So first off I want to point out something based on changes to Humans, Half Elves and Shield Dwarves specifically.
Paladins Rangers Barbarians and Fighters
All 3 races lose out on something here for proficencys the classes already have.
Multi Classing
Half Elves and Humans get weaker again in this aspect when picking a large number of combinations.
Monks
Cant benefit from the weapon profiencys and lose out on stats.
Druids, Warlocks, Clerics
Weapons proficencys may benefit you. But armor does nothing other than for shield dwarves
Sorcerers, Wizards, Rogues
You are not going to use pole arms and melee often.
Bards
Stat loss just is not worth the gains. Even as a melee bard and you already have light armor again Your skills do nothing to help with pole arms.
All other Races
Gain Flexability to classes they would not play prior while losing nothing with the previous selections.
The idea I am pointing at here is the reason to play those races over another races was removed but they were given nothing in return that carries value in classes that they could say here is a reason I might be a good choice. The choice of use there original ability score benefits or the new one would have been better than giving them weapon proficiencies or light armor. So there was still a reason to say pick me.
I know the varient human was off the table but that would have been a much better way to balance the humans +2 stat points and feat of there choice. 1 less stat point but you can balance that with a half feat or take a feat that gets you something utility wise. Bringing you on par with the other races.
The Half Elf and Shield Dwarf I feel it would have been better to say here you can chose old stat spread or new one.
Some Arguements
Dwarf I lose movement get same stats and gain nothing against wood elf who gains movement as a Melee Class
Dwarf I am a better caster cause I give armor. Gith I give same armor but also I give extra actions you dont.
Human/Half Elves I give light armor to a caster and a bunch of weapon skills you wont use - Every other Race I give you some abilities you will use and better buffs.
You could argue what about Dragonborn and Tieflings then, Dragonborn get flexability with a resistance and a breath weapon while not always the best option it provides a ranged attack option though maybe bolstering it by 1 dice might be good. And tieflings get some spells + dark vision + a resistance while not necessarily as good in some ways as say medium armor it is flexability. In addition they gained a large amount of general class versitility they did not have before. While not losing out on the classes they excelled at previously. You may argue well this is better but they did not lose anything and I can still see reasons to play those races in those classes while there might be a slight edge its not enough to say its not worth playing them.
This is not to knock larions changes in anyway but I feel this would have been a much better way of implimenting the options to keep those 3 races on the leader board rather than just making them strictly weaker than other options with no real bonus to make up for it. Larion did an amazing job but this in particular feels like 3 races lost out and gained nothing. These are not even races I typically prefer but sometimes I would play them for that extra small perk I would get in a specific class because of that small feature that just made it worth it. +1 stat point can make a big difference to a race that doesn't have much to make it on par with a race that is just a little stronger otherwise.
Slight edges that are not just strictly better can be understandable but when you can compare 2 races and say both have the same benefit but the other one also has this means that race or class is strictly not as good.
Tiefling vs Dragonborn
Breath weapon and versitility in resistance vs fire resistance some spell like abilities and darkvision - Balanced
Human vs Wood Elf - Fighter Comparison - We have weapon skills neither of us can use I have 1 extra skill I can probably chose you have a skill movement bonus darkvision fey and fey ancestry but i cant chose the extra skill.
Shield Dwarves can be compared in a similar fashion.
and Half Evles as well with Paladin Class. They are the same but lose there benefit.
Previously I might have played the shield dwarf for flavor and a stat boost I felt balanced out but no longer feel it does. Instead I would play that wood elf every time even when I wanted to play that dwarf for flavor cause I am just not as good in every way.
