The Race

[SurrealNight]

Because so many reps to grind for gear at the beginning of the expansion.

I do have to say beating 90% of my guild mates to faction and guild rep tiers was nice (Like getting the i391 ring before anyone else). The better gear beats out any racial ability but eventually is negated by time, but you still get the expertise buff with certain common weapons. Plus I really hate faction grinding....

Either way I'm still making a panda =P

[Nodata]

If you really want to min-max, you can start human, grind the reps, then change to Panda via a paid race change...

Now I see faces distorting with rage at the prospect of a potential pay-to-win situation! Boy, is it fun. But is it truly an advantage if it takes you months to level all reps, by which time you have participated in a lot of raids already, being suboptimal because you don't have the Pandaren racials... If a panda falls in the Jade Forest, and no one is around to hear him... Does it make a sound? Think about it.

[Mistfit]

My gnome monk will still kick your min/maxer's butt..... mainly because that is all I can reach with a rising sun kick

[velvetycat]

Do pandaren because their racial is OP and ridiculously strong considering every other racial in the game, especially if you intend to race for boss kills aswell.

[Hijiri]

Undead female for claw weps, she's sexy.

[Nikkaszal]

Undead female for claw weps, she's sexy.

I was originally planning on rolling undead female when I first got into the beta, because their Unarmed fighting stance and animations are so ungodly sick.

But then I realised that every single race will be using the same Monk-special stances and animations and I became sad =(

I was even more sad when I found that a Monk will never see his/her badass fist weapons unless they stand around out of combat and unsheathe them.

[SurrealNight]

If you really want to min-max, you can start human, grind the reps, then change to Panda via a paid race change...

Now I see faces distorting with rage at the prospect of a potential pay-to-win situation! Boy, is it fun. But is it truly an advantage if it takes you months to level all reps, by which time you have participated in a lot of raids already, being suboptimal because you don't have the Pandaren racials... If a panda falls in the Jade Forest, and no one is around to hear him... Does it make a sound? Think about it.

Hey, gives you something to do with all those Blizz $ you made from D3 right?

[limis]

monk animations for abilities are same for all races and genders while other classes animations differ depending on race and gender

so your choice is limited to look and racials of the race

[Konig]

Dwarf Brewmaster is the only option