Am I the only person who likes Gnomes?
I should clarify; I like Gnomes but the not with the generic elves/dwarves/halflings thing. That makes 3 little people races, which is a ridiculously over crowded category.
What I should say is- Am I the only person who likes to roll all non-human races into Gnomes? As in Gnomes are like elves, dwarves, halflings into one race of wee magical people. They were big hats that control their magic, and without it they can't use their powers.
They are excellent cooks, bakers, gardeners and animal handlers, like Elves and Haflings might be. They are also excellent smiths, craftsmen, and architects like Dwarves usually are.
Gnomes have a few magical powers (once again, requiring the hat) that allow them to do a few things; like shrink, craft magical items, control animals and plants, and possible creation of illusion or healing.
Anybody else like this idea?
gnomes killed my home and burned my parents. They are not of this world... they are monsters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BNFNeGxsvg
So traditional The Fair Folk but with out the alien morality shtick.
Cool.
I'm a big fan of gnomes. I'll usually have them as either a dwarf subspecies, or as a race that takes the place of both dwarfs and halflings. I prefer tall asshole fae elves over short elves so usually they and gnomes don't tread on each others toes.
Something I'm seeing more and more is people thinking dwarfs and magic don't mix - dwarfs shouldn't be capable of performing it and shouldn't trust it. But, I'm quite fond of Tolkien dwarfs who can make pretty amazing, beautiful magic items and sing magical songs. So, when I want a race that fills that gap but players are being autistic and don't want dwarfs to have magic, they usually won't bat an eyelid if they're gnomes instead.
>>48294497
>Am I the only person who likes Gnomes?
Not yet.
But once I finish the other 3d4 gnome fans, I'll find you...
>>48294947
Gnomes tend to be closer to legendary dwarves, who used magic all the damn time.
How does one give Gnomes magical powers and abilities that aren't really boring 'one X spell per day'?
Not quite the same, but I rolled all the short races into a race of magical, nature aligned homebodies who are very good at crafting, use their natural magic to make the mountains bloom, and live among but separate from humans. Individually I didn't think the short races had enough going for them to make them interesting, but when combined together I think the end result is a fairly novel race that still hits all the same beats and fills the same niches as its components
the Gnomes from Monster Hunter International are the best gnomes ever.
G-nome keepin it realz, reppin B-HAM like a true alabama gangsta.
>>48294497
Totally agree with you that there is a overstatuation of smalll races in typical fantasy settings.
I've mentioned this before, but I've always thought that Gnomes should be about the size as actual Garden Gnomes.
There are not many tiny races accessible to players besides, like, fairies, so I feel Gnomes would be a good fit.
Im fond of the way PF does gnomes and how they separate elves and dwarves from them. http://www.pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Gnome
A gnome is a short humanoid, one of the most bizarre and alien of the civilized races of Golarion. They tend to be around three feet in height and unnervingly slender, although slightly taller than halflings. Gnomes age as other mortals do (albeit more slowly than most, but not as slowly as elves), but they also begin to suffer from a condition known as bleaching when they lose passion and fail to experience new things.
Gnomes have long spindly fingers and large heads, which have a subtly different shape than those of other humanoids. Compared to their bodies, they have surprising toughness, as their bones are of a harder but lighter cast than those of humans. Their coloration, like their aging, is altered by experience. Their skin, hair, and eyes can run the complete gamut of colors that appear in nature, betraying their fey nature like no other characteristic. Many, though not all, have skin tones that match those of other humanoids who live in the region, often with tints of olive or gold. Their hair in particular is often vibrantly colored; expressing their recent history and experiences in reds, greens and more, as often (if not more so) than browns and blonds. They have very long expressive eyebrows above large, child-like eyes that can cause others to be more trusting and protective of gnomes. Some find these traits, along with the too-wide mouths and smiles, to be alien and frightening.
>>48301689
The First World, from which the gnomish race originally hails, is a land of wild imaginations and impossibility, where the Eldest of that plane have the power to reshape reality on a whim. Even though our own world has magic and other fantastical wonders, it is nevertheless based on a physical reality that is constant and unchanging. Because of their heritage, gnomes have difficulty coping with and accepting this reality, and must therefore constantly strive to innovate, dream, and take in new experiences. Those who fail to do so become bored and slowly accept our reality, succumbing to a condition only experienced by gnomes: the Bleaching. Those who suffer from this ailment slowly lose all color in their hair and skin, and eventually succumb to dementia or madness, and death. Those few who survive this ordeal become bleachlings. Because of their constant need for new experiences, gnomes are perceived by other races as being erratic, chaotic, daring, and innovative.
Most gnomes have numerous intimate relations during their lives, and long-term monogamy is exceedingly rare. Most gnome families are loosely associated, with gnome children being raised as much by the larger community as by their birth parents. Due to their need to fend of the Bleaching, most gnomes favor unusual hobbies and professions, and become attached to objects that "anchor" them to Golarion. These can take the form of friendships, stories, exotic outfits or perfumes, gadgets, or riddles.
>>48299602
I agree with tiny gnomes, anywhere from six inches to a foot. I always like to flavor my gnomes as having an intricate social structure dictated by hats, where an individual's career, personal distinction and success can be immediately determined by their headwear. Unique hats for each profession, with quality indicating affluence and adornments signifying any honors on them.
Gnump.
>>48294497
Yes
