Races - Chapter 1 - Gnomes

Gnome Subraces

The gnome subraces are very distinct groups of these diminutive demihumans. Two of them, the typical gnome (also known as the Rock Gnome) and the Deep Gnome, or Svirfneblin, have been introduced and used in a number of AD&D® products. Hence, both have long been known to players and DMs.

In keeping with the gnomes' lack of a creation myth, they have no folklore to describe the origin of the different subraces--the different branches of the racial family are assumed to have always been there. While there's no hostility between the subraces (unlike the High Elves and the Drow, or the Hill Dwarves and the Duergar), there is also little contact. Each subrace keeps mostly to itself, and it is very rare to find mixed communities of Rock Gnomes with Svirfneblin, Forest Gnomes, or (Garl forbid!) Tinker Gnomes.

• Rock Gnomes
• Svirfneblin (Deep Gnomes)

Rock Gnomes

Big of nose, quick with a laugh, cheerful, visionary, and industrious in their approach to life, the Rock Gnomes form the picture of the gnomish race as it is viewed by most of the larger folk who know them.

Rock Gnomes are the most common type of gnome among the known worlds, and indeed, when one speaks of a "gnome," chances are he or she means a Rock Gnome. While not a populous race in comparison to humans or other demihumans, they are encountered in a wide variety of environments, showing no particular preference for any one type of climate. They do, however, tend to make their homes in areas with an abundance of natural rock (even if it's invisible under a layer of loam and forest).

All gnomes have a fondness for gemstones of all kinds, and in fact each subrace has a stone that it reveres above all others. No other gnomish race, however, is as adept at cutting and shaping these precious baubles as are the Rock Gnomes. The gem symbol of this subrace is, appropriately, the diamond. Diamonds are used as symbols of status and accomplishment, and wealthy and highly regarded clans will often have dishes, candelabras, and other elegant possessions encrusted with these hard and precious stones.

The most distinctive physical characteristic of the Rock Gnome is an enormous nose-- a proboscis that is larger than that of any dwarf or human, despite the gnome's diminutive size. Indeed, the size of one's nose is a matter of some status among Rock Gnomes, and more than one good-natured debate has resulted in actual comparisons being made. The true test of a mighty nose is the ability to poke it into your opponent's eye without having his nose do more than tickle the fringe of your beard (the use of the male pronoun is not generic here; females pride themselves on big noses too, but in addition to lacking beards they are less prone to such boisterous comparisons).

Rock Gnomes average about 3 1/2 ' in height. Unlike the burly dwarves, who tend to weigh as much or more than the average human, Rock Gnomes are lightly-built. Their small frame is deceptive, however, for despite their size these gnomes are as strong as most humans.

The eye color of a Rock Gnome is predominantly blue, though shades of green and, rarely, yellow or brown are not unknown. Such unusual eye colors are apparent from birth and is considered to signify either very good fortune or very dire omens, depending on the traditions of that particular gnomish community.

The brownish color of the Rock Gnomes' skin can be encountered in many shades, ranging from a light tan to nearly black. While the race does not avoid the sun, they suffer no effects from exposure--they don't sunburn or tan, so the shade of a gnome's skin has nothing to do with the proportion of his or her life spent outdoors or underground. In mature adults, the hair and beard are almost universally white or pale gray, but in youngsters and adolescents one will find as wide a variety of hair color as among human- kind. Only the males are bearded, with facial hair growing in near the beginning of the gnome's second century of life. Unlike dwarves, however, gnome males keep their beards neatly brushed and trimmed, with a maximum length of only about six inches. Sometimes the beard will be trimmed into fashionable shapes such as a goatee, or brushed into a long, curling point (or pair of points, in a real statement of high fashion).

While the average lifespan of a Rock Gnome is in the area of four centuries, it is not uncommon to find an elder patriarch or matriarch who has been around for more than 600 years. The oldest of them have been known to approach the venerable age of 750 years.

