3.5E Gnome War!

[Knightfall]

Ok, I'm interested in getting everyone's opinion on the change to the gnome's favored class from illusionist to bard.

Mainly, does anyone consider it a big deal? And how do you see it affecting you current campaign, players and/or characters? Do you foresee hardship on the horizon for the little ones or will they come to forefront?

Let the Gnome War begin! (But remember Eric's Grandmother's rules... no swearing, being nasty, or flaming.)

Cheers!

KF72

 

[I'm A Banana]

I think it's very WIERD, personally. I don't see the reason and motivation for it, unless they're getting rid of specialists and needed something to approximate the gnome's niche. I don't see gnomes as very singy/dancy/musician types. Maybe a bit, but no more than any country bumpkin. I'd prefer them to have Ranger or Druid or something naturalistic, if they're not going to be Illusionists anymore....

 

[Zogg]

I would prefer to keep the gnome's preferred class at illusionist - but I'm not going to freak out and kill everyone because it's been changed to bard.

As has already been said, people don't relate gnomes with bards. I have yet to read ANY literature with gnomes as bards. Ok, so I have yet to read ANY literature with gnomes at all. BUT! when I think of gnomes I think of tricksy little....gnomes...that are good at illusions and making silly gadgets or potions....they do not get up in front of everyone and entertain them with song or dance - and if they did, people would promptly be annoyed.

I don't like the idea of gnomes becoming the "comedian" class. I fear that WoTC is trying to turn all gnomes into Jan Jansen from BG2 or Oswald of IWD2....long-winded storytellers that are just OBNOXIOUS!!

I would also like to see a gradual rift in the gnome race so that eventually there are evil "dark gnomes" that DO specialize in illusions, necromancy and world domination...mwa-hahahaha!

 

[Gez]

I don't like the idea of gnomes becoming the "comedian" class. I fear that WoTC is trying to turn all gnomes into Jan Jansen from BG2 or Oswald of IWD2....long-winded storytellers that are just OBNOXIOUS!!

Well, after having been retconned by Dragonlance to obnoxious kamikaze inventors, it is only natural that they are retconned to obnoxious longwinded boasters. As long as they are silly, goofy, and Jar-Jar-Binksesque comic relief, people should be happy.


/Me sticks to gnome loremaster druids.

 

[Delgar]

The game that I run has a Gnome Ranger/Illusionist. So strictly speaking if I go by the book after 3.5 the character would suffer multiclassing penalties, but I'll either allow the character to change his levels in illusionist to bard or I'll just leave Illusionist as his favored class.

It's really not that big of a deal for home games as GM's can just rule zero it. It's really the living campaigns that will make a big difference, because many of the characters were designed using the existing rules and the rules changes will affect them.

All those poor gnome illusionist/whatevers and all those Ranger/Rogues that only took ranger for the psuedo feats. But the living campaigns are dumb anyway so who gives a hoot!

Delgar

 

[kenjib]

I think druid makes the most sense. Wizard (changing elves to sorcerer) and sticking with illusionist are two good alternates. Bard just doesn't make sense, aside from a pure mechanical basis.

 

[Sejs]

I like it.

Innate (cha-based) spell casting feels much more in tune with their inborn spell like abilities.

More skill points and a larger skill list means gnomes are quite knowledgeable about a great many things - and it does this without resorting to a +Int racial mod. And that's not even touching Bardic Knowledge.

3/4 BA means they have some combat ability, like their dwarven cousins but arn't totally decrepit if a fight breaks out. Remember, gnomes have a racial bonus to attack Goblins/Kobolds and a dodge bonus vs giants - those arn't natural abilities; they're the result of training.

the bard spell list is primarily focused around 3 schools: Illusion, Enchantment, Divination. This fits well with the old gnomish concept of their race as good-natured knowledgeable tricksters, more apt to use guile over brute force.

 

[Sejs]

Gez - you did gnome loremaster/druids too eh? Heh, cool.



Others - people need to drop the idea that a change in racially favored class will retroactivly screw existing characters and give them a multiclassing penality. If they were created as 3.0e gnomes, they should not have their favored class-carped yanked out from under them just because the new 3.5e gnomes are different.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Bard?? What??

I'm sorry, but I had to list the classes that I thought Gnome's preferred might get changed to, I think Bard would be down by Monk or Paladin. In other words, I'd have given it a snowflake's chance in a hot place.

I can actually see Illusionist, Ranger, Druid, or Wizard. Gnomes definately have a "Nature" aspect, and a "Scientist" aspect. I always thought "Any Specialist Wizard" (leaving the Generalist Wizard to Elves) would be a good choice.

Their only Bard aspect is that their minor Illusion powers could be used to entertain, but I always thought of them as being used to fool people, not entertain them. More the tricksey "Forest Spirit" than funny "David Copperfield".

Bards? No, I just don't see it.

Irda Ranger

 

[Gez]

Heck, if any race could deserve bard as a favored class, it's elf. Chaotic ? Check. Like magic ? Check. Like swordplay ? Check. See everything as an art ? Check.