GNOME

Most gnomes are wood brown, a few range to gray brown, of skin. Their hair is medium to pure white, and their eyes are gray-blue to bright blue. They wear leather and earth tones of cloth and like jewelry. 

Gnomes are most lively and full of humor -often on the black side or practical jokes. They enjoy eating and can drink as much as dwarves do. They are sly and furtive with those they do not know or trust, and even somewhat reserved with most bigger folk such as elves or humans. Gnomes love all sorts of precious stones, and they are masters of gem polishing and cutting. In most other respects they are not unlike dwarves, but they enjoy the open world of growing things almost as much as their mines and burrows. The average gnome will live for 600 years.

A gnome's preferred habitation is an area of rolling, rocky hills, well-wooded and uninhabited by humans. Similar to their larger cousins, dwarves, the social organization of gnomes is based on clans, and these groups are likewise neither exclusive nor hostile to each other, although there does exist a rivalry wherein each tries to outdo the other groups.

Due to their great hatred of kobolds and goblins, all gnomes gain a bonus of +1 on their dice rolls to hit these opponents. When gnomes are in melee with gnolls, bugbears, ogres, trolls, or giants their opponents must deduct 4 from their dice rolls to hit the gnomes because of their small size and their combat skill against these much bigger creatures.

All gnomes are highly resistant to magic and poison, so they make saving throws at 4 levels above their actual level. Gnomes can see in the dark (infravision), noting monsters at 60-ft. Because of their mining skills gnomes are excellent (50% to 80% likely) in detection of passages which slope upwards or downwards, unsafe walls, floors, and ceilings, and approximate depth and direction. 

It is rumored that there exist gnomes with magical abilities up to 4th level, but this has not been proved.

Besides their alignment and racial tongues, gnomes speak kobold, goblin, halflingish, dwarvish, and can speak with burrowing mammals as well.

A gnomish lair is sometimes based upon earthen burrows, although 75% of the time it will be made in rocky hill formations.

For every 40 gnomes encountered there will be a fighter of a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level (die roll 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6). If 160 or more gnomes are in a group there will be in addition one 5th level and one 3rd level fighter as chief and lieutenant of the band. If 200 or more are encountered they will have a gnomish cleric of 4th, 5th, or 6th level in addition to the others. If 320 or more gnomes are encountered there will be the following additional gnomes in the group: a 6th level fighter, two 5th level fighters, a 7th level cleric, and four 3rd level clerics. 

If encountered in their lair (home) there will be the following additional gnomes: from 2-8 fighters of 2nd or 3rd level, 1-4 clerics of 2nd level, and females and young equal to 50% and 25% respectively of the number of adult males.

Gnomes are typically armored with leather armor which is ringed or well studded with metal and shield (armor class 5). They have the following typical weaponing:

All gnomes above normal level will have chainmail and shield. Those above 5th level will have plate armor and shield. Higher level fighters will have a 10% chance per level of having magic armor and/or weapons. Gnomish clerics will likewise have a 10% chance per level for 1-3 additional items (potion, clerical scroll, ring, wand/staff/rod, misc. magic) usable by clerics.

Gnomes are 80% likely to have tamed animals to serve as guards in their lair: 5-30 badgers (70%) or 3-12 giant badgers (20%) or 2-8 wolverines (10%).

A svirfneblin is gnarled and very muscular. Skin colour is medium brown to brownish gray. Deep gnomes have grey eyes and tend to be bald.

Far beneath the surface of the earth dwell the svirfnebli - the deep gnomes - a race related to the gnomes of the bright world. Small parties of these demi-humans roam here and there in the underworld mazes of small passageways, always in search of gem minerals. Their realm is in a region unknown, but thought to consist of a closely-connected series of vast caverns in which thousands of these diminutive creatures labour for their king. Only males have ever been seen, and those only in very deep places beneath the ground.

Despite their metal armour and arms, these small and fast-moving creatures are able to move very quietly. 

They are 60% likely to be unseen by any observer, even a kuo-toan, as deep gnomes are able to 'freeze' in place for long periods without any hint of movement. 

They are surprised only 1 in 12 due to their keen hearing and smelling abilities. 

They are likely to surprise opponents 90% of the time.

Deep gnomes have infravision to 120-ft and can also see into the ultraviolet spectrum to a limited extent.

[...] All the svirfnebli have the following magical powers of illusionist nature: Each of these spell-like abilities can be used once per day by any deep gnome. 

— blindness, 

— blur, 

— change self.

All these creatures radiate non-detection identical to the spell of the same name.

Deep gnomes fight as fighters of the same level, but when hurling darts they add +2 to hit probability.

These gnomes are typically armed with a non-magical +1 dagger and a non-magical +1 pick (horseman's pick, for purposes of damage assessment).

Each individual also carries a pouch of special darts, 7-10 hand-hurled missiles of about nine inches in length, with a 40-ft range and which inflict 1-3 hit points of damage. 

When one of these darts strikes, it is constructed so as to compact and break a small glass bead containing a gas. Any creature struck on its front parts must save against Poison; if it fails, the puff of gas has reached the creature's system and the creature will be stunned on the next round and slowed for the four rounds following that. 

Deep gnomes above 3rd level also carry 3-6 darts which contain an acid which eats a three-inch hole in armour protection in 1 round, or inflicts an additional 2-8 hit points of damage on non-protected targets (such as armour with holes, ring mail, chain mail etc.) 

A svirfneblin can hurl two darts in a single melee round.

When being pursued by enemies, the svirfnebli will typically dash into a secret escape passage tunnelled to their size. Larger escape routes used by the deep gnomes will be filled with covered pit traps and rock deadfalls. 

