Editing Gnome (section)

=Dungeons & Dragons=
Gnomes were latecomers to [[Dungeons & Dragons]], not appearing until 1978 in the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1e Player's Handbook - in comparison, the [[Elf]], [[Dwarf]], and [[Hobbit]] - sorry, '''[[Halfling]]''' had been there literally since the beginning, having first shown up in 1974's Men & Magic, the ''very first D&D booklet''.

Right from the start, there were troubles; gnomes had basically been introduced to try and replicate the Fighter/ Mage/Thief trinity in the "shortfolk" races, being the Wizard to the dwarven Fighter and the halfling Rogue. This, unfortunately, did not give them much of a backstory to draw from; D&D gnomes were portrayed as, essentially, a sort of dwarf-elf crossbreed; small, bearded men and homely women who, nonetheless, were playful, friendly, mischievous tricksters with a deep and abiding love of magic and practical jokes. Because, lacking anything better to do with them, they decided to throw them out as the obvious Comic Relief race.

Three editions came and went, and this lore stayed stable; from AD&D 1e to D&D 3e, gnomes were always the afterthought race, the joke race, the short and homely tricksters. Nobody could figure out what to do with them. Some settings toyed with this archetype in their own way - see Subraces - but for the most part, they remained the redhaired stepchildren of D&D.

Finally, by the early days of D&D [[4e]], the developers were sick of this. They decided to take gnomes out of the Player's Handbook and leave them there until they could come up with a decent backstory and "hook" for them, much like how [[halfling]]s went from being blatant [[hobbit]] ripoffs to nomadic hobbits to river & swamp-dwelling merchants & carnies. Gnomes ultimately made their triumphant return in the PHB2, and actually had an interesting backstory. 4e's gnomes had been denizens of the [[Feywild]] alongside the [[Eladrin]], but had spent generations as slaves under the cruel dictatorship of the [[Fomorian]]s, cursed fey giants with powerful magical abilities and mystic eyes. These gnomes worked hard, developing their skills with illusion magic and stealth, and ultimately managed to escape - for the most part.

To this day they haven't forgotten their time as slaves, and so their culture revolves around both celebrating their freedom and making almost paranoid efforts to protect themselves. They build elaborately hidden bunker-villages, supplementing artful mundane camouflage with powerful illusions and other magical mind-fuckery effects. They hate slavery with a deep and abiding fury and will do just about anything to avoid going back there. They even have specialist defenders, like the Nightcloaks ([[Paladin]]s armed with illusion magic who act as a combination of secret police and special commandos to eliminate threats before they can strike) and Phantasm Guards ([[Swordmage]]s wielding fear-inducing illusion spells to attack the body and the mind simultaneously). They are surprisingly badass little fuckers but without going completely [[GrimDark]], so you can still play a comedic gnome if you absolutely want to.

Naturally, in the face of a positive revamp like this, 5th edition promptly threw it all away and went back to their original lore as inconsequential goofy dwarf-lite elf-lite hybrids.

Even [[Pathfinder]] thought that gnomes kind of sucked in 3e, and came up with their own take on them. They decided to double-down on the association of gnomes with wacky, goofball PCs, and so added a dash of [[Kender]] to their racial mix. The gnomes of [[Golarion]] are former residents of the First World, Pathfinder's equivalent to the [[Feywild]], who wound up stranded in the [[Prime Material]] as a race. Deprived of the mystical vitality of their faerie land home, the gnomes are afflicted with a condition called the [[Bleaching]], which slowly sucks the color out of them both literally and metaphorically, until they wind up either dead or as a completely gray and eerily stoic parody of their former selves. Consequently, gnomes seek constant stimulation to thwart the Bleaching, constantly looking to experience the new and surrounding themselves with intense colors, tastes, scents and other sensation, essentially making them an entire race of non-evil [[Slaanesh]]i.

==Appearance==
The classic gnome appearance in D&D is essentially a [[dwarf]] with a dash of [[elf]]; a small, squat humanoid who usually is described as both fairly homely and seeming to age quickly, giving them wrinkly faces and pronounced beards & mustaches. Unlike dwarves, they have no cultural attachment to their beards, and indeed often shave them into goatees or similarly small, neatly kept affairs to keep them out of their way. In AD&D, gnomes are most known for their prodigious noses. The elfin aspect mostly shines through in long, pointy ears.

The [[Feywild]] Gnome of 4th edition abandons the dwarfish elements; instead, they look like scaled-down [[eladrin]] with wild, spiky hair. They're surprisingly attractive compared to the gnomes of past editions, or at least to AD&D's. 

The [[Golarion]] Gnome of [[Pathfinder]] looks deliberately like a chibi anime character: weirdly-sized facial features that invoke either their iconic D&D look (oversized ears and noses) or the classic anime look (seemingly too small mouth, near-absent nose and huge eyes are actually canonical to their lore) and a vast variety of different and peculiar skin, hair and eye colors. This is intended to help emphasize their [[fey]], alien natures when compared to dwarves and halflings, and in fairness it actually works pretty well.

