D&D 5E Bring Back Gnomes!

shadow · Dec 21, 2012

So far the playtest packet has included dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans. Although I know that we haven't seen anything close to the final version yet, I really hope that gnomes are included in PC races. Gnomes are an 'iconic' D&D race for me since they have been in the game since the AD&D 1e PHB. Also, although they are not a race that is commonly played, I always enjoyed gnome illusionists and tricksters. Sure the PHB can include dragonborn and tieflings, but I want there to be gnomes too!

the Jester · Dec 21, 2012

YES! Gnomes should NOT be relegated to a later book any more than druids, frost giants or ankhegs.

Neonchameleon · Dec 21, 2012

Why? The only version to give gnomes a distinct and unique identity that made them popular (other than as Tinker Gnomes - which was pretty obviously done to make them into something other than a type of dwarf) was the one that left them out of the PHB. Before that gnomes were effectively a joke race. Fitting gnomes into the game in such a way they are distinct from dwarf/halfling hybrids is not a major priority.

JRRNeiklot · Dec 21, 2012

1E gnomes were definitely NOT a joke race. They were forest creatures with a love for animals and an innate knack for illusions. One of my favorite races until 2e and later editions made them a joke.

Neonchameleon · Dec 21, 2012

the Jester said:
YES! Gnomes should NOT be relegated to a later book any more than druids, frost giants or ankhegs.

Druids - not in oD&D. In the Companion rules in BECMI. Proto-Speciality priests in 1e and 2e. Pretty obviously flawed and broken in 3.0 and worse in 3.5. Yeah, I'm going to say that the record of druids as core is really pretty terrible. Even the 4e Essentials druid - the sentinel - is one of the worst things about Essentials. They needn't go in core either if the track record is something to go by. And I've never used an ankheg, wanted to use an ankheg, or seen an ankheg used.

Alzrius · Dec 21, 2012

I strongly agree - having gnomes in the PHB is part of the game's identity at this point; not having them would damage Fifth Edition's cred amongst older gamers.

(Psi)SeveredHead · Dec 21, 2012

shadow said:
So far the playtest packet has included dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans. Although I know that we haven't seen anything close to the final version yet, I really hope that gnomes are included in PC races. Gnomes are an 'iconic' D&D race for me since they have been in the game since the AD&D 1e PHB. Also, although they are not a race that is commonly played, I always enjoyed gnome illusionists and tricksters. Sure the PHB can include dragonborn and tieflings, but I want there to be gnomes too!

No. There's already a lot of races, and the PH should only include popular ones, not marginal ones. (And I would agree with 4e critics that dragonborn didn't need to be in the PH, and neither did tieflings.)

Gnomes take a lot of effort to be cool or unique. I've only seen them made cool in Eberron, and I'm not sure if other settings would easily fit gnomish secret police into them. Any other setting either treats them as jokes (Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms), removes them (Dark Sun) or makes them crosses of elves, dwarves and/or halflings (multiple settings, including the Realms again).

JRRNeiklot said:
1E gnomes were definitely NOT a joke race. They were forest creatures with a love for animals and an innate knack for illusions. One of my favorite races until 2e and later editions made them a joke.

Sound like elves that happen to like illusions. So elf feylocks

Do we really need a race to support just one school of arcane magic? Is there a race out there for conjurers?

Neonchameleon · Dec 21, 2012

JRRNeiklot said:
1E gnomes were definitely NOT a joke race. They were forest creatures with a love for animals and an innate knack for illusions. One of my favorite races until 2e and later editions made them a joke.

Point. The 1e druid did have an identity and was squeezed out of the forest by the elves and out of the magic user niche by 2e making illusionists mere specialist wizards.

The Shadow · Dec 21, 2012

I thoroughly agree! My two favorite D&D characters of all time are both gnomes.

I disagree that they are too much like dwarves or elves; they have an identity all their own. (The mere fact that both similarities are argued should be a clue.) Though I will agree that the nerfing of Illusionists in 2e was a major disappointment that affected them sorely.

P.S. Like the username, btw. Shadows of the world, unite!