OSR [Shadowdark] How would you make a gnome?

[Nightfly]

+1 spellchecks would be good, but the elf already has that. Invisibility once a day would also be great, but the halfling has that. Hm.

How about once a day, reroll a failed wizard spell check or theivery check? That sort of limits gnomes to their traditional stereotypical classes, but otherwise seems on point.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

+1 spellchecks would be good, but the elf already has that. Invisibility once a day would also be great, but the halfling had that. Hm.

How about once a day, reroll a failed wizard spell check or theivery check? That sort of limits gnomes to their traditional stereotypical classes, but otherwise seems on point.

Shadowdark ancestries all seem to have one cool thing (third party ones, of course, toss that right out the window), so archetypal is good.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I might give Gnomes the Detect Magic spell, using Int, regardless of class.

 

[Nightfly]

I might give Gnomes the Detect Magic spell, using Int, regardless of class.

That's pretty good! How about Misty Step, once per day, regardless of class? If that's too strong (since it's a second tier spell) maybe it can only be used reactively: "When an enemy targets you with an attack or a spell, you may instantly teleport to a near area you can see."

 

[Bill Zebub]

That's pretty good! How about Misty Step, once per day, regardless of class? If that's too strong (since it's a second tier spell) maybe it can only be used reactively: "When an enemy targets you with an attack or a spell, you may instantly teleport to a near area you can see."

Well, Shadowdark spellcasting doesn’t really use “N/day”, and I think a normal Tier 2 spell is a lot for an ancestry ability. Teleportation also doesn’t feel very Gnome-like to me, but that’s just me. Your conception of gnomes may be different than mine.

 

[Nightfly]

I really want them to be able to turn invisible, which I bet you'd agree is gnome-like. But again, that's taken.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I really want them to be able to turn invisible, which I bet you'd agree is gnome-like. But again, that's taken.

Yes, I was thinking exactly this.

 

[darjr]

How about a list of things a gnome pc can choose from or roll on at char gen?

1. The ability to glide into earth or stone or wood and hide, unseen. Once per day for 3 rounds.
2. The knowledge of some hidden treasure and it's exact location.
3. Able to befriend one large or a group of small animals once per day.
4. Get a +1 on ranged attacks or +1 on spell casting.

Maybe let a gnome pick/roll one at the beginning of each day.

 

[Autumnal]

Instead of invisibility, maybe camouflage: appear like one of a set of things nearby. Do it like most spells in Shadowdark. Voila.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I really want them to be able to turn invisible, which I bet you'd agree is gnome-like. But again, that's taken.

That's an alternative path: Merge halflings and gnomes. They're little people and homebodies who want to generally be left alone to enjoy their meals, smoke their pipes and live in harmony with their environment.