Gnome 5e: Traits, Forest and Rock Gnome Lineages and Best Builds (2024)
Gnomes in the 2024 rules are Small humanoids with a 30-foot speed and 60-foot Darkvision. Gnomish Cunning gives Advantage on every Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throw, the best mental defense of any species. Forest gnomes add Minor Illusion and free Speak with Animals; rock gnomes add Mending, Prestidigitation and tiny clockwork devices.
What traits does a gnome get in 5e?
Gnomes look like a comedy pick and play like a fortress. Their headline trait protects against the saves that actually end characters: being charmed, frightened, held, banished or possessed. Pair it with a lineage that gives free spells and you have one of the best species in the 2024 Player's Handbook. Need a gnome name with six middle names? The D&D name generator covers gnomes.
| Trait | 2024 rules (PHB 2024 / SRD 5.2) | 2014 rules (PHB 2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Creature type and size | Humanoid, Small (about 3 to 4 feet) | Humanoid, Small |
| Speed | 30 ft. | 25 ft. |
| Ability scores | From your background | +2 Intelligence, plus subrace bonus |
| Darkvision | 60 ft. | 60 ft. |
| Gnomish Cunning | Advantage on all Int, Wis and Cha saving throws | Advantage on Int, Wis and Cha saves against magic only |
| Lineage / subrace | Forest Gnome or Rock Gnome | Forest gnome (+1 Dex) or rock gnome (+1 Con) |
In 2024, languages come from character creation (Common plus two). The 2014 gnome knows Common and Gnomish.
How good is Gnomish Cunning?
Very good. Most of the scariest effects in the game call for a Wisdom, Charisma or Intelligence save, and many characters are proficient in only one of the three, or none. Some examples you will see:
- Wisdom: Hold Person, Fear, Dominate Person, a harpy's luring song.
- Charisma: Banishment, a ghost's possession.
- Intelligence: mind-blasting aberrations and some illusions and psychic attacks.
Here is what Advantage does to your odds. Say a level 5 gnome fighter with Wisdom 12 (+1) faces Hold Person at DC 15. You need a 14 on the d20, a 35% chance. With Advantage it becomes about 58%. The boost is largest around the middle of the die: a save that needs an 11 goes from 50% to 75%.
| d20 roll needed | Normal chance | With Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 65% | 87.75% |
| 11 | 50% | 75% |
| 14 | 35% | 57.75% |
| 17 | 20% | 36% |
The 2014 version only applied against magic, so tables argued about whether a monster's non-spell ability counted. The 2024 version covers every Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma save, no questions. Read saving throws in 5e for how saves work in general, and advantage and disadvantage for the full odds table.
What are the gnome lineages in 2024?
Pick Forest Gnome or Rock Gnome at level 1, and choose Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as the spellcasting ability for its spells (usually your class's casting ability).
| Lineage | Cantrips | Other benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Gnome | Minor Illusion | Speak with Animals always prepared; cast it without a slot a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus per Long Rest |
| Rock Gnome | Mending and Prestidigitation | Spend 10 minutes to build a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 HP) that reproduces one Prestidigitation effect; up to 3 at a time, each lasts 8 hours |
Forest gnome
Minor Illusion is one of the best utility cantrips in the game: a fake crate to hide behind, a sound to lure a guard away, a wall that blocks line of sight. Speak with Animals several times a day turns every horse, rat and crow into a possible witness. Ask the stable cat who came through last night. The 2014 forest gnome had a weaker version that only worked on Small or smaller beasts and needed no spell.
Rock gnome
Two cantrips plus clockwork toys. The devices produce one Prestidigitation effect when someone touches them as a Bonus Action: a music box, a fire starter, a small light, a puff of smell. Creative players use them as distractions or alarms, for example a music box left in a corridor to draw guards. It is more flavor than power. The 2014 rock gnome had a similar Tinker trait (needed tinker's tools, devices lasted 24 hours) plus Artificer's Lore, which doubled proficiency on History checks about magic items and technology.
Are gnomes bad at melee because they are Small?
Less than they used to be. In the 2014 rules, Small creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls with Heavy weapons such as greatswords, greataxes, mauls and heavy crossbows. In the 2024 rules, the Heavy penalty no longer depends on size. You only take Disadvantage with a Heavy melee weapon if your Strength is below 13 (or a Heavy ranged weapon if your Dexterity is below 13). A gnome barbarian with a greataxe is now legal and works fine.
Being Small has small upsides. You can move through a hostile creature's space when it is at least two sizes larger than you, so a gnome can slip past an ogre (Large) where a human can't, and you fit through tight tunnels. Size doesn't change your AC or hit points.
What are the best classes for a gnome?
- Wizard: wizards are already proficient in Intelligence and Wisdom saves, so Advantage on top makes them very reliable, and the Charisma save against Banishment gets covered too.
- Bard and sorcerer: already proficient in Charisma saves; Gnomish Cunning stacks Advantage on top, making you almost impossible to banish or possess.
- Rogue: Minor Illusion and Speak with Animals are great scouting tools, and rogues often fail Wisdom saves.
- Fighter and barbarian: the classes most likely to be turned against the party by Dominate Person. A gnome fighter protects the party from its own sword.
- Cleric or druid: Wisdom-based casters can power Speak with Animals with their main stat.
Quick build: forest gnome wizard (level 1)
- Lineage: Forest Gnome, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability.
- Background: Sage, putting +2 Intelligence and +1 Constitution. Sage also gives Magic Initiate (Wizard) for two more cantrips and a 1st-level spell.
- Scores (standard array plus background): Strength 8, Dexterity 14, Constitution 14, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10.
- Hit points: 6 (d6) + 2 (Constitution) = 8.
- Spells: Shield, Magic Missile, Find Familiar and Sleep, plus Minor Illusion for free.
Roll your scores with the stat roller, or get a complete sheet from the character generator.
Is the gnome a good species in 5e?
The 2024 gnome is one of the strongest species in the Player's Handbook. Advantage on three saving throws, all the time, is a defense that keeps paying off from level 1 to 20, and the speed fix removed its main weakness. It suits any class, not just casters. If you want Charm protection with more spells, compare the elf; all species are listed on the species page.
FAQ
What does Gnomish Cunning do in 2024?
It gives you Advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. The 2014 version (Gnome Cunning) only applied to those saves against magic.
What is the gnome speed in 5e?
Gnomes have a 30-foot speed in the 2024 Player's Handbook. In the 2014 rules their speed was 25 feet.
Can gnomes use heavy weapons?
In the 2014 rules, Small creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls with Heavy weapons. In the 2024 rules size no longer matters; Disadvantage with Heavy weapons applies only if your Strength (melee) or Dexterity (ranged) is below 13.
Which is better, forest gnome or rock gnome?
Forest gnome is better for most players: Minor Illusion is a strong cantrip and you can cast Speak with Animals several times a day. Rock gnome is more flavorful and suits tinkerers, but its clockwork devices are minor.
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