A New Kind of Genie - Janni - Monster of the Week - Dungeons & Dragons [D&D]

This week, we take a look at the 5th genie, the Jann! These guys are not just one measly element, they combine all four! Gary Gygax strikes again!
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The 5E conversion of this monster - docs.google.co...
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All graphic design for this channel was done by the talented Akira Arruda. To contact her for graphic design work, check out her website here - www.AkiraArruda.ca

[@gaspervladi346]

The vids provide content not covered elsewhere, provides a lot of inspiration for my games, the vids arent too long like other channels, you have me hooked keep the vids coming

[@DungeonDad]

Thanks so much for watching! Always happy to be of service!

[@James-py4je]

I know it's much easier for a content creator, but why do people want shorter videos? You really want less content? Or does having shorter videos imply more videos?

[@xodinsoji9507]

@@James-py4je Most people don't want to watch videos in parts if stuff happens. Much easier to watch a 10-15 minute video uninterrupted. I like long-form too but hour-long videos usually don't match the same metrics in terms of views or ad engagement on KZbin. So a lot of times making an 11-15 minute video gets you an extra ad over a 5-10 minute video. And generally yeah making shorter videos is much easier than making longer videos. TLDR: 11-15 minute videos are easier for viewers (generally) and are a good middle ground between effort and pay for the creator.

[@ERBanmech]

Fun thing I did with in my character’s story is that my way of 4 elements monk had a Janni as the grand master of the monetary that my character studied at.

[@3Y3ECE]

So, for starters, I'm old school. I'm very deep into 3rd edition, and 3.5, having a stack of books almost as tall as I am for my collection... I'm not short. Janni are one of my all time favorite races as a DM or a player character. Once, in a game I was a PC in, the DM allowed us to be "effective level: 5" and I got the most demonic grin (in my head) and I said "to be clear, I can be a monstrous race as long as the effective level is 5?" So I chose Jann. Needless to say, when the DM asked what class I was when we were beginning gameplay and introducing our characters I said "i have a few ideas, but at the moment, I dont have a class." That sparked a heated debate, but, my DM was unfamiliar with this race, as they do not have a picture in the monster manual, it is just a little blurb at the end of the genies portion, with rules on how to make one a character! Turned out my monstrous race character was stronger than all the other PC's choices and I carried them through the next 5 levels until they had their kit in a kaboodle!! To this day, I still have a ridiculous effective level 35 NPC Jann, who is a 20th level monk, and a 10th level prestige class (I'll leave that vague, because it's my go to for a shock NPC that my murder hobos have died to many a time, so far that a level 10 wizard PC rage quit the game, only to come crawling back a few months later, asking to start up a new campaign, where he can level up and kill my NPC. He has no idea what it is going to take to make that happen, as that NPC and the class/prestige class choices I made for him ended up giving him a spell resistance of 40... He didn't make it past level 15, having never seen my Jann during that campaign. "You're not ready for a fight with him yet" was the mantra that drove that wizard insane!! So yeah, a level 35 wandering, peaceful til he's pushed, or sees wrongs being done to the goodly races of the world, he's still one of my favorite anti murder hobo go-to's!

[@OooXxx-ol4vi]

I don't play dnd, but I would love to write a dnd based stories, I would love to use your character

[@alpacino8919]

​@@OooXxx-ol4vi id love to read it!

[@LordSephleon]

Al-Qadim - the very first setting I ever played any tabletop game in - introduced me to everything genie-related while I learned the ropes of AD&D (and roleplaying in general). Despite my love of horror (Ravenloft) and dark, gritty settings (Dark Sun), I will always hold Zakhara - and all of geniekind- in a special place in my heart. :) Also, the khopesh is an interesting and somewhat unique weapon, but I remember it being overlooked all the time in 2E because of its horribly slow Speed Factor and relatively-low damage output. Damn I miss Speed Factor... Love the video, DD! As much as I could always use more vids on undead, Arctic settings, fiends, Far Realm/Lovecraftian monsters/denizens, and such, I won't ever say "no" to anything from Al-Qadim or Dark Sun. ;) Side note: I would totally end up getting myself killed if I ran into that first female jann (well, any of them, really); I'd either flirt endlessly or get so nervous and shy that she'd probably things I was scheming something bad and end up with a khopesh at my neck. :( Edit: Damnit... Gonna have to dedicate some time to watching your game now. :)

[@DungeonDad]

It is a truly unique setting What a place to learn tabletop gaming. I can't say I am extremely familiar with speed factor, but it sounds really interesting. Maybe I'll do a video about it sone of these days. I think we have really similar taste when it comes to gaming, I am a huge fan of those settings and themes too. If you're looking for some Lovecraftian horrors from beyond, I think you'll be really excited about next week! And if you do end up dedicating some time to the stream I promise to try and be entertaining haha.

