The definite answer is that an iksar necro is flat out, hands down better than any other race. If it bothers you to know that then you should probably either play something else during classic or play a necro during classic knowing that what you're doing with it is building up a set of twink gear to swap to an iksar necro on day 1 of Kunark.

I mained a DE Necro here on blue when I started a year ago.

Rerolled a Iksar due to min maxing.

The differences I saw:

Iksar: leveling took longer (noticeably), but I did not even feel the regeneration differences until leve 51-52. That is when I felt the regen was a positive.

Also, my DE could hide in the middle of a KOS city..ikkys cant so there is that.

You can feign death in city as needed.

Lets just reiterate, iksar is flat out better.

Only advantage to other race is being a non KOS race.

Gnomes still have wall hacks.

Do shrunken iksars get them? Hrmmm. never tested that. Anyone know offhand?

And let's not forget this puppy.

https://wiki.project1999.com/Fungus_Covered_Great_Staff

put that on your necro Christmas list.

Hide is a definite advantage when it comes to being able to do certain turn ins, say giant helms for dragon faction.

That’s not to take away from the fact that iksar > all.

I mean, technically from OOM Erudites would have to lich longer to get to FM. Your mana regens at a steady rate - if you increase the total capacity, it takes longer to fill the bar.

Dark elves can Feign Death + Hide so that’s something.

20 years later and this is still a question?

Dark Elves cannot feign death. Necromancers, Shadow Knights and Monks can, it is not a racial!

There isnt even a question. Iksar is the only race for Necro.

That being said. You can't be an iksar in classic. So pick which ever race you want. I encourage Erudite or Dark Elf in classic. These are the min/max for classic necro. But I wont say why because I don't want people to know why. I know that's cryptic..
Just trust me Erudite necro is the bee's knee's till late velious. DE necro is good straight through to end of velious.

But Iksar is the defacto Necro race.