Gnome Classes in World of Warcraft 5e

Gnomes are intelligent and creative people who find discovering lost secrets and tinkering with magic to be a relaxing pastime. Their size may rule them out of some combat scenarios, but when they step away from their burrows the multiverse is their oyster. Gnomes are also well suited for many different classes, from spellcaster to storyteller and even the dreaded rogue.

Gnome Cunning is a powerful defense, especially against mind-affecting hazards. It can help a gnome wizard resist the effects of spells like psionics and telekinesis. It can also help them escape dangerous situations and even take down enemy casters.

However, there is a downside to this defense: it can make gnome wizards vulnerable to spells that target their mind. This could be a problem for a rogue who relies on spells like evasion or teleport, and it’s certainly something to consider if you want to play a gnome wizard who will be facing a lot of psionic threats.

Whether you choose a Rock, Forest, or Svirfneblin subrace, all of them give the gnome a distinct flavor. The Forest Gnome provides a minor boost to Intelligence and a natural illusory cantrip, while the Svirfneblin’s Superior Darkvision and Stealth skill are useful in rocky environments. But both of these options don’t add anything that a gnome couldn’t get by taking the Bard subclass, where Minor Illusion is already available and they gain a +1 on their Intelligence score.

While the gnome race has always had trouble being differentiated thematically from halflings, 5th edition has done a good job of giving them some unique traits. The elf subrace is still a better choice for martial characters, but if you’re looking to play a gnome wizard and don’t want to be slowed down by the extra movement costs of Small or Large, then the gnomish options are more than sufficient.

The gnome has never been an incredibly versatile race, but it can still serve as a strong base class for a variety of different builds. With a little tweaking, you can use the gnome to suit your own personal tastes and the needs of the campaign.