Gnomes that might be tolerable.

[Toccata]

Well, here's my first swing at the SRD race nobody seems to like 
It took me a while to figure out what to give them instead of their Spell-like abilities, and how to make them not feel like half-hobbit, half-dwarf, half-kender, half-oompa-loompa walking mounds of pure obnoxiousness.

While (IMO) this version is still a bit on the uninspired side, it at least seems significantly better than the standard SRD version.

Gnome (near-human):<flavor text will go here>

Type: Small biped humanoid. You gain the standard bonus feat from your Specialty only if it is Adventurer, Collector, Entertainer, Financier, Investigator, Jack-of-all-Trades, Lore Keeper, Outdoorsman, Philosopher, Prodigy, Spy, or Vanguard.

• +4 to lowest of Intelligence or Wisdom, -2 Constitution
• Your base Speed is 20 ft.
• Choose 1 Skill. This is always a class skill for you. You may choose 1 additional skill to gain this benefit at Career Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20.
• You gain 1 additional Interest at Career Levels 0, 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18.
• Favored Classes: If you possess a higher level in any base class than your highest level in either the Explorer or Scientist classes, your starting action dice decrease by 2.

Suggestions? Constructive criticism?

I'm working on a handful of species feats that I'll post here as they reach presentable form and will probably whip up a Master Class at some point.

[Krensky]

Well, they come off feeling somewhat like a sane and moderately prudent Tinker gnome with a little wandering scholar and adventurer tossed in. Is that what you wanted?

[Agent 333]

Whats wrong with using Quick-Finger and/or Ghost-Eye Pech?

[Foghorn]

I was coming up with some similar ideas from your other post and like what you've got here. I was thinking of adding the fatal falls NPC quality to sort of touch base with their "original" roots as earth elementals. With the classic weakness of earth being air I thought that the gnomes didn't do so good after spending periods of time detached from their beloved ground and then being rudely reintroduced through the means of gravity.

Also, I'm just kind of glancing over it late at night, but does your Gnome only add up to 6 points? 'Cuz if that's true, with fatal falls and maybe some little retooling elsewhere, you could snag the Project Investment benefit that's in the wiki. Would help define them as inventors and tinkerers a little, I think.

[Morgenstern]

One possibility to achieve a little more legend-appropriate distinctiveness would be to make a 'gnome' talent that is tiny (1 point) and fey (.5). You could use that as a base for all kinds of small fey - brownies, gremlins, maybe sprites. Despite their size I wouldn't take the speed any lower than 20. THose little buggers are quick!

[Toccata]

I was coming up with some similar ideas from your other post and like what you've got here. I was thinking of adding the fatal falls NPC quality to sort of touch base with their "original" roots as earth elementals. With the classic weakness of earth being air I thought that the gnomes didn't do so good after spending periods of time detached from their beloved ground and then being rudely reintroduced through the means of gravity.

Also, I'm just kind of glancing over it late at night, but does your Gnome only add up to 6 points? 'Cuz if that's true, with fatal falls and maybe some little retooling elsewhere, you could snag the Project Investment benefit that's in the wiki. Would help define them as inventors and tinkerers a little, I think.

I think it's worth 7, but I kind of guessed that the default speed of a Small being is 20 feet, since speed of 30 feet was specified for halflings (who are small), but not for orcs (who are medium), and therefore -10 ft. speed wasn't worth additional points. Small is actually quite an advantage.

One possibility to achieve a little more legend-appropriate distinctiveness would be to make a 'gnome' talent that is tiny (1 point) and fey (.5). You could use that as a base for all kinds of small fey - brownies, gremlins, maybe sprites. Despite their size I wouldn't take the speed any lower than 20. THose little buggers are quick!

I did seriously consider going the tiny earth-themed fey approach, but part of what actually motivated to try making a gnome talent was that watching National Treasure: Book of Secrets made me want to try to run Eberron with Fantasycraft, since it is much better suited to the pulp/noir feel Eberron has than D&D, so I wanted something that I could use for the Zilargo gnomes.

