Gnomes! (HUH) What are they good for? Absolutely nothing!

[Dungeoneer]

Whoa, there, partner! You missed a major bit a couple steps back. 1980 - Deities and Demigods. Garl Glittergold - Greater god, leader of the gnomish pantheon, is a trickster. This, and the rest of the pantheon, establish much of the character of the intended culture.

And don't forget the Gnomish Point of View article by Roger E. Moore, published in Dragon back in the day. That series of articles was amongst the best expansion of D&D races' cultures that we've ever seen, up to and including the one on humanoids.

Hey, I am by no means setting myself up as an expert on all things gnome! I was mostly going off stuff people had mentioned in this thread + wikipedia.

I will do an edit soon and incorporate Deities and Demigods and the Dragon article. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[the Jester]

Hey, I am by no means setting myself up as an expert on all things gnome! I was mostly going off stuff people had mentioned in this thread + wikipedia.

I will do an edit soon and incorporate Deities and Demigods and the Dragon article. Thanks for the suggestions!

No problem.

I'd add that the very fact that gnomes were the only nonhumans able to become illusionists in the PH also argues for a trickstery bent.

 

[Anastrace]

Gnomes. Let's talk about gnomes. I don't get the appeal.

First of all, what niche are they supposed to fill? They live underground and they make stuff, like dwarves. But I guess they're thinner? And more annoying? Or maybe they're just halflings that live underground. Regardless, they don't seem to have a well-defined place in the small races ecosystem.

Is there some fantasy literature tradition they are supposed to reference? If there is I'm not familiar with it. When someone says 'gnome', I think of this guy:

That's right ladies! He's single!

Don't get me wrong, I have players that like to play gnomes. Interestingly they almost always play gnome rogues. That may be just for mechanical reasons. Although to me halfling is a perfectly good alternative.

Why do people like to play gnomes? And how did a lawn ornament get to be a core race in D&D?!?

They're the only race I have considered banning at my table. Somehow I feel like having gnomes in the game automatically makes the whole game sillier. Anyone else feel this way?

So when I think gnome, I uh..think of David the Gnome. So that's what I ran my campaign with. Gnomes were fey creatures living in the woods with their allies the elves. They were close to nature, tricksters, and skilled with magic. They were druids and illusionists mainly, and used their nature magic to help the elves sculpt their homes into the living trees of Silverwood.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

They're dangerous!

3. DIO LOST A THUMB TO A GARDEN GNOME
In 2003, Dio was working in his yard, trying to place a large garden gnome on a slope. The gnome toppled over and crushed the metal vocalist’s hand, taking off the tip of his thumb. Dio later recalled that his first thought was, “How on earth am I going to make my devil horn sign now?!” Being a badass, he collected the disembodied appendage, took it inside, washed it off, and then headed to the emergency room, where–to the relief of metal horns-enthusiasts everywhere–it was reattached.

http://www.revolvermag.com/news/top-5-most-outrageous-facts-about-ronnie-james-dio.html

 

[Quickleaf]

I had a player some years ago who made a short race charismatic bard. And then made it a kobold...

When I asked her why she didn't go with gnome, she honestly said it never even occurred to her.

In an earlier campaign, we'd been playing Scarred Lands for nearly two years before anyone noticed that there are no gnomes in Scarred lands (until you get to another continent anyway).

It was at that point I realised that gnomes really weren't speaking to anyone I played with.

I'm not a fan of gnomes. They're either stereotyped quirky little inventors or quirky little dudes who hang out with badgers. It just seems like it's extra difficult to make a complex gnome character--or at least I haven't seen one.

Anecdotal counterpoint...

My campaign had 2 gnome PCs at one point!

One was a stereotypical tinker, but an exceedingly well played and entertaining sterotype. Certainly nearly got the party killed once or twice

The other was a bard who blended the "trickster gnome" stereotype successfully with a very deep character and spiritual ideals. Again, a very well played character who also served as the party's leader. Had a memorable "bard off" with a rival bard and great verbal sparring with Prince John equivalent.

 

[am181d]

Gnomes are the closest you get to playing faeries in the core rules.

 

[Hussar]

Anecdotal counterpoint...

My campaign had 2 gnome PCs at one point!

One was a stereotypical tinker, but an exceedingly well played and entertaining sterotype. Certainly nearly got the party killed once or twice

The other was a bard who blended the "trickster gnome" stereotype successfully with a very deep character and spiritual ideals. Again, a very well played character who also served as the party's leader. Had a memorable "bard off" with a rival bard and great verbal sparring with Prince John equivalent.

But how many campaigns have you run over the years? That was always my point. Even those of is who have seen gnomes played, it's usually like you say- one player or one campaign. If you started a new game tomorrow, what are the odds that one of your players would play a gnome?

 

[Umbran]

My campaign had 2 gnome PCs at one point!

Double gnomage can be trouble. We had a situation some time ago. Two gnomes (one a svirfneblin illusionist, the other a standard gnome fighter/thief).

The two characters did *not* get along. The illusionist was neutral with an evil bent, the other was chaotic good. But, they would not violate the brotherhood of gnomes to take each other on directly. So they chose champions - the party barbarian and ranger. The gnomes would prank each others' champions, who had no clue what was going on. We carried on for two months of weekly sessions like that, until the big'uns finally figured it out and made us stop...

 

[Dungeoneer]

But how many campaigns have you run over the years? That was always my point. Even those of is who have seen gnomes played, it's usually like you say- one player or one campaign. If you started a new game tomorrow, what are the odds that one of your players would play a gnome?

Slim to gnome, I'd say!

 

[Quickleaf]

But how many campaigns have you run over the years? That was always my point. Even those of is who have seen gnomes played, it's usually like you say- one player or one campaign. If you started a new game tomorrow, what are the odds that one of your players would play a gnome?

I have only run 5 campaigns successfully.

Campaign 1 (Planescape) = players (2), no gnomes
Campaign 2 (Al-Qadim) = players (5), gnomes (1)
Campaign 3 (homebrew) = players (5), no gnomes
Campaign 4 (homebrew) = players (7), gnomes (2)
Campaign 5 (homebrew, interrupted) = players (4-6), no gnomes

Based on that limited experience, the odds may be (eye-balling)...

There's a 8% chance that at least one player will run a gnome in a party of 5.