DCC Gnome Class

Last in my to-do list for recreating D&D classes or races as classes was the Gnome.

Now, the Gnome class in Crawl magazine is pretty close to the mark – it gets across the idea of a gnome, but it’s purposefully hampered to be not as dramatic as other DCC classes, only going to 5^th level.  I thought that if someone was going to play a gnome, let’s take it all the way to level 10 and make it worthy of a player’s time and effort.

The great thing is DCC classes all fulfill a unique need or niche – an elf is like a fighter/wizard, the halfling is the good luck charm (and dare I say, a bard substitute), so what role does a gnome fulfill?  The illusionist.

Rather than giving the gnome a specific spell list, I decided to keep it open, but give a bonus to illusion or enchantment spells – the DCC core book is a little thin in that regard, but this way the Gnome isn’t left with a spell selection that’s awful, and lets them still take workhorse spells like detect magic, dispel magic, magic missile, etc.  They’ll just lean more into illusion and enchantment magic if they can.  To do that, I added a Glamor bonus (much like the CrawlGnome Trick Die, but less random), and also allow the Gnome to use it for magic resistance and the ability to be a sneak.

I added some woodland abilities, such as being able to speak songbird, toad or burrowing animal, and of course the ability to hide or move silently works well in the forest.

Lastly, I wanted an option for a gnome to create semi-real illusions without breaking the game, going back to my awesome experiences back in AD&D with my Gnome Illusionist casting Phantasmal Force.  An illusory dagger that does 1d3 subdual damage?  Sure, that seems reasonable.  I created a ‘semi-spell’ much in the vein of a Cleric being able to Turn Unholy or Lay On Hands, with a simplified spell result table.  I’m very interested to hear if people think it’s reasonably powered.

It’s also important to make sure that players aren’t forced to play one class the same way over and over – the Gnome with a high Luck score could arguably take up some armor and weapons and be a formidable fighter with a little bit of magic on the side, or they could be a scout for the party, or a woodland tracker.  But I tried to make the options for playing this class as ‘Gnomey’ as possible.

UPDATE (2023-06-05): So our Road Crew got a Gnome up to 5th level, and hoo boy is he good -- maybe too good.  So I've updated the class.  He regularly topped out the Shadow Illusion trick, which only had results up to 20+, and the Glamor bonus being +1 per level was starting to get out of hand (+5 for Glamor, +5 for level, +2 for his Intelligence Bonus).  Also not letting the Gnome spellburn seemed like a bit of a let down, so I let them -- on a limited basis.  Let me know what you think).

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?  Fire them off to me at archadethered@gmail.com … thanks kindly! 
 

GNOME

Gnomes are distant cousins of the dwarves, but smaller and leaner.  While dwarves have delved into the rock for gems and gold, gnomes live in the hills and forests, and delve into magic, specifically the magic of illusion and enchantment.

     Gnomes are cheerful in demeanor, but tend to play tricks and use their sharp sense of humor, to those they like.  Gnomes wish nothing better for their friends to welcome them into their cozy hillside homes, their tunnels and burrows, and to be called kin to a gnome is the highest honor.

     Hit points: Gnomes gain 1d6 hit points each level.

     Slow: Due to their small size, gnomes have a base movement of 20’.

     Weapon training: Gnomes are not the best warriors, but are stalwart and brave in defending their burrows.  They are proficient in use of the club, dagger, dart, hammer (as club), pick (as club), sling, spear or staff. They occasionally don armor but it does hamper their ability to cast spells.

     Alignment: Gnomes tend not to be zealous in the struggle between law and chaos, preferring to dwell in nature and protect their hearth and home, so they tend to be Neutral in nature, but some excitable gnomes are known to follow the other alignments.

     Magic: Gnomes practice magic much like Wizards or Elves, but tend to pursue spells that use illusion or enchantment.  Gnomes determine their spells randomly like a wizard, plus also start with Cantrip, which does not count towards the total spells known.

     Gnomes’ innate mastery of magic allow them to cast more consistently than Wizards – they may may Spellburn, but only up to 1d6 points for any casting, and their spells are not affected by Mercurial Magic.

     Any spell that uses illusion or enchantment (Core Rulebook Examples = 1^st level: Cantrip, Charm Person, Sleep, Ventriloquism; 2^nd level: ESP, Invisibility, Magic Mouth, Mirror Image, Phantasm, Scare; 3^rd Level: Paralysis, 4^th Level: (none in core book), 5^th Leve: Mind Purge) are cast using the Gnome’s level, Intelligence modifier, as well as the Glamor bonus on the table below.

     Caster level: Caster level is a measurement of a gnome’s power in channeling a spell’s energy. A gnome’s caster level is his level as an elf. For example, a 2nd-level gnome has a caster level of 2.

