Branching off of the more classical fantasy races, gnomes in Dungeons and Dragons can be easily written off as being knock-off halflings or shrimpy elves. Few people give them much mind beyond that, as they’re even harder to find than halflings. But what is there to them, really? In this post I’ll provide exactly what that is, so you can bring your own gnomes to life. Because if you’re not killing it, you’re not playing it to the hilt.

To start, let’s clarify the niche that halflings and gnomes share: their subtlety. Halflings aren’t incapable of using magic by any means, but the effort require to learn such things is more than most halflings are willing to do. Gnomes, on the other hand, are innately magical. In particular, they have a love and knack for illusory magic. On top of being about the same size as halflings (just slightly taller), gnomes are good at hiding by various illusions they pick up. Gnomes might hide behind an illusory shrub or rock they’ve created while more experienced ones might simply become invisible altogether. This love of illusions becomes a sort of game among them to see who can make the most convincing images or the silliest or who can pull the best prank. You can convey this spirit by researching good-spirited pranks to pull on the rest of the party. When a friend isn’t looking during a meal, maybe you’ll reposition their plate and move their cutlery to a different spot. Not to a different side of the table, just from the left side to the right side to see if they notice. Replacing their shoe laces with pink, frilly ribbons is harmless and a bit more overt, but still fun. Just be especially careful not to go too far or overdo it with pranks. Never should your prank cause harm or involve anything even modestly important or expensive.

One thing that gnomes share with certain elves is a fondness for nature. Halflings do enjoy quaint country sides and hills, but gnomes are far more often found in thick, wooded areas. Often gnomes will adopt small creatures for pets: mice, rabbits, woodpeckers and similar creatures are common. This may be difficult to work with if you don’t have a specific mechanic to allow your gnomish character to have a pet, but something as inconsequential as a mouse shouldn’t be too troublesome to get a hold of. To that end, you might make a habit of bringing up “fun facts” about small woodland critters that nobody knows about. You can use true facts that you’ve learned online or you can totally make them up, so long as you seem like a “critter whisperer,” you’ve done just fine.

Another thing that gnomes have but don’t quite get enough credit for is their inventiveness and creativity. Gnomes are often very technically minded, though some are more inherently good at it than other gnomes, all of them enjoy the novelty of a clockwork device that whistles, moves, and flashes. One way to convey this is to frequently check a pocket watch, not so much to tell the time, but just to look at it working and listen to it tick. This is an easy physical prop to bring to the game that would go a long way to reinforcing your clockwork quirk. Likewise, learning some clockwork related jargon to use will also add a bit of flavor. A harmlessly fine idea indeed.

Gnomes bring a distinct sense to the table all their own, once you get to know them. Being quite separate from halflings and not as aloof and alien as elves, gnomes bring delight and whimsical wonder to those they adventure with as well as tricks to combat their enemies. Their illusions are honed, their pranks are (or should be) charming, and their latest wacky inventions carve out a niche all their own. So the next time you’re making a character, think back to these tips if you play a gnome. Because if you’re not killing it, you’re not playing it to the hilt.

-The Clark Side