Should all races have access to play all classes?

not all classes have a definitive "best" race to play them. with that in mind, why leave the cut-off restriction to the developers? all races should be able to play all classes. most people would make logical race/class combinations. only a small few would make horrid choices, that decision might make leveling a complete nightmare, and a fraction of the time, that choice might be genius.

I'm OK with a particular race being better suited to a particular class from the start, but I'd like for stat allocation as you progress to allow you to compensate over time. Some class/race combinations could also work differently. Like the elven shadowknight could be more necromancer due to more mana/more magic dmg. While the troll is more warrior due to more melee damage/more health. Or a human warrior has a faster attack rate with less melee damage while an ogre is slower but hits harder. But in terms of effectiveness they even out.

I DO hope so. I am all for a hardcore end game raider being able to kill the same mobs of an entire casual group.

Leveling shouldn't be a complete nightmare since you can level one class while playing another.
Most importantly, we can multiclass - which means we can still use the optimal base class for our race without being locked out of a non-optimal class.
So, an ogre can have Warrior as a base class and still use a Mage's Fireball. As opposed to being locked out of Mage abilities simply due to race.

Attribute progression (Str, Int, Wis) will be rare.
We should be using items to make specific abilities easier for the character to use.

In EQN, we don't choose gods. Theoretically, your dark elf Paladin could worship any god - same for a Shadow Knight.
I expect a Paladin and a Shadow Knight will have different weapon stances - if not different weapon sets. So, a Paladin will not be mistaken for a Shadow Knight by anyone who can recognize those differences.

We'll have to see whether we'll be able to augment character abilities with specific themes by changing the appearances of the spells - color, elemental type, etc.

Well, that's kinda the appeal of multi-classing. Yes.

There is no mechanic for choosing a deity in EQN.

I don't think that will be possible in EQN.
EQN has no endgame. Doesn't appear to be raids in the way we typically think of them.
You can have large group battles, though, sure.

Vertical progression is very shallow.
Solo players won't be soloing group content - especially not at the same tier.
Might not even be able to have a max tier character soloing tier-1 group content - we'll have to wait and see how that pans out.

I'm pro racism on this.

If all races can play all classes... what's the point of race? Race would only become an aesthetic limitation, such as preventing me from creating a character that looks like an orge/dwarf with pointy ears and a cat tail.

Also, if the lore doesn't limit the players, why should there be limitations on the NPC. For instance, like a dragon standing on its hind-legs shooting a bow.

And what about race related quests? Will we ignore the racism one faction has for the other and really do anything we want with our character?

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I love the ideas what they are trying to pull off with multi-classing, destructibility, AI, and perma-change; but this in itself is a TON of freedom for players already. I want them to tone it down and say: "We are going to do these 4 Holy Grails, but with limitations" (which would be still way more than what other games have accomplished).
Class-abilities HAVE to clash
Certain material is NOT destructible (or is VERY difficult to destroy)
Some areas will ALWAYS belong to certain NPCs
Some events will ALWAYS occur no matter player interaction
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Lastly, I don't remember being pissed when Blizzard stated that in WoW: gnomes can't be druids. Even though EQ-creators "promised" full multi-classing and customization of your character, I think it would be just fine putting class limitations on certain races.

thank goodness

that's unfortunate, i guess i can picture an equally fun alternative, just skeptical.