If gnomes had the eladrin's powers would that make them more appealing?

[Wednesday Boy]

All of you gnome-haters don't murderize me for suggesting it but if the gnome was given the Feyish powers that the eladrin has, would that change your opinion on how appealing they'd be to play?

The designers said that the gnome weren't going to be in the PHB because they didn't have an established niche but it seems to me like with their mythological roots and the otherworldly-looking gnome from the webcartoon interview they could fill the Fey role pretty well. And as the only 3.x PHB race with SLA's it doesn't seem like it would be horning in on any other niches (especially if magic-oriented elf are obligated to being magic-oriented by taking a magely class like it's been since 2nd Ed.).

To me the Fey-powers seem like the perfect opportunity to give them a niche that would draw people to them more.

 

[Lackhand]

Their rules are fine to me; their niche(s) aren't.

So... eh. Not really But definitely to each their own.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I've never liked gnomes, so no matter what's under the clothing, if it still looks like a gnome, and it's still called a gnome, I'm not interested.

 

[Thyrwyn]

I like the fey step ability. It ties in with the fluff we have seen - the feywild is close to the material plane, fey can step through it. No problem for me. I like the continuity with the Warlock's fey-pact power, too.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I've never liked gnomes, so no matter what's under the clothing, if it still looks like a gnome, and it's still called a gnome, I'm not interested.

That's reasonable. I figured that would be the general opinion of people who don't like gnomes but I was curious whether the designers' issues would have much connection to the fans' opinions.

 

[Wormwood]

I don't care enough about gnomes to hate them.

That said, some sort of shadow walk schtick would be interesting, at least. The sooner they abandon Papa Smurf mode the better.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Yeah I am of the same group where it is simply because I don't like Gnomes.

As for the actual Gnome abilities, I remember someone on EnWorld I believe commented on a Gnome NPC they faced he had a couple Gnome powers like colour-spray and another that I have forgotten.

 

[pogre]

I may just call Eladrin Gnomes IMC. I think it makes sense. There's enough Elves running around anyway.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I like the fey step ability. It ties in with the fluff we have seen - the feywild is close to the material plane, fey can step through it. No problem for me. I like the continuity with the Warlock's fey-pact power, too.

I agree, conceptually and mechanically it works well. But if the gnome was a 4th Ed. PHB race with the racial features of the eladrin (and eladrins were nixed as a playable PC race), would the gnome be more appealing to you?

Could giving gnomes the Fey-niche solve the designers' niche problem and the fans' appeal issues or are they unrelated?

 

[Cadfan]

1) Giving the gnome non crappy powers would help a lot. The Eladrin's powers are non crappy.

2) But they're not really gnomey either.

3) Unfortunately, I don't really know what IS gnomey.

4) Gnomes need an identity first, THEN non crappy powers.