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View Full Version : Gnomeling? Halflome?



yilduz
2009-05-19, 09:41 PM
Okay, so I was thinking how cool a half-halfling/half-gnome would be (3.5).

I figured these stats were fair, what do you guys think?

+1 Dex
+1 Con
-2 Str

size: small
speed: 20 ft

low-light vision
+1 to all saving throws
+2 listen checks
+1 to climb, move silently, jump, craft (alchemy)
+1 vs illusions
+1 DC to illusions spells
+2 Dodge bonus vs giant-type creatures
weapon familiarization (gnome weapons)
spell-like abilities (those that the gnome usually get)
halfling blood (like orc blood for half orcs)
gnome blood (like orc blood for half orcs)
favored class: rogue

I figure it's not bad because compared to the gnome, it actually has fewer abilities, and some of the bonuses are weaker. I basically watered down the gnome and added some halfling traits. I left +2 to listen alone, because both races have it already. I figured rogue is a better favored class because if you mix rogue and bard together, you're closer to a rogue anyway.

So... what do you think? Does it balance with the base races? What would you guys do differently?

RS14
2009-05-19, 09:56 PM
In general, it is bad to give odd numbered ability bonuses. This is because e.g. +1 bonus to dex is much more valuable to someone with 13 dex than someone with 12.

The abundant +1 modifiers are likely to get lost, and it has nothing really unique. It seems to be just a combination of gnome and halfling traits.

For example, it becomes more flavorful if you change the spells. How about Animal Messenger (burrowing animals only) in place of Speak with Animals, and for those with charisma scores of greater than 10, Lullaby, Mage Hand, and Open/Close. Those fit a sneaky Gnome better.

Devils_Advocate
2009-05-19, 10:09 PM
Yeah, you're not supposed to give odd racial ability modifiers. Look at the half-elf and half-orc in comparison to elves, orcs, and humans, for example.

Just go with +2 Dex -2 Str. It's not like the gnome's Con bonus has any real basis in the first place.

When you mix Rogue with Bard you get Beguiler. :smallwink:

I think that whisper gnomes are basically the bastard level-adjustment-deserving offspring of gnomes and halflings already, but they could probably use a balanced replacement. (That's not their official origin, but it would fit their stats, I mean.)

yilduz
2009-05-20, 07:39 AM
That makes a lot of sense, guys. Thanks. I'll think about it more at work and come up with something different. :smallwink: