The Unified Theory of Gnomes

[Klaus]

And even that is a marked improvement over their previous portrayal, which was "too elvish to be a dwarf, and to dwarvish to be an elf and too short to be anything else."

"Watch it, longshanks."

 

[Mercule]

You're surprised that Wizards would keep an icon of modern fantasy (halflings) over a race that has inconsistent portrayals depending on the source?

Uh huh. And "they're sedentary English gentlemen with a penchant for stealth -- oh, wait, they're wandering gypsy-like folk -- no, sorry, they're boat people of the bayou" is so consistant.

Halflings are flailing for an identity as much, if not more, than gnomes. Neither race is particularly well defined. At least gnomes have something to draw from in real-world fey and short elf myths. Halflings are either made up whole-cloth for D&D or drawn from a modern fictional source that intentionally made them to be the least likely race to adventure.

I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that the PHB isn't big enough for both short races. I just would have gone with gnomes, since they have something resembling an identity.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I've never used or allowed gnomes in my campaigns until Eberron; I think they made a very interesting set of design decisions regarding gnomes in Eberron and it works very well for them there.

I do like the Dustyboots version too, though.

 

[Irda Ranger]

I'm hoping that by v5.5, someone will have developed an easy-to-remember, three-word stereotype description that will give gnomes a home again in the PHB.

"Jokes Involving Blackpowder"
"Forest-Spirits With Ammo"
"Q Meets Mr. Bean"
"The Swiss, Shorter"


Seriously though, in trying to think of Gnomes in a 4E context I realized that Gnomes seem fairly related to the Feywild, and we already have two Feywild races. Three really would be a lot.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I've never used or allowed gnomes in my campaigns until Eberron; I think they made a very interesting set of design decisions regarding gnomes in Eberron and it works very well for them there.

Ah, do you know what I like about Eberron gnomes? They've tried to get rid of the "funny" names. I have to admit, these names are among the greatest dealbreakers for me for "traditional" gnomes.

Cheers, LT.

 

[The Little Raven]

"Watch it, longshanks."

Sure thing, diminutive dwarf... or bald halfling... or freaky-deaky giant baby-thing.

Gah!

Never again, Klaus! That thing gives me the creeps.

 

[The Little Raven]

I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that the PHB isn't big enough for both short races. I just would have gone with gnomes, since they have something resembling an identity.

Y'know, I've often thought to myself... if I could travel back in time, I'd convince Gygax to just name halflings gnomes in D&D, to avoid the hobbit and lawsuit stuff, as well as to condense the two "really little" folk.

 

[The Merciful]

You're surprised that Wizards would keep an icon of modern fantasy (halflings) over a race that has inconsistent portrayals depending on the source?

Iconic? The only work of fantasy that I can think of using halflings besides of D&D is Lord of the Rings. Sure, the short folk arch type is around and well, but as far I know they tend to be called gnomes. At least in post-WoW world.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Y'know, I've often thought to myself... if I could travel back in time, I'd convince Gygax to just name halflings gnomes in D&D, to avoid the hobbit and lawsuit stuff, as well as to condense the two "really little" folk.

See, my first thought would be to go sleep with Marilyn Monroe just before she was a big star, but I suppose your idea is a good one, too.

 

[The Little Raven]

Iconic? The only work of fantasy that I can think of using halflings besides of D&D is Lord of the Rings.

And that is the most iconic fantasy work of our time, so yeah, it makes halflings icons, just as it made the modern notion of elves, dwarves, and wizards (ala Gandalf) into icons.