New Gnome&Goblin Racials/Penalties (Offset By Engineering)

[Mativh]

Salutations!


Gnomes are thematically the Alliance counterpart of the Hordes Goblins, although Gnomes only appeared in Warcraft 2 and Goblins were neutral in Warcraft 3. They'd both benefit from being better defined, both lore and gameplay-wise.

For example the less initial strength makes a big difference first, and almost none later.
Instead they should have more racials, negative ones too, that could be offset by gnomish inventions (which the goblins reverse-engineered).

Shared new Gnome/Goblin racials:

Bite-Sized Stature
(passive)

Your attack power is reduced by 5% and physical critical hit damage taken is increased by 10%.
You also have a 5% chance to fail to mount your mount.

Advantageous Stature
(passive)

Reduces the chance to be hit by melee and ranged attacks by 2% and the chance to be detected while sneaking is slightly reduced.
Health and mana received from eating and drinking is increased by 5%.

Heavy Tools
(passive)

Attack speed with two handed weapons is reduced by 5% and succesfully parrying an attack has a 5% chance to disarm you for 3 seconds.

Gnomish-engineering crafting gnome and goblin only enhancements used to offset the negative racials:

Mechanical Exo-Skeleton:
Equipped in a trinket slot.
Use: Increases attack power by 1 to 10% for 2 minutes. 5 minute cooldown.

Spindle Momentum Booster:
Can be applied on a two handed weapon like sharpening stones.
Increases your attack speed by 5%.
Sometimes upon using your weapon there is a chance of malfunction for a while, where the attack speed is either slowed by 5%, or sped up by 10% instead.

Centrifugal Handle Coordinator:
When applied on a weapon, you parry with a stronger counter-force and have no longer a chance to be disarmed after a succesful parry.
Additionally, increases your critical hit chance by 1% and reduces your hit chance by 1%.

Jumping Springs:
It can be applied on your boots.
Your chance to fail to mount your mount is eliminated and fall damage is mitigated by 25%. However, jumping has a 1% chance to cause a knockback.

Automated Biomedical Instruments
A trinket.
After being struck by a melee or ranged critical hit, heal 25% of the damage taken over 6 sec. 2 minutes internal cooldown.

Anyone with gnomish engineering can make them, they're tradeable when crafted.
However, they require a specialized training certificate (given in a Gnome/Goblin only quest) to be useable.


New Gnome-only racials;

Ingenuity
(passive)

Using an ability in combat has 1% chance to automatically learn a higher rank of that ability, if that rank is available to be taught at your class trainer.
(10 min internal cooldown)

Special Interest
(ability)

Increases the damage done of the school of magic you cast by 1% for 15 seconds. Stacks up to 10 times. 10 minute cooldown.

Example: using immolate increases all your fire damage done by 1%. Once the 10th stack is reached, the 15 sec duration is not refreshed anymore.

New Goblin-only racials:

Cunning Haggler
(passive)

The price of the grey items you sell is increased by 20%.

Persuasion
(ability)

Can be attempted to be used on an Ogre of lower level than you. If he doesn't resist it, he'll be under your control and fight by your side for 5 minutes. 5 minute cooldown.

Works like the Enslave Demon of Warlocks, but on Ogres.

[Kaktus96]

This sounds really great on paper and all but this isn't Classic+ anymore this is a complete reinvention of World of Warcraft.
Additionally if Gnomes suffer so much because of their stature shouldn't the same apply to Goblins? I doubt, phsyically speaking, that Goblins are stronger than Gnomes.

I do, however, like the idea of reworked racials, both passive and active.
For example, I think every single race should have an improved weapon skill, a specific stat that is increased, a specific elemental resistance and an active ability.

Gnome racials(in this case):
Escape Artist
Expansive Mind(Increases INT stat)
Arcane Resistance
And for the weapon skill:
Wand specialization

This can be done with every single race.

[Mativh]

This sounds really great on paper and all but this isn't Classic+ anymore this is a complete reinvention of World of Warcraft.
Additionally if Gnomes suffer so much because of their stature shouldn't the same apply to Goblins? I doubt, phsyically speaking, that Goblins are stronger than Gnomes.

