No offence taken Cale, and I do admit I was touting the Alarai as a bit disadvantaged perhaps a bit more than I should have. I think I should clear it up. 

While the Alarai didn't develop FTL, that didn't mean that they're weaker. They're different. For example, instead of FTL jumps initiated by independent ships, the Alarian Celestial Empire created the warp gate. 

The Alarai were -and still are- difficult for me to figure out simply because they were underwater and I thought it would be fascinating to have an underwater race become a space empire while staying underwater (filthy hanar cheating by getting uplifted by Protheans) 

Long before the Alarai even saw their first cow they domesticated the sharks and dolphins. Long before the Alarai built their first bridge they built long sturdy and well trusted aquatic tunnels underwater. Long before the Alarai discovered the steam engine they were powering factories and generating electricity with water pressure. Long before the Alarai flew their first airplane in the sky their soldiers and armies always fought what was above and below them in addition to what was in front of, beside or behind them. Long before the Alarai paved their first road they mastered the physics and engineering of propellers and torpedoes. 

Did you know that I envision that the Alarai never created the wheel until an age equivalent to the human atomic era? 

I'm rambling. Point is, I imagine the Alarai to be different and have most likely gone through very different paths of development than most of your races, but I do not imagine them to be inferior to any of your races. 

Also, I'm a bit busy today but will try and get a post in later. I promise.