[@LordSephleon]

Dungeon Dad Speed Factor was, to put it at its simplest, the equivalent of "casting time" that delayed one's Initiative, but for weapons. Generally speaking: the larger or more unwieldy the weapon, the slower the wielder in Initiative. A character wielding a dagger (SF 2 I think) was far more likely to go before a greatsword user (SF 9 or 10), although there were ways to reduce SF in some cases (notably the inclusion of the Fighter's Weapon Mastery/High Mastery/Grand Mastery upgrades from Combat & Tactics in specific types of weapons). I appreciated how it brought a weapon's weight and general unwieldiness into the mechanics, and how it worked well alongside casting times (which used to actually modify your Initiative unless explicitly a round or longer). It's a good reason why the Long Sword (SF 5 I think) was favored by many players. Ooh! Looking forward to the next video already! That's just cruel, hinting at something Lovecraftian almost a full week away!... But then again, it's a great DM quality to be that cruel, so touché, my friend. :) And yeah, considering how often you convert creatures I really like/use the best video game songs, we have incredibly similar tastes. Don't worry about going out of your way to be extra entertaining on stream. Just be you and have a great time ruining the DM's plans- I mean, playing your character. That excitement will bleed over to us viewers. ;)

[@benthomason3307]

I wrote my own take on the Jann. I tried to bring them more in line with the other 5e genies. I also put them in the elemental chaos rather than the prime material. Lastly, I also wrote a fifth subrace of genasi. Thoughts? Genie, Janni Large Elemental, Any Alignment Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 187(15d10 + 105) Speed 30 ft., fly 30ft, see below Roll Initiative! +2 STR 22 (+6) DEX 15 (+2) CON 24 (+7) INT 15 (+2) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 17 (+3) Saving Throws Con +11, Wis +6, Cha +7 Damage Vulnerabilities see below Damage Resistances Force Damage Immunities See below Senses blindsight 30ft., darkvision 120ft., Passive Perception 12 Languages Primordial Challenge 11 Proficiency Bonus +4 Amphibious. The janni can breathe air and water. Elemental Demise. If the janni dies, its body disintegrates into a smoking lump of hot mud, leaving behind only equipment the janni was wearing or carrying. Self-preservation. When reduced to ¼ its maximum hit points or less, the janni will disingage and flee. Triggering this counts as slaying the creature for purposes of awarding EXP. This ability does not trigger if either the janni is not currently on the Elemental Chaos or if it is currently fighting for something it’s willing to die to defend. Innate Spellcasting. The janni’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: chaos bolt, detect evil and good, detect magic 3/day: absorb elements, tongues 1/day each: conjure elemental, gaseous form, invisibility, plane shift, elemental bane Elemental Stance. Jann can attune themselves to one of the four elements as a bonus action. When the janni first appears, roll 1d4 to determine which Element it’s currently attuned to: 1=water, 2=earth, 3=fire, and 4=air. While attuned to Water, the janni has a visible aura of mist about it, is immune to acid damage, is vulnerable to fire damage, has a 30ft swimming speed, and can cast the following additional spells: Tasha’s Caustic Brew (at will), Vitriolic Sphere (3/day), and Maelstrom (1/day). If the janni takes any amount of fire damage, reroll its attunement immediately. While attuned to Earth, the janni has a visible aura of dust about it, is immune to bludgeoning damage, is vulnerable to thunder damage, has a 30ft tunneling speed, and can cast the following additional spells: Earth Tremor (at will), Stoneskin (3/day), and Transmute Rock (1/day). If the janni takes any amount of thunder damage, reroll its attunement immediately. While attuned to fire, the janni has a visible aura of smoke about it, is immune to fire damage, is vulnerable to cold damage, has a 40ft walking speed, and can cast the following additional spells: Hellish Rebuke (at will), Ashardalon’s Stride (3/day), and Immolation (1/day). If the janni takes any amount of cold damage, reroll it’s attunement immediately. While attuned to air, the janni ‘s clothes and hair flutter in an audible breeze. It is immune to lightning damage, is vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, has a 60ft flying speed, and can cast the following additional spells: Zephyr Strike (at will), Lightning Bolt (3/day), and Chain Lightning (1/day). If the janni takes any amount of bludgeoning damage, reroll it’s attunement immediately. Actions Multiattack. The jinni makes two scimitar attacks. Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage. Description As varied in personality and outlook as they are in physical makeup, the Jann are genies from the Elemental Chaos composed of all four elements. Their skin is vibrant and changes color with their mood, and their hair is wild, iridescent, and stands on end during moments of emotional excitement. Pact of the Genie (Expanded Spell List) At 1st level, the Genie lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The Genie Expanded Spells table shows the genie spells that are added to the warlock spell list for you, along with the spells associated in the table with your patron's kind. This table details spells granted by the Janni, an additional choice for the warlock patron. Spell Level - Janni Spells 1st Chaos Bolt (XGE) 2nd Dragon’s Breath (XGE) 3rd Elemental Weapon 4th Chaos Storm (Homebrew) 5th Summon Draconic Spirit (FTD) Elemental Gift (Janni Patron) At 6th level, you begin to take on characteristics of your patron's kind. You now have resistance to a damage type determined by your patron's kind. Warlocks who make a pact with a Janni gain resistance to force damage. CHAOS STORM 4th level Evocation Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 90ft (20ft radius sphere) Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You point your finger to a point you choose within range, which then erupts into a warbling mass of chaotic energy. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a dexterity saving throw. A target takes 1d4+1d6+1d8+2d10+1d12 damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. After rolling, choose one of the d10s. The number rolled on that die determines the spell's damage type, as shown below: 1: acid 2: cold 3: fire 4: force 5: lightning 6: poison 7: psychic 8: thunder 9: radiant 10: necrotic If you roll the same number on both d10s, the spell's magic is magnified. Reroll the spell's damage and add the new value to the first roll, determining the damage type as per the table above. This new roll can potentially magnify the spell again. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, each target takes an extra 1d6+1d4 damage every time damage is rolled, for each slot above 4th. available to: sorcerer. Chaos Genasi Tracing their ancestry to the genies of the Elemental Planes, each genasi can tap into the power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water - these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct descendants of a genie, while others were born to non-genasi parents who lived near a place suffused by a genie’s magic. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years Chaos genasi originate from the Jann, the elemental-composite genies of the Elemental chaos, though they can also arise when two other genasi of differing types breed. Their parentage’s mixed composition lends them great versatility and adaptability. A Chaos genasi’s skin changes color based on their current emotional state. A chaos genasi’s hair is iridescent and liable to stand on end during periods of emotional excitement. Chaos genasi eyes are prone to heterochromia. Creature Type: Humanoid Size: Medium or Small. Speed: 30ft. Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1. Languages: You may speak, read, and write Common and Primordial. Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Elemental Resistance: Whenever you finish a short rest, roll 1d4. 1=Acid resistance, 2=Fire resistance, 3=lightning resistance, and 4=bludgeoning resistance. You may also opt to, instead of rolling, choose the result directly. Attune to the Elements: You know one cantrip from the following list: Shape Water, Firebolt, Booming Blade, or Magic Stone (choose when you select this race). Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Absorb Elements spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Elemental Weapon spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast Absorb Elements or Elemental Weapon with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).

[@gummygoomster7082]

Yo love ya man I just found your channel about a week ago you’ve inspired me to start working on a campaign

[@DungeonDad]

Awesome, glad to hear it! I hope you have an awesome time building adventures, it is seriously one of the most fulfilling things when you get to see it all come together.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Good to hear it, I hope you have players as good as mine👍👍👍 I just started my own first game, and it's great. Good luck, man

[@hermeticbear]

Janni to me feel like the fey genie kind. They are "all four elements" and thus the natives of the prime material, but at the same time, they don't feel like the natives. The idea that they spring from the feywild and are in a sense the "fey" of deserts, and thus act like nomadic cultures in arid areas.

[@James-oj5bh]

I would love to use one of these guys as a warlock patron, and I now have perfect creature to run my pseudo-Vegas casino. Thank you for all of the fantastic and in depth videos!