The first half-century of a gnome's life is generally spent in a carefree childhood. Youngsters are indulged and benignly guided by their elders, with rarely a harsh word or punishment employed against them. The children learn by example and strive to please the adults around them. Sages attribute the fact that all gnomes respond better to praise and encouragement than threats to this upbringing.

By the time he or she has reached 50 years of age, a gnome is expected to begin applying himself or herself to the development of a useful skill and to learn the basics of self-defense and weaponcraft. However, during this half-century-long adolescence, gnomes are still not subjected to an array of responsibilities--instead, they are encouraged to experiment with a variety of trades and activities until they find those best suited to their own talents and personality.

The occasion of his or her hundredth birthday is of great significance to a Rock Gnome, for it indicates that he or she has reached adulthood. It is customary for his or her family to host a large party, with a gathering of any clans within traveling distance to celebrate the coming of age. Since the party itself is likely to run for a month or more, it is not uncommon for gnomes to travel hundreds of miles for such a get-together! Each clan will bring a practical gift for the newly anointed adult, and it is a cause for great pride if the present is judged to be the finest among the array of gifts. However, the practical nature of these tokens is inviolate--boots, a shield, a sturdy tunic, even a weapon or tool are all appropriate. Gem-encrusted baubles, works of art, or simple decorations, although highly valued by gnomes, will not be given as coming-of-age gifts.

The industrious nature of gnomes is well-documented, and probably represents their closest similarity to dwarves. Like dwarves, gnomes will organize for a task, with each individual lending his or her talents where they will be most useful. When digging a tunnel, for example, the strongest gnomes will work with picks to break up the rock in their path, while others--more nimble, if not so powerful--scamper among the flailing picks, scooping up the debris with shovels and pails. A third group of gnomes, those who are very hardy and capable of great endurance, will carry the crushed rock (often in wheelbarrows, but sometimes in leather sacks slung over the shoulder) out of the tunnel to the dumping grounds.

In their pursuit of mining, gnomes are not so speedy to excavate as dwarves, but they are more careful with what they find. Indeed, many a vein of ore that has been "played out" by dwarven standards has been taken over by gnomes and continued to yield its riches to the more meticulous gnomish miners.

Even while they work, however, these gnomes will pursue their tasks with high good humor, bawdy stories, and a succession of jokes of all types. Only rarely, however, will this frivolity interfere with the effectiveness of the group's work.

Nowhere is Rock Gnome precision more in evidence than in their stonecutting and gemwork. Their skill at cutting, polishing, and mounting gemstones is unsurpassed by any other race. They are also skilled enough metalworkers to make elaborate frames and mounts for jewelry. Indeed, gnomish metal-smiths work better with soft metals such as silver and gold than they do with iron and steel--another significant difference between them and their larger cousins, the dwarves. Gold chain belts, silver necklaces, and shining buttons are all proudly displayed by the well-accoutred gnome.

This is not to say that gnomes cannot become fine blacksmiths when they are so inclined. Indeed, every community will have at least one well-muscled resident who is in charge of toolmaking and of crafting other objects such as dishes and weapons out of iron and steel. Gnomes generally purchase steel from dwarves or humans, however, rather than smelting it themselves. The finest weapons in a gnomish community are generally of outside (dwarven or elven) manufacture, often purchased in trade with the gem and jewelry work that they do so well.

Rock Gnomes also can become skilled carpenters and (perhaps not surprisingly, given their dextrous and artistic nature) exceptional woodcarvers. Though most gnomes do not devote a lot of attention to fabrics, those that do are skilled tailors and embroiderers as well.

In the area of culinary skills gnomes are not so elaborate. In fact, their standards when compared to halflings are downright plain. Their ideal meal is boiled or roasted meat, unspiced, accompanied by potatoes and mushrooms. Also unlike halflings, Rock Gnomes rarely keep cows, so they have little milk, butter, or cheese. Their bread is unleavened and relatively unpalatable to others with more refined tastes.

