Gnomes

[Tonguez]

gnomes rock!

imc 1. Eusocial burrowers with a society like the naked mole rat (and smurf)

2. Gnomes are keepers of the Secrets of Nature. They know things you don't and so see the world differently making them seem odd
They have a touch of magic which just reinforces the fact that they are not just funny short humans

ps Gnome leaders are usually druids

 

[Mercule]

Gnomes are hill folk. Their favored class is druid. Illusionist would work, but is sub-par.

Tinker/tech gnomes are a Dragonlance thing. They work okay in that setting, but anyone who try to play a tech gnome get the same respect from me as the people who obsessed about playing the "Jedi Tradition" in Mage: the Ascension. It's unholy and I'm pretty sure there are illegal substances involved -- at least I hope that can't come out of a healthy, unmodified brain.

Machiavellian gnomes fit Eberron quite well, but I'd prefer they stay there. Exporting that sort of gnome I can understand, though. It's making lemonade from the lemons WotC gave us in 3.x.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

In my campaign, they're a "subrace" of Dwarves. Dwarves live underground, Gnomes live aboveground.

That is the only kind of "gnome" I would allow.

 

[arscott]

In a campaign I plan to run at some uspecified future date, Gnomes are some of the many servitors of the Farie Queen. They're rarely more than a foot tall, and can assume the form of badgers or other burrowing mammals. They make excellent spies, and surprisingly decent fighters. Two or three Gnomes can take down a goblin, a redcap, or even a well-trained warrior.

 

[Khayman]

Murderous little finks.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'm using Eberron right now, so gnomes are loremasters and artificers, with an incredibly machiavellian love for intrigue, blackmail and infighting. Keith Baker made the little suckers really scary. I love it!

Well, I know Keith Baker never sat foot in one of my games, but it just goes to show how often creative similarities crop up in gaming. My brother came up with the "Gnomish Mafia" angle about 5 years ago, and it's been the source of many a hijink.

 

[Nellisir]

I'm in the "gnomes as masters of secrets" camp. IMC, dragons, giants, humans, and gnomes were all created from the body of a dead god - blood to dragons, bones to giants, flesh to humans, organs to gnomes. As a result, gnomes are prone to being mysterious, withdrawn, and full of secrets. As a race they're good-aligned, but they're especially vulnerable to corruption in their endless search for hidden lore.

 

[Turjan]

The gnomes are my elves and dwarves .

 

[Wombat]

Currently there are no gnomes in my campaign.

But, to be fair, there are also no elves, dwarves, half-orcs, or half-elves.

Instead we have faen, litorians, sibeccai, mojh, and akapans (giants)...

 

[tarchon]

All my gnomes are Gnostics.