[@crispypossum]

Love it I will be using this...and please do the farspawn I have been wanting to use them in my campaign but I'm having a hard time converting them myself

[@DungeonDad]

I'll take a gander!

[@zbyszkoklockiewicz2149]

Man, I watched all your Monster of the Week videos in like 2 weeks and I'm so stocked to use them in my games. If only me and my players had time to play more often than once a month, now it's gonna take ages to implement some of those. Anyway, keep up the good work and I can't wait for more!

[@abouttime837]

Hit me with those Zakharan beasts I rly love that setting

[@DungeonDad]

I might have to dig in to the setting a bit more, there is so much awesome stuff.

[@DungeonDad]

As I mentioned, here is a link to the archive of the stream I have been taking part in! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppXMh4h4hcigrdU It's a pretty relaxed and fun game, if you like what you see, you can catch us live every Sunday at midnight BST at www.twitch.tv/olirant

[@omnishangout747]

Maybe the Jani is the only one stopping an gensi invasion nit their hold is getting weaker

[@gleyon]

8:20 needs a cutaway to Ned Flanders' "Y'know I pride myself on being a good host so I'm obliged to offer you a beer - but I'm so darn mad it's gonna be mostly head!"

[@relicking9207]

If I'm not mistaken khopesh are at least partially designed to hook a foe's armaments to force them out of the way for an attack

[@ZenodudeMC]

That frickin Teostra music woot

[@falconeshield]

Oh man, if you have a Janni teacher and you're a half Orge whom escaped the brutal Orge world in search of your human parent...wow!

[@KevinVideo]

When I did Organized Play for Pathfinder 1e, there was a scenario where a female janni owed her human best friend a favour, and she promised to fulfill it, all the while disguised as a caravan driver. If the PCs were able to prove their worthiness, she would transform into her large state, and fight off the bandits looking to destroy the caravan. Later on in a sequel adventure, you could actually play as that janni. Good times.

[@samuelrodriguez9801]

They would be interesting for Dark Sun.

[@kronosshadow1554]

Positive energy and negative energy genie are an interesting idea

[@KS-PNW]

Back in 2 and 3e Ravenloft had some unique elementals and genies.

[@tysondennis1016]

The Avatar Genie, if you will.

[@karpmageddon4155]

Any thoughts on what a janni based genasi might be capable of?

[@wildharpy6435]

Theres actually something like this in pathfinder, called the Suli or Suli-Jann. They get a bonus to strength and Charisma, resistance to all the basic elements (fire, cold, acid, and lighting), the ability to coat their melee weapons in these elements a number of times per day, and bonuses to Diplomacy and Sense motive (the pathfinder equivalents to Persuasion and Insight).

[@MVCx_xB]

jiggly man strikes again

[@GiblixStudio]

I'm being evil to my players at times. What would you say that the multi attack with the Khopesh uses all the Janni's elements. Left hand weapon infused with water, right hand khopesh with lightning. Of course the weapons would have the effects of said elements in regards to possible resistances the players have. However... what if you use 2 elements that enhance each other. Allowing the lightning, after a water hit, add a DC towards possibly being paralyzed? Air+Earth would become a check towards being weighted down and slowed in movement? Or would that be too much? As it stands now a Janni feels too weak compared to other Djinn imo.

[@zacharygadzinski3147]

They could make Jannis a PC race. Having an immortal OC race could add a lot of roleplay options and relate with other pc races such as Genasi.

[@ConstantChaos1]

Idk i kinda feel like the janni should be able to cast wish but it has to be for things regarding the elements (or unlock all elemental spells since they are made of that element's magical energy) like the janni should be able to make it rain if people come to it and beg for rain or stop an impending sand storm or whatever, give them total control over the elements it makes sense to me

[@Trivial_Whim]

Had a rip off of the Mummy’s plot. They were the ones trying to keep us from waking up the mummified lich. After talking to them we were convinced (due to losing against their charisma) to make a fake version of the tome we were after and avoided the majority of the story as it turned out the one who hired us just wanted it locked in a more secure vault. The DM was mad and we never one again.

[@smackfanxion]

Multi-flavored Janni-beans.

