When did gnomes fall from grace?

[Shade]

I've never had a problem with gnomes, but changing their preferred class to bard has definitely hurt them.

But hey, it's not so bad...at least they're not half-elves.

 

[S'mon]

My gnomes are burrow-dwelling earth creatures, akin to other fey. Not tinkery!

 

[mmadsen]

Really, there's no need for multiple benign little-people races. I wouldn't mind seeing halflings and gnomes rolled into one race -- and I wouldn't mind if it ended up being called gnome. But having both, with so little to distinguish them, is a waste.

 

[sniffles]

When I saw this thread my first thought was that it's because so many people have decided to play them as annoying little time-wasters.

But actually I think Mouseferatu has hit the nail on the head. When have you ever seen a non-D&D-specific piece of literature featuring gnomes?

 

[Dagger75]

I tried to give Gnomes some respectibility in my Spelljammer game. I made them inventors, not the stupid Dragonlance version but real inventors. Dwarves invented the cannon, Gnomes invented handguns and rifles. The elves invented Spelljamming technology, gnome invented improvements for them, rudders for manuvering, sails for speed, armor and what not.

They also became merchants and sold to both sides durning the Dwarven Empire Expansion. Sort of like the Bothan Spynet if you know your Expanded Universe Star Wars worked for both sides durning that war.

The players didn't laugh when they met a Gnome Merchant and looked for them when they need reapirs. So I think I helped.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

They have a purpose: You can insult dwarves with them "You're a bearded gnome." For that alone they are to be praised.

 

[Blue Sky]

I could never think of a cool way to spin gnomes, so I never used one in a D&D game. But Eberron did them good. Backstabbing little shucks have my party absolutely loathing Trolanport.

But until then, I'd say gnomes couldn't fall any further.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I think part of the problem with gnomes is that it's hard to get by the perception of them either being "garden gnome" lawn adornments or tinker gnomes. 2E tried to give them more range with the Forest Gnomes and Rock Gnomes, but they just seem like watered down versions of elves and dwarves.

The Sverneblin were probably the best incarnation of gnomes. And the illusionist gnome archetype which, unfortunately, suffers from being an illusionist is 3E...

 

[Tonguez]

But actually I think Mouseferatu has hit the nail on the head. When have you ever seen a non-D&D-specific piece of literature featuring gnomes?

There was the Book of Gnomes (in which gnomes are described as 15 inches tall)

Terry Pratchett uses a lot of Gnomes- including the Nomes of the Bromeliad Trilogy (Truckers, Diggers, Wings), Wee Mad Arthur of Ankh-Morpork and of course the Nac Mac Feegle.

The Brownies from Willow (movie) fit my conception of Gnomes

The Problem is that DnD gnomes are too tall and NOT Fey enough

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gnecromancers - from Everquest. I don't know about the RPG, but the MMORPG handled these guys nicely. Of course those gnomes were pretty much tinker gnomes as well.

Both factions of gnome in EverQuest are awesome. The Dark Reflection gnomes (including gnecromancers -- I love mine, Creaky) were great, but EQ went whole-hog with gnomes being tinkers and made it a natural part of their environment. If their people were from an area with hot springs, it's not surprising that they'd invent steampower hundreds (or more) years ahead of schedule.