Human 
Considering that 99.9% of all Demise players are Human, you should be able to relate to this race pretty well.  They have no natural resistances, but are the most versatile of all races and are allowed in every guild.  They have the shortest life span, but are the quickest learners.  They also cannot see very well in the dungeon, or hold their breath very long under water. 

Elf 
Elves are the magic-users of the game.  Small and slender, most Elves become either Magis, Sorcerers, Clerics or Wizards.  They are excellent spell-casters and can live longer than any other race. They are not, however, very good at fighting with weapons and have a low constitution.  Elves also have a natural resistance to Magical and Mind attacks, and have fairly good eyesight.  Because of their lack of physical strength, there are some items (which require great strength) that Elves can never use. 

Giant 
Giants live for one thing - slicing a monster in two with one blow.  Known for their brutal ways and having the advantage of being over eight feet tall, they make the best Warriors one can find.  The only guilds to accept them are the Artisan, Explorer, Barbarian and Warrior guilds.  Because of their size and bulk, Giants are resistant to most forms of attack, including Fire, Cold and Electrical.  Poison and Disease don't seriously affect them either.  Giants can see a little better than Humans, and can breathe underwater a little longer as well. 

Gnome 
Being very charismatic and possessing a slight resistance to Mind attacks, Gnomes make excellent Magis.  Mostly good by nature, Gnomes are usually found in the Magi, Cleric and Paladin guilds.  Gnomes don't have very good eyesight, but can hold their breath for a fair amount of time. 

Dwarf 
Dwarves are very curious creatures, always poking at chests, injured characters, and carcasses.  Neutral in nature and stockier than most races, Dwarves are found in quite a number of guilds, ranging from Warriors to Warlocks.  They are also fairly resistant to the elements (Fire, Cold, etc.).  While they are not avid swimmers in any way, the Dwarf has excellent eyesight in the dungeon. 

Ogre 
Sometimes known to be socially boring, Ogres are bulky and hairy, and make good Warriors and Barbarians.  Since their constitution and resistance to such elements as Fire and Cold are so high, they are very hard to kill, but their low intelligence is quite often their downfall.  However, their sight and breathing abilities are almost unmatched! 

Yeti 
Yeti are huge masses of walking fur and muscle who are descendants of the mountain-like Yeti of legend.  Possessing a great deal of natural magic, they make excellent magic users.  However, because they are so ugly, they cannot easily charm some monsters, and their life span is almost as short as a Human's.  They also have a pretty good resistance to certain forms of monster attacks ( e.g. Poison, Disease).  The best at breathing underwater (and nobody has quite figured out why), the Yeti has fair eyesight. 

Saris 
The Saris, which are distant relatives of the Elves that have shifted to a more human-like race, are extremely dexterous and are mostly found in the Thief's guild.  They also make marginal spell-casters and are almost completely resistant to Electrical and Mind attacks, and have the best eyesight in the game next to the Troll. 

Troll 
A cross between an Ogre and an Elf, Trolls are strong and swift creatures that possess a few natural resistances and have the best combination of eyesight and breathing abilities of any race.  Making excellent Ninjas and Barbarians, they are quick to take up sides (either Good or Evil), but can sometimes be found as Neutral.  Due to the aggressiveness in relation to their alignment, many guilds will not allow them. 

See Also 
Race Statistics