Baldur's Gate 3 has added the gnome race in the new Patch 8 update, but how they do stack up against their Dungeons & Dragons counterparts? Patch 8 added gnomes and bards to Baldur's Gate 3, both of which go hand in hand in the eyes of many fans, as gnomes once had bard as their favored class in D&D 3.5. This is because gnomes are natural magicians and storytellers, making them the ideal choice to become bards.
The gnome race in D&D was once known as the Forgotten Folk, as they didn't have much of a place in the grand historical epics of the D&D campaign worlds. In many ways, this makes gnomes the smartest of the D&D races, as they have avoided the wars and calamities that have plagued the tall folk over the centuries. Gnomes tend to live in comfort with their families and friends, using their knowledge of magic and technology to dissuade any intruders from getting too close. The gnomes that decide to become adventurers often become incredibly powerful illusionists, as they have a natural affinity for that school of magic.
In Baldur's Gate 3, all gnomes start with +2 Intelligence and Gnome Cunning, which grants advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws. They all also have Darkvision, though deep gnomes have their own improved version of Darkvision. This tracks with the version of gnomes in the D&D Player's Handbook, but what about the subraces that are now in Baldur's Gate 3?
The Forest Gnomes Of Baldur's Gate 3 Have A Musical Box
In Baldur's Gate 3, forest gnomes have+1 to Dexterity and the ability to cast speak with animals once per long rest. This is an adapted version of the D&D ability called Speak with Small Beasts, which forest gnomes possess, and it lets them speak with creatures like badgers, moles, rabbits, squirrels, and woodpeckers. The forest gnomes have actually lost an ability in Baldur's Gate 3, as they have the ability to cast minor illusion cantrip in D&D, yet they don't have it in Baldur's Gate 3, even though the spell is in the game.
The Rock Gnomes Of Baldur's Gate 3 Are Great Historians
In Baldur's Gate 3, rock gnomes have +1 to Constitution, Darkvision, and Artificer's Lore, which doubles their proficiency bonus for History checks. They also start with a musical box that plays the Baldur's Gate 3 theme, which can be sold for some coin once the player reaches a merchant. These abilities are streamlined versions of what rock gnomes possess in D&D, as Artificer's Lore normally only applies to knowledge pertaining to magical items, alchemical objects, or technology. The musical box is just one possible gadget that rock gnomes receive as part of their Tinker feature in D&D, along with the clockwork toy, which can cause distractions, and the Fire Starter, which acts like a lighter or a torch.
The Deep Gnomes Of Baldur's Gate Have Lost Some Magic
The deep gnomes aren't in the D&D Player's Handbook, but they have been statted out in three different sourcebooks, with the most recent being Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. In Baldur's Gate 3, deep gnomes have +1 to Dexterity, Superior Darkvision, and advantage on stealth checks. This tracks with their first two appearances, though their most recent iteration in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse gave them the ability to cast disguise self at level 3. It's unclear why deep gnomes don't have this ability in Baldur's Gate 3, though it could be seen as too advantageous compared to the other races.