Barbarian has small convenience of bonus strength while leveling. This completely disappears when geared and buffed at 60.

Barb is not min/max.

Dorf MR is better.

I explained that because of starting off with 13 more strength, a Barbarian with identical gear to a Dwarf can swap out 13 strength for 28 MR. How do you figure 5 MR is ever better than 28?

You're telling me that as a barb, you have to unequip STR to get MR?

As a dorf, I get 255 str and 5 bonus MR without changing any gear.

I'll take my setup over yours any day of the week.

I'm not saying you don't great gear, my argument is that it makes no difference what YOUR gear is.

If your Dwarf has exactly 255 str and his bonus +5 MR, my Barbarian with the exact same gear as yours will have 268 str. He has the option to swap out those +13 extra strength for other stats. Including two +14 MR rings (or a ring 7-10) for example. Your 5 MR "advantage" has become a -23 MR disadvantage.

In all cases, the Barbarian's stats will be superior to yours. You'll also never know the joy of slamming a mob that's trying to complete heal.

No you don't. Stats cap at 255. Anything over the cap is wasted.

These numbers are imaginary. I can switch rings and still have 255 STR. Dorf starting stats aren't as bad as you're making them out to be. I also don't have to swap as many slots when well geared because I already have a free 5 MR that means I don't need as much resist gear to get to 200 MR unbuffed.

Stats capping at 255 was understood in his example. The 268 STR is understood to be capped excess, which he went on to explain can then be spared towards MR gear. I think his point is that whether a dwarf is at exactly 255 STR or not, the difference in STR allows a Barbarian to use more MR gear. After reading everything here I'd still say Dwarf is the better choice overall, but if gear is a concern I can see the case for Barb.

Gnome's wall vision and perma shrink make it a strong contender if you're a raider.

Yeah. This.

5 MR will never make or break a raid. The dwarf argument is dumb.

If you're going to be participating in any aspect of raids outside of "get behind mob and backstab", wallhack is amazing.

TL : DR - gnome is best for raiding, anything else just go for aesthetic (or Barb).

Any rogue can accomplish this with a halfling mask.

Halfling doesn’t wall vision anywhere as well as gnome.