Best race in ADOM?

[Blank4u47]

Wow, that's a lotta hating on the hurthlings! Why does everyone hate them so much?

[sweetnothing]

Best for everything of course!

Universally useless answer You did not even try to write the exhaustive list. I'm disappointed.

[JellySlayer]

I'll just go ahead and link to the other thread.

[Blank4u47]

I think that list is very well done, but I think you'll find that mist elf and hurthling beastfighters are both incredibly strong, mist elfs become very good casters early on, because the class doesn't receive a strong penalty to learn spells in spite of its description, in addition to the added hp, str and toughness inherent in the class.
Hurthlings otoh make ridiculously good archers in any class they are in, with a guaranteed lightning shot talent and super sling skills as well as leveling very fast, allowing them to have amazing unarmed combat as well.

[hapro]

I was going to say Drakeling but I've been scared to pick it lately because I really like getting the Ice Queen dungeon and it seems like a pain to make it through as a lizardman. Dwarves are pretty versatile, I think.

[taickyto]

I was going to say Drakeling but I've been scared to pick it lately because I really like getting the Ice Queen dungeon and it seems like a pain to make it through as a lizardman. Dwarves are pretty versatile, I think.

If you don't kill inhabitants in IQD you remains at ~50 speed, and no monster here can see invisible. You also have swimming for when the wind topples you over.

[Blasphemous]

Drakelings suck ass.

[Burb]

Drakelings suck ass.

You and your elf fetish.

[mjkittredge]

Hurthling Druid was my first win. Cooking and thrown rocks to start the game is nice, free ring too.

I think worst is Troll for the XP penalty, forces you to use Moloch wish cheese or try to win at level 30. Second worst is human because there's just nothing special about them and the short lifespan sucks.

I think Dwarf and Drakeling are the most balanced with starting stats and skills. Dwarves get the long lifespans and Drakelings get the excellent Acid Spit ability.

But there's no objective best because any race can win, and different ones are good for different classes.

[Tyrnyx]

I like Dwarves. Their skillset is weaker than many, true. But their gold-boost to crowning and having best sale prices at wally's means easy crowning which is a big boon for classes with good gifts - just saying: slaying weapons make find weakness redundant. They also have high ST/TO potential and typically good starting values and typically good starting gear make the early game much easier. Mithril skin is my sweetness. Avoiding traps on the guaranteed maps always a perk.

They fit the best with my play style: fast (always small cave first, early pool sipping, early crowning), no-frills (never puppy or kranak/no training with anyone/no mino-maze/no grinding) unless i'm feeling frisky, and a melee-heavy playstyle (pressing z/t is harder than running into people :P, I value PV highly).

Obviously they aren't the best for certain methods/classes. But if we're averaging across the board I'd say they are the race I find the most success with.