The changes to gnomes in 3.5e

[MerricB]

Say you had a gnome illusionist in 3.0. How has that character changed in 3.5?

It got better - gnomes get a +1 DC for their illusion spells.

It got worse - illusionists now need to bar an additional school. (However, due to the balancing of spells over the schools, that might not be as bad as it first looks.)

It stayed the same - spells in the illusionist school were mostly untouched.

Oh, and you can't multiclass illusionist effectively. Of course, in 3e, you couldn't multiclass illusionist effectively...

Cheers!

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'm going to stand with those who like the new gnomes. (Gnew gnomes? New nomes?) I hated the big-nosed goofy tinkerers. I don't mind PC races that are different than humans--in fact, they should be--but I have to be able to take them seriously. The gnomes of 3.0/3.5 are the first time I've really been able to do that.

Still play them less than almost any other race, but at least I'm not actively anti-gnome any longer.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm mixed but mostly positive on 3.5 gnomes.

I like bards being their favored class, although more emphasis needs to be placed on the non-minstrel aspects of the class in the baseline description. "Races of Stone" also missed out on a bet by not including Monte Cook's (I think) Trickster prestige class from the first 3E Dragon Annual. There needs to be a WotC prestige class other than the Divine Trickster (which is an odd little PC) that makes the bard more tricksy.

I also think "Races of Stone" (or even the PHB) missed a bet by not including a feat that makes Illusionist a second favored class for gnomes. The designers shouldn't be a slave to what's come before, but they do need to form official continuity links for those who liked things the way they are.

And lordy, the little nose thing is lame. You have to read the captions, where provided, in the core books to tell the difference between a gnome and a halfling-kender, and that's not fair to either race. (And it may be just me, but I'm hoping one of the new quickie races in "Races of the Wild" is a more hobbit-like halfling race. I like kender, I guess, but I'd rather they were added to the PHB instead of turning halflings into them.)

 

[Captain Tagon]

I like the Discworld gnomes.

 

[dead]

Perhaps I was a bit hasty in making a judgment.

If bards don't necessarily have to be singers, then, yes, this could work well with the gnome.

I guess I just had the stereotypical picture of a bard inspiring courage, etc. with his lute. And I didn't really like that picture because I kinda see gnomes as quiet folk.

 

[shilsen]

I like the Discworld gnomes.

Favored class: barbarian

As for the original post, I agree with MerricB. I like the 3.5e gnomes.

 

[Captain Tagon]

Favored class: barbarian

As for the original post, I agree with MerricB. I like the 3.5e gnomes.

Yeah, I like the 3.5e gnomes as well. They are pretty nifty.

 

[cuscus]

"Three Hearts and Three Lions" may be the source of the original D&D Gnome. It also seems to have influenced the Paladin, Swanmay, Drow, and the Troll.

 

[Akrasia]

I dislike rock gnomes very much -- 3.5 did little to improve them IMO. You make a good case, Merric, but they still seem like a dwarf/halfing mish-mash. (I don't own Races of Stone, so I cannot comment on how they were fleshed out there.)

The best way to give gnomes a "unique character" IMO (without resorting to the "whacky inventor" DL foolishness) is to use the forest gnome subrace. IMC there are no "rock gnomes" -- only the tiny and secretive forest gnomes, who are called by humans "brownies" or "Waldleuti".

Forest gnomes can fill the niche of diminutive forest folk -- elves are too tall, regal, and human-like to do this.

But now I can't remember -- do forest gnomes also have "bard" as their favoured class?

 

[Psion]

I like bards being their favored class, although more emphasis needs to be placed on the non-minstrel aspects of the class in the baseline description.

I have LONG thought the bard had loads of wasted potential stemming from being pidgeonholed a little too firmly in the "celtic spellsinger" mold. I like books like Path of Magic that provides some variety for their abilities.