==Subraces==
Rock Gnomes are the "mainstream" gnomes of D&D. These are the more dwarf-like gnomish race, though with a sense of playfulness and a love of practical joking that dwarves definitely lack. These are the intellectual and scholarly branch of the gnome family tree, making them naturally inclined towards arcane magic and practical sciences. By the time of 5th edition, they have been used to assimilate the "tinker gnome" archetype, mostly to provide an alternative to the [[Tinker Gnome|Tinkers & Thinkers]] of [[Dragonlance|Krynn]].

Forest Gnomes, as their name suggests, favor the wilderness and are especially close to the creatures of nature, making them the shyest of the gnome subraces. They can be considered the more elfin of the gnomes, if one directly looks at gnomes as being a blending (metaphorically or literally) between dwarf and elf. Because their niche more heavily overlaps with the elf's niche than the rock gnomes' niche does with the dwarf's, forest gnomes are generally the least remembered and respected of the gnomic races, although 5e promoting them to a corebook subrace may see their fortunes reversed.

[[Svirfneblin]]s are the obligatory [[Underdark]] branch of the gnome family tree. Most known for their obsession with gemstones and for being the one Underdark counterpart race who aren't evil. See their own page for more details.

Arcane Gnomes are a rock gnome subspecies introduced in [[Dragon Magazine]] #291. Basically, these are rock gnomes who have gone urbanized to truly focus on mastering arcane magic, losing the more "woodsy" benefits of their rock gnome kindred and instead developing stronger wizardly traits. Mostly this manifests as losing the "speak with animals" ability inherent to most gnomes and gaining some classic "wizard's apprentice" cantrips as spell-like abilities (Ghost Sound, Dancing Lights and Prestidigitation), plus the ability to always use magical devices.

River Gnomes hail from the same Dragon Magazine issue as Arcane Gnomes, and basically are to the rivers what forest gnomes are to the forests. They're mostly known for being really good swimmers.

Wavecrest Gnomes, who hail from the "Stormwrack" coastal/aquatic sourcebook for 3e, are the coastal equivalents to River Gnomes. They're good at swimming and natural sailors. Not a lot more to say about them than that.

Ice Gnomes are another "environmental sourcebook" subrace. Hailing from 3e's Frostfell, they are the gnomes who inhabit "frostfell" regions - taigas, tundras, high mountains, basically the really cold parts of the world. They're essentially a watered-down version of the [[Uldra]], a small dwarven/elfin-like fey creature that shares the same environment.

Skygnomes are a [[Mystara]]n relative of the rock gnome who truly embrace their racial proclivities for magic and science to become competent tinker gnomes. These guys are so adept with [[magitek]] that they built their own homeland, in the form of a flying city-state the size of a small country which they defend with an armada of magitek biplanes. Told you these guys were competent.

[[Tinker Gnome]]s are one of the most well-known - and [[skub]]by - gnomish subraces. Created by a divine curse leveled on failed human worshippers of [[Reorx]], the [[Dragonlance|Krynnish]] god of craftsmanship and invention, Tinker Gnomes are obsessed with '''SCIENCE!''' but cursed to be utterly incapable of ever applying it successfully due to their insistence on making all their machines as complex as possible. They were supposed to be a comic relief race - and as this is the same setting that gave us the [[kender]] for the same reasons, you can figure out that it didn't work so good. These gnomes are also known as "Minoi".

Thinker Gnomes are rare Tinker Gnomes who have managed to shake off the worst of Reorx's curse, allowing them to actually do their science properly. Unfortunately, outside of the little-studied continent of Taladas, they are a distinct minority in a race that has come to define its very culture around the deep side-effects of their racial curse. As such, they are known as "mad gnomes" by their cursed kinsfolk. They call themselves the Gnomoi.

[[Feywild]] Gnomes, as discussed above, are a race of diminutive [[eladrin]]-like fey who have been shaped extensively by a history of slavery under the thumb of the [[fomorian]]s. They are charming but paranoid people, ever protective of their personal liberty, and with a potent natural knack for illusions.

[[Golarion]] Gnomes are, like [[Feywild]] Gnomes, a species of [[fey]] creature. Lacking access to the vibrant energies of their [[Plane of Faerie|faerieland]] home forces them to seek constant emotional and mental stimulation, lest they be literally killed by apathy. [[Bleachling]]s are a subrace of this subrace; older gnomes who have succumbed to the [[Bleaching]], but somehow survived the final stages, gaining enhanced longevity, greater mental stability and an affinity for the magic of nature. The two races don't get on; gnomes find bleachlings creepy on the level of being walking corpses, whilst bleachlings look down on their "immature" counterparts.

==Religion==
Gnomes in D&D worship a small and tightly focused pantheon; emphasizing just how unimportant they are, whereas [[Moradin]] and [[Corellon]] have found audiences beyond the gnomish, the gnome gods have been pretty much forgotten by all but greybeards. They did receive a large update in 5th edition's Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. According to ''[[Demihuman Deities]]'', they are collectively known as ''The Lords of the Golden Hills'', rather than having a snazzy one-word pantheon name like the [[Seldarine]] and the [[Morndinsamman]].

