D&D General Why Do People Hate Gnomes?

[Crimson Longinus]

5e is doing a strong job of giving them a character, and Critical Role is helping that, too. Live Plays and pre-recorded edited game sessions are probably the -best- shot gnomes have of becoming something somewhat unified, and they'll be using 5e's gnomes in the process.

Critical Role certainly has a lot of cool gnome characters, but like someone already said, there is literally nothing about Pike and Scanlan that distinguishes them from halflings. You can't tell they're gnomes instead of halflings by their appearance, nothing in their story would change if they were halflings. Only gnome that doesn't instantly read as a halfling is Chetney, who is a riff on Santa's elves.

 

[Hussar]

I mean, I knew that it was popular amongst fantasy/fiction fans, I just meant amongst the general public. I'd heard that the series only really became mainstream because of the movie trilogy.

But maybe I'm just misinformed. In which case, the question is answered.

Yeah, in Canada too, Tolkien was pretty standard for reading lists in either elementary schools (The Hobbit) or in high school. Tolkien's position at Oxford made sure that his words got plunked down on those reading lists and IMO, played a huge roll in getting him actually read by people. Otherwise, he would have been just another relatively unknown fantasy writer, like pretty much all fantasy writers were.

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Edit to add- I just want to be completely clear here. I think there is certainly space for halflings and gnomes as a PC race. That's fine. But, I do think that if there is a limit on the number of PC races in the PHB, they should get bumped to another book to make room for something that might get a bit more traction.

Personally, I rather hope a sort of general "anthropomorphic animal" race gets in (where you sort of build your own race from templates - which could cover the size range from small to medium) and something else, which I'm not really sure what at the moment.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We should remember the TTRPGs are like LEGO and other building toys. When you buy the product you create you want, and it hasn't to be like in the cover of the box.

Their weak point is to be too typecasted into a not-too-interesting stereotype, and there are intentions to change it.

Artificer gnomes are cool and interesting but not everybody wants magitek in their games.

 

[Bolares]

most people not know about the Lord of the Rings until the movies? At least in the USA?

Most people? Possibly. RPG nerds? They all read the books.

 

[Bolares]

Reading tolkien as school homework... Damn! I wish they did that here in Brazil...

 

[pogre]

I don't really hate gnomes, but it was amusing when the community dog-piled the species. I thought it was harmless fun for the most part.

I used to get really caught up in what races/species made for a more believable D&D campaign world. I nerfed races, because they did not fit or I did not like their aesthetic, etc.

Then I realized 2 things:
1. If having a PC of a certain race makes the game in anyway more enjoyable to play for a person - why would I ever nerf it for anything other than balance issues? and
2. D&D is a nonsensical, potpourri of cultures, rules, and histories - I just gave in to the gonzo. The rules support that more easily IMO. If I want to play a more "realistic" or "human-centric" game - I switch rules sets.

Having said all of that - I think there are a lot of very legitimate reasons for people to limit those choices in their own home campaigns. Everything is optional - including gnomes.

 

[MGibster]

I mean, I knew that it was popular amongst fantasy/fiction fans, I just meant amongst the general public. I'd heard that the series only really became mainstream because of the movie trilogy.

I'd wager that more Americans saw the movies than read the books, but almost any story adapted to become a major motion picture is going to have a wider audience than the original source. I expect more people watched the television adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand than read the book. I bet more people in Great Britain and Spain saw the movies than read Tolkien's books.

LotR was mainstream enough to give us this little gem in 1968.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I bet more people in Great Britain and Spain saw the movies than read Tolkien's books.

The Hobbit is commonly read in English schools. It was read to me at my primary school and it's still a common choice at KS2.

 

[Hussar]

And let’s be honest. Reading Tolkien is kind of like reading 1984. Everyone says they have and most people are lying.

 

[Mecheon]

Back in like, 5th grade, I had to do a presentation on a book. I couldn't be arsed to read a new book, so I just, re-read the Hobbit because I enjoyed the book and, hey, I get to draw a big ol' dragon on a pile of tressure. Easy peasy, assignment completey.

.... Mind its been literal decades since I've last read the Hobbit or LotR so my memory is patchy