These guys will have an extra advantage as a rogue.  Because of their height, they may be hard to see even when not hidden in stealth mode.  If they stand behind a bush, you'll probably confuse their moustache for a couple blades of grass.  Imagine being snuck up on by a gnome, stabbed, and when you turn around to see what's there...nothing?  You look around a couple times, then you finally look down and notice a little gnome going at your shins with a dagger in each hand.  Of course this only applies for PvP and not NPCs.

I'm not complaining really, I'm just saying gnomes might be able to hide more due to their height.

[Edited by The Pure at 6:56 PM on 1/19/2004]

Gnomes could be quite weak on the HP side though.  They might be given a speed advantage, but I'm not sure exactly as to how Blizzard will match the race and class and if there will be specific advantages to choosing a Gnome Rogue over, say, an Orc one.

(BTW, it's spelled "rogue."  "Rouge" is French for red. ;) )

[Edited by Ayejae at 2:16 AM on 1/19/2004]

All the race/rogue combinations will be balanced in the end, even the most farfetched rogue/race combo. 

Too bad Tauren can't be rogue.  That'd be a sight to see.

The races balance out. If an gnome (however likely/unlikely) gets caught sneaking up then he will be walloped. Orcs who are cought at it (they arent stealth experts, well they're ok) will give the enemy a severe beating.

I think that trolls gonna be a better rogue becuase of it's agility, and of course health regen :P

btw you gave me a hell of a laugh there! haha

[Edited by Kombusha at 2:31 PM on 1/19/2004]

I wonder when they are going to release racial stats so we can figure out which combos will be most efficient with certain class.

I think they will all be efficient in their own way. Any race that's not compatible with a class has already been barred from being that class (ie Tauren Rogue). Like Meekol said, being Gnome or Orc Rogue will all have their own advantages and disadvantages. Blizzard definitely doesn't want everyone being a gnome rogue. They want rogues to be split evenly among all the races that can be rogue.

Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not anxious to see the racial stats. :GRIN:

Well I know if i were ever to be a rogue , either Troll or Gnome comes into mind race wise.

The problem is this: I dont think this game will support initial racial stat bonuses.  Blizzard is trying to make this game fun for everyone, even those who want to play things like dwarven rogues or gnome warriors.  While these combinations go against common sense in the minds of some players, the fact that they exist is an attestation to their feasability.  Being a troll rogue will make you just as effective as a gnomish rogue stats-wise, I believe, but clearly the gnomish rogue will be harder to spot.  And how this (and other imbalances in player numbers in each class/race) will be balanced is not through a stat bonus for troll rogues, but, as Blizzard revealed at Gencon, through a "fun" bonus for the lesser-played race/class.  So maybe troll rogues get to wear wooden masks or something else superficial that will make more players want to be troll rogues instead of gnomish ones.

The fact is, if I want to play a rogue, I shouldn't be forced to play a gnome as well. This is part of Blizzard's expressed philosophy for World of Warcraft.

Stats wise we can't choose anything they are preset but certainly not identical, and I think we will see class/race specific clothes and armor, maybe even weapons.

Although, race will definitely affect your other stuff. NE get the natural "find herbs" ability, so it's much easier for them to be herbalists, for example.

Muhemj, if you want to play Paladin, you have to play either Dwarf or Human. There is still some degree of restrictions, and there should be. There's freedom, but not too much. I think that is good. Blizzard is keeping everything very simple, and that's one of the reasons their games are good. Easy to learn, hard to master.

Blizzard's mantra, get's meantioned in their last two interviews :)

Skiing, anyone? Just kidding.  Anyhow, I understand how gnomes might seem very adapt at rogue-ing, but nobody has yet mentioned the foremost obvious rogue: the night elves.  Night elf rogue would seem to be by far the best, as they are the hardest to heard, and already the best at stealth. Maybe this obvious connection is why no one's mentioned them...

well, prob gnomes will have a higher stealth rating, and speed, whereas some race like dwarves would have good strength combined with a lil higher HP.

See I think this is where the confusion really starts. So far we don't even know if there will be racial stats.  As it stands they aren't shown in the character customization screen, so it stands to reason that they don't exist at all.  This is obviously something that will be watched closely in the beta test.

firstable, it is known that every race or class starts with the same amounts of attribute, so I was joking when I sed the above thing, as in they WON'T be in the game, but in a story.

Of course different races are going to have initial stat differences, You really think a gnome is going to have the same strength as a Tauren ?? it will be fun no matter what stats they give to each race as they will all have their ups and down , Cmon monkey choke him a lil harder!!

Heh Tarlox, I'd love to believe ya but the fact remains, until we have solid confirmation or evidence to the contrary, we may as well assume there are no racial stats. 

And as for it being fun no matter what, I don't think that's very true, because racial stats in current MMORPGs are what cause the whole "gimped" characters argument.  That is: if I wan't to be a gnome warrior, this game is holding me back.  My character will be gimped and thus I must play a Tauren.  That's not fun at all.  Blizzard has already hard-coded restrictions into the class system (e.g. no undead paladins), let's not bring in statistical restrictions as well. 

But that's just my opinion until we see some evidence of racial stat differences.  At that point I will personally shine your shoes with my tongue. ;)

every race and class combo will start wit the same damn attribute (as in strength adn such). It is sed in articles over and over.

i believe the article stated every race would have the same amount of attribute points, i dont believe it indicated they would be distrubted equally among all races

i wonder if a warrior gnome can use two-handed weapons? they may be so small in size to hold a weapon like a greatsword or something...

lol, gl trying, it probably takes u to lvl 60 to get enuff TP to get that skill up to a lvl 5 warrior's proficiency

im sure a gnome could hold a 2 handed weapon just fine , only their 2 handers would definately be sized down haha

Hey, you know what beats a GNOME rogue? A PANDAREN ROGUE!!! what beats a pandaren sneakin around on his tippy toes to backstab someone? NOTHING THATS WHAT!!! HARRR! a pandaren will sneak up, backstab, THEN MAUL THE ENEMY TO PEICES WHEN HE TURNS AROUND!!!! PLAGUE BE TO THE GNOMES!!!!!