'''[[Baervan Wildwanderer]]''' (BAY-urh-van) gnome deity of forests, travel, and nature. Baervan lives in the gnomish realm of the ''Golden Hills'' on the plane of [[Bytopia]]. Baervan's clerics wear wood-brown clothes and green caps.  His sacred animal is the raccoon. Baervan's holy days are on the full moon, and he is worshipped in forest clearings. Treasured items are sacrificed to him monthly. He was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Gnomish Point of View," in ''Dragon'' #61 (TSR, 1982). Is reimagined as a goddess in 5th edition.

'''[[Baravar Cloakshadow]]''' (BARE-uh-vahr CLOKE-sha-doh) is the gnomish deity of illusions, protection, and deception. He creates traps and illusions of stunning complexity and cunning. He is somewhat mean-spirited compared to most of the other gnomish gods, and his pranks may cause even his friends real pain, at least emotionally. He genuinely hates the [[kobold]], [[goblinoid]], and [[orc]]ish races, believing they cannot be expected to reform. His symbol is a cloak and dagger. Baravar Cloakshadow was first detailed in the book ''Monster Mythology'' (1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in ''On Hallowed Ground'' (1996). Is reimagined as a goddess in 5th edition.

'''[[Callarduran Smoothhands]]''' is the gnomish [[god]] of the earth and the [[patron deity]] of the [[svirfneblin]] (deep gnomes), as he is not very popular among other gnome subraces. Unlike other gods of the [[Underdark]], he is not an outcast. He voluntarily led his people to the depths as a means of encouraging diversity among the gnomes. Callarduran Smoothhands is a [[True Neutral]] [[Intermediate Power]]. His symbol is a golden ring with a ruby star on it. Callarduran Smoothhands was first detailed in the book ''Monster Mythology'' (1992), including details about his priesthood.

'''[[Flandal Steelskin]]''' is the gnome deity of mining, smithing, and fitness. His symbol is a flaming hammer. He appears as a balding, aging gnome with skin the color of blue mithral steel, eyes like flaming coals, and hair of brilliant blue-silver. He wears a leather apron over the rest of his clothes, and carries ''Rhondang'', an intelligent axe-backed hammer made of yellowish metal.  He is the strongest of the gnomish pantheon and is able to sniff out veins of any ore with his prodigious nose. As such, he is the patron of gnomish warriors, miners and metalworkers. Flandal Steelskin was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Gnomish Point of View," in ''Dragon]' #61.

'''[[Gaerdal Ironhand]]''' is the gnome deity of protection, vigilance, and combat. Gaerdal Ironhand was first detailed in the book ''[[Monster Mythology]]'' (1992), including details about his priesthood. Gaerdal lives in ''Stronghaven'' in the gnomish realm of the ''Golden Hills'' on the plane of [[Bytopia]]. Is reimagined as a goddess in 5th edition.

'''[[Garl Glittergold]]''' is the patron deity of gnomes. His symbol is a gold nugget. Garl carries an intelligent axe named ''Arumdina''. Garl Glittergold was created by James M. Ward for the ''[[Deities and Demigods]] Cyclopedia'' (1980).

'''[[Gelf Darkhearth]]''' is the gnomish deity of entropy and revenge. He was introduced in the ''[[Races of Stone]]'' supplement book. Gelf is Garl Glittergold's brother, and rarely have two brothers been more bitter rivals. Gelf, depicted as a gray-skinned [[dwarf]] with a black beard, takes obsessive delight in opposing everything his brother attempts. This compulsion puts Gelf in the tragic position of tearing down the gnome society he loves, just to thwart Garl Glittergold. Gelf isn't evil, but he feels compelled to destroy everything Garl holds dear. Gelf is an angry, sorrowful deity, and he attracts followers of similar temperament. The reason for Gelf's attitude and rivalry with Garl is not known, but it is possibly because they both covet the Gnomish goddess of love Sheyanna Flaxenstrand. Gelf's holy symbol is a black anvil that is split in two, set against a murky purple background. His favored weapon is the warhammer.

'''[[The Glutton]]''' is the gnomish deity of disaster and greed. He was introduced in the ''[[Races of Stone]]'' supplemental book. The Glutton is usually depicted as a massive, ravenous badger or wolverine. The Glutton figures prominently in the bedtime stories gnomes tell naughty children -- "Go to sleep or The Glutton will get you!" The Glutton is blamed whenever a burrow collapses or another misfortune befalls the gnomes. It is said that The Glutton was once a gnome who was cursed with a hideous form and a desire to consume the gnomes and all they hold dear (why is not known). His holy symbol is a gaping, fanged mouth surrounded by what looks like a golden band, and what appears to be a smear of pink blood behind it. His favored weapon is the heavy mace.

