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oddbovine
2007-04-18, 04:17 PM
I'm working on a game world where gnomes are a race of sailors. I'd like to replace the +4 AC vs. giants and +1 to hit vs. goblins and orcs with a couple bonuses to sailing-type skills (Climb, Balance, Use Rope, and Profession (sailor) are the most obvious ones). What do you think would be a balanced trade?

Indon
2007-04-18, 04:28 PM
+2 to Disable Device, Disable Device always considered a class skill for gnomes.

What? You asked about Gnome sailors, right? Like they'd rely on something as feeble and unmechanical as wind, or currents, or oars.

Person_Man
2007-04-18, 04:33 PM
Check out Stormwrack. There are a bunch of rules on sea faring races. I don't have mine in front of me sadly, so I can't just tell you what they are.

Matthew
2007-04-18, 06:34 PM
Oh no, return of the Gnome Pirate Campaign?!

Roethke
2007-04-18, 07:17 PM
In the Midnight campaign setting, gnomes are freshwater river merchants. I forget the crunch, offhand.

As for what's balanced, it's definitely situational. If you're running a dungeon crawl, where there's no large bodies of water, any bonuses like that aren't going to be that useful.

Also, you'd be trading a useful combat skill (at least orcs & goblins are quite common, and giants aren't all that unheard of) for non-combat utility. That's a bit harder to balance. Depending on the type of campaign you're running that may be a fair trade, or it may not be.

But I think you're on the right track. Maybe a few bonus ranks in Swim? Automatic proficiency with a scimitar (aka cutlass)?

the_tick_rules
2007-04-18, 08:31 PM
ever read dragon lance, the gnomes had some whacky ships. i think they'd be so cute on their tiny ships hehe.

Lord Tataraus
2007-04-18, 08:38 PM
Well, Wavecreast Gnomes in Stormwrack get +1 attack vs. Locathah & Sahuagin instead. They also replace Ghost Sound with Know Direction, and Speak With Animals with sea birds.
But I hate Gnomes except for Tinker Gnomes (a.k.a. Dragonlance Gnomes)

Tellah
2007-04-18, 08:55 PM
The Wavecrest Gnomes in Stormwrack are a great fit for what you're doing here, and if you're going to be working with seafaring at all, it's a good purchase.

JadedDM
2007-04-18, 09:07 PM
In the name of the Gnome, I shall punish you!

C'mon, I wasn't the only one who thought that when I read the title, was I?

True story, though. I once had a gnomish pirate ship. It was led by Captain Gearbeard. Fun times, I tell you. Fun times.

Matthew
2007-04-18, 10:34 PM
I once used a ship full of Gnordic Gnome Viking types as an encounter...

Starsinger
2007-04-19, 12:24 AM
In the name of the Gnome, I shall punish you!

C'mon, I wasn't the only one who thought that when I read the title, was I?



No you weren't, I was even thinking the theme song in my head and making the words more gnome friendly.

As for sea-gnomes perhaps +4 AC and +1 to hit against aquatic creatures? Or +1 to hit when firing a cannon?

Tellah
2007-04-19, 12:27 AM
Casting spells by daylight
Building toys by moonlight
Never fighting due to small height
She is the one called Sailor Gnome!

I'm very sorry for that.

Duskwither
2007-04-19, 12:59 AM
Casting spells by daylight
Building toys by moonlight
Never fighting due to small height
She is the one called Sailor Gnome!

I'm very sorry for that.

Conditon: DOA.
CoD: Laughter.

Behold_the_Void
2007-04-19, 01:53 AM
Casting spells by daylight
Building toys by moonlight
Never fighting due to small height
She is the one called Sailor Gnome!

I'm very sorry for that.

I was in this thread because I felt compelled to make that reference. You, sir, have far outstripped anything that I would ever have done. I applaud you.

Anyway, I, too, suggest the Stormwrack Gnome, we have one in our own campaign right now and it works fairly well from what I can see (albeit I haven't seen a whole lot of it, but the crunch seems sound).

MellowMelon
2007-04-19, 02:50 PM
There was a seafaring Gnome variant in the UA. I don't remember any specifics though.

jameswilliamogle
2007-04-19, 03:34 PM
A gang of Pirate Svirfni(who the heck can spell that) would be pretty awesome: using illusion magic to change both the boat and their appearance, and their nondetection makes them difficult to scry on. Their main weapon: summon Earth Elementals on enemy ships, to either sink them or break the mainsail.

Likewise, I can envision swashbuckling Whisper Gnomes, pretty easily

edit: aquatic gnome, I think, is what you are thinking of. They're half-aquatic, and not exactly standard by any stretch: I'd avoid them, were I the OP.