I actually liked playing a dwarf, got a few fun times out of their naturally impressive strength and constitution in D&D next. Pair that with heavy armor, champion fighting style, and a warhammer and you can be a god until mid-levels certainly. The slower speed actually came in handy as some of the faster characters botched their roles and needed help getting up in an escape. While the faster characters booked it out, my dwarf was far enough back he could help them up without turning back. Also lead to a great scene of my character jumping out of a tree to smash in a hellhound's skull. Beating him one on one with no backup. Also, you can get some decent characterization and friction out of them. Like my character hates an Avenging Paladin because my dwarf's people were conquered and enslaved by a dragon. So while my dwarf is kind of trying to restore his people here's this guy talking about building a chapel to his god in their hometown, and trying to convert as many people as possible to a god who can generously be described as lawful neutral from what my character has seen.