Gnome Wizards in 2nd Ed AD&D??! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Gnome Wizards in 2nd Ed AD&D??!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
rosisha
Aug 23, 2003 9:08:26 I was going through my old Tales of the Lance stuff, and in the character creation section of the World Book of Ansalon, I noticed that Gnomes are listed as being able to be Illusionists with a max rank of 15. Now I was under the assumption that Gnomes couldn't be magic users on Krynn! Was I wrong? I know in the new rules they can, but thats to fit the 3.5 Ed rules, what I want to know was if the original idea behind tinker gnomes was "No Magic."

See, I"m about to take a group into Dragonlance, and one of them is a Gnome Sorcerer. If Gnomes normally wouldn't have magic i'm going to make it so they don't, even under the new system, so that she will be an oddity, and one the WoHS will overlook. Any help would be appreciated!

Rosisha
#2
zombiegleemax
Aug 23, 2003 10:38:41 I'm not aware of any race being forbidden to any class.
I think that any race can be a wizard priest thief or nething else. Some of them are very rare but not impossible.
#3
cam_banks
Aug 23, 2003 10:49:28 In 1st edition Dragonlance Adventures, gnomes could only be one class - tinker. In fact, tinkers could only be played by one race - gnomes.

This contradicted the original modules, which had a gnome fighter named Theodenes (he appears in DL7 Dragons of Light) but it was decided that the novels presented them only in terms of their tinker natures, I imagine.

In 2nd edition, the Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix also listed them as being capable of taking only one class (the tinker) and rules were given under the gnome entry. Tales of the Lance was the first to change these rules, although gnomes of Taladas had already been freed up from the limitation. The gnome class allowances in TOTL more closely matched those of the core gnome from the Player's Handbook of 2nd edition AD&D.

In 3rd edition, with no race being barred from a class, the approach now is to make certain classes more appealing rather than block them off completely. Minotaurs make excellent fighters but poor bards, even though nothing says they can't try to be bards. However, the background to the various races does make note that certain requirements of prestige classes could prevent a race from taking it - so, in the case of gnomes, as most would never be allowed to take the Test of High Sorcery (or have no interest, it's better to say) the majority of gnome wizards are renegades. So long as they stay in Mt Nevermind, however, it's said the Conclave leaves them alone.

Cheers,
Cam
#4
Dragonhelm
Aug 23, 2003 11:23:07 This is why we pay Cam the big bucks. Thus far, he hasn't caught on that we're paying him in Confederate bills.

Er....

Originally posted by Cam Banks
However, the background to the various races does make note that certain requirements of prestige classes could prevent a race from taking it - so, in the case of gnomes, as most would never be allowed to take the Test of High Sorcery (or have no interest, it's better to say) the majority of gnome wizards are renegades. So long as they stay in Mt Nevermind, however, it's said the Conclave leaves them alone.

"No interest" would be more accurate. The DLCS mentions that no gnome has taken the Test of High Sorcery. This isn't to say that a player character gnome can't. In fact, it would be interesting if a gnome did take the Test, and left Mt. Nevermind. Some would say that this gnome is quite mad.

Gnome wizards are members of the Guild of Magical Sciences. As Cam says, so long as they stay in Mt. Nevermind, the Conclave leaves them alone. The problem comes when a gnome leaves Mt. Nevermind.
#5
rosisha
Aug 24, 2003 21:52:05 And here I had always thought they were never allowed to have been mages before! I thought I had found a typo in TOTL!

Thanks for all the info everyone! I guess I need to wait for the game books to arrive and refresh my mind. I have long since lost (i.e. packed away and can't remember which box) my DL campaign books. I have most of them, so i'll have to go dig up the little adventures and see what notes they have.

Is information on Taladas going to be included in the DLCS or Age of Mortals book? I'm getting both sometime soon so I'm just curious!

Rosisha

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rosisha Aug 23, 2003 9:08:26	I was going through my old Tales of the Lance stuff, and in the character creation section of the World Book of Ansalon, I noticed that Gnomes are listed as being able to be Illusionists with a max rank of 15. Now I was under the assumption that Gnomes couldn't be magic users on Krynn! Was I wrong? I know in the new rules they can, but thats to fit the 3.5 Ed rules, what I want to know was if the original idea behind tinker gnomes was "No Magic." See, I"m about to take a group into Dragonlance, and one of them is a Gnome Sorcerer. If Gnomes normally wouldn't have magic i'm going to make it so they don't, even under the new system, so that she will be an oddity, and one the WoHS will overlook. Any help would be appreciated! Rosisha
#2 zombiegleemax Aug 23, 2003 10:38:41	I'm not aware of any race being forbidden to any class. I think that any race can be a wizard priest thief or nething else. Some of them are very rare but not impossible.
#3 cam_banks Aug 23, 2003 10:49:28	In 1st edition Dragonlance Adventures, gnomes could only be one class - tinker. In fact, tinkers could only be played by one race - gnomes. This contradicted the original modules, which had a gnome fighter named Theodenes (he appears in DL7 Dragons of Light) but it was decided that the novels presented them only in terms of their tinker natures, I imagine. In 2nd edition, the Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix also listed them as being capable of taking only one class (the tinker) and rules were given under the gnome entry. Tales of the Lance was the first to change these rules, although gnomes of Taladas had already been freed up from the limitation. The gnome class allowances in TOTL more closely matched those of the core gnome from the Player's Handbook of 2nd edition AD&D. In 3rd edition, with no race being barred from a class, the approach now is to make certain classes more appealing rather than block them off completely. Minotaurs make excellent fighters but poor bards, even though nothing says they can't try to be bards. However, the background to the various races does make note that certain requirements of prestige classes could prevent a race from taking it - so, in the case of gnomes, as most would never be allowed to take the Test of High Sorcery (or have no interest, it's better to say) the majority of gnome wizards are renegades. So long as they stay in Mt Nevermind, however, it's said the Conclave leaves them alone. Cheers, Cam
#4 Dragonhelm Aug 23, 2003 11:23:07	This is why we pay Cam the big bucks. Thus far, he hasn't caught on that we're paying him in Confederate bills. Er.... Originally posted by Cam Banks However, the background to the various races does make note that certain requirements of prestige classes could prevent a race from taking it - so, in the case of gnomes, as most would never be allowed to take the Test of High Sorcery (or have no interest, it's better to say) the majority of gnome wizards are renegades. So long as they stay in Mt Nevermind, however, it's said the Conclave leaves them alone. "No interest" would be more accurate. The DLCS mentions that no gnome has taken the Test of High Sorcery. This isn't to say that a player character gnome can't. In fact, it would be interesting if a gnome did take the Test, and left Mt. Nevermind. Some would say that this gnome is quite mad. Gnome wizards are members of the Guild of Magical Sciences. As Cam says, so long as they stay in Mt. Nevermind, the Conclave leaves them alone. The problem comes when a gnome leaves Mt. Nevermind.
#5 rosisha Aug 24, 2003 21:52:05	And here I had always thought they were never allowed to have been mages before! I thought I had found a typo in TOTL! Thanks for all the info everyone! I guess I need to wait for the game books to arrive and refresh my mind. I have long since lost (i.e. packed away and can't remember which box) my DL campaign books. I have most of them, so i'll have to go dig up the little adventures and see what notes they have. Is information on Taladas going to be included in the DLCS or Age of Mortals book? I'm getting both sometime soon so I'm just curious! Rosisha