In the area of brewing, Rock Gnomes believe themselves to be every bit the match of halflings and humans and insist that they make a much tastier beverage than the heavy mead favored by dwarves; some gnomes even champion their wares above the famed elvish wines. Impartial judges pronounce gnomish brews a distinctive but acquired taste. Gnomish brewers make a variety of ales and are ingenious at finding ways to chill these beverages even in the height of summer. They will employ underground storage caverns, often sealed in ice which is brought down during colder months. In fact, many gnome communities will have wooden piping systems installed from these subterranean coolers so that the amber fluid can be pumped to spigots on the surface. Any gnomish innkeeper worth his or her salt (high praise indeed for a gnome!) will have such an arrangement in the cellar, and as a general rule, the better the chill on the beverage, the higher the perceived quality of the establishment.

Rock Gnomes typically make abysmal farmers, but they can be capable hunters and are excellent at gathering the bounty of their native woodlands, including nuts, fruits, grubs, mushrooms, and wild greens. A community will typically tend a small field of grain, which is used in about equal proportions to make bread and ale.

In one area Rock Gnomes most closely resemble elves among all the other demi- humans--in the category of music and dancing. Unlike dwarves, gnomes are very musical, and have designed and perfected a wide variety of instruments including flutes and horns, stringed instruments such as lutes and mandolins, and a great assortment of percussion. The latter range from concave rocks, rattles, cymbals, and gongs to standard drums made of hide stretched over a base of wood or metal. The most talented gnomish musicians are famed for their skill and highly sought as entertainers, and nearly every adult can play some sort of instrument; family gatherings often climax in a cacophony of music-making and merriment. Unfortunately (for non-gnomish listeners, at any rate) their vocal skills in no way come close to their instrument-playing abilities, and since they insist on singing along to most every kind of music, the resulting melodies are not necessarily pleasant to the non-gnomish ear.

A Rock Gnome's idea of an ideal setting for a home is an area of wooded hills with an underlying bedrock of limestone that can be transformed into a complicated network of lairs, tunnels, and stairways. Rock Gnomes are not so comfortable in the deep and dank recesses of the Underdark as, say, dwarves--or their own gnomish cousins, the Svirfneblin. Therefore, their settlements will almost always be found near the surface, where the steep faces of hillside or cliff can provide a number of entrances and airholes to a many-layered dwelling. Often these entrances must be reached along narrow and precarious trails--easily traveled by gnome-sized creatures but perilous to larger would-be intruders--taking one far above steep slopes of jagged rocks, or along the edge of a deep gorge, with a rolling torrent of icy water plunging below.

Rock Gnomes are very social creatures, and generally live in thriving, active communities. Such communities are organized into up to a dozen clans, and all permanent residents are member of one or another of these families. Smaller outposts may consist of a single tight-knit family, with a patriarch, matriarch, or pair of elders providing benign leadership over three or four dozen gnomes. The typical upper limit of any one community is 400-500 gnomes, mainly due to limitations in the surrounding food supply--not due to any desire for isolation from their neighbors.

Whatever the size of a Rock Gnome settlement, the chain of status will always culminate in one unquestioned leader. To this chief (who is usually, but not always, male) come all crucial decisions on matters of defense and trade, as well as the arbitration of the rare instances of discord within the community. When this chief makes a ruling or command, he or she is obeyed immediately, with a discipline that can instantly transform a pastoral community into a determined work force or warlike army at need.

Most communities of Rock Gnomes will be found within a few days' or weeks' travel of each other, with grand gatherings of the clans--often including four or five thousand gnomes--held every decade or so. These festivals can last for a fortnight or more and generally climax in frenzied musical performances, nose-measuring contests, tournaments to determine who is best at drinking, snoring, and other things, and feasting.

