Gnomes aren't just a part of Dungeons & Dragons lore. They're also commonly found everywhere from children's fairy tales to suburban front lawns, part of a long history that's part of real-world myth and legend. When a Gnome joins an adventuring party in a Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, it's often as a DPS class with Rogue-like abilities, which means they're either a spellcaster or a martial class that relies on Dexterity.

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Despite all of that backstory, Gnomes remain stubbornly elusive. They have connections to the Feywild and possess innate talents when it comes to Trickery, intricate crafts, and shiny stones. Gnomes are always the life of the party, the best singers and gamers in the room, and despite being so popular there's a lot people don't know about them.

7 The Forgotten Folk

d&d art of characters in a library

This is one of the colloquial names given for the Gnomes in The Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Gnomes aren't "forgotten" as much as they are unseen, so greater powers often overlook them. Staying out of the way, whether it's minding your own business or hiding, are actually important facets of Gnome culture.

Young Gnomes tend to play games like Hide n' Seek, Capture the Flag, Hot and Cold, or any other game that involves some form of Stealth-related ability. It makes sense to watch these same children grow up to be master Assassins or Rangers.

6 Long Life, Brief Youth

d&d weird facts about elves

There's a lot of confusion regarding how long Gnomes live. It's easy to get them confused with similar races, like Halflings and Dwarves, who also live long and elusive lives. It also seems contradictory but Gnomes have a long life span, anywhere from 300 to 500 years, despite their aging process being the same as other mortal races that live for only a fraction of the time.

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The lifespan of a Gnome varies depending on what subrace they are, but they generally reach maturity at the age of forty, which is comparable to humans. They retain their vitality despite their wizened faces and white hair, which is another reason the exact lifespan of Gnomes is as tricky to pin down as they are.

5 Engineers And Spellcasters

D&D warlock

Gnomes are great at spellcasting, given that the race already has bonuses to Intelligence, but the race is also generally known for being adept engineers, designers, and tinkers. The Kineticist is one example of a class that's perfect for Gnomes, given the mix of alchemy and engineering that make up the class.

Features like this make the Gnome more versatile when it comes to building and gaming mechanics than other races. This also makes them ideal as a multi-class or dual-class character, since Intelligence is used by a variety of classes and is the stat that governs magical ability along with how well a character can utilize magical devices.

4 They Make Amazing Rogues & Bards

D&D Rogue With Two Daggers

Speaking of DPS classes, there's also a Dexterity and Charisma bonus awarded to Gnomes. Dexterity is the most important stat for a variety of melee classes, most notably Rogues, but Fighters and Rangers also have Dexterity-based builds. A Gnome can be an effective damage-dealer without ever casting a spell or using a scroll or alchemical mixture.

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Spontaneous casters like Warlocks and Sorcerers depend on Charisma for their abilities, and Gnomes are already a kind and beautiful folk that everyone likes. Gnomes also make excellent Bards, not only thanks to this heightened ability but also their natural talent for being the center of attention.

3 There Are Seven Gnome Subraces

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To be fair, there are only three that are part of the official D&D Player's Handbook. These are the Deep Gnomes, also known as the Svirfneblin, Forest Gnomes, and Rock Gnomes. The Rock Gnome is generally the default race, with the main sub-races being the other two. As for the other races, not all of them are playable, and their inclusion in a party is entirely up to the Dungeon Master. A common thread is that all have some connection to the Feywild.

The other four Gnome subraces are found outside of the official PH. The Tinker Gnomes, called the Minoi in their own homeland of Krynn, can be found in the Dragonlance corner of the D&D universe. The Chaos Gnomes and Whisper Gnomes inhabit the Races of Stone supplemental rulebook that was released for D&D 3.5.

Visit Frostfell in the module Eberon to find the aptly named Ice Gnomes. To find their hot-blooded kin, the Fire Gnomes dwell with their god, Flandel Steelskin, in a place called Bytopia, located on the Outer Planes. However, he's not the only Gnome god players encounter.

2 Garl Glittergold, The Primary Gnome Diety

D&D characters poring over books

There are several Gnome deities, and all of them have some connection to Trickery, rocks, or crafting in some form. Garl Glittergold himself is symbolized by gemstones or gold in any possible form and is a master of Trickery and weapons along with carved gems.

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Although the race seems too pragmatic to have gods, there are a total of eight depending on which Gnomes you're asking but Glittergold has a name for himself no matter what module, realm, or rulebook it is. His clerics are called Glitterbrights and they wear golden belts and helms as part of their regalia. How cool would it be to roll one of those?

1 The Big Fat Gnome Weddings

DnD concept art of various characters in a tavern

It's a minor bit of trivia, but it seems contradictory given how Gnomes tend to stay quietly out of everyone's way, so not a lot of people are aware of the fact that Gnomes love big, extravagant weddings. It's not even about love, which Gnomes believe in but don't necessarily connect with marriage.

A Gnome wedding can last a week, and that's just an average, with the better part of it being the reception. Should the union break up later, the couple will write it off as just another prank from a devious Gnomish diety, likely Garl himself.

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