'''[[Nebelun]]''' was first detailed in the book ''Monster Mythology'' (1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in ''On Hallowed Ground'' (1996). Nebelun manifests as a spry old gnome with a black frock-coat and glasses. He carries a black leather bag containing many bizarre tools and items. His hat is a ''hat of disguise'', and his mace doubles as a ''wand of wonder''. He can appear and disappear seemingly randomly. Is reimagined as a goddess in 5th edition.

'''[[Rill Cleverthrush]]''', the lawful neutral god of invention, creation, and the sky. He is portrayed as an elderly, bespeckled gnome carrying a staggeringly complex ruby said to have a facet for every living gnome. His domains are Air, Knowledge, Magic, Travel, and his favored weapon is the longsword. His holy text is a set of natural laws and instructions for living called ''Rill's Instructions to the Faithful''. He appeared in ''[[Races of Stone]]''.

'''[[Segojan Earthcaller]]''' is the gnome deity of earth and nature. Unlike [[Baervan Wildwanderer]], who is a god of the plants and forests of the surface world, Segojan's area of concern is the deep earth and the life within it. He is said to have given the gnomes their ability to communicate with burrowing mammals. His symbol is a glowing gemstone; usually this is a finely cut gem of any type in which illusion spells have been cast to provide magical light. This can be any gem, but Segojan is associated strongly with diamonds. The god's own power makes these spells permanent as long as they are carried by his priests. His sacred animal is the badger. Segojan Earthcaller was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Gnomish Point of View," in 'Dragon'' #61.

'''[[Sheyanna Flaxenstrand]]''' is the gnome goddess of of love and passion, introduced in the ''[[Races of Stone]]'' supplemental book. She is said to appear as a delicate, blonde-haired gnomish maiden of the most incredible beauty. Though her heart is desired by both Garl Glittergold and Gelf Darkhearth, she does not reciprocate their desires, but instead focuses on promoting love, marriage and fertility amongst the gnomish races. Introduced in 3rd edition, she was the first and only gnomish goddess up until 5e chose to gender-bend several of the originally male pantheon.. Her domains are Chaos, Fire, Good and Healing, and the favored weapon of her followers is the heavy flail. Like most gnomish deities, she carries an intelligent magical item for company; a golden torch named ''Hearthlight'' that can spew a fountain of flames wherever she points it.

'''[[Urdlen]]''' is the gnome deity of greed and blood. Urdlen was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Gnomish Point of View," in ''Dragon'' #61 Urdlen is the enemy of the gnomish and [[halfling]] pantheons. The hero-deity [[Roykyn]] was formerly a priestess of the Crawler Below. Urdlen's realm is the ''Worm Realm'', located on the 399th layer of the [[Abyss]]. Urdlen is worshiped in underground caverns. Sacrifices of blood and jewels are made to it annually. Its holy day is the winter solstice.

==PC Stats==
For stats for the [[Svirfneblin]] and [[Tinker Gnome]] variants, see their respective pages.

===1e===
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::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 6/18, Dexterity 3/18, Constitution 8/18, Intelligence 7/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/18
:::Female Gnomes reduce their Maximum Strength value to 15.
::Ability Score Adjustments: None
::Class & Level Limitations: [[Cleric]] 7, [[Fighter]] 5 (6 if they have Str 18), [[Illusionist]] 5 (6 if Int and Dex are 17, 7 if Int and Dex are 18), [[Thief]] Unlimited, [[Assassin]] 8
::+1 racial bonus to saving throws vs. wands/staves/rods/spells per 3.5 points of Constitution.
::Infravision 60 feet
::80% chance to detect grade/slope in a passage.
::70% chance to detect unsafe walls, ceilings or floors.
::60% chance to determine approximate depth underground.
::50% chance to determine direction of travel underground.
::+1 racial bonus to attack rolls against [[kobold]]s and [[goblin]]s.
::-4 to Armor Class against [[gnoll]]s, [[bugbear]]s, [[ogre]]s, [[troll]]s, [[oni]], [[giant]]s and [[titan]]s.
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===2e===
;Rock Gnome
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::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 6/18, Dexterity 3/18, Constitution 8/18, Intelligence 7/19, Wisdom 3/17, Charisma 3/18
::Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom
::Infravision 60 feet
::Speak to Burrowing Animals
::Detect Underground Features: Sloping Passages (1-5 on a d6), Flawed Stonework (1-7 on a d10), approximate depth underground (1-4 on a d6) and approximate direction underground (1-3 on a d6).
::Gain a +1 bonus to save vs. spell for every 3.5 points of Constitution.
::+1 to melee attack rolls against [[kobold]]s and [[goblin]]s.
::-4 bonus to Armor Class against all [[Giant]] class creatures.
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;Forest Gnome
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::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum:  Strength 3/17, Dexterity 8/19, Constitution 8/18, Intelligence 3/17, Wisdom 6/18, Charisma 3/18
::Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom, -1 Strength, -1 Intelligence
::Speak to Forest Animals
::Pass Without Trace: Forest Gnomes leave no trace of their passage in any kind of wooded terrain.
::Gain a +1 bonus to save vs. spell for every 3.5 points of Constitution.
::Hide In Woods: A Forest Gnome inflicts a -4 penalty to its opponents' Surprise Rolls when in woodlands.
::-4 bonus to Armor CLass when fighting man-sized or larger creatures.
::+1 bonus to all attack & damage rolls when fighting [[orc]]s, [[lizardfolk]], [[troglodyte]]s or any creature they have directly observed damaging the woodlands.
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===3rd Edition===
;Common/Rock Gnome
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::+2 Constitution, -2 Strength
::Small
::Base Land Speed 20 feet
::Low-Light Vision
::Weapon Familiarity: Gnomish Hooked Hammer
::+2 racial bonus on saving throws vs. illusions.
::Illusion spells cast by a gnome increase their Saving DC by +1.
::+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against [[kobold]]s and [[goblinoid]]s.
::+4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against Giant type creatures.
::+2 racial bonus on Listen and Craft (Alchemy) checks.
::Spell-Like Abilities: Speak With Animals (Burrowing Animals only) 1/day. A gnome with Charisma 10+ can also cast Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound and Prestidigitation 1/day.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Bard]]
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Like all the PHB races that weren't [[Human]] and [[Dwarf]], Gnome is incredibly underwhelming in core.