     Glamor: Gnomes are tricky creatures, well versed in magic.  A gnome may add their Glamor bonus to any illusion or enchantment spell cast, any saving throw against a magical effect, or may use this bonus to attempt a skill check to Sneak Silently or Hide in Shadows.

    Shadow Illusion: A gnome may attempt a spell check (including their Glamor bonus), and if successful may create an illusion with some substance as follows below.

     Anyone interacting with an illusion is allowed a Will save against the caster check to disbelieve every round.  If the illusion is out of place (a burning forest in the city marketplace, for example) the subject is allowed a +4 to their roll.  If they fail, they believe it to be real, and are able tot touch it, but in fact it is not and cannot support weight or stop other objects from passing through it.  If they succeed, they are immune to the illusion and see it for what it is.

     1 – Failure, ability lost for the day, minor corruption
     2-11 – Failure, ability lost for the day
     12-13 – The gnome creates a simple illusory effect at a distance of up to 10’ per caster level, and up to 10’ in size, lasting up to 1d6 rounds as long as the gnome remains in range and concentrates.  Sample illusory effects include billowing smoke, a patch of brambles, a door, a dagger. Anyone failing their save might take a penalty to an action of -2 if appropriate.  Any that attempt to touch the illusion automatically know it isn’t real.
     14-17 – As 12-13, but the gnome creates a more complex illusory effect with tactile effect lasting up to 2d6 rounds as long as the gnome concentrates.  Those that fail their saving throw may take up to a -4 penalty or 1d3 subdual damage each round if the illusion calls for it.
     18-20 – As 14-17, but the gnome’s illusion can be slightly more complex (a campfire, a marching armored guard), and also can contain olfactory, thermal, and auditory elements (like a smoky haze, clinking armor, or a skunk’s musk), and lasts up to 3d6 rounds if the gnome concentrates.   Anyone who fails their save might take up to a -1d penalty or 1d4 subdual damage each round if the illusion calls for it.
     21-23 – As 18-20, but the gnome’s illusion can be larger and consist of multiple objects occupying up to a 50’ square area, and independently move (a grove of trees swaying in the breeze, a forest fire, or a herd of deer), radiating thermal effects such as cold or heat, and lasts up to 4d6 rounds if the gnome concentrates.  Anyone who fails their save might take up to -1d penalty or 1d6 subdual damage each round if the illusion calls for it.
     24-27 -- As 21-23, but the gnome’s illusion can occupy up to a 100’ square foot area, lasts for up to 1 turn, and the gnome no longer needs to stay in range or observe it.  If the gnome wishes to not concentrate to maintain the illusion, they must put a little life force into it to maintain an illusion this powerful, suffering 1d4 hit points damage to themselves.  Anyone who fails their save might take up to a -2d penalty or 1d8 subdual damage each round if the illusion calls for it.

     Night vision: Gnomes can see in the dark up to 60’.

     Languages: At first level, a gnome knows Common plus the gnome, elf and dwarf languages. A gnome knows one additional language per point of Int modifier.  Burrowing animal, toad, or songbird can be taken as language choices.

     Action Dice: A gnome’s action dice may be used for attacks and spell checks at any level.

     Luck: A gnome can often be hard to notice when it wishes.  A gnome may choose to add their Luck modifier to Armor Class.

Table G-1: Gnome

 

Level	Attack	Crit Die/Table	Action Dice	Glamor	Spells Known	Max Spell Level	Fort	Ref	Will	Title
1	+1	1d6/II	1d20	+1	2	1	+1	+1	+1	Sneak
2	+1	1d6/II	1d20	+1	3	1	+1	+1	+1	Trickster
3	+2	1d8/II	1d20	+2	4	2	+1	+2	+2	Glamorist
4	+2	1d8/II	1d20	+2	5	2	+2	+2	+2	Illusionist
5	+3	1d10/II	1d20+1d14	+3	6	3	+2	+3	+3	Dweomercrafter
6	+3	1d10/II	1d20+1d14	+3	7	3	+2	+4	+4	Burrower
7	+4	1d12/II	1d20+1d16	+4	8	4	+3	+4	+4	Woodswalker
8	+4	1d12/II	1d20+1d16	+4	9	4	+3	+5	+5	Valestrider
9	+5	1d14/II	1d20+1d20	+5	10	5	+3	+5	+5	Earthkeeper
10	+5	1d14/II	1d20+1d20	+5	11	5	+4	+6	+6	Warden

 Table G-2: Zero-level occupations for gnomes 

Occupation	Weapon	Trade Good
Gnome Gardener	Garden trowel (as dagger)	Bag of garden weeds
Gnome Entertainer	Black wand (as staff)	Shiny black top hat
Gnome Stroller	Walking stick (as staff)	Pants with large pockets containing small rocks, string
Gnome Hedgekeeper	Pruning shears (as dagger)	Satchel with herbs
Gnome Burrowfriend	Staff	Small domesticated weasel (or alternatively badger, mole, rat, or toad)