Gnome
Gnomes are small, nimble, and possessed of an intellect that borders on the terrifying. The most naturally gifted spellcasters of any race, they approach magic with the same insatiable curiosity they bring to everything — as a puzzle to be solved, a system to be mastered, and ultimately a tool to be wielded with precision. Their compact bodies belie their enormous mental capacity, and a Gnome Wizard or Enchanter at full power is a force to be reckoned with on any battlefield.
Speaking both Common and Gnomish, Gnomes are natural experimenters whose tinkering has led to some of Aethoril’s most remarkable discoveries — and a few of its most spectacular disasters. Their racial ability, Slippery, reflects their talent for wriggling out of impossible situations, letting them escape grapples and effects that would pin down less nimble minds. Their natural resistances to Electricity and Poison speak to a life spent in laboratories where accidents are expected.
Race Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Faction Alignment | Neutral |
| Languages | Common (100), Gnomish (100) |
| Racial Ability | Slippery |
| Resistances | Electricity +5, Poison +5 |
| Starting City | Night Harbor (during development) |
| Playable Classes | 9 — Cleric, Elementalist, Enchanter, Fighter, Necromancer, Paladin, Rogue, Spellblade, Wizard |
| Reputation Note | Gnomes are not well-liked outside Night Harbor. One orc kill raises standing to Uneasy in Evershade Weald, enough to trade. |
Starting Attributes
Base racial stats before any class is chosen:
| STR | STA | DEX | AGI | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
Starting stats by class (each class also adds a flat +10 stat-point bonus pool on top of these):
| Class | STR | STA | DEX | AGI | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleric | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 16 |
| Elementalist | 14 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 15 |
| Enchanter | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 19 |
| Fighter | 18 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Necromancer | 14 | 15 | 23 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 15 |
| Paladin | 16 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 15 |
| Rogue | 14 | 15 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Spellblade | 16 | 15 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 15 | 15 |
| Wizard | 17 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 15 |
Popular Class Picks
With the highest INT of any race that can take it into the arcane, Gnomes are a community favorite for pure casters. Wizard tops the list by a wide margin, followed by Enchanter and Necromancer — all three push Gnome INT well past 23 once class bonuses are applied, and all three lean into the race’s reputation as Aethoril’s most relentlessly clever tinkerers.
Concept Art
Official concept art via monstersandmemories.com.