Description:Gnomes are a diminutive, wiry race of tinkers who live underground. In the Second War, they built vehicles and gadgets for the Alliance — submarines and flying machines — to combat the Horde. They are great mechanics and inventors, and are renowned for their knowledge and eccentric natures. The gnomes had a city, Gnomeregan, built into Ironforge Mountain; but invading troggs destroyed it and slaughtered its citizens. Many survivors moved into Khaz Modan and now live with the Ironforge dwarves, and a few traveled with their dwarven friends to Kalimdor. The gnomes are still reeling from the destruction of their home city and are loath to leave the safety of the dwarven tunnels. Most gnomes on Kalimdor remain secluded in Bael Modan. Even after the decimation of their race and the destruction of their city, gnomes are an amiable and kindhearted lot. They make and keep friends easily; others ind disliking a gnome to be difficult. Gnomes are long-lived and take a fatherly approach to other races, particularly humans. Gnome society is loosely organized. Most live in Khaz Modan and mix freely with the dwarves, sending representatives to speak to the dwarven king on their behalf. Those few gnomes who traveled to Kalimdor live in a similar fashion in Bael Modan. Gnomes are gifted tinkers. They have a penchant for creating radical technology and innovative designs. They often work together with Ironforge dwarves, developing the blueprints and concepts from which the dwarf smiths draw their inspiration.
Appearance:Gnomes are small and slight. They somewhat resemble dwarves, but are shorter and not as stocky. They have large noses and ruddy skin. Their hair ranges from white to blond to brown to black. Their ears are large and rounded, and they are often seen with goggles, tool belts and other items related to their technological inclinations.
Region:Dun Morogh. Most gnomes still live in Khaz Modan in the dwarven kingdom, safe from the Scourge. Those who traveled to Kalimdor live in Bael Modan, and a few live in Theramore.
Affiliation:Alliance. Gnomes are great friends of the Ironforge dwarves and have fought and died alongside human soldiers. They are wary of the high elves, but so is everyone else, so they don’t feel too bad about that. They battled the Horde in the Second War and have a bit of a grudge against orcs, but gnomes are a kindly and forgiving lot and are willing to give the orcs a second chance. Gnomes and goblins have always been rivals — though whether this rivalry is friendly or brutal depends on the individuals involved. Gnomes have not been on Kalimdor long enough to form proper opinions about its denizens. Tauren and night elves both seem rather rustic for gnome sensibilities — but they can make friends with anyone.
Faith:Gnomes place their loyalty in themselves, in their friends and in their inventions. A few follow a loftier path and pay their respects to the Holy Light. Since the Ironforge dwarves’ recent discovery of their Titanic origins, the gnomes think that they too may be products of the Titans. This fact is very uncertain, however; if it is true, the gnomes as yet remain estranged from their ancestral powers.
Names:Gnome parents name their children at birth. Gnomes have family names that represent an honored ancestor’s achievements, but they only keep these names until some time in their 30s. At this point, gnome society expects them to have made their own achievements, and thus the gnome invents a new name that represents his own accomplishments. This name then takes the place of his family name.
• Male Names: Grobnick, Kazbo, Hagin, Snoonose.
• Female Names:Beggra, Nefti, Sorassa, Gamash.
• Family Names:Spinpistol, Airslicer, Bombtosser, Greatgear.
Gnome Racial Traits[]
• +2 Intellect, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength. Gnomes are clever, friendly and keen of wit, but their small size impairs their strength.
• Small: As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, and a –4 penalty on grapple checks. She must use smaller weapons than humans use, however, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters those of a Medium character.
• Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 racial bonus on all Craft checks. Gnomes are skilled artisans and dabble in many different sciences.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen checks. Gnomes have keen ears.
• +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. Gnomes are surprisingly capable of avoiding harm.
• Technological Feat: Gnomes begin play with one bonus feat chosen from the list of tinker bonus feats (see Table 6–1: Feats). The gnome hero must meet any prerequisites associated with that feat.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome.
• Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin and Thalassian. Gnomes know the languages of their friends and their goblin rivals.
• Favored Class: Tinker. A multiclass gnome’s tinker class does not count when determining whether she suffers an experience point penalty for multiclassing
(see Chapter Three: Classes, “Multiclass Characters,” XP for Multiclass Characters).