Various other gnomish subraces popped up in other sources.

Gnomes in the [[Ravenloft]] 3e setting are unchanged, bar the fact they have an [[Outsider Rating]] of 2.

Races of Faerun reintroduced that old gnomish subrace, the '''Forest Gnome''', which makes the following tweaks to the standard gnome PC profile:

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::+4 racial bonus on Hide checks, increasing to +8 in forest settings.
::+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against [[kobold]]s, [[orc]]s, [[goblinoid]]s and [[scalykind|reptilian humanoids]].
::Bonus Spell-Like Abilities: Pass Without Trace and Speak With Animals, both At-Will, both Self Only, with caster level equaling a [[Druid]]] of the forest gnome's character level.
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +1
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Illusionist]]
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[[Dragon Magazine]] #291 introduced two new subraces; the '''Arcane Gnome''' and the '''River Gnome'''.

''Arcane Gnomes'' are a subspecies of gnome that has begun developing from gnomish [[wizard]] families dwelling in suburbanized areas, resulting in lessened aptitude for their traditional nature-based powers and increased aptitude for arcane magic. An Arcane Gnome PC makes the following tweaks to the gnome racial writeup:

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::Ability Score Modifiers become +2 Consitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength, -2 Wisdom.
::Use Magical Device is always a class skill.
::Lose the Speak With Animals spell-like ability.
::Changes [[Favored Class]] from [[Bard]] to [[Wizard]].
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''River Gnomes'' are akin to Forest Gnomes, but settling along the banks of rivers or in caves concealed behind waterfalls. They are share a similar reclusive attitude to forest gnomes, and are known for their swimming abilities and agility. River Gnomes tweak the gnome PC stats like so:

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::Speak With Animals works on river animals, not burrowing animals.
::Swim speed 20 feet, +8 racial bonus to Swim checks, can always Take 10 on a Swim check, can Run whilst swimming if they move in a straight line.
::Can hold breath for rounds equal to 4 times their Constitution score.
::+1 racial bonus to Initiative checks.
::Lose the Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound and Prestidigitation spell-like abilities.
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When it came to environmental variants, the gnomes got the short stick. Only Frostburn and Stormwrack introduced new subspecies, and the Frostburn subspecies was particularly lackluster - perhaps becase of the overlap with the [[Uldra]].

'''Ice Gnomes''' are frostfell gnomes who really don't differ much from their common rock gnome kindred outside those necessary cultural tweaks required to survive where they do. Ice Gnome PCs simply need to tweak their spell-like abilities; their Speak With Animals functions on arctic mammals only, whilst their bonus SLAs for high [[Charisma]] are Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation and Ray of Frost.

'''Wavecrest Gnomes''', in comparison, are coastal gnomes, who settle small islands and hidden lagoons, where they build villages of half-buried, round-topped  buildings along the coasts and shorelines. Wavecrest gnomes make the following PC tweaks:
::Racial bonus to attack rolls against [[kobold]]s and [[goblinoid]]s is replaced with a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against [[locathah]] and [[sahuagin]].
::Spell-like Abilities are changed: Speak With Animals only functions on sea birds, bonus SLAs for high [[Charisma]] are Dancing Lights, Know Direction and Prestigiditation.

Races of Stone finished the family tree with two new divergent races...

'''Chaos Gnomes''', also called '''Imago''' (plural and singular), are a gnomish subbreed infused with the raw essence of chaos, especially in the form of arcane magic and luck. They can perhaps be seen as a further mutation of the Arcane Gnome subrace, where generations of wizardly study have mutated them and resulted in a more potent and direct connection to the raw energies of magic. Whilst usually seen as slightly mad, they also possess their own intuitive form of brilliance. They are fascinated by probability, chance and randomness, love arcane magic, and have a great sense of humor, though rarely become tricksters or pranksters. They look much like most gnomes, but their eyes are brightly colored, changing between red, blue, green and violet depending on their mood. Their hair is similarly bright, ranging from vivid red to blond.