A gnome leader is 75% likely to carry 3-12 small rock-like containers, and these will be strewn in the path of pursuing foes if no handy escape route is nearby. These crystals are crushed when stepped on by any creature weighing more than 100 pounds, and each releases a cloud of poison gas of about 10-ft diameter and 15-ft height. Any creature passing through such a gas cloud must save versus Poison or lose consciousness for 1-12 turns. The gas cloud dissipates in 2 rounds.

All deep gnomes are 20% magic resistant, gaining an extra 5% magic resistance for each level they attain above 3rd. 

No illusion, phantasm or hallucination is able to affect a svirfneblin's mind. 

Because of this and their high Wisdom, speed and agility, they make all saving throws at +3 except against poison when their bonus is +2.

The deep gnomes wear leathern jacks sewn with rings of mithral-steel alloy over fine chainmail shirts. They do not usually carry shields, as these devices would tend to hinder movement through the narrow corridors favoured by the svirfnebli. 

For every level above 3rd, a svirfneblin's armor class improves by 1 point - i.e. a 4th level deep gnome has AC 1, 5th level AC 0 and 6th level AC -1.

Note that a deep gnome of 6th level, if not an illusionist, is 50% likely to be able to summon an earth elemental. Elemental summoning can be attempted once per day by a deep gnome with the necessary power. The type of earth elemental which can be summoned is found on this table:

All males of the race are doughty fighters. For every four svirfnebli encountered, there will be an additional leader-type with hit dice 4 + 7. If more than twenty normal deep gnomes are encountered there will be an additional 6th level fighter (hit dice 6 + 9) — a burrow warden — with two 5th level assistants (hit dice 5 + 8). It is 25% probable that a 6th level deep gnome will have illusionist abilities of 5th, 6th or 7th level.

They have normal gnomish power with respect to determination of direction, distance beneath the surface, and detection of slopes and unsafe walls, ceilings or floors.

Deep gnomes will usually aid any non-enemy for a fee, and they will certainly help in fighting drow, kuo-toans or mind flayers, providing there is a reasonable chance of defeating these mortal enemies. They love gems and will take great risks in order to gain them.

Spell-like Abilities (CL 8)

At will—affect normal fires, scare*, shatter

* Target suffers a -2 penalty on the saving throw.

Shape Change. (major) A spriggan can shape change into a giant-sized version of gnome form. The spriggan's gear also changes size. See Spriggan Giant Form.

Thief Skills

• Pick Pockets: 75%

• Open Locks: 77%

• Find/Remove/Set Traps: 70%

• Move Silently: 77%

• Hide in Shadows: 64%

• Hear Noise: 35%

• Climb Walls: 81%

• Read Languages: 40%

Note. Spriggans cannot perform any thief abilities or use thief skills while in giant form. They also lose access to all spell-like abilities.

Giant-sized. Giant-sized humanoids possess the Large and Strong attributes as well as several benefits when fighting smaller creatures. 

• Stomp. [melee] They may stomp small opponents or kick man-sized opponents as a melee attack. This attack will do 2d6 damage. If the giant is making one melee attack, this stomp/kick can be used as part of a two-weapon fighting attack (with the standard adjustments for both attacks; No Dexterity score adjusts as follows: -2 penalty to the primary attack roll and a -4 penalty to the secondary attack roll). 

• Knock Down. (immediate) Any attack with a giant-sized melee weapon or natural weapon (including a stomp attack) that successfully strikes with a natural 18 or higher attack roll may knock a man-sized or smaller opponent flying up to 10 feet away. The target must make a Dexterity save vs. Breath or take 1d10 damage and be knocked prone, still within melee range (flying 1 foot per point of damage). Per the GM and depending upon weapon type, the target's shield or armor may be required to save vs. Crushing Blow.

• Strength Rating. A giant using a normal sized weapon or making Strength checks has a Legendary Strength rating equal to the indicated score.

• Crushing Blow. (immediate) A giant-sized creature that rolls a natural 20 on an attack with a giant-sized or natural weapon will cause attended items stuck to make a save vs. Crushing Blow or become broken or destroyed (save avoids). Typically, this is a shield, if readied or armor (or both if the shield misses it's save). Shields gain a bonus against crushing blows as indicated in the section on Item Saving Throws.

Poison Resistance. Giants are immune to poison (venom) delivered by smaller creatures or small weapons. This is due to a thick hide and size relative to dosage. If special circumstances exist, the GM will determine resistance effect (if any).

Rock Throwing. [missile] Giants can throw boulders as if launched by a siege engine. Damage is noted in the missile entry and maximum range is noted in the special attacks entry. Targets cannot be in melee with the giant throwing the boulder.

These ugly, dour cousins of gnomes are able to become giant-sized at will. In either size, spriggans look basically the same. They are ugly, thick-bodied humanoids, with pale or dull yellow skin, brown or black hair, and red eyes. On rare occasions a spriggan may have red hair, which they believe is a symbol of good luck. Their noses are large and bulbous, but not beyond the human norm. They are very fond of mustaches and bushy sideburns, but they never clean or comb them.

This same policy of uncleanliness extends to their bodies and any other possessions. Spriggans smell of dank earth, stale sweat, and grime. Outside of their lair they always wear armor and carry long weapons and even large stones in a litter, these may include polearms, heavy clubs, or spears. Spriggans never use shields. They like to carry several nasty little daggers concealed in various places in their armor. Spriggans never wear jewelry or other ornaments. They prefer to keep these things with their hoard, where they brood over them at odd moments.