I appreciate the constructive criticism. I did go over the top with the focus on immersion and simulating concepts and it turned out to be somewhat convoluted. I've edited it, so it is more in line with how things are implemented in vanilla, and so it involves Goblins too.

The archive of the original post you were answering to:

Gnomes would benefit from being better defined, both lore and gameplay-wise

For example they shouldn't only start with less strength, because that is a big difference first, and almost none later.
Instead they should have more racials, negative ones too that could be offset by gnomish engineering:

Gnomish Stature
- Your attack power is reduced by 20%.
- Your stamina is reduced by 10%.
- Critical hit damage taken % from physical attacks is increased by the amount of % the damage has taken from your total life.
- You have a 10% chance to fail to mount your mount.
- Enemies chance to miss with physical attacks and spell missiles against you is increased by 3%.
- The chance to be detected while sneaking is slightly
reduced.
- Increase health and mana received from eating and drinking by 20%.

The critical hit damage increase is supposed to simulate that the Gnomes are especially susceptible to massive hits. A crit of 200 against a gnome with 500 health would be increased to 200+40%(since 200 is 40% of the gnomes 500 healthpool)=280, an 80 damage increase, on the other hand a 60 crit would be only increased to 67, a 12% crit hit damage increase since it is 12% of 500. If this formula was not feasable, a flat increase of crit hit damage by 25% would be a good alternative.

See the gnomish engineering below for devices that offset these negative racials.

Heavy Tools
Attack speed with weapons is reduced depending on their swing time.
Slower weapons are affected more.
Additionally, succesfully parrying an attack has a chance to disarm you for 3 seconds.

Adequately simulating that the heavier the weapon, the slower the gnome attacks with it,
formula: swing time times 12, minus 23, result in %;
a light one handed sword of 2.00 speed would be slowed by 1%,
But a huge axe with a 3.6 sec swing time would be slowed by 20.2%.
Inversely, a 1.3 swing time dagger would have an increased speed by 7.4%.
The chance to disarm would be the attack speed of your weapon times 3 in %, so parrying with a 2.00 weapon would have a 6% chance and with a 3.6 weapon a 10.8%

Gnomish-engineering crafting gnome-only enhancements used to somewhat offset the negative racials:

Mechanical exoskeleton:
When equipped (in a trinket slot), it increases attack power by 15% and reduces physical damage taken by 10%.

It has durability that has a chance to be decreased by both being hit and attacking, and can be repaired like other gear.

Spindle momentum booster:
Increases your attack speed, the heavier the weapon the more effective the boost.

A device that when attached to your weapon it significantly reduces the attack speed penalty of your heavy tools racial. It changes the reduction formula to swing time times 5 minus 9, it can be applied on a weapon the same way sharpening stones can, it'll change the speed reduction of 3,6 swing weapon from -20.2% to -9%, 2.00 weapons remain the same, 1.3 increase changes from +7.4 to +2.5.

Centrifugal handle coordinator:
You are propelled to parry with an adequate counterforce while the weapon is firmly attached to your limb, allowing you to parry without getting disarmed most of the time.

Changes the disarm formula to swing time divided by 2, resulting in a significant decrease in disarm chance difference, for example parrying with your 3,6 two handed weapon would have now a 1.8% chance to disarm you instead of 10.8, applied on a weapon like the sharpening stones are.

Jumping Springs:
It can be applied on your boots. Your chance to fail to mount your mount is reduced to 1%.

It lasts long but at one point it breaks, when it does the boots durability suffers too.
There could be a negative warrior racial for gnomes where after the charge, the target is not stunned, unless the gnome would apply this on the equipped boots.

Biomedical Instrument Kit
A trinket. Increases stamina by by 10% for 10 minutes, 30 minute cooldown. 3 sec cast.

These gnomish devices are tradeable when crafted, but require a specialized training to be useable as well as learned to craft at the gnomish engineer trainer, which is obtainable only by Gnomes via a quest.

Other Gnome racials;

Ingenuity
Using an ability in combat has 1% chance to automatically learn a higher rank of that ability, if that rank is available to be learned at your class trainer.

This racial would have a 10 minute internal cooldown, triggered when a new rank of any of your abilities is learned this way.

Special Interest
Increases the spell power of a school of magic the gnome practices frequently by 1 for 5 minutes, while a book of corresponding school of magic is in the inventory, max stack depends on your level.
Additionally, increases the chance to gain a profession skill by 10%.

Example: while the book "Evil Coefficient Interpetations by Gimrizz Shadowcog" is in the inventory, using spells dealing shadow damage has a 1% chance to grant a buff that increases shadow damage done by 1, stacks up to +20 shadow damage at level 20, there is no internal cooldown.

Commentary:
I've been somewhat constrained by a limited Gnome lore developed in WoW, gnomes in celtic and other myths are however about more than tinkering. Gnomes appeared as pilots and engineers of the Alliance in Warcraft 2, and are in a way the counterpart of the Hordes Goblins, even though in Warcraft 3 the Gnomes were left out and Goblins were neutral although they interacted mostly with the Horde. Gnomes are an integral part of the Alliance but they would benefit from further development in both lore and gameplay.

About the importance of negativity:
I like seeing negative stats on items offsetting a more powerful positive one, like in old school rpgs.
And negative effects on abilities, like a reduced movement speed on tree form offset by the bonuses, or +stamina but -spirit talent of warlocks. Where it makes sense of course, not everything has to be specialized.

Negativity used to be a powerful tool to define things in roleplaying games, but modern players are afraid of anything seemingly affecting their power fantasy, they will rather want something with +10 of something, rather than +15 and -6 of something else. When if negativity is part of definition, there is so much more potential to convey properly concepts.

I do, however, like the idea of reworked racials, both passive and active.
For example, I think every single race should have an improved weapon skill, a specific stat that is increased, a specific elemental resistance and an active ability.

Gnome racials(in this case):
Escape Artist
Expansive Mind(Increases INT stat)
Arcane Resistance
And for the weapon skill:
Wand specialization

This can be done with every single race.

I'd add definitely more of weapon specializations and resists, all races are better or worse at certain things relatively to each other, but only when it makes sense, not necessarily to all, as there are many other passives that can define the races, so it's not so rigid.

For example Gnomes have high intellect but they were never good with wands specifically or resistant to arcane magic, that could go to High Elves (and their bow skill reduced to 3)
Also negative ones should be more often uses, like the swing time with heavy two handed weapons being slower for Gnomes and Goblins.
Night Elves having -5 skill with Guns because in their society they never practices with them (but they should have +5 with bows, and Trolls should have polearms and throwing weapons, but bow skill either removed or reduced).
Human mace spec should be moved to Dwarves, as they only got it because of the paladins, who could have it instead as a talent.
Goblin dagger specialization should be moved instead to Undeads as blade specialization that'd additionally increase swords and two handed swords skill by 3.

[Kaktus96]

This sounds really great on paper and all but this isn't Classic+ anymore this is a complete reinvention of World of Warcraft.
Additionally if Gnomes suffer so much because of their stature shouldn't the same apply to Goblins? I doubt, phsyically speaking, that Goblins are stronger than Gnomes.

I appreciate the constructive criticism. I did go over the top with the focus on immersion and simulating concepts and it turned out to be somewhat convoluted. I've edited it, so it is more in line with how things are implemented in vanilla, and so it involves Goblins too.

The archive of the original post you were answering to:

Gnomes would benefit from being better defined, both lore and gameplay-wise

For example they shouldn't only start with less strength, because that is a big difference first, and almost none later.
Instead they should have more racials, negative ones too that could be offset by gnomish engineering:

Gnomish Stature
- Your attack power is reduced by 20%.
- Your stamina is reduced by 10%.
- Critical hit damage taken % from physical attacks is increased by the amount of % the damage has taken from your total life.
- You have a 10% chance to fail to mount your mount.
- Enemies chance to miss with physical attacks and spell missiles against you is increased by 3%.
- The chance to be detected while sneaking is slightly
reduced.
- Increase health and mana received from eating and drinking by 20%.

