Rock Gnome

Rock gnomes are the most common type of gnomes in the region, and are usually just called gnomes, since they are the only sort that surface dwellers ever see. Equipped by nature with keen curiousity and a knack for mechanical workings, gnomes excel at intricate crafts such as gemcutting, toy making, and clockwork engineering. Gnomes adore animals, gems, and jokes, especially pranks. Gnomes stand 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall, with skin that ranges from dark tan to woody brown. Their hair is fair, and their eyes are often some shade of blue. Gnomes generally wear earth tones, but decorate their clothes intricately. Males favor carefully-trimmed beards. Gnomes live 350 to 500 years.

The features of the rock gnome subrace matches those of the gnome race.

Ability adjustment

+2 Constitution, -2 Strength.

Racial features

Size: Small. As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

Favored class: Bard. A multiclass gnome's bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an XP penalty for multiclassing.

• Low-light vision: A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination.
• Hardiness vs. Illusions: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
• Spell Affinity (Illusion): Add +1 to the difficulty class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects such as the spell focus feat.
• Battle Training vs. Goblinoids: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids (including goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears).
• Battle Training vs. Reptilians: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds.
• Battle Training vs. Giants: +4 dodge bonus to armor class against monsters of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls, and hill giants).
• Skill Affinity (Listen): +2 racial bonus on listen checks.
• Skill Affinity (Craft Alchemy): +2 racial bonus on craft alchemy checks.