gdritter repos dndbooks / master races / gnome.rst
master

Tree @master (Download .tar.gz)

gnome.rst @masterraw · history · blame

=====
Gnome
=====

A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where
gnomes form their closeknit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: a
crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion there, a yelp of surprise or
triumph, and especially bursts of laughter. Gnomes take delight in life,
enjoying every moment of invention, exploration, investigation, creation, and
play.

Vibrant Expression
------------------

A gnome’s energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or
her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45
pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles
(beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement.
Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if
expressing the gnome’s insatiable interest in everything around.

A gnome’s personality is writ large in his or her appearance. A male gnome’s
beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often
styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually
made in modest earth tones, is elaborately decorated with embroidery,
embossing, or gleaming jewels.

Delighted Dedication
--------------------

As far as gnomes are concerned, being alive is a wonderful thing, and they
squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their three to five centuries of life.
Humans might wonder about getting bored over the course of such along life,
and elves take plenty of time to savor the beauties of the world in their long
years, but gnomes seem to worry that even with all that time, they can’t get
in enough of the things they want to do and see.

Gnomes speak as if they can’t get the thoughts out of their heads fast enough.
Even as they offer ideas and opinion son a range of subjects, they still
manage to listen carefully to others, adding the appropriate exclamations of
surprise and appreciation along the way.

Though gnomes love jokes of all kinds, particularly puns and pranks, th ey’re
just as dedicated to the more serious tasks they undertake. Many gnomes are
skilled engineers, alchemists, tinkers, and inventors. They ’re willing to
make mistakes and laugh at themselves in the process of perfecting what they
do, taking bold
(sometimes foolhardy)
risks and dreaming large.


Bright Burrows
--------------

Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get
more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural, living world on the
surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden by both clever
construction and simple illusions. Welcome visitors are quickly ushered into
the bright, warm burrows. Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the
burrow sin the first place. Gnomes who settle inhuman lands are commonly gem
cutters, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Some human families retain gnome
tutors, ensuring that their pupils enjoy a mix of serious learning and
delighted enjoyment. A gnome might tutor several generations of a single human
family over the course of his or her long life.

Always Appreciative
-------------------

It’s rare fora gnome to be hostile or malicious unless he or she has suffered
a grievous injury. Gnomes know that most races don’t share their sense of
humor, but they enjoy anyone's company just as they enjoy everything else they
set out to do.


Gnome Names
-----------

Gnomes love names, and most have half a dozen or so. A gnome's mother, father,
clan elder, aunts, and uncles each give the gnome a name, and various
nicknames from just about everyone else might or might not stick overtime.
Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant
relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and
others who are “stuffy” about names, a gnome learns to use no more than three
names: a personal name, a clan name, and a nickname, choosing the one in each
category that’s the most fun to say.

**Male Names:**
Alston, Alvyn, B odd ynock, Brocc, Burgell, Dim ble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin,
Frug, Gerbo, Gimble, Glim, Jebeddo, K ellen, Nam foodle, Orryn, Roondar, See
bo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Zoo k

**Female Names:**
Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin, Donella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell,
Ellywick, Lilli, Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla, Roywyn,
Sham il, Tana, Waywocket, Zanna

**Clan Names:**
Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Schep pen,
Timbers, Turen

**Nicknames:**
A leslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak, Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku,
Nim, Oneshoe, Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck


Seeing the World
----------------

Curious and impulsive, gnomes might take up adventuring as away to seethe
world or for the love of exploring. As lovers of gem sand other fine items,
some gnomes take to adventuring as a quick, if dangerous, path to wealth.
Regardless of what spurs them to adventure, gnomes who adopt this way of life
eke as much enjoyment out of it as they do out of any other activity they
undertake, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions.



Gnome Traits
------------

Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other
gnomes.

**Ability Score Increase.**
Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

**Age.**
Gnomes mature at the same rate humans do, and most are expected to settle down
into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.

**Alignment.**
Gnomes are most often good. Those who tend toward law are sages, engineers,
researchers, scholars, investigators, or inventors. Those who tend toward
chaos are minstrels, tricksters, wanderers, or fanciful jewelers. Gnomes are
good-hearted, and even the tricksters among them are more playful than
vicious.

**Size.**
Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is
Small.

**Speed.**
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

**Darkvision.**
Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim
conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were
bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color
in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Gnome Cunning.**
You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws
against magic.

**Languages.**
You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which
uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its
catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.


Subraces
--------

Two subraces of gnomes are found among the worlds of D&D: forest gnomes and
rock gnomes. Choose one of these subraces.


Forest Gnome
^^^^^^^^^^^^

As a forest gnome, you have a natural knack for illusion and inherent
quickness and stealth. In the worlds of D&D, forest gnomes are rare and
secretive. They gather in hidden communities in sylvan forests, using
illusions and trickery to conceal themselves from threats or to mask their
escape should they be detected. Forest gnomes tend to be friendly with other
good-spirited woodland folk, and they regard elves and good fey as their most
important allies. These gnomes also befriend small forest animals and rely on
them for information about threats that might prowl their lands.

**Ability Score Increase.**
Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

**Natural Illusionist.**
You know the minor illusion cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability
for it.

**Speak with Small Beasts.**
Through sound sand gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or
smaller beasts. Forest gnomes love animals and often keep squirrels, badgers,
rabbits, moles, woodpeckers, and other creatures as beloved pets.


Rock Gnome
^^^^^^^^^^

As a rock gnome, you have a natural inventiveness and hardiness beyond that of
other gnomes. Most gnomes in the worlds of D&D are rock gnomes, including the
tinker gnomes of the Dragon lance setting.

**Ability Score Increase.**
Your Constitution score increases by 1.

**Artificer’s Lore.**
Whenever you make an Intelligence
(History)
check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices,
you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you
normally apply.

**Tinker.**
You have proficiency with artisan’s tools
(tinker’s tools).
Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to
construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function
after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device
functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you
can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such
devices active at a time. When you create a device, choose one of the
following options:

*Clockwork Toy.*
This toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, mouse,
bird, dragon, or soldier. When placed on the ground, the toy moves 5 feet
across the ground on each of your turns in a random direction. It makes noises
as appropriate to the creature it represents.

*Fire Starter.*
The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle,
torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.

*Music Box.*
When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box
stops playing when it reaches the song ’s end or when it is closed.


Deep Gnomes
-----------

A third subrace of gnomes,
the deep gnomes (or svirfneblin),
live in small communities scattered in the Underdark.
Unlike
the duergar and the drow,
svirfneblin areas good as their
surface cousins.
However,
their humor and enthusiasm
are dampened by their oppressive environment,
and their
inventive expertise is directed mostly toward stonework.