The critical hit damage increase is supposed to simulate that the Gnomes are especially susceptible to massive hits. A crit of 200 against a gnome with 500 health would be increased to 200+40%(since 200 is 40% of the gnomes 500 healthpool)=280, an 80 damage increase, on the other hand a 60 crit would be only increased to 67, a 12% crit hit damage increase since it is 12% of 500. If this formula was not feasable, a flat increase of crit hit damage by 25% would be a good alternative.

See the gnomish engineering below for devices that offset these negative racials.

Heavy Tools
Attack speed with weapons is reduced depending on their swing time.
Slower weapons are affected more.
Additionally, succesfully parrying an attack has a chance to disarm you for 3 seconds.

Adequately simulating that the heavier the weapon, the slower the gnome attacks with it,
formula: swing time times 12, minus 23, result in %;
a light one handed sword of 2.00 speed would be slowed by 1%,
But a huge axe with a 3.6 sec swing time would be slowed by 20.2%.
Inversely, a 1.3 swing time dagger would have an increased speed by 7.4%.
The chance to disarm would be the attack speed of your weapon times 3 in %, so parrying with a 2.00 weapon would have a 6% chance and with a 3.6 weapon a 10.8%

Gnomish-engineering crafting gnome-only enhancements used to somewhat offset the negative racials:

Mechanical exoskeleton:
When equipped (in a trinket slot), it increases attack power by 15% and reduces physical damage taken by 10%.

It has durability that has a chance to be decreased by both being hit and attacking, and can be repaired like other gear.

Spindle momentum booster:
Increases your attack speed, the heavier the weapon the more effective the boost.

A device that when attached to your weapon it significantly reduces the attack speed penalty of your heavy tools racial. It changes the reduction formula to swing time times 5 minus 9, it can be applied on a weapon the same way sharpening stones can, it'll change the speed reduction of 3,6 swing weapon from -20.2% to -9%, 2.00 weapons remain the same, 1.3 increase changes from +7.4 to +2.5.

Centrifugal handle coordinator:
You are propelled to parry with an adequate counterforce while the weapon is firmly attached to your limb, allowing you to parry without getting disarmed most of the time.

Changes the disarm formula to swing time divided by 2, resulting in a significant decrease in disarm chance difference, for example parrying with your 3,6 two handed weapon would have now a 1.8% chance to disarm you instead of 10.8, applied on a weapon like the sharpening stones are.

Jumping Springs:
It can be applied on your boots. Your chance to fail to mount your mount is reduced to 1%.

It lasts long but at one point it breaks, when it does the boots durability suffers too.
There could be a negative warrior racial for gnomes where after the charge, the target is not stunned, unless the gnome would apply this on the equipped boots.

Biomedical Instrument Kit
A trinket. Increases stamina by by 10% for 10 minutes, 30 minute cooldown. 3 sec cast.

These gnomish devices are tradeable when crafted, but require a specialized training to be useable as well as learned to craft at the gnomish engineer trainer, which is obtainable only by Gnomes via a quest.

Other Gnome racials;

Ingenuity
Using an ability in combat has 1% chance to automatically learn a higher rank of that ability, if that rank is available to be learned at your class trainer.

This racial would have a 10 minute internal cooldown, triggered when a new rank of any of your abilities is learned this way.

Special Interest
Increases the spell power of a school of magic the gnome practices frequently by 1 for 5 minutes, while a book of corresponding school of magic is in the inventory, max stack depends on your level.
Additionally, increases the chance to gain a profession skill by 10%.

Example: while the book "Evil Coefficient Interpetations by Gimrizz Shadowcog" is in the inventory, using spells dealing shadow damage has a 1% chance to grant a buff that increases shadow damage done by 1, stacks up to +20 shadow damage at level 20, there is no internal cooldown.

