[3.5 Revision Spotlight] The Gnome

[GamerMan12]

The major problem with a gnome being an Illusionist in 3rd ed is, that speciality lost out big time in the revamp from 2nd edition.
(I know one player, who took 2 years to be able to play D&D 3e, as his favourite 2nd ed class was Gnome Illusionist.)

Given that, it is understandable WoTC chose one of the viable classes for the gnome's favoured class.

I think this is one of the costs of having a more logical and coherent structure to D&D - in the current paradigm, a Gnome Illusionist really needs to be a prestige class and probably one of the more powerful prestige classes at that.

btw- Does anyone else think that the Iconic Gnome, Gimble looks like the gnome from the SciFi TV Show - Special Unit 2? And that Gnome seems more of a Rogue than any other class

GamerMan12

 

[Valiantheart]

Bard eh? I guess it gives new meaning to "The hills are alive with the sound of music." Or is that the "burrows"?

 

[~Joseph~]

I actually think this is a god idea. Being a bard plays more into a gnome's playfull nature. If htey increased the # or illusion spells a bard has then you're not really missing much. Also, you can still play an illusionist, and still be a really good one. It's just not your favored class. 1/2 orcs have favroed class of barbarian, but they still make great fighters and clerics, as well as a great monk if you have the stats.

I am completely for this new change, I think it makes gnomes AND bards a more viable character. Elves already have WIzard as favored class and no one would ever play a gnome unless it was an illusionist. Second even if bard is the favored classs, when most people play an illusionist they DON'T multiclass therefore it WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! So quite wining about it.

 

[Tonguez]

As for the bard, I fully understand that in 3.5e the bard will become a respectable class. However, I'm not really sure it fits in with the whole gnomish racial archetype. They do not have a necessarily arts-orientated culture- indeed, their cultural description tends to have them very much going for the practical skills and sciences, with those gnomes with a steady profession tending to be engineers, scientists, scholars and the like; not dancers, prancers and balladeers.

All my gnomes have been members of the Circus

1. Gnomes have illusion spells = Special FX
2. Gnomes can 'talk' to animals = Giant Hamster trainers
3. Gnomes (should have) Wis bonus +2 (not Con)
4. The size bonuses to dodge etc should also include a bonus to tumbling

Bard makes perfect sense (although I would have preferred Druid)


Gnomes are playful and mischevious observing the world of the bignobs from three feet below. The only reason the are mechanical is because they are wise enough to know that life in a world made for bignobs is easier if you have a length of rope and a few levers to help. Gnomes are also mysterious and know secrets about the world around them that bignobs can only dream of.

oh and IMC gnomes are only 1 ft tall (actually 9 - 15 inches)

 

[CrusaderX]

I like the change. As long as Bards have some illusion-type spells in their new spell list, this looks like a perfect fit.

 

[el-remmen]

In my own game I have given all the non-human races two preferred classes (except Half-orcs which I made 'Any' like humans and half-elves since they have enough role-playing disadvantages).

Gnomes have illuisonist and bard as their favored class.
Elves have wizard and fighter
Dwarves have fighter and cleric
Halflings have rogue and ranger

 

[Remathilis]

The *current* bard is very illusion heavy as it stands. I quote the "Bardic Knowledge" article at WotC's site.

I'm not sure when it was the bard became an illusionist, but that school is where a big chunk of the 5th-level spells come from.

There are plenty of good illusions on the bard list already, I just hope there are more spell slots to PICK them.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

On the one hand, it finally gives Gnomes some distinction which they really haven't had since the 80s.

On the other hand ... BARD!?!?!?!? I thought Gimble was a punchline, not an icon.

 

[Sejs]

Crack open your PHB sometime - look at the bard spell list.


It's quite illusion-heavy.


Besides, what spell is better than Modify Memory when it comes to pranks?!

 

[TroyXavier]

I like them. I always thought it was a bad idea for two races to have virtually the same favored class. Bard works into the gnomish mindset. I also like the bonus to illusions used against an enemy.