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::+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength
::Small
::Base Speed 20 feet
::Low-light Vision
::Weapon Familiarity: Gnome Hooked Hammers are Martial  Weapons for a chaos gnome.
::Spell Power: A chaos gnome's effective caster level is increased by +1 when casting a spell with the Chaos descriptor. This stacks with other spell power abilities.
::+4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against [[Giant]]-type monsters.
::+2 racial bonus to Listen checks.
::Luck of Chaos (Ex): Once per day, a chaos gnome can immediately declare a reroll of a roll they have made. This is done before the results are declared by the DM, and the second result must be taken, even if it changes success into failure.
::Immune to Confusion effects.
::Spell-like Abilities: Entropic Shield 1/day. A chaos gnome with Charisma 10+ can also cast Daze, Flare and Prestidigitation, 1/day each. For all SLAs, caster level is 1st, with save DC 10 + chaos gnome's Cha modifier + Spell level.
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +1
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerer]].
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'''Whisper Gnomes''' are a secretive, suspicious, and reclusive branch of the gnome family tree. Experts in stealth even by gnomish standards, these paranoid gnomes distrust all other races, including their rock gnome kindred, and are greeted with equal suspiciousness in turn. They stand slightly taller than most gnomes, and have drab colorations, with light gray to light green skin and pale blue or gray eyes.

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::+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength, -2 Charisma
::Small
::Base speed 30 feet
::Low-light Vision
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Weapon Familiarity: Gnome Hooked Hammers are Martial  Weapons for a whisper gnome.
::+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against [[kobold]]s and [[goblinoid]]s.
::+4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against [[Giant]]-type creatures.
::+4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
::+2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
::Spell Like Abilities: Silence 1/day (centered on whisper gnome). Whisper Gnomes with Charisma 10+ can also cast Ghost Sound, Mage Hand and Message 1/day each. All have a caster level of 1st and a Save DC of 10 + whisper gnome's Cha modifier + spell level.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Rogue]]
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It also introduced the one reasons to play a Gnome in 3E: The Gnome Illusionist substitution levels and Shadowcraft Mage. The Gnome Illusionist variant trades penalties with various schools of magic for earlier access to illusion spells (most importantly Silent Image as a cantrip). Shadowcraft Mage is a Gnome-only [[Prestige Class]] lets the user make ''all'' illusions they cast function as the Shadow X (Shadow Conjuration, Shadow Evocation ect.) line of spells, allowing them to cast any Sorcerer/Wizard spell from the Conjuration (creation), Conjuration (summoning) or Evocation school of lower level at the cost people may not believe it and be partially effected. The class also gets the ability to make Shadow X spells more real on a failed save. On its own this is merely a good class, but there's two (not necessarily mutually exclusive) ways to break it in two.

The first is to raise the spell level of an illusion spell without raising the spell slot it requires. Just combining any metamagic reducers with Heighten Spell is enough to break this to absurd levels. Arcane Discipline can make Miracle a Sorcerer/Wizard evocation spell. This means you can preform acts of god with a cantrip.

The second method is to combine various ways to increase the partial reality of shadow bases spells. If you combine enough of these you can reach in excess of 100% realness, with 140% being the record. This means you can do things like create 70 proof alcohol.

===4th Edition===
There are three distinct gnome races in 4th edition. This page covers the Feywild/Common Gnome (PHB2) - for the [[Tinker Gnome]] ([[Dragon Magazine]] #420) and the [[Svirfneblin]] (Dungeon Survival Handbook), see their own pages.

;Feywild Gnome
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::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma OR +2 Dexterity
::Size: Small
::Speed: 5 squares
::Vision: Low-Light
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Stealth
::Fey Origin: You are a Fey creature for effects that key off of origin.
::Master Trickster: You can cast the Ghost Sound cantrip 1/encounter as a minor action.
::Reactive Stealth: If you have any cover or concealment wen making an Initiative check, you can also make a Stealth check.
::Trickster's Cunning: +5 racial bonus to all saving throws against illusions.
::Racial Power - Fade Away: You can become Invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack as an Immediate Reaction to taking damage.
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===5th Edition===
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::Ability Score: +2 Intelligence.
::Typical Alignment: Any Good Alignment
::Size: Small. Between 3 and 4 feet tall, and clocking in at an average of 40 pounds.
::Speed: Base walking speed of 25 feet.
::Darkvision
::Gnome Cunning: Advantage on all mental (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) saving throws against magic.
::Languages: Common, Gnomish

;Forest Gnome
::Ability Score: +1 Dexterity
::Natural Illusionist: Free Minor Illusion Cantrip, with Intelligence as the modifier.
::Speak with Small Beasts: You can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts through sounds and gestures. Be prepared for your party to ask if you're having a stroke if you use this.

