally prevalent in a setting? The fact that they are already a part of that setting's standard line-up of PC species should be all that matters when choosing one of them for your character. You choose a species and pick a place within the setting for them to hail from.

There is most to species that your PC.

Shared experiences and history, speaking similar language, finding racial and class magic items, etc, epitomizing or bucking class or species biases and stereotypes.

 

[Corinnguard]

Shared experiences and history, speaking similar language, finding racial and class magic items, etc, epitomizing or bucking class or species biases and stereotypes.

This is something that players do whenever they role-play as their characters. Whenever we are role-playing as a member of a particular species, we're either confirming the biases and stereotypes that have been associated with our character's species, or we're bucking them by surprising others with our character's individuality. By being nothing at all like others expect our character to be.

This also works for class. And it might be one reason why we have subclasses to begin with. A Bladesinger Wizard bucks the biases and stereotypes typically associated with wizards. Most wizards fight from the rear by being magical artillery. But not the Bladesinger who stands with the party's martials.