I say play what you want.
Most of my character races are "sub-optimal" at best...
Cleric: Human. Because Mithaniel Marr, obviously. I've already gotten several "why human?" queries, and he's not even level 10. Plus, high elves look dumb.
Shaman: Iksar. Despite no plate/no JBB, Iksar are great. Plus, the whole monitor lizard/mouth full of germs thing fits shaman spells.
Enchanter: Gnome. Lowest starting CHA, wooo! Arguably bottom of the barrel for enchanters, but the idea of a tiny little gnome mind-controlling things much larger than him is fun. Plus, high elves look dumb.
I picked them because I like them. If we had frogloks, I would have just made one of each froglok class and called it done... but I can't
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