Is it just me or do Gnomes kind of suck?

[Dervrak]

So I decided to start up a new game and I got to thinking, I've never played a gnome, and with the exception of a brief stints with Jan Jansen in SoA, I never even had much experience with one it my party. So having never payed much attention to their abilities I started rolling one up....

1. Wow 19 intelligence! Definately a mage! Wait what? I can only be an illusionist? But I don't want to lose Necromancy spells like Horrid Wilting?!?

2. Ok lets try cleric. What? A penalty to wisdom? Skip...

3. Thief. Ok we get some bonuses to thief skills, not quite as good as a Halfling or Dwarf though. Besides Jan Jansen is a gnome thief and I wanted something different.

4. Fighter. Ok I suppose. No bonuses, no penalties. Doesn't really fit the vison I have of a gnome, and a dwarf would get the same "shorty" saving throw bonuses with more options like dwarven defender.

I know in the end it doesn't really matter if I'm not power gaming, but I do like to be the best I can be. So is there anything a Gnome excels in? Multiclass options maybe?

[Banthony_]

They're one of 3 races that can go cleric/thief do that's a plus. Max out con dex and wis and you'll be untouchable in combat with cleric buffs and thief backstabs, OP af.

[Black Sheep Inc]

I quite like how gnomes allow you to be a multiclass specialist mage personally.

[Tasi]

Gnome is in fact power-player pick.
"Shorty" bonuses to Saves from Constitution.
While you may read lots of praise on dual-class Fighter/Mage gnome as Fighter/Illusionist is equally great: high number of spells & fighter's High Level Abilities.
While I like the Horrid Wilting spell I do not use it in combat after I get Improved Alacrity. The reason is very long casting time (I prefer spell with casting times 5 and below). The loss of Skull Trap is (at least for me more severe and even that is not critical since I prefer Lightning). So in fact Illusionist is amazing specialist!
If you want supper-efficient character (especially for smaller party where everyone levels up faster) there are not many classes which could compete with gnome Fighter/Illusionist.

[deltago]

As mentioned Cleric/Thief is a nice combo.

Gnomes and Half-Orcs are the only two races that can do it, and each has an advantage. Half-orcs get their strength bonus, gnomes get their shorty saves.

With three(!) tomes that boost wisdom in the game, the initial hit to that score isn’t as drastic as it seems.

Illusionist/class are also nice and the only race that allows a specialist mate to multi class. Extra spell per level + more difficult saves against their illusion spells make up for the two or three necromancy spells that the caster loses.

[Dervrak]

Thanks all. You've renewed my confidence in the Gnome race, I'm going to try one of the multi classes mentiotned, I was figuring they had to be good at something and I just wasn't looking deep enough.

[Chapel]

I really agree with Black Sheep on this, multi-class specialist mage is pretty sick, and also unique. Losing out on a couple situational necro spells doesn't really hurt in the long run. The bonus spells you'll be getting every level more than make up for it. Fighter/Mage of any variety is pretty overpowered as it is anyway.

[captainwiseass]

I have never understood what gnomes are for in any edition of D&D.

[danconnors]

Judging by how hard it is to keep poor Jan alive in BG 2, no, I don't think they're worth a damn. I'm usually a fighter/mage, but it's a dual classed berserker/mage. Playing one in BG 2 right now, but I was impatient and switched at level 10. By the time I dismissed all my players and memorized ALL the spells I had collected and saved I was already the berserker/mage.