What's with the Gnome Hate?

[Kzach]

Gnomes are good for two things. Killing and punting.

 

[icarusfallz]

Gnomes are good for two things. Killing and punting.

If you believe this, you should read the FR novel Soldiers of Ice. I made a PC based on the Gnome Badger Fighter in that book.

Mine liked to sing at his enemies while fighting. He sang badly, but the intent was to demoralize, so it worked.

Well I went down to the Underdark
To see what I could see...
I must have known yer mother
'Cause you look Half-Gnome to me!

-Piotr Chillblade
​

 

[WhatGravitas]

Quickly hides the knife.

What?

Now, mean lean killing machines that stalk the world - that's something I can get behind.

The 4E gnomes to that well, and even fit Eberron well with their ability!

In general, I dislike gnomes, but in 4E + Eberron = Goodness!

Cheers, LT.

 

[Fenes]

Annoying is easy. Combine an annoying player with a Gnome and you don't get slightly annoying. You get really annoying.

That's why people hate Gnomes.

I'd change "Annoying player" to "annoying character", and agree with that. Tinker gnomes ruined the race for me. And ever since some author introduced "gnomium" just so he could write a story about nukes in D&D they have become game killers for me.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think there was never a Gnome hate. The problem was there was no real Gnome love. Sure, there are some people that play them and want them back as Player Race for 4E now. But most of the people just never cared for them.

I can remember one Gnome character in 8 years of 3E. I also distinctively remember only one Gnome NPC I created myself, and I mostly used Gnome because I wanted a psionic psychopath and found that Gnome would be the most disconcerting.

Gnomes had also the problems of having no class abilities that made them stand out. The Halfling seemed more fitting into the "small race" role. He had racial abilities that fit the idea of a small creature far better - +2 to Dex, bonus on Move Silently. The Gnome was a smaller Dwarf by comparison, and thus he lacked a role.

The 4E Gnome isn't bad and seems to have found a niche, but is he player material? With their reactive invisibility feature, they seem like creatures that exist in hiding, not as members of adventuring parties or presence in typical settlements.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

There are fewer and fewer gnome haters all the time.

Quickly hides the knife.

What?

Gnomish Freedom Fighter? Is that, like a spoiler? Gnomes win in the end?

 

[Derro]

Back in my 1e days the most terrifying villain around was a gnome. And he was a PC! A deep gnome assassin named Bjorn. Even my minotaur killing machine was careful not to piss off that little bugger.

I can see why the gnome got the axe as a base race for 4e. He doesn't fill a niche that you can't get with a dwarf, elf, or halfling depending on your concept. With the delay of bards and druids there is no class for the gnome to dovetail with.

Personally I like Paizo's take on the gnome. There are complaints that they are too anime with their colored hair but what the heck. At least they occupy their own niche, the magical nature trickster, which the elf does not do nearly as well.

I'm of the opinion that halflings could use a break. But they are an archetypal race even though their image is relatively new. They really are just less annoying kender. Halflings were originally fat guys with hairy feet.

There were some good gnomes in the Aquerra Story Hour, Out of the Frying Pan. I haven't read it in a while but I remember loving some of those characters. Let's just say half-fiends show up in the strangest places.

As far as gnome-hate is concerned I think that those who are most vocal about it are just piping up 'cause there's no gnomes around to hear it.

Cowards.

 

[Steely Dan]

I love gnomes, especially when they have flat-heads and no teeth.

And the art and vibe of the 4th Ed gnome is rocking my free world.

 

[Kzach]

If you believe this, you should read the FR novel Soldiers of Ice. I made a PC based on the Gnome Badger Fighter in that book.

Mine liked to sing at his enemies while fighting. He sang badly, but the intent was to demoralize, so it worked.

What the Hell has this got to do with me killing and/or punting gnomes? Aside from giving me even more reason to kill them over punting them.

 

[icarusfallz]

Wow, Kzach, I bet you have this racist hatred against Gnomes no matter what PC you are playing. How boring. We once had a player that would have his character attempt to kill any elf he saw. made roleplaying with him very difficult.

He no longer has a game to play.

I made a comment to try to show that ANY race (or class, or whatever) could be fun and interesting to play. You respond with (in game) violence.

What a pity... I'm bored with you now.