D&D 5E Gnomes/clockwork/making sense of it

[LuisCarlos17f]

If the clockpunk technology becomes too powerful then the setting would change radically. And we should remember in a fantasy world the spellcasters could find the ways to break the clockpunk war-machines. Or maybe the people don't want to use it because in the past some infernal outsiders discovered the way to control those machines to create the equivalent to the robot rebellion. Maybe the gnomes can create clockpunk machines because they can add their own fay touch.

 

[Ancalagon]

Here's the things - there are *TONS* of anachronisms and weird bits in any fantasy world. And no, not all of them are fully explained in the minds of the world's creators. Worlds have tons of details, and we don't have time to make sure to trace each and every one of them to make sure they fit into a cohesive whole. That way lies madness.

Also, we are not talking about a world dominated by the relentless logic of science, where each and every effects must be traceable to known causes. There's magic in the world - there can be some mystery. Not "well, this is really just magic in disguise". But just "this is unexplained". Remember that there's plenty in our own world that we do not understand. We think of it as okay not because we understand, but simply because we are used to it.

And there are anachronism in *our world* too!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

 

[AmerginLiath]

Here’s a thought: The particular math used for such devices is rendered entirely in the gnomish language (much as we use a Greek in our advanced math). But the gnomish language is difficult to learn by others, due to how it’s constructed for gnomish biology — gnomes are usually shown with large noses and described as speaking fast without breaks, so their language might not be tailored with the pauses/stops that ours are and thus be difficult to learn at even a basic level. Other races lack the diaphragms and nasal architecture that gnomes happen to have (and take advantage of in their language); this is reflected in a small race’s Con bonus. As such, few non-gnomes can communicate the established language of math/engineering that generations of gnomes have worked with.

 

[Grainger]

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[Grainger]

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[The Grassy Gnoll]

How about: clockwork is tiny. Only Gnomes have developed the tech to manufacture magnifying glass.

Why would ‘normal’ people bother to faff about like that when they have access to Enlarge/Reduce? Or any other number of magical effects (especially with Simulacrum now)?

Perhaps Gnomes are (going against the classic AD&D illusionist trope) almost inherently non-magical? Disbar then from caster classes and you have a race that can’t access magic and thus rely on their science instead? Would make sense of their resistance to spells, too.

I mean, you could have a ‘caster’ gnome but the spells would be mechanical effects. Flamethrowers, etc. But push that envelope too far and it gets messy as hell with laptops (how else would you run Comprehend Languages without a database..?) becoming the equivalent of spell scrolls anyone can use given the knowledge of “press enter”. So I’d avoid that, and stick with Gnomes being nonmagical, rational creatures, their predilection for practical jokes stemming from the need to blow off the reasoning to chill out.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I mean, forest Gnomes would be magical (Speak with small animals, Minor Illusion), but they are perhaps a bastardised race, borne of historical interbreeding between Gnomes and, I dunno, elves with a midget fetish. Or just have one sort of gnome only and bin forest Gnomes.

Could work?

 

[Coroc]

Contrary to most posters I recommend apologizing to the player and applying rule 0.

Your dilemma is why I always limit many aspects in my settings because I enjoy putting them in a "historic " equivalent in terms of tech available. I like it because it gives additional challenges and possibilities to my players and me.


Shoehorning some advanced technology into a not well developed setting can ruin the flavor. Give him something else instead if he insists on playing a rock gnome.
Give him a gem which has some nice properties e.g. a periapt of health or light on command.

 

[Grainger]

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[delericho]

Maybe the "first principles" of the clockwork technology are absurdly complex and over-engineered, such that only the gnomes (who are a bit mad) would ever bother.

Once you've got those basics mastered, maybe building up from the foundation is relatively easy and efficient (albeit prone to the gnomes' idiosyncrasies). But if mastering those basics is considerably harder than just learning to cast a few low-level spells, why bother?

(And, sure, that probably means there are some very few humans who have mastered the art. But it's probably enough to make those few real eccentrics - and thus justify why the art hasn't seen widespread adoption except amongst gnomes.)