The individual burrows of the Rock Gnomes are small and tidy. Generally a married couple will have a small chamber to themselves, with all children (cousins as well as siblings) sharing a common room. Adolescents are segregated by sex, with a large burrow having two separate chambers for its young males and females respectively. Most of these private chambers will be connected via tunnels to a central family chamber, where the fire is kept, food is prepared and eaten, and the family members meet for the talk and socialization that occupies virtually all their nonworking waking hours. The common room will always have a chimney vented to the outside (often through a very long passage). Ideally, it will have some other access to fresh air and light as well-- chambers with no window are considered oppressive and tomb-like by many Rock Gnomes.

The family quarters will also connect (usually via an underground passage) to the other families that make up the clan; and similarly each clan in the community will be connected to the others. At every place junctures occur, there are large chambers. In the bigger towns these areas contain inns and shops, as well as open commons where impromptu parties (as well as many scheduled festivals) can take place.

Gnomes travel frequently among their communities, and many of them will venture into human or demihuman cities out of curiosity. They mix well with halflings and find life in a halfling village quite pleasant. Unlike halflings, they have no particular compulsion that holds them to their own homes or locales, and their long lifespans afford them the time to indulge their curiosity about how other races live.

While Rock Gnomes can survive and even flourish in a community of humans, dwarves, elves, or halflings, few would care to leave their fellow gnomes permanently. It's far more common for a gnome to live among other races for a few decades, perhaps even a century or more, before returning home to his or her own clan. Perhaps a quarter of all Rock Gnomes spend at least part of their second century "seeing the world" before returning to take up his or her role in clan affairs.

Rock Gnomes will sometimes welcome members of other races into their communities. However, humans and especially elves tend to find gnome cities claustrophobic, while the furniture and passageways between rooms are usually too cramped for the average dwarf. Halflings sometimes exchange extended visits to their gnome neighbors but it's a rare halfling who leave his or her own burrow behind forever.

Table 1: Rock Gnome Ability Scores

Ability Score Adjustments: +1 to Intelligence; -1 to Wisdom
Languages: Gnome, Common, Dwarf, Halfling, Kobold, Goblin, and Burrowing Animal (the latter is a language of signs, grunts, and snorts that allows minimal communication with moles, badgers, weasels, and similar creatures, including giant versions).
Infravision: Yes (60')
Special Features: Rock Gnomes have a number of special abilities. These are described on page 22 of the Player's Handbook and are summarized here for easy reference

• Detect Underground Features -Like dwarves, Rock Gnomes can locate sloping passages (1-5 on 1d6), flawed stonework (1-7 on 1d10), and approximate depth (1-4 on 1d6) and direction (1-3 on 1d6) underground.
• Saving Throw Bonus -The Rock Gnome gains a +1 bonus to his or her saving throws versus spell for every 3.5 points of Constitution.
• Combat Bonuses -Rock Gnomes add +1 to all melee attack rolls against kobolds or goblins, their traditional racial enemies. They receive a -4 bonus to their Armor Class when attacked by giant class creatures (gnolls, trolls, bugbears, ogres, ogre magi, trolls, titans, and giants).
  

Svirfneblin (Deep Gnomes)

To most surface dwellers the gnomes of this race are mysterious denizens of the Underdark about whom little is known. Those who judge by appearance see them as stunted and gnarled creatures and believe them to be the Rock Gnomes' evil counterparts, the gnomish equivalent to the Drow and Duergar. In truth, they are no more evil than their more numerous cousins; their sinister reputation is merely the result of ignorance. The Deep Gnomes are the most reticent of all the gnomish subraces, surviving in an extremely hostile environment entirely by their own wiles.

These diminutive inhabitants of the Underdark are as tenacious at survival as the just- cited opinion by their mortal enemies indicates. Unlike their Rock Gnome cousins, they have no friendly neighbors to ally themselves with, forcing them to become entirely self- reliant. Only the few who have won their trust know that they are in many ways as social and artistic as other gnomes.

