Honestly, how often have you used gnomes?

[Wolfspider]

I've never played a Gnome. In games I've run, no-one has ever played a Gnome.

That's in - gosh - 20 years.

I've never played a half-elf. In games I've run, no-one has ever played a half-elf.

I've never played a halfling. In games I've run, no-one has ever played a halfling.

I've never played a half-orc. In games I've run, no-one has ever played a half-orc. (This may change soon, as we're adding a new player and he's taken a liking to the race.)

And, gosh, I've been playing 27 years.

Dear lord.

 

[Driddle]

I have played a gnome. I think they have excellent, whimsical flavor. Of course, there is also the flipside of the menacing, conniving gnome...

And how can you say they have no place in fantasy!??

I've played gnomes since first edition. They make the best thieves and illusionists. Lighthearted little chaps, they are. Always looking at the world with a slightly skewed perspective. Darned if I know why I identify with 'em ....

I have one player that latched onto the gnome some 20 years ago when we moved from B/X D&D to AD&D, and has played them exclusively ever since. He appears to be alone in the world

The gnome or the player?

Wait! I do remember a time when we used gnome as bait for a black dragon. Worked like a charm.

Yeah. Nothing will eat an elf.

The first thing I did when I started DMing many years ago was to remove gnomes from my games; the reason being they were not distinct enough, and therefore redundant.

I do that with a lot of people I meet, too.

Which part of gnomes do you want to emphasize?

Obviously you've never stood next to a gnome at a public urinal, or that wouldn't even be a question. Let's just say that their noses aren't their only prominent feature. Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, eh?

 

[Wolfspider]

BTW, why isn't this a poll?

 

[Masquerade]

I've used gnomes much more extensively in my campaigns/worlds than I have used elves or dwarves. Even in my most recent homebrew, in which most of the traditional D&D races are long extinct, remnants of gnomish technology played a large role.

So, no, I don't agree with the OP's assessment.

 

[Driddle]

The people I know who have played gnomes have always, without exception, put more effort into highlighting the character's personality beyond combat utility or fight scenes. Collectively over the years, that has done more to establish a racial/ethnic concept (i.e. stereotype) in my mind that outlasts the harm done to the race by 3.5 ed.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I use them frequently. From 1994 to 2002 or so, on of the major PC's in my campaign was a Gnomish priest of Bes, and gnomes popped up in various places. In my current campaign, gnomes have a homeland very near where the action of the game takes place, and are politically and economically powerful due to their having invented gunpowder and guns about 150 years ago.

 

[Fifth Element]

If you don't like elves, it's a campaign choice and a matter of personal preference.

If you don't like dwarves, it's a campaign choice and a matter of personal preference.

If you don't like half-elves, it's a campaign choice and a matter of personal preference.

If you don't like half-orcs, it's a campaign choice and a matter of personal preference.

If you don't like halflings, it's a campaign choice and a matter of personal preference.

If you don't like gnomes, clearly WotC should remove them from the PHB.

If you don't like tieflings, WotC is firing you as a customer.

If you don't like eladrin, WotC is forcing their flavour choices on all players everywhere.

 

[TerraDave]

Yes, I have had gnome pc's and used gnome npcs.

But, I am a fan.

And, I banned halflings ages ago.

 

[Simon Marks]

Dear lord.

Someone asked a question, I answered it.

 

[Cadfan]

I haven't used gnomes, but I don't think that's really the point.

The question shouldn't be, "have you used gnomes," it should be, "are gnomes usable?" The first might shed light on the second, but it isn't everything.

I don't think gnomes are particularly usable as they currently stand. Gnomes have four things going for them.

1: Small size
2: Artificers
3: Illusionists
4: Bards

Here's the problem with that.

1: Small size doesn't help you be an artificer, illusionist, or a bard. It helps you do stuff that halflings are better at anyways.
2: Artificers are a nice idea, but the game hasn't got any rules for techno/magical artificing. The Eberron "Artificer" class is as close as it comes, and that seems to be staying campaign specific. If you want to be a gnome who does something gnomish, perhaps designs a high tech magical crossbow monstrosity and shoots things with it, you really can't.
3: Illusions are kind of weak, and also don't fit with the artificer theme.
4: Bards are kind of weak and are getting seriously revised, and also don't fit with the artificer theme.

So I figure, drop them from the core rules. Revisit them at some later date. Give me a gnome who can build himself a steam powered hammer and wears high tech goggles and boots, and I'll be a happy gnome player.