I have never played a gnome before and don't know much about them. In need of some inspiration or any knowledge that might help. I will be playing a forest gnome druid. Not sure about my background, but was thinking of using the Shaar as my place of origin. Any ideas or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
The Gnome stereotype is the inverse Hobbit. As a stereotype, this is a broad (and unfair) generalization.
While Halflings (and Hobbits) like to stay home and don't readily trust outsiders, Gnomes are very outgoing and adventurous and friendly. A Gnome Druid might be an oddity in Gnomish society as they excel in the manufactured over the natural, but it is my opinion that Gnomes would find such a person more fascinating than weird in their society.
Again: Generalization. Each Gnome society is its own. Each family is its own. Each Gnome is an individual. No blanket statement will hold true. For that reason, go nuts and build a background you prefer.
The background could have nothing to do with so-called "traditional" Gnomes - a society that went a different way than what most people expect of Gnomes. Maybe their "science" in that Gnomish town is more about natural balances than discovery and a Druid is practically the expected norm - and maybe unlike what most know of Gnomes - it's more than expected but practically demanded, and there could be a Druid that's a great Druid in the society's proud Druidic tradition, but that Gnome never wanted to be a Druid.
Don't feel pressured to go with something well-established. An isolated group of Gnomes might be completely the opposite of the more common ones and know nothing of them.
...or you could dig up Gnome lore and build on that. The possibilities are endless. Go with what you want.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
Ever read the Monster Hunter series? (Conservative author, good writing, but clear biases).
They have multiple encounters with gnomes that are portrayed as stereotypical ghetto gangsters that think the 'fair' odds are multiple gnomes per human. Really good at hiding/spying, but with a chip on their soldier who won't back down to larger races. Of course, in that book they are garden gnome sized, aka Tiny, not Small.
I haven't read them but I will definitely take a look! Also that sounds like a good place to start, I do see them as being a race that is more confident and playful. Thanks for the advice!
Thanks EricHVela! Yeah I have been considering a location for their tribe that is a bit out of the ordinary, so making them a bit different might be the way to go! Lots to think about, but I greatly appreciate your tips!
I have never played a gnome before and don't know much about them. In need of some inspiration or any knowledge that might help. I will be playing a forest gnome druid. Not sure about my background, but was thinking of using the Shaar as my place of origin. Any ideas or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
The Gnome stereotype is the inverse Hobbit. As a stereotype, this is a broad (and unfair) generalization.
While Halflings (and Hobbits) like to stay home and don't readily trust outsiders, Gnomes are very outgoing and adventurous and friendly. A Gnome Druid might be an oddity in Gnomish society as they excel in the manufactured over the natural, but it is my opinion that Gnomes would find such a person more fascinating than weird in their society.
Again: Generalization. Each Gnome society is its own. Each family is its own. Each Gnome is an individual. No blanket statement will hold true. For that reason, go nuts and build a background you prefer.
The background could have nothing to do with so-called "traditional" Gnomes - a society that went a different way than what most people expect of Gnomes. Maybe their "science" in that Gnomish town is more about natural balances than discovery and a Druid is practically the expected norm - and maybe unlike what most know of Gnomes - it's more than expected but practically demanded, and there could be a Druid that's a great Druid in the society's proud Druidic tradition, but that Gnome never wanted to be a Druid.
Don't feel pressured to go with something well-established. An isolated group of Gnomes might be completely the opposite of the more common ones and know nothing of them.
...or you could dig up Gnome lore and build on that. The possibilities are endless. Go with what you want.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I like non-standard stereotypes.
Ever read the Monster Hunter series? (Conservative author, good writing, but clear biases).
They have multiple encounters with gnomes that are portrayed as stereotypical ghetto gangsters that think the 'fair' odds are multiple gnomes per human. Really good at hiding/spying, but with a chip on their soldier who won't back down to larger races. Of course, in that book they are garden gnome sized, aka Tiny, not Small.
I haven't read them but I will definitely take a look! Also that sounds like a good place to start, I do see them as being a race that is more confident and playful. Thanks for the advice!
Thanks EricHVela! Yeah I have been considering a location for their tribe that is a bit out of the ordinary, so making them a bit different might be the way to go! Lots to think about, but I greatly appreciate your tips!