IMO the problems with WoW, SWTOR (still a great game though :3), Rift and Aion is that there is barely any difference between races. Yes you get one different ability, but in WoW's case, everything is crazy balanced out to the point the game is boring and them same. There's no diversity!!

I don't want race stats to matter too much but I want them to matter enough that they actually make a difference. It's hardly elitism when asking to be different from someone else (notice I said different, not better).

To me it seems that in XI the stat differences allowed difference play styles?

(also I'd love to be in a party with a Lalafell tank! As well as having a Roegadyn Conjurer!)