I might try my hand at the David the Gnome sized earth-and-nature buggers, too.
Though if I did that, I'd probably end up giving them a Strength bonus and making them Nac Mac Feegle 

[Toccata]

Ok, we've got tiny gnomes 

Moss People
<Flavor Text>
Prerequisites: Career Level 1 only, Gnome
Benefit: Your size is decreased to Tiny and you gain the fey and extra stability NPC Qualities. Further, Scout becomes a favored class for you. Finally, you gain a +2 insight bonus with all skill and Knowledge checks made using Survival and your base threat range with Survival becomes 19-20.
Special: This feat may be used to meet the prerequisites of Advanced Skill feats that have "any 1 Basic Skill feat" as a prerequisite.

Moss Guardian
<Flavor Text>
Prerequisites: Carreer Level 3+, Moss People
Benefit: Your Basic Combat and Species feats count as Terrain feats when determining the effects of any ability, prerequisite, or requirement based on the number of Terrain feats you possess. Further, the lower of your Strength or Dexterity scores rises by 1. Finally, the skill benefits of your Moss People feat also apply to your Profession skill.

I don't know if the Moss People feat is quite right...if the size shift includes a decrease in speed, then I'll replace extra stability with a speed increase.

[Bill Whitmore]

Don't forget the Underpants Gnomes.

[TheAuldGrump]

Don't forget the Underpants Gnomes.

And Verruca Gnomes.

The Auld Grump

[Toccata]

Don't forget the Underpants Gnomes.

And Verruca Gnomes.

The Auld Grump

Which are famous for their world renowned salt mines 

[Agent 333]

Don't forget the Underpants Gnomes.

And Verruca Gnomes.

The Auld Grump

Which are famous for their world renowned salt mines 

Bah, everyone knows that they're all bad nuts.

[Mister Andersen]

The would be <i>Favoured Class:</i> Hacker.

[TheAuldGrump]

My view of Gnomes (or, in this case, Nomes) was forever shaped by L. Frank Baum. The Nome king was the closest that the Oz books ever came to a recurring villain - greedy, treacherous, cowardly, and with plans of world domination... in other words, a Mastermind.

The Auld Grump

[Aldus Vertten]

i just finished Feet Of Clay, of discworld. I'm sorry, but i need to post this...

Gnome
Type:Near-human
U little son of a ....!!! Argh!!!

• [0 pts]  +2 to Strength,  -4 Charisma
• [1]  Your Size is Tiny, but your Encumbrance, Wounds and Reach remain the same as a Medium Sized Creature
  
• [2]  You get the Unarmed proficency and Forte.
  
• [1 pt]  Your unarmed, melee and non-exotic hurled attacks possess the armor piercing (2) quality.
  
• [1]  You are always considered armed with a deadly weapon when making an Intimidate check or initiating a Stand Off.
  
• [2]  You gain a +1 bonus to checks to determine Surprise. This bonus increases by a further +1 at career level 4, 8, 12, 16 & 20.
  
• [1 pt]  You gain the Fearless I NPC quality.
  
• [0.5]  You gain the low-light vision NPC quality.
  
• [-0.5]  Forbidden from taking Guided, Handgun, Indirect Fire, Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun, Tactical, Vehicle Weapon.
  
• [-1]  Favored Classes: If you possess a higher level in any base class than your highest level in either the Intruder or Soldier classes, your starting action dice decrease by 2.
  

[NezMaster]

My view of Gnomes (or, in this case, Nomes) was forever shaped by L. Frank Baum. The Nome king was the closest that the Oz books ever came to a recurring villain - greedy, treacherous, cowardly, and with plans of world domination... in other words, a Mastermind.

The Auld Grump

Thanks. I've been thinking for awhile, "I'd really like to reerad the oz books I haven't read in 25 years, but I don't own the books anymore." and poof -- you lead me to the entire series.  I've already reread the first two books. I'm very happy now.