Actually, I like the idea of gnomes as being crazy inventors. The odd thing, I think, is that their favored race is bard. It doesn't make sense that a bard would be a crazy inventor...unless he was inventing crazy musical instruments.

Anyway, I'm playing a Chaotic Neutral gnome bard in a campaign right now. He's the party's face most of the time, and also seems to hold all the knowledge for the group. He also likes money.