Gnome Druid Classes in World of Warcraft

A gnome druid is an interesting option for anyone looking to play a carefree animal lover. They live amongst nature, and can even turn into a tree when they cast Wild Shape. Gnomes have a long history of being expert gemcutters and miners, so it is no surprise that they would be interested in enhancing their magical abilities with gemstones as well. In addition, gnome druids are well-suited to the Lone Wolf archetype; they tend to be self-sufficient and shy away from people, but love the company of animals.

The most common gnome race-class combination is the powerful Artificer. The racial boost to Intelligence is incredibly useful for this class, and the idea of creating things with your hands fits the theme of an Artificer. However, this racial choice works with nearly any class that involves high Intelligence. Even classes that don’t rely on spellcasting, such as the Rogue or the Fighter, can benefit from the ability to improve their sneak attacks with Blur and Disguise Self.

Forest gnomes are probably the best suited for this role, as their racial traits fit well with a druid’s concept. Speak With Small Animals is an easy substitution for the druid’s own Natural Illusionist spell, and a +1 bonus on Hide checks makes them a good choice in wooded environments.

Deep gnomes are another interesting choice, since their svirfneblin magic allows them to supernaturally camouflage themselves, which can be helpful for a druid fighting in the underdark. The fact that they also have a +2 bonus to their Wisdom score doesn’t hurt either.

Gnome Cunning is a nice thematic option for this class, as it keeps your druid from being easily mind-controlled or banished by an enemy. It can also help you avoid getting caught in a trap, or protect yourself from an ally’s area of effect damage. The gnome’s innate Spellcasting is also a huge plus, since the druid’s spell list is limited to 1st-level spells.

The Rock Gnome’s racial features fit thematically, but their benefits are minimal. Tinker isn’t as essential for this class as it is for other classes, and the racial increase to Intelligence doesn’t make up for it. In addition, the Forest Gnome’s access to Minor Illusion is much more valuable than the Tinker’s bonuses to their ability scores.