Best SK Class (er Race)? Any are fine. If this is your main and you are just starting, I would suggest DE (Good starting area, inate night vision, racial abilities have more positives then negatives, no racial exp penalty).
This subject has been BEAT TO DEATH. Please review past postings and you will get a TON of answers about this particular subject.
Races pros and cons in a nutshell
Human - pros: no exp penalty, decent start area, decent faction, medium size /cons: poor night vision, average starting statistics, cannot slam
Gnome - pros: no exp penalty, small size, decent starting area, tinkering, above average starting int, best starting faction for an SK /cons: below average str/sta, cannot slam, constantly getting "I'm gonna (step, eat, ****, etc) you/on you" remarks from other races due to diminutive size and papa smurf 3d graphic
Dark Elves - pros: DE SK's look kewl, good starting int, good starting location, excellent night vision, medium size, no exp penalty / cons: below average str/sta, cannot slam
Ogres - pros: Best starting Str/Sta, decent night vision, Frontal Stun resistant, can slam / cons: dumb as a box of rocks, 15% racial exp penalty, below average faction, Large race (cannot fit in some areas without shrink)
Trolls - pros: Second best starting Str/Sta, decent night vision, Regen (decreases in usefulness at higher lvls), can slam, shares starting location with DE's / cons: dumb as a box of rocks, sucky 20% racial exp penalty, Fire Resistance penalty, below average faction, Large race (cannot fit in some areas without shrink)
Iksar- pros: Above average starting int, decent exp starting area, Regen (see troll), AC bonus which gets better at higher lvls, medium size, excellent night vision / cons: below average str, sucky racial 20% exp penalty, sucky faction, cannot wear a lot of pre-planes of power plate armors, cannot slam, having to fight off all the chicks because of how kewl they look...
Erudite - pros: Best starting int, no exp penalty, decent starting area, decent faction / cons: girly man muscles and stamina, looks like a throwback from a Saturday night live Conehead episode, no night vision, cannot slam
Did I miss anything?
Edited, Tue Jul 27 17:45:32 2004 by Necrophobe