Why do they endure this frankly hostile environment? The answer is simple: they are drawn by the lure of gemstones, which is more pronounced in the Deep Gnomes than in any other subrace.

The gem that most draws the interest and devotion of the Svirfneblin is the ruby, which is the predominant symbol of the race. The Deep Gnomes view these crimson stones with reverence approaching awe--so much so that they are never used for mundane practices such as ornamentation of garments, weapons, or armor. Rubies are reserved for sacred purposes and are often employed to decorate artifacts that are dedicated to the Svirfneblin gods. They are also favored by Deep Gnome monarchs, so much so that a Svirfneblin king or queen might have a full ring of rubies around his or her crown, with others of the precious stone set in the throne and sceptre.''

Svirfneblin average between 3 and 3 1/2 ' in height, rarely exceeding this norm by more than an inch or two. They are creatures of wiry muscle and tough bones, slightly thinner than their surface cousins but possessing as much strength as any other gnome. Like their cousins of the other gnomish subraces, Svirfneblin have prominent noses.

Otherwise their faces are much narrower. Many males have completely hairless bodies; most females have only thin and stringy hair, which they wear no longer than shoulder length. A Deep Gnome's skin is rock-colored, predominantly brown or gray. Eye color is always a shade of gray, sometimes so dark as to be almost black.

The Svirfneblin are not so long-lived as their surface-dwelling kin, living to an average old age of only about 250 years; a good number meet a violent demise before this time is up. They mature relatively quickly, however, with the first quarter century of life considered childhood and the next two decades as a period of disciplined adolescence. A Svirfneblin is assumed to reach adulthood somewhere around the age of 45 or 50, though this milestone is not marked by any grand ceremony such as is performed by the Rock Gnomes. Indeed, the Deep Gnomes don't even keep track of the passage of days, so there is no way to record one's actual "birthday."

The most valued common skill among the Svirfneblin is that of the miner, with perhaps 75% of any given community's adult males devoting themselves to that pursuit. Svirfneblin miners are exceptionally able with pick and shovel, capable of chiseling a passage through solid stone more quickly than Rock Gnomes or even dwarves. Whilemining is broken into specializations, such as choppers (who do the actual pickaxe work), scouts (who locate promising veins for excavation), and haulers (who carry the tailings away from the scene), a Deep Gnome miner will be reasonably proficient at all aspects of his trade. The most alluring target of the Svirfneblin miner is, naturally, gems. However, these diligent diggers will also pursue veins of metal, including gold and silver, and they also occasionally gather a stockpile of coal or iron ore--from which they make a very passable steel.

A smaller percentage of the Svirfneblin work force (perhaps 10%) is engaged in the processing and finishing of the gemstone material excavated by the miners. These include polishers, smelters, carvers, and smiths. Though they lack a bit of the exceptional detail skill of the Rock Gnomes, in the other areas they are at least as proficient as their surface- dwelling cousins. Indeed (and unlike Rock Gnomes), Svirfneblin blacksmiths can possess exceptional skill. Their weapons and tools are generally made by Deep Gnome artisans, and these are nearly the equal of the products of the highest level of dwarven craftsmanship or Drow weaponsmiths.

Perhaps because suitable habitat is harder to find in the Underdark than on the surface, Deep Gnome communities tend to be larger than those of the Rock Gnomes. Generally the Svirfneblin live in thriving cities located in deep cavern networks, often with more than a thousand residents. However, these communities are generally separated by great distances from any others of the same subrace, and thus they tend to be more insular than the towns of the gnomes who dwell on or near the surface. Indeed, most Deep Gnomes live out their lives without ever seeing another Svirfneblin community beyond the one in which they were born.

Still, festivals and celebrations are as common among these gnomes as they are on the surface--it's just that the Svirfneblin don't travel from far distances for the gatherings.

