Gnome

A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes form their close-knit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: a crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion there, a yelp of surprise or triumph, and especially bursts of laughter. Gnomes take delight in life, enjoying every moment of invention, exploration, investigation, creation, and play.

## **Vibrant Expression**

A gnome’s energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnome’s insatiable interest in everything around.

A gnome’s personality is writ large in his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually made in modest earth tones, is elaborately decorated with embroidery, embossing, or gleaming jewels.

## **Delighted Dedication**

As far as gnomes are concerned, being alive is a wonderful thing, and they squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their three to five centuries of life. Humans might wonder about getting bored over the course of such a long life, and elves take plenty of time to savor the beauties of the world in their long years, but gnomes seem to worry that even with all that time, they can’t get in enough of the things they want to do and see.

Gnomes speak as if they can’t get the thoughts out of their heads fast enough. Even as they offer ideas and opinions on a range of subjects, they still manage to listen carefully to others, adding the appropriate exclamations of surprise and appreciation along the way.

Though gnomes love jokes of all kinds, particularly puns and pranks, they’re just as dedicated to the more serious tasks they undertake. Many gnomes are skilled engineers, alchemists, tinkers, and inventors. They’re willing to make mistakes and laugh at themselves in the process of perfecting what they do, taking bold (sometimes foolhardy) risks and dreaming large.

## **Bright Burrows**

Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural, living world on the surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden by both clever construction and simple illusions. Welcome visitors are quickly ushered into the bright, warm burrows. Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the burrows in the first place.

Gnomes who settle in feyborn cities are commonly gemcutters, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Some non-gnome families retain gnome tutors, ensuring that their pupils enjoy a mix of serious learning and delighted enjoyment. A gnome might tutor several generations of a single family over the course of his or her long life.

## **Gnome Names**

Gnomes love names, and most have half a dozen or so. A gnome’s mother, father, clan elder, aunts, and uncles each give the gnome a name, and various nicknames from just about everyone else might or might not stick over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with others who are “stuffy” about names, a gnome learns to use no more than three names: a personal name, a clan name, and a nickname, choosing the one in each category that’s the most fun to say.

Male Names: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, Brocc, Burgell, Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble, Glim, Jebeddo, Kellen, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar, Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Zook

Female Names: Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin, Donella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell, Ellywick, Lilli, Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla, Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Waywocket, Zanna

Clan Names: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Scheppen, Timbers, Turen

Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak, Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe, Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck

## **Seeing the World**

Curious and impulsive, gnomes might take up adventuring as a way to see the world or for the love of exploring. As lovers of gems and other fine items, some gnomes take to adventuring as a quick, if dangerous, path to wealth. Regardless of what spurs them to adventure, gnomes who adopt this way of life eke as much enjoyment out of it as they do out of any other activity they undertake, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions.

> **Always Appreciative.** It’s rare for a gnome to be hostile or malicious unless he or she has suffered a grievous injury. Gnomes know that most races don’t share their sense of humor, but they enjoy anyone’s company just as they enjoy everything else they set out to do.
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## Gnome Characteristics

*When creating a Gnome character, you can use the suggested ability score increases or, as detailed in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, you can instead increase one ability score of your choice by 1 and one different ability score of your choice by 2.*

*(Int +2)*

**Creature Type.** Fey/Humanoid

**Darkvision.** Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Gnome Cunning.** You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves against spells.

**Languages.** You can read, speak, and write Common and Gnomish.

## **Gnome Subraces**

Choose one of the subraces below or one from another source.

### **Gnome (Deep)**

*(Dex +1)*

Forest gnomes and rock gnomes are the gnomes most commonly encountered in the lands of the surface world. There is another subrace of gnomes rarely seen by any surface-dweller: deep gnomes, also known as svirfneblin. Guarded, and suspicious of outsiders, svirfneblin are cunning and taciturn, but can be just as kind-hearted, loyal, and compassionate as their surface cousins.

Deep gnomes have also been known to forge alliances with the other dark-dwelling feyborn, the drow and the duergar, to create cities and civilizations.

**Gift of the Svirfneblin.** Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the disguise self spell without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can cast Nondetection without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a Long Rest. Wis, Int or Cha is your Spellcasting Ability for these spells.

**Svirfneblin Camouflage.** You can give yourself advantage on a Stealth check a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

### **Gnome (Forest)**

*(Dex +1)*

As a forest gnome, you have a natural knack for illusion and inherent quickness and stealth. Forest gnomes are rare and secretive, they gather in hidden communities in sylvan forests, using illusions and trickery to conceal themselves from threats or to mask their escape should they be detected. Forest gnomes tend to be friendly with other good-spirited woodland folk, and they regard elves and good fey as their most important allies. These gnomes also befriend small forest animals and rely on them for information about threats that might prowl their lands.

**Natural Illusionist.** You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting modifier for it.

**Speak With Small Beasts.** Through sound and gestures, you may communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.

### **Gnome (Rock)**

*(Con +1)*

As a rock gnome, you have a natural inventiveness and hardiness beyond that of other gnomes. Rock gnomes are the ones most commonly found amongst the cities of the feyborn, using their natural inventiveness and tinkering to make a living making machines for their cities.

**Artificer's Lore.** Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magical, alchemical, or technological items, you can add twice your proficiency bonus instead of any other proficiency bonus that may apply.

**Tinkerer.** You have proficiency with artisan tools (tinker's tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time. When you create a device, choose one of the following options:

* **Clockwork Toy.** This toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, mouse, bird, dragon, or soldier. When placed on the ground, the toy moves 5 feet across the ground on each of your turns in a random direction. It makes noises as appropriate to the creature it represents.
* **Fire Starter.** The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.
* **Music Box.** When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing when it reaches the song's end or when it is closed.
	+ At your DM's discretion, you may make other objects with effects similar in power to these. The Prestidigitation cantrip is a good baseline for such effects.

### Warren Gnome

*(Cha +1)*

Warren gnomes are a sect of gnomes that dedicated themselves to historical record-keeping and archiving. Their belief is that a complete knowledge of all historical events is the only way to ensure a disaster like the Flame never happens again. Warren gnomes generally originate from one single settlement; an all-gnome city called Husanka that consists of a massive underground city of sprawling libraries and universities. In their study of divination magics, these gnomes have learned to instinctively cast certain spells.

**Gifted Scribe.** Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) or an Ability Check involving Calligrapher's Supplies, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the total ability check.

**Scribe's Insight.** You know the Message cantrip. You can also cast the Comprehend Languages spell with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast the Magic Mouth spell with it. Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a Long Rest. Intelligence is your Spellcasting Ability for these spells.

**Warren Spells.** If you have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Warren Spells table are added to the spell list of your Spellcasting class. *(1st level)* Comprehend Languages, Illusory Script, *(2nd level)* Animal Messenger, Silence, *(3rd level)* Sending, Tongues, *(4th level)* Arcane Eye, Divination, *(5th level)* Dream.