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<blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 5740095" data-attributes="member: 54877">How I'd pick the races to include is ask development and outside commentary on the best presentation for that race when a given society of that race is generally:&nbsp; Benevolent, Standard, or Sinister.&nbsp; Any race that doesn't have a compelling case made for it in all three is out.&nbsp; Any race that has a compelling case in any category that is too close to another race in that same category is at a severe disadvantage.&nbsp;For example:&nbsp; Benevolent elves:&nbsp; Just start cribbing from Elrond and Galadriel, and supplement from there.&nbsp; This one is easy.&nbsp; Standard Elves:&nbsp; Easy again, as with Mirkwood elves and in number of later derivatives.&nbsp; Sinister Elves:&nbsp; Draw on the Sidhe, and steal a few of the less outright evil stuff from the drow.&nbsp; Or go full xenophobic, eco-terrorist mix.&nbsp;Benevolent gnomes:&nbsp; Burrowing fey short creatures with an affinity for animals, gem working, and illusion, but generally helpful and reserved.&nbsp; Standard:&nbsp; The whole trickerster thing.&nbsp; Sinister:&nbsp; Steal from the tiefling backstory, which works even better with slightly horned gnomes that talk like Robin Williams in the villain role.&nbsp;See, gnomes as an extreme works.&nbsp; Its the standard gnomes that are tough to justify.&nbsp; You get a similar problem with trying to make sinister halfings.&nbsp; So while there is a strong temptation to make gnomes the drow version of halflings, I've always found that a bit of cop out.&nbsp; (Why can't all the elves just be elves and have different societies?)&nbsp; I wouldn't mind blending gnomes and haflings on this scale, but I'd probably call the result &quot;gnome&quot; over &quot;halfling&quot;, even if the standard &quot;gnome&quot; was functionally a halfling.&nbsp; They can always have nicknames, some derogatory.&nbsp; (And we can call standard elves gone bad, &quot;drow&quot;.)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Crazy Jerome, post: 5740095, member: 54877"] How I'd pick the races to include is ask development and outside commentary on the best presentation for that race when a given society of that race is generally: Benevolent, Standard, or Sinister. Any race that doesn't have a compelling case made for it in all three is out. Any race that has a compelling case in any category that is too close to another race in that same category is at a severe disadvantage. For example: Benevolent elves: Just start cribbing from Elrond and Galadriel, and supplement from there. This one is easy. Standard Elves: Easy again, as with Mirkwood elves and in number of later derivatives. Sinister Elves: Draw on the Sidhe, and steal a few of the less outright evil stuff from the drow. Or go full xenophobic, eco-terrorist mix. Benevolent gnomes: Burrowing fey short creatures with an affinity for animals, gem working, and illusion, but generally helpful and reserved. Standard: The whole trickerster thing. Sinister: Steal from the tiefling backstory, which works even better with slightly horned gnomes that talk like Robin Williams in the villain role. See, gnomes as an extreme works. Its the standard gnomes that are tough to justify. You get a similar problem with trying to make sinister halfings. So while there is a strong temptation to make gnomes the drow version of halflings, I've always found that a bit of cop out. (Why can't all the elves just be elves and have different societies?) I wouldn't mind blending gnomes and haflings on this scale, but I'd probably call the result "gnome" over "halfling", even if the standard "gnome" was functionally a halfling. They can always have nicknames, some derogatory. (And we can call standard elves gone bad, "drow".) [/QUOTE]

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