Gnome Height

A humming of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes gather to form close-knit communities. It’s punctuated by the crunch of gears, a blast of steam from an inventive invention, or a yelp of joy or triumph.

Gnomes’ sense of humor is legendary, but they’re also skilled engineers and inventors willing to take a few bold (and sometimes foolhardy) risks in pursuit of their dreams. Their inquisitive nature leads them to ask countless questions—and find answers—about the world around them.

While gnomes tend to avoid classic societal structures, they rarely lack companionship and pursue their projects with a passion that borders on zealotry. They frequently carry several intricately involved projects with them in order to keep themselves occupied during rest periods.

They are a diminutive race, and they typically stand between 3 to 3 feet tall. Their skin colors vary from deep tans to earthy browns, with their exact hue somewhat dependent upon ethnic heritage. Their hair tends toward vibrant colors like fiery oranges, verdant greens, and deep reds. Their eyes often glitter blue or emerald green, though they can appear to be black or brown as well.

The gnome race is prone to mischief and may or may not be involved with pranks, depending on the individual and whether they find it humorous or not. They are often seen as sarcastic and dry, although they aren’t without their own brand of playful humor. They are not as stoic or ruthless as many other races and enjoy the company of those who appreciate their sense of humor.

In the past, gnomes have been listed as being about 4 feet tall. However, 3.5e and 5e declare that gnomes are actually small creatures, with a +1 size bonus to their AC, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, a -4 size penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Unlike many other races, gnomes don’t normally group themselves into clans and dynasties. Their clans are usually loosely knit groups of families and friends, with most members related to one another by blood or marriage. While some gnomes are attracted to the lifestyle of adventuring, most prefer to settle down into more permanent or semi-permanent homes within their lands.

Half gnomes blend in quite well among cosmopolitan people, but full gnomes are often hesitant to join an adventuring party—they feel that doing so represents a betrayal of their clan or a slap in the face to their skepticism and disdain for those who do not share their own unique viewpoints on life.

Deep gnomes are a distinct subrace of gnome that lives in the deepest corners of the Underdark. They resemble the surface gnomes of the Feywild in that they’re skilled at engineering and invention, but they’re not so jovial or playful as their brethren on the surface.