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Player's Handbook Rules Supplements #PHBR9
The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings
Clever illusionists and sly practical jokers. Brilliant burglars and easygoing farmers. Now The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings reveals the secrets of these two popular races - their culture, beliefs, and subraces (including two new subraces), as well as twenty-eight new character kits, from the gnome Goblinsticker to the halfling Forestwalker. If you enjoy playing gnome or halfling characters, or if you're a DM interested in creating an all-gnome or all-halfling campaign, this is the book for you!
127 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 1993
About the author
Douglas Niles
176 books239 followersDouglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game. He currently resides in Delavan, Wisconsin with his wife, Christine, and two Bouviets, Reggie and Stella. He enjoys playing his guitar, cooking, and visiting with family.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2015
"TO THE SHIRE!" I often shout when folding the laundry and finding a pair of my short wife's capri-workout pants.
That's because I love hobbits (...apparently more than I like sex, because that shit pisses her off. I'm not smart.)
But you won't find the word "hobbit" within The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings, because its maker, TSR Inc., didn't want to get sued by Tolkien's estate. So instead they called them "halflings," a term just generic enough to get the job done. So let's refrain from using the "ho" word.
What is TSR? TSR is the company put together by the makers of numerous tactical, strategic and role playing games, most notably Dungeons & Dragons.
After a couple decades of building up the popularity of D&D, their flagship game, TSR decided to tweak the rules a bit and thus was born "the 2nd Edition". The 2nd Ed exploded the few core rule books of the 1st Ed into many shrapnel-sized supplemental rule booklets that were even more complex and more expensive. This one retailed at $20...and this was back in 1993!
These slim books would've generated more cash for the company had they included more information applicable to the game. Too often the new info was just a generalized rehashing of old info, like tips on being a good dungeon master (game referee) or how to "play nice" with one another. Too much of it was filler and already covered in the core rule books from the 1st edition.
The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings was my favorite of what I've read of the 2nd ed booklets. It expands upon the basic race details of the gnome and halfling, those diminutive cutesy folks so limited in stature but big on character. With this book, players were encouraged to take the gnome beyond the typical illusionist prankster and likewise gave the halfling more to do than playfully pilfer treasure horde baubles.
The new racial subdivisions and sub-classes (meaning professions like warrior, wizard, thief, priest) provided here gave D&D players ideas and means with which to create more colorful and dynamic characters. However, this is where the unbalancing of the game came in. These new subdivisions/classes gave the characters skill bonuses and other extras the basic characters didn't have. It gave them a slight leg up. No doubt this was all by design. TSR very well may have been thinking that if enough players bought these new rule books and used these new, more skilled characters, it would entice the players with the old rules to plunk down the cash for the 2nd ed books. TSR may have started out as the altruistic brainchild of a '70s gamer, but a few years later the corporation had morphed into a greedy monster in the truest tradition of the '80s.
Well, to be fair, we consumers were the ones greedily consuming whatever TSR put out. And why not? This game sparked the imaginations of countless kids. It turned some of them into expert game makers and novelists. Without D&D there might not be a Game of Thrones. How do I know? Because it turns out that George RR Martin was once a brilliant dungeon master.
That's because I love hobbits (...apparently more than I like sex, because that shit pisses her off. I'm not smart.)
But you won't find the word "hobbit" within The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings, because its maker, TSR Inc., didn't want to get sued by Tolkien's estate. So instead they called them "halflings," a term just generic enough to get the job done. So let's refrain from using the "ho" word.
What is TSR? TSR is the company put together by the makers of numerous tactical, strategic and role playing games, most notably Dungeons & Dragons.
After a couple decades of building up the popularity of D&D, their flagship game, TSR decided to tweak the rules a bit and thus was born "the 2nd Edition". The 2nd Ed exploded the few core rule books of the 1st Ed into many shrapnel-sized supplemental rule booklets that were even more complex and more expensive. This one retailed at $20...and this was back in 1993!
These slim books would've generated more cash for the company had they included more information applicable to the game. Too often the new info was just a generalized rehashing of old info, like tips on being a good dungeon master (game referee) or how to "play nice" with one another. Too much of it was filler and already covered in the core rule books from the 1st edition.
The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings was my favorite of what I've read of the 2nd ed booklets. It expands upon the basic race details of the gnome and halfling, those diminutive cutesy folks so limited in stature but big on character. With this book, players were encouraged to take the gnome beyond the typical illusionist prankster and likewise gave the halfling more to do than playfully pilfer treasure horde baubles.
The new racial subdivisions and sub-classes (meaning professions like warrior, wizard, thief, priest) provided here gave D&D players ideas and means with which to create more colorful and dynamic characters. However, this is where the unbalancing of the game came in. These new subdivisions/classes gave the characters skill bonuses and other extras the basic characters didn't have. It gave them a slight leg up. No doubt this was all by design. TSR very well may have been thinking that if enough players bought these new rule books and used these new, more skilled characters, it would entice the players with the old rules to plunk down the cash for the 2nd ed books. TSR may have started out as the altruistic brainchild of a '70s gamer, but a few years later the corporation had morphed into a greedy monster in the truest tradition of the '80s.
Well, to be fair, we consumers were the ones greedily consuming whatever TSR put out. And why not? This game sparked the imaginations of countless kids. It turned some of them into expert game makers and novelists. Without D&D there might not be a Game of Thrones. How do I know? Because it turns out that George RR Martin was once a brilliant dungeon master.
May 1, 2015
good book for dnd gnomes & halfming players!
Read
November 19, 2015suggested to me so I could play a gnome, to match my size and disposition... wide eye'd wonder and enjoyment of the big world
June 27, 2017
I honestly only read the gnome party since I was building a gnome character but I'm checking this off anyway.
I like the additional details these companion books give for D&D but also am glad I didn't pay for it. thanks internet book scanners!
obviously my favorite part was about Baervan Wildwanderer. he is a god for thieves and is "Father of Fish and Fungus and His friend and constant companion in his escapades is a giant raccoon named Chiktikka Fastpaws." hahahaha. i love him. and old Fastpaws.
I also became weirdly obsessed with a fermented beverage the deep rock gnomes make, "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."
I've convinced the DM to let me have a flask of it. So excited.
overall, it's a good, easy read and definitely helps with fleshing out character details.
I like the additional details these companion books give for D&D but also am glad I didn't pay for it. thanks internet book scanners!
obviously my favorite part was about Baervan Wildwanderer. he is a god for thieves and is "Father of Fish and Fungus and His friend and constant companion in his escapades is a giant raccoon named Chiktikka Fastpaws." hahahaha. i love him. and old Fastpaws.
I also became weirdly obsessed with a fermented beverage the deep rock gnomes make, "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."
I've convinced the DM to let me have a flask of it. So excited.
overall, it's a good, easy read and definitely helps with fleshing out character details.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews