Do you want gnomes in the first phb?

[Klaus]

I agree with you about dwarves - I hope Fourth Edition Eberron material "sexes them up" a bit, because they're pretty close to their bog-standard Tolkienesque roots for my taste. Still cool, but I'd like to see more "cutthroat merchant houses" and less "great kingdoms under the mountain".

Threadjack: Dwarves in Eberron get a ramp up in interest with Secrets of Sarlona.

Back to topic.

 

[demon_jr808]

I don't really care for gnomes. I've felt that although they've had various 'niches' in the DND world, they were never one of the 'stronger' races, in the sense of evoking a sense of quintessential DND. When I think of DND I think, humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, etc. Oh, and then gnomes. Gnomes seem to always be an 'aside'.

That being said, I am so used to gnomes being a part of DND, even though I tend to 'forget' gnomes, I still would miss them if they were gone. A bit backwards in thinking, but that's just how I feel.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Threadjack: Dwarves in Eberron get a ramp up in interest with Secrets of Sarlona.

Doesn't count! I want the dwarves of the Mror Holds to be more interesting; the existence of the cool Akiak dwarves doesn't do anything to facilitate that.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Do I want to see gnomes? Not just no, hell no.

 

[Wik]

Bah. Gnomes... Dwarves with Down Syndrome. (love that quote!)

Cant' say I really care one way or the other, but I went with "no". They're just kind of boring.... I really think they need their own niche. I like the gnomes from Dawnforge... they were actually kind of cool.

 

[grimslade]

I said no but really I just dislike the 3.5 gnome. Gnomes have a neat niche in Eberron but that is more the Dragonmark and nation than the race. A dwarf could fill the race of Zilargo just as easily tho.
Gnomes should be more fey-like or elemental. The special abilities should link them closer to the earth. I agree with Klaus beat up the svirfneblin and take his stuff.
The jokey bard, that's good with illusions, and talks to the burrowing animals while looking like an emaciated dwarf is all over the place. Give the gnome a time out and start over.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

A dwarf could fill the race of Zilargo just as easily tho.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Aloïsius]

Yes.

With that said, I wish they would just bite the bullet and make them full-on tinker gnomes, be they effective (Warcraft) or bumbling (Dragonlance).

Arghhhhhhhh !

No. Rather NO gnomes than tinker gnome.
If they want to make gnomes a playable race, there is a solution. Gnome has the same root as "gnosis" : perfect knowledge. Give them +2 INT, illusion and divination cantrip, favored class wizard. You wonder what does a gnome adventurer looks like ? Think about a non-green Yoda, without the pointed ears. Make gnomes mysterious, not "jolly short fellow".
Hidden cities, lying in mystical cristal caves in the depth of the earth. Ages old arcane rituals that must be renewed or else.... Masters of secrets and illusion, seers, guardian of dire secrets.
Throw Garl Glittergold in the 2e and 3e abyss. Give them a God that is not a prankster nor a miner, but something serious and strange. Dwarves have already the technological (IMHO) edge. Halflings have the rogue attitude. Gnomes should have something else, something that would be their own particularity.

And if they don't, they won't appear in my games.

 

[Evilusion]

I vote yes, just because I have always like gnome. Besides I do not like either tiefling, Aasimar or changelings. For me they just do not fit any setting I have plan or played in.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gnomes... Dwarves with Down Syndrome. (love that quote!)

Making fun of mentally retarded people = weak