Gnome Height 5e

Gnomes are among the smallest of the common races, but they are surprisingly resilient and not as weak as many assume. They are also extremely intelligent, a trait that allows them to make up for their lack of physical strength by using magic and alchemy to gain an edge in battle.

While they do not get along particularly well with taller races (who tend to find their pranks malicious or senseless), gnomes can usually be found working with halflings, with whom they share a tradition of absurd and often silly humor. They are also close friends with elves and good fey.

The typical gnome is between 3 and 4 feet tall, and weighs 40 to 45 pounds. Gnomes have short, carefully trimmed beards and wear leather and earth tones. Their skin is tan to woody brown, and their hair can be any color or style. Gnome eyes can range from ice blue to brilliant cerulean.

Most gnomes are neutral, but some are lawful or chaotic. Those who are lawful usually work as sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, or investigators. Those who are chaotic are minstrels, tricksters, or wanderers. Gnomes have a natural ability to charm others, which they sometimes use to their advantage.

They have a base walking speed of 20 feet and have darkvision adapted to their underground lifestyle. They can see twice as far in darkness as they can in light conditions, and they can cast a dim light spell to illuminate their surroundings as they walk.

There are a few subraces that give gnomes additional abilities. Forest gnomes can speak with animals and small beasts, which makes them popular with rangers and druids. They also have a +1 to dexterity and the minor illusion cantrip as racial traits. They are also one of the few races that can use the Stealth skill without penalty.

Another option is to choose an autognome. These gnomes were built by their artificers in their own image, and can vary in style based on the creator. They could be all brass and clockwork, or they might be dieselpunk, steampunk, or even cyberpunk. They have the added benefit of resistance to poison and magical damage, making them great for characters who plan to do a lot of fighting against monsters much larger than themselves.

Finally, the dragonmark subrace gives gnomes a +1 to Intelligence and a +1 to Charisma. This is a bit odd, as granting a Charisma increase only further limits what classes a gnome can play, and adding an Intelligence boost doesn’t do a whole lot to help gnomes compete with the other smart races like wizards and warlocks. The only reason to choose this is if you want a more enigmatic and exotic-looking character. Otherwise, this subrace is a waste of points.