RACE: GNOMES

Gnomes in our games are heavily influenced by two things: David the Gnome and the gnome artwork of Jakub Rozalski.

 GNOMES

 

(art by Pedro Krüger Garcia)
 

 

Gnomes get +1 to CON and +1 to WIS. (1)

Gnomes get +1 to Fortitude and Reflex saves. (1)

Gnomes are Small-sized. (2)

Gnomes get +2 to AC due to their size and quickness. (3)

Gnomes add their level as a bonus to all damage rolls. (4)

Gnomes have a +2 bonus to all climbing and jumping rolls. (5)

Gnomes can talk to wild animals. (6)

1. Gnomes are quick, tough, and wily. You have to be when everything is bigger than you and wants to eat you.

2. Most PC races are Medium or at least Medium enough that it doesn't rate any rules considerations. Gnomes are Small. In game terms that means they have half as many inventory slots as another character with the same Strength (so if the gnome has a STR of 16 she only has 8 slots). In practical terms gnomes have to use equipment that is sized for them, although I have never actually let this be a big problem at the table. Also a Small creature is supposed to get an AC bonus against Large-sized or bigger enemies but, uh, I always forget that.

3. Part of the reason I forget the Small-guy AC bonuses is because this one is baked in for gnomes.

4. This is why gnomes have survived living in a world where they have to worry about getting eaten by feral cats or badgers or owls. Because these little bastards are vicious.

5. I have tinkered with this one for a long time, I settled on a plain +2 for now.

6. Gnomes can speak the language of wild animals (like normal animals, not displacer beasts). This isn't "charm wild animals" or "tame wild animals" but it can help if that's what you're trying to do.