Small: As Small creatures, river gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
River Gnome base speed is 20 feet on land and in water.
Echosense: Vision is not as accurate underwater, and river gnomes have little use for color there, therefore they have adapted to using Echosense but can barely see two feet in front of them. Echosense works just like blindsight (MM 9). Using this sense, river gnomes cannot distinguish textures, contrasts, or colors. As a result, river gnome characters cannot read or write without magical aid, however they use a version or brail that includes the gnomish alphabet.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions, because all gnomes are innately familiar with illusions of all kinds.
River Gnomes can hold their breath for one hour per two constitution points.
+6 racial bonus on Listen checks: River Gnomes have extremely keen ears.
+2 racial bonus on Alchemy checks: A river gnomes sensitive nose allows him to monitor alchemical processes by smell.
Automatic Languages: Common, Gnome, and Gnomish Brail. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as druidic). In addition, once per day a gnome can use speak with animals as a spell-like ability to speak with a river dwelling creature. This ability is innate to river gnomes. It has a duration of 1 minute (the desert gnomes is considered a 1st-level caster when he uses this ability). See the speak with animals spell description, page 254 of the Player�s Handbook.
Favored Class: Wizard. A multiclass gnome�s wizard class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty (see Experience for Multiclass Characters, page 56 of the Player�s Handbook).