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

[Keenath]

Seeing that 4E has taken so much from Dragonlance why not the gnomes

Gnomes of Dragonlance

The dragonlance gnomes are one of the things that has done so much damage to gnomes in the general mind. Because they're nothing but screwups and humor characters in DL, a lot of people see gnomes in general as funny screwups, which leads to the "bah, who wants gnomes?" point of view.

No.

Worst. Idea. Ever.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

but gnome are not fey, Eladrin fill the niche of the distant arcane oriented Elf

gnomes? we have illusionist gnomes, technomancer gnomes, elemental gnomes... and yet there is no clear identity for them

it's not only a question of powers but of finding the right powers for their identity

so the first question to answer is "What are gnomes?" then "Which gnomes we want?" and so on

That's a good point. To clarify what I was getting at I should have specified "if gnomes had the powers and backstory of the eladrin". Because to me the Fey-inspired eladrin power could give the gnome the identity that many feel they currently are lacking.

 

[FabioMilitoPagliara]

That's a good point. To clarify what I was getting at I should have specified "if gnomes had the powers and backstory of the eladrin". Because to me the Fey-inspired eladrin power could give the gnome the identity that many feel they currently are lacking.

and still it would not work, gnome are not 7' tall humanoid that are arcane/high elves

the problem is that we know what gnomes are not, but still we don't know what gnome are

surely gnome are small sized humanoid (about 4' as tall as halfling maybe more) linked to the natural world (speack with mammals) and with a knack for illusions and inventions, and a fixation with gems (dwarf -> precious metals, gnome -> gems)

furthermore the gnome of legend are some sort of elemental spirit

maybe gnome could be an adapted elemental chaos inhabithant?

they were the creation of some long lost god or maybe even the creation of an enlightned primal

I would go for natural/elemental connection with gnome

to take the place of eladrin? it sounds wrong

eladrin are high elves, an ancient race steeped in arcane magic

grome cannot simply dress as eladrin and take their place we know they are something else, what they are is the question

 

[Klaus]

and still it would not work, gnome are not 7' tall humanoid that are arcane/high elves

the problem is that we know what gnomes are not, but still we don't know what gnome are

surely gnome are small sized humanoid (about 4' as tall as halfling maybe more) linked to the natural world (speack with mammals) and with a knack for illusions and inventions, and a fixation with gems (dwarf -> precious metals, gnome -> gems)

furthermore the gnome of legend are some sort of elemental spirit

maybe gnome could be an adapted elemental chaos inhabithant?

they were the creation of some long lost god or maybe even the creation of an enlightned primal

I would go for natural/elemental connection with gnome

to take the place of eladrin? it sounds wrong

eladrin are high elves, an ancient race steeped in arcane magic

grome cannot simply dress as eladrin and take their place we know they are something else, what they are is the question

Wha-huh?

If the 4E Players Handbook came out and said:

"Gnomes are fey, cousins to the elves. Where the elves travelled to the Material Plane and became tall, mortal creatures, the gnomes remained in the Feywild, preserving their magical nature and their closeness to the Ancient Way of things. Gnomes, inhrerently magical beings, can step through space, speak with animals and weave illusions like it was second nature to them."

How does that "sound wrong"?

 

[AllisterH]

Wha-huh?

If the 4E Players Handbook came out and said:

"Gnomes are fey, cousins to the elves. Where the elves travelled to the Material Plane and became tall, mortal creatures, the gnomes remained in the Feywild, preserving their magical nature and their closeness to the Ancient Way of things. Gnomes, inhrerently magical beings, can step through space, speak with animals and weave illusions like it was second nature to them."

How does that "sound wrong"?

Doesnt sound wrong UNTIL you put up a picture of the gnome next to the elf. Just not happening there...

 

[Belorin]

Doesnt sound wrong UNTIL you put up a picture of the gnome next to the elf. Just not happening there...

It's not like were suggesting the gnome take the eladrin's place, where the eladrin is all about arcane magic and civilization, gnomes stayed closer to the spirit of the Feywild, wild and free and mischievious.

Bel

 

[hong]

and still it would not work, gnome are not 7' tall humanoid that are arcane/high elves

Not in the Book of Lost Tales....

 

[Moochava]

Not in the Book of Lost Tales....

Imagining my favorite parts of The Silmarillion redone by Ewoks makes it clear why eladrins replaced the gnomes.