Instead, each community tends to have its own special observances, and though the whole city will turn out for many of them it is rare that any outside guest would be admitted. Also, these celebrations are not tied to recurring cosmic events, such as solstices or eclipses; instead, they occur when the city's priests declare that they are due. These instigations occur more for political and psychological reasons than by any regular passage of time.

In fact, it's worth noting that Svirfneblin don't even measure the passage of their lives in years--after all, the cycle of seasons has little meaning amid the eternal chill of the Underdark. However, if the priests notice that the production of the workers has begun to lag, or tempers are growing short among the chieftains and warriors, they will act hastily to initiate a grand festival full of pomp and song, good food and potent (one hesitates to say 'good') beverage.

Svirfneblin festivals are often invoked to recall great events of the past, though again these recollections bear no calendar relationship to the occurrence being commemorated. However, if teams of miners are preparing to embark on one of the periodic quests for new gems that propel so much of Svirfneblin activity, then the priests and illusionists will recall stories of grand expeditions in the past, even trotting out sacred objects encrusted with the jewelry made from the proceeds of these previous missions. Similarly, if a war is being contemplated, or a raid against some marauding monster becomes necessary, the warriors will be sent off with tales of great military campaigns in the past. It's interesting to note that these war stories are not all tales of victory--the Svirfneblin, perhaps because of the many defeats they have suffered over the years, have a keen interest in doomed causes and will draw considerable emotional support from the story of a dramatic last stand made by their forefathers. Even cautionary tales, such as the obliteration of a city by treacherous Drow attack, are related at these celebrations and used as a warning against future lapses of vigilance.

Another unique aspect of Deep Gnome society is that roles are far more rigidly determined by sex than in any other gnomish culture. Males perform all of the mining and warrior work that occurs beyond the borders of the community cavern, as well as most types of jobs within the city as well. Females concern themselves almost exclusively to the vital tasks of raising and preparing food (in the great mushroom farms that are a part of every Deep Gnome city) and the care of the young. In fact, females venture out of their cities so rarely that even the Drow have never encountered any in the neutral territory of the Underdark. Both sexes wear nondescript clothing which, with their ability to stand absolutely motionless, helps them avoid being spotted by enemies.

Besides the many types of fungi that are the staples of the Svirfneblin diet, Deep Gnomes sometimes maintain a small herd of rothe or other underground mammals. They are also fond of fish, and each city is likely to have several shallow lakes where blind trout and other subterranean delicacies are bred and captured. Deep Gnome women are responsible for tending of all these food sources and serve as the fishers and cooks as well as the farmers and herders. Also, salt is an important part of every Deep Gnome meal and is one of the most valued commodities in the trading of the Underdark. In fact, most Svirfneblin food is so heavily salted that a typical surface dweller would find it quite unpalatable.

As a beverage the Svirfneblin prefer for daily use a pungent brew made (naturally) from fungi, fermented by a unique process that involves great amounts of salt and not a little fish protein. It is highly intoxicating, tasting somewhat like an oversalted and watery fish chowder. It has been tasted by a few courageous non-Svirfneblins who (when they finally regain their voices) tend to decline a second serving.

The Svirfneblin also distill a strange drink known as Gogondy about which little is known other than it is deep red in color, kept in wrought iron bottles, and potent beyond belief. It has been called the finest wine in the world and is said to grant strange visions to those who drink it, but more than one human who drank it has promptly fallen asleep for decades or died after the first glass with horrified looks on their faces. The Deep Gnomes prize Gogondy almost as much as rubies and will only give or trade it to their most trusted friends, making it rare indeed.

