Gnome campaign specific variant

[Lord_Asmodeus]

So for a Campaign world building/creation game, I've made Gnomes a bit different from standard. The Gnomes are a servant/ally race of Giants, and are supposed to be a bit more like Dwarves than standard Gnomes in some ways, and focus on abjuration instead of illusions. I didn't change a whole lot but I wanted to make sure they looked alright. I was also considering changing a few of their spell-like abilities to reflect their difference, but I'm unsure of what I'd change them to.


http://www.eva-widermann.de/i/105.jpg
+2 Constitution, –2 Strength.
Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
A gnome’s base land speed is 20 feet.
Low-light vision.
Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against abjurations.
Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against abjuration spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against all foes a size larger or more
+2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all creatures a size larger or more
+2 racial bonus on Listen checks.
+2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to creating weapons or armor (magical implements like wands and rods included)
Automatic Languages: Giant, Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Common, Undercommon, Orc, Elemental (Auran, Ignan, Terran, Aquan).
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). A gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
Favored Class: Wizard
Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral or Lawful evil

[ericgrau]

I think attack roll bonuses and AC get underestimated a lot. Even a +1. Compared to other PHB races these are a little too good as fighters. Or even as warlocks, ray wizards and so on. If your size is small then you are going to be smaller than most foes from level 1 to 20. Making this bonus only work against foes who are two or more sizes larger would make it far less common and then it wouldn't be so bad, while it sticks with the theme.

Most people don't think of trying it but ordinary PHB gnomes actually make decent melee for this reason. Your bonus to hit is unchanged, you only lose a couple points of damage which tends to be miniscule compared to what most builds put out, and the con and AC are nice.

Possible SLAs: Guidance, virtue, resistance, light, mending.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

I was also considering replacing that attack bonus with a starting feat, probably Combat Casting.