[@ECWscorpion209]

Have you considering doing what you did with the khayal and making a variant of genie warlock and genasi(correct spelling)

[@philurbaniak1811]

Khopesh Hexblade 🤩

[@jamesmichael5]

You should have done a genasi style stat block for this as well

[@jacobwilson8579]

Lets see there are fire water earth wind, a mixture of all four and even shadows aka negative energy but where are the positive energy genies

[@DungeonDad]

Solid question, and I'm not sure if there is an answer... yet

[@jacobwilson8579]

So if genies are mortal souls combined with elemental forces "that's been confirmed" then could positive genius result from a cleric or other positive using class that is unable to find or bared from other after lives

[@RexTenomous]

Hey random question DD: Do you ever get into trouble with the monsters you do videos on? I know some monsters are kind of "free to use," like goblins, orcs, and probably even kobolds. But I've heard stories about WOTC hitting people with lawsuits over the more proprietary monsters, mostly in webcomics. How do you tell which ones are ok to use? Or does it not matter as much since you're not selling anything?

[@KS-PNW]

This would fall under the "Fair Use exception", so copyright/trademarks aren't an issue in this context. Not trying to be a jerk but if you Google that term you'll find much better summaries/explanations than I can give here. In general there's only a relatively tiny number of proprietary monsters. There's an official list somewhere but it's not long (and frankly couldn't be considering how many creatures they've borrowed from other creators over the years). Fun fact in the very first DnD products halflings were straight up called Hobbits. Until Gygax got a cease and desist from the Tolkien estate.

[@popeJakoIII]

To kind of build off what K. S. Said Janni are based of the Arabic/persian myths as well as the Islamic belief of the Jann (ancestor of the Jinn/Djinn) beings that lived in the cosmology along side humans, demons, angels etc. It would nearly impossible for them to prove any sort of ownership.

[@Dr_Dorian]

More Power :D

[@zacharygadzinski3147]

Wouldn't Jann be an option as player characters? It would be interesting if they were playable.

[@KS-PNW]

They had rules for that in 3e

[@xSlowLearner]

Dear Dungeon Papa, I am starting a campaign that will require a lot of time spent underwater amongst my players. There are a lot of resources on underwater campaigns, but I would really love to see if there are any cool monsters you know of/could convert to 5e?

[@DungeonDad]

Devan I’ll think about it, but off the top of my head you could totally take a look at meenolocks. The best part is we have a 5E conversion in Volo’s guide!

[@OooXxx-ol4vi]

If the janni are native to the prime material would, then could they be duplicated by a deep spawn

[@evanbryant9196]

What song plays at the plothooks part? I've heard it before @7:45

[@johandori7795]

Anyone know what happened to the D&D stream thing?

[@jaymack9262]

🐪

[@philurbaniak1811]

🐪😁

[@Gabzy7219]

why not a war between two territories which are separated by a desert where the Janni live, the oasis of the Janni was a point which made it easy to cross the desert, but now that the two territories are at war one of the two wants Destroy the oasis to make sure the enemy army doesn't reach it. but that means drive the poor Janni out of their homes, what to do? destroy the oasis to avoid a war or protect it at all costs?

[@chaddixon9764]

The name of this monster sounds like summon trying to say "genie" with a weird accent.

[@baricsaruc1493]

Clean it up janni

[@80Elminster]

The Khopesh thing makes no sense imo. You can't reach around a shield just because you are wielding a khopesh. You would have an advantage if you tried to disarm your opponent but the reach around is too much an just doesn't make sense

[@KS-PNW]

Part of it is the type of shields they typically went up against. In arid desert climates, big metal tower-shields would have been prohibitively expensive to make and dangerous to use, because of the extra effort and hence extra sweat involved. Against a wooden or bone buckler the Khopesh could easily reach around.

[@80Elminster]

@@KS-PNW How does the material influence whether you can reach around it or not? They didnt exactly use bucklers. They used rather large oval shields or roman style shields that would compliment the heavy use of spears. The buckler wasn't used until the 1300's in france

[@tigerclaw1565]

This comes from 3rd edition, right?

[@DungeonDad]

It sure does! They are just in the basic 3.0 monster manual if I am remembering correctly.

[@KS-PNW]

@@DungeonDad I think your right. If not than I'm almost positive it was Manual of the Planes (one of the two).

[@Warforged644]

So a 5e khopesh is a shotel? Not that I’m arguing against diversity of equipment