Commentary:
I've been somewhat constrained by a limited Gnome lore developed in WoW, gnomes in celtic and other myths are however about more than tinkering. Gnomes appeared as pilots and engineers of the Alliance in Warcraft 2, and are in a way the counterpart of the Hordes Goblins, even though in Warcraft 3 the Gnomes were left out and Goblins were neutral although they interacted mostly with the Horde. Gnomes are an integral part of the Alliance but they would benefit from further development in both lore and gameplay.

About the importance of negativity:
I like seeing negative stats on items offsetting a more powerful positive one, like in old school rpgs.
And negative effects on abilities, like a reduced movement speed on tree form offset by the bonuses, or +stamina but -spirit talent of warlocks. Where it makes sense of course, not everything has to be specialized.

Negativity used to be a powerful tool to define things in roleplaying games, but modern players are afraid of anything seemingly affecting their power fantasy, they will rather want something with +10 of something, rather than +15 and -6 of something else. When if negativity is part of definition, there is so much more potential to convey properly concepts.

I do, however, like the idea of reworked racials, both passive and active.
For example, I think every single race should have an improved weapon skill, a specific stat that is increased, a specific elemental resistance and an active ability.

Gnome racials(in this case):
Escape Artist
Expansive Mind(Increases INT stat)
Arcane Resistance
And for the weapon skill:
Wand specialization

This can be done with every single race.

I'd add definitely more of weapon specializations and resists, all races are better or worse at certain things relatively to each other, but only when it makes sense, not necessarily to all, as there are many other passives that can define the races, so it's not so rigid.

For example Gnomes have high intellect but they were never good with wands specifically or resistant to arcane magic, that could go to High Elves (and their bow skill reduced to 3)
Also negative ones should be more often uses, like the swing time with heavy two handed weapons being slower for Gnomes and Goblins.
Night Elves having -5 skill with Guns because in their society they never practices with them (but they should have +5 with bows, and Trolls should have polearms and throwing weapons, but bow skill either removed or reduced).
Human mace spec should be moved to Dwarves, as they only got it because of the paladins, who could have it instead as a talent.
Goblin dagger specialization should be moved instead to Undeads as blade specialization that'd additionally increase swords and two handed swords skill by 3.

Ah alright, thanks for now also including Goblins. I just think it made sense that it involves both of the smaller races.
Additionally I do not mind giving negative traits as racials to the various races you can play.
It kinda reminds me of LotRO. There the various races have a debuff, for example the Elves you play have a debuff on something called "Fate"(Not sure if thats the english word they used here) because in the lore the Elves are nearing their end.

[Borefficz]

Are you a gnome mage main?

[Mativh]

Are you a gnome mage main?

I'm quite an altoholic, got a Gnome Hunter, but right now I'd say my main is an Undead Shadow Priest.

[Whalemilk]

I think that one of the nice things about racials is that they are so simple. Seems like these are way too crazy.

[Steelgrip]

God NO! Leave the Gnomes alone!!

This is plain horrible!

[Gaz]

Ingenuity sounds like it would be a ton of fun while leveling probably wouldn't make it in the game but cool none the less. I like the idea!

[Galendor]

I'm not sure about negative racial that should be fixed with trinkets. It's not like you have interesting system - it's like you have additional restrictions in your gear.
Besides, I suppose both gnomes and goblins designed their mounts for their own stature so mount fail is questionable.

[Mativh]

I'm not sure about negative racial that should be fixed with trinkets. It's not like you have interesting system - it's like you have additional restrictions in your gear.
Besides, I suppose both gnomes and goblins designed their mounts for their own stature so mount fail is questionable.

The mounting penalty is applied in general on all mounts, I'm aware that these things would be more adequately simulated if more details were added but I'm constrained to keep it on the simplicity level of other racials.

The negative racials address the capacities of these races because of their stature; it'd make perfect sense to portray not only their strengths relative to other races but also weaknesses, and gnomish engineering in this case is perfectly suitable to offset those weaknesses, it'd be expectable that the way these races would compensate would be with something they're good at, instead of a new system.

The stature negative racials are offset by the engineering devices, some of which indeed would occupy a slot or an enchant. I didn't intend them to negate the penalties as if they didn't exist, but rather compensate assymetrically together with the positive stature related racials I've also added.