;Rock Gnome
::Ability Score: +1 Constitution
::Artificer's Lore: Double Proficiency bonus when making History checks related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices.
::Tinker: Proficiency with Tinker's Tools. Using the tools, you can spend an hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device. It ceases to function after 24 hours unless you spend 1 hour repairing it, or you use an action to dismantle it. At that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can only have three active at one time.
* Clockwork Toy: The toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person. When activated and placed on the ground, they toy moves five feet in a random direction. It makes noises appropriate to the creature it represents.
* Fire Starter: It's a lighter. Use requires an action.
* Music Box: When opened, the box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing upon reaching the songs end or when it's closed.
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===3rd Party Settings===
;[[World of Farland]]
In addition to the standard Rock and Forest Gnome subraces, which here are called ''Tunnel Gnomes'' and ''Sun Gnomes'', the gnomes of the [[World of Farland]] have three unique subraces.

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'''Crown Gnomes''' are the traditional leadership cast of the gnomish race, and reputed to have [[dwarf]] blood. They appear in both the Player's Guide and the historical "War of the Immortals" subsetting, with the following stats:
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Born Leader: You are Proficient in Persuasion and can cast the Friends cantrip using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability score.

'''Fairy Gnomes''' are the distant ancestors of the Sun Gnomes, and have presumably gone extinct in the modern era. They were noted for sometimes having minor animal features, such as tails or ears.
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Fairy Magic: After completing a long rest, select one Cantrip from the [[Bard]] spell list. You can use that Cantrip until you next complete a long rest, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability score.
::Forest Camouflage: You have Advantage on Stealth checks in forested terrain.

'''Snow Gnomes''' descend from gnomes driven from their homeland who fled to the arctic wasteland of Cadocia, where they have concealed themselves behind layers of protective illusions and basically adopted a "the whole world is out to get us!" mentality that has kept them in isolation for centuries.
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Inured to Cold: You have Resistance to Cold damage.
::Smooth Talker: You have Proficiency in the Bluff skill.
::Illusion-wise: You have Advantage on saving throws and checks relating to illusions.
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;[[Midgard]]
The Gnomes of Midgard are essentially the [[Nentir Vale]] gnomes, but turned up a couple of notches. The bulk of gnomekind lives in the Shadow World and serves the [[Shadow Fey]] - one of the minor power blocs of that plane is even a cabal of blue-haired gnome courtier-assassins... who are also cannibals, for some reason. In the material world, the bulk of gnomekind dwell in the Wormwood, divided between nine towns called the Niemheims, trying desperately to pretend that everything is okay. But it's not. Y'see, these gnomes used to serve a particularly powerful [[Archfey]]; the [[Hag|Ur-Hag]], [[Baba Yaga]]. But then they broke their covenant with her and so, desperate to avoid being skinned alive, they sold their collective souls to a powerful [[Archdevil]]. Now, to maintain this ''new'' contract that keeps them safe from Baba Yaga's wrath, the Niemheimer gnomes offer all manner of unholy sacrifices, including travelers and their own "surplus" kindred, to the Eleven Hells, whilst doing their best to both keep these blood-rites hidden from their neighbors and pretend that nothing wrong is going on here, no siree. Those who wish to leave the Wormwood must craft enchanted chapeaus called "Redcaps" that bear living vestiges of the Wormwood; so long as these miniature forest-hats remain alive, the gnome can safely wander where they please, but if it dies... well, they got a week to get back to the Wormwood before Baba Yaga pinpoints '''exactly''' where they are right now...

'''Niemheimer Gnomes''' are found in the Midgard Heroes Handbook and have these racial traits:
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Bewildering Bargainers: You have Advantage on Persuasion checks.
::Known in Hell: You have Proficiency in the Arcana skill and gain Infernal as a bonus language.

The Tome of Heroes added two more gnomish subraces. '''Shoal Gnomes''' are basically an adaptation of the Wavecrest Gnomes of 3e; green or brown haired and eyed gnomes with long, webbed fingers and toes and mottled patches or spots on their arms, legs, necks, foreheads and cheeks, shoal gnomes are naturally amphibious and can be found living in temperate to warm coastal waters, where they form close bonds with the local dolphins and sea turtles.
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Amphibious: You cans breathe air and water.
::Swimmer: You have a Swim speed of 25 feet.
::Aquatic Beast Affinity: You can communicate simple ideas to dolphins, sea turtles, and any animals that breathe water.

