Here is he thing and my issue, yes orcs is on a general level stronger and sturdier, as elves is generally more agile, etc and so fourth... but i still think the we the players isnt general we are the exceptions and thus a mage orc should or could have a +2 to int, and be just as good as a high elf mage... its much much less common, but i think its fairly fair and open up all races for all classes in a much more fair way...
To make a example if you look at background in DnD 5e, its actually stated that the backgorund in PHB is just examples and something that is just a example of a urchin... and again, not all urchins in the entire world comes from the same form, its kinda retarded to think the all Urchins in the entire universe and planes all have Sleight of hands and Stealth, they could as well have survival and persuasion... its outright stated you can make your own background...
And to further this, drow are generally evil... is that seen that All drow have a intereic + to their evil axis and thus cant have certain levels of good ?... my point is yes drows is generally evil but on the rare occasion a just as good aligned drow exist, like drizzt ?!?...
Do i think there should be cultural and racial characteristics, i sure do, but i rather see it have a certain list of more loosly apropriate racial features, like for example that forest gnomes can speak with aimals, or dwarves speak has a affinity with rock stuff...
That being said, i can play eitherway, but i do like the path DnD one is taking even more so in regards to half "races"... My issue is f people want all races to be attributed by their general atributes then that should be across everything, meaning all drows is evil, since their generally evil, or atleast they cant be good since they have a plus towards evil, wich would be the same for orcs, githiyanki... right ?
I totally respect your taste in building a character, and I actually fully agree on unlocking the backgrounds, because background is actually a storytelling tool that is rooted into your character's past actions. However, inter-species differences are not rooted in actions, they are rooted in morphological differences. Having something like Strength or Dexterity or Intelligence in the game means that those concepts fundamentally apply to every species in the game, and it would be weird for them to apply the same way to orcs and halflings for example. Thats why I insist that the general rule remains intact and the optional rule unlock everything for everyone, see?