The Svirfneblin survive in domains that are populated by many implacable enemies. The two most dire among these are the kuo-toa and the Dark Elves, who continually seek to drive these gnomes from territory they consider rightfully theirs. Illithids (mind flayers) often attack individual Deep Gnomes, considering them something of a delicacy, but never in such numbers as might drive away such tasty prey. Svirfneblin rarely encounter surface-dwelling gnomes, and the latter find them little less puzzling than do those of other races. The cities of the Deep Gnomes are vast and complex places. Many layers of caverns, tunnels, and buildings are connected by narrow corridors and spiraling staircases.

Generally, however, at least the central part of the city will occupy a single large cavern, with narrow streets winding among tall stone buildings. If large stalagmites are present, high-ranking Svirfneblin will claim these and excavate the interiors for the private homes; most residences, however, are carved into the natural bedrock of the earth.

Because of the confined nature of the environment, the home of the typical Svirfneblin family is more crowded than that of their surface-dwelling cousins. Parents and children will likely be crowded into a single, rather small, chamber. Families tend to be small, however, so this is rarely more than a half-dozen individuals. They are not so clannish as the Rock Gnomes, so that the population of a city is generally an amalgamated mass of Deep Gnomes, with overriding clan structure dividing the city.

However, they also tend to be rather quick-tempered and fractious (again, by comparison to other gnomish subraces). Every Deep Gnome city is ruled by both a king and a queen, each independent of the other yet equally powerful. The king's province is mining and protecting the community; the queen controls the food supply and is responsible for the day-to-day lives of the citizens. Both posts are determined by popular choice: when a monarch dies, a contest is held to select the best possible replacement, with the winner becoming the new ruler.

Svirfneblin worship the same pantheon as their Rock Gnomes cousins (although they conceive of these beings as Deep Gnomes). Urdlen plays a large role in Deep Gnome mythology, with cautionary tales of how he snared many an unwary Deep Gnome being a staple of any Svirfneblin's upbringing.

Table 2: Deep Gnome Ability Scores

Ability Score Adjustments: +1 to Wisdom; +1 to Dexterity; -1 to Intelligence; -2 to Charisma
Languages: Deep Gnome; Gnome Common; Underworld Common; Drow; Kuo-toan; earth elemental language (a curious "language" without words consisting solely of vibrations; each different pitch conveys a different message).
Infravision: Yes (120')
Special Features: Deep Gnomes have a number of special abilities detailed fully under the entry for Svirfneblin in the FORGOTTEN REALMS® appendix to the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® accessory (MC3):

• Detect Underground Features-- Svirfneblin are very good at determining slopes (1-5 on 1d6), depth (1-4 on 1d6) and direction (1-3 on 1d6) underground, and unsafe stonework (1-7 on 1d10).
• Magic Resistance --Deep Gnomes have a base magic resistance of 20% and gain an extra 5% for every level beyond the 3rd.
• Saving Throw Bonuses-- Svirfneblin gain a +3 bonus to all saving throws except those against poison (for which they receive a +2 bonus instead).
• Inherent Illusionist Powers --All Deep Gnomes radiate non-detection. In addition, all have the innate ability to cast blindness, blur, and change self once per day.
• Freeze in Place --Svirfneblin can remain absolutely still for long periods, giving them a 60% chance to remain undetected by any observer, even one with infravision.
• ''Surprise Bonuses --Deep Gnomes are only surprised on a roll of 1 on 1d10; they surprise opponents 90% of the time.
• Defense Bonus --The typical Svirfneblin warrior has a Armor Class of 2. Deep Gnomes become harder to hit as they gain experience in dodging in combat, causing their Armor Class to improve by one point for every level beyond 3rd, to a maximum of AC -6.
• Combat Bonuses --Svirfneblin make and wield stun darts, throwing them to a range of 40 feet, with a +2 bonus to hit. Each dart releases a small puff of gas when it strikes; any creature inhaling the gas must save versus poison or be stunned for 1 round and slowed for the four following rounds. Elite warriors (3rd-level and above) also often carry hollow darts with acid inside (+2d4 to damage) and crystal caltrops which, when stepped on, release a powerful sleep gas.

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