In contrast, '''Wyrd Gnomes''' are a rare mutant strain of gnome that arises spontaneously from the other gnomish races. Marked by always having a blue right eye and a green left eye, wyrd gnomes are natural precogs, with enhanced sensory perception abilities that can see them regarded as either blessed or freaks by their fellows. Whilst they often gather in small communities, especially because proximity to their own kind strengthens their collective powers, the ability doesn't always breed true, so pure wyrd-gnome communes tend to be extremely small and young.
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Natural Diviners: You have Guidance as a racial cantrip. From 3rd level, you can cast Identify as a racial spell 1/day, and from 5th level you can cast Augury as a racial spell 1/day. All of these spells use Wisdom as their spellcasting ability score.
::Prescience: When you finish a long rest, roll a d20 and note the result down. Before you take your next long rest, you can swap the result of any attack roll, saving throw or ability check you dislike of yourself or a creature within your line of sight with this result. If there are sufficient wyrd gnomes within a half-mile of you when you invoke Prescience, you can add +1 to the stored number, to a maximum of +5. This powerup triggers at 20 wyrd gnomes, and the result must be doubled for each subsequent point - 40 gnomes for +2, 80 gnomes for +3, 160 gnomes for +4 and 320 gnomes for +5.

==Pathfinder==
[[File:Feychild PF2nd.png|300px|thumb|right|To a Gnome, being a Special Snowflake is a way of life]]
In ''[[Pathfinder]]'', gnomes gain the following over 3.5 gnomes

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::+2 Charisma
::+2 to Perception
::+2 to a craft or profession skill of their choice instead of just alchemy
::Weapon familiarity applies to any weapon with "Gnome" in the name. 
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Gnomes are still pretty lame in Pathfinder. Since [[Halflings]] also got a bonus to Charisma and penalty to Strength while gaining superior racial traits and options otherwise (including alternate racial traits), there's not much reason to be a Gnome. Unless you wanna whoop somebody's ass with a ladder. 

Lorewise Gnomes are descended from former inhabitants of the First World, essentially the god's beta test for creating the world before they implemented souls and the afterlife. The ancestors of modern gnomes were extraplanar travelers who realized their kids had souls and could go to the afterlife instead of respawning or ceasing to exist if they were off the First World. Subsequently, Gnomes have the trait of overall being curiously weird. Their eyes or hands may be just a little too big for their heads/bodies, or their smiles too wide. Their skin and hair colors range the full human spectrum, then goes off into blues, greens, pinks, purples, and more. Sometimes at the same time. 

Gnomes have one unique aspect: The [[Bleaching]]. If [[Golarion]] Gnomes get bored they lose all pigmentation and eventually die if they get bored enough. It's not really emphasized and not really enough to save them. Indeed it makes them worse in many ways since it disqualifies them from a lot of possible professions.

In Second Edition, they dove deeper into Gnome Types. In additon to the '''Feychildren'''(close relation to the First World), and '''Bleachlings'''(Surived the Bleaching), you also have the '''Fell Gnomes''', Who fall towards the Wicked Fairy and Creepy Child archetypes, '''Glimmer Gnomes''', who typically live near areas of great divine power and seem to have absorbed some of it themselves, and the '''Keenspark Gnomes''', who take the "Tinker Gnome" stereotype and expand it into other areas of research as well, from Philosophy to Wizardry. 

==Starfinder==

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::+2 Charisma (Feychild) OR +2 Intelligence ([[Bleachling]]) or +2 Dexterity ([[Driftborn]])
::+2 bonus against fear and despair
::Once-a-day free reroll if they get a 1 on a d20
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Well, the bleaching didn't kill them off but it certainly left its mark.  The gnomish species is now divided.  [[Bleachling]] gnomes are immune to the effects the bleaching (having succumbed and survived) and this immunity is a dominant gene that passes on.  However they are a race apart both in appearance and temperament, lacking the pigmentation and manic enthusiasm of feychild gnomes who remain consumed by their desire for adventure and experiences to stave off the bleaching.  

But the advent of drift travel has brought a third form of gnome, the [[Driftborn]].  Driftborn gnomes do not appear to succumb to the bleaching, but their natural pigmentation has become iridescent from long exposure to the drift, and their bodies and senses have adapted to life in space.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Gnome ODD1.png|Original D&D
Gnome MCV1.jpg|2e. Definitely not a dwarf.
Gnome MM 2e 1.png|also 2e
Gnome MM 2e 2.png|"I shall call him... Mini-[[Old Man Henderson|Henderson]]."
gnome Domains of Dread.png|2e Ravenloft.
gnome illusionist Domains of Dread.png
Whisper Gnome.jpg|A Whisper Gnome from Races of Stone.
4e_Gnome_PHB2.jpg|4e's attempt to make gnomes look badass.
GlimmerGnome_PF2nd.png|Pathfinder 2e 
Gnomish Dire Weasel Cavalry.jpg|Being Small means you can ride animals that Medium-sized humanoids cannot, like [[Dire Animal|DIRE MINKS]].
Serpent Wench.jpg|The Serpent Wenches are a clan of half-fey female gnomes who wait tables at the [[World Serpent Inn]].
Ravenloft 3e Gnomes.png|The gnomes of [[Ravenloft]] took surprisingly well to the gothic elegance look.
Rawr Ima monster.jpg|He's a monster, rawr.
FellGnome PF2nd.png|Come play with me!
PF_Bleachling.png|No, this is not a black-and-white picture. 
Driftborn.png|To boldly go where no Gnome has gone before... lest I end up like the guy to the left. 
</gallery>