The Biggest Monster Ever Printed in a D&D Book

[@ghrondindustries5136]

I’ve been running a campaign for a couple years now taking place entirely within a massive city Mimic. I guess I was using the Genius Loci without even realizing it.

[@whitewyvernX]

I had a campaign about appraising the relics in a dead adventures house for the bank. I called it "Oops! All Mimics!"

[@tylerbremer6696]

Did the same thing, glad he made this video so I can convert the living city into a genius loci.

[@havcola6983]

@@whitewyvernX I love the idea of pitching something like that as a murder mystery ("What killed the old adventurer?!"), only for it to turn out to actually be a mimic-based funhouse dungeon. That would be a very "From Dusk Til Dawn" mid-point genre switch.

[@Jake-dx7vn]

You and I both, the one the party has just stepped foot on is watched over by a farming community that raise extra crops to keep the spirit of the land happy. In turn it kept them safe from nearby hostilities for centuries.

[@P74_14]

Can I steal your notes for that lol

[@EthosArris]

Am empty temple sits alone on a hill, and as you enter it, you hear a gentle voice in your mind, not commanding nor cruel. "Visitor? It has been a long time... I welcome you, and hope you enjoy your time here."

[@tiptaptigers]

This made me instantly think of Eventide Island in BOTW. Hell, even the shrines themselves... I know logically they're possessed by the spirits of the monks, but I love the idea that it's the land itself speaking to you. It's fascinating.

[@EthosArris]

​@@tiptaptigersthat's a glorious idea!

[@ricesneeze7107]

Having a Genius Loci disguised as a moon would lead to so many obvious "that's no moon!" jokes.

[@honestkyn718]

That's no moon, it's Frank.

[@frousteleous1285]

Legend of Zelda references as well, I'd imagine.

[@adarkerstormishere]

​@@frousteleous1285 Right? An angry, yellow-eyed Genius Loci crashing down, yelling "I... I will consume everything." Terrifying.

[@JosefDerKaiser]

Looking forward to that reveal in CR campaign 3

[@camtube55]

As long as its not a brother moon, or we will all be made whole.

[@joshuaherring9674]

I ran a 1 shot a while back where my players were trying to stop a logging community from chopping down the wrong trees. There was a Druid guiding them to the proper trees to cut, but the company was getting greedy. Eventually the party found out the spirit of the forest was actually a living creature everyone (except the Druid) thought was just a mountain. Long story short, the Druid was keeping them from harming the Mountain (I was assuming an Elemental, but I guess I was actually using a Genius Loci). Way cooler in retrospect cause I image now the Loci was controlling a good natured Druid 🤔😊 Very cool!

[@emthatyourefuse2494]

... Now *that's* what I call a warlock patron. (Also, it being an ooze and all, my instinct would 100% be to make it a huge body of water. It could be the fantasy equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle...)

[@shadyguyinthecorner9256]

THIS is an idea i can get behind. The thrall could be a fucking Kraken, Leviathan or other sort of sea monster.

[@johnj.spurgin7037]

Oh THAT has some wild potential!

[@johnj.spurgin7037]

Oh THAT has some wild potential!

[@thenutman6297]

That sounds amazing

[@1Lanavis1]

Nice idea

[@Psilo-gn1sx]

So getting enthralled by a genius loci is like getting a cat

[@HaloInverse]

Plot hook idea: Amongst sufficiently-learned scholars of the eldritch, the nature of Genius Loci is somewhat understood, including the long-term effect a Genius Loci's Thrall has upon its still-developing mind. A newly-awakened Genius Loci has been detected in some significant location, and the area hastily (but plausibly) cordoned off by the local government/lord/kingdom _before_ it acquires its first Thrall. Time is of the essence, as the _ideal_ "benevolent" person to imprint the Genius Loci on must be _quietly_ found and brought to be its new Thrall _before_ any random fool, miscreant, malevolent power, or merely _rival_ power crosses the "quarantine" and becomes the template for its new mind. As rumors spread, so do the risk of more parties taking notice...

[@informitas0117]

This idea is violently amazing.

[@chrisschoenthaler5184]

This would be an outstanding premise for an adventure, and one that would work for just about any party.

[@idrisabdullah3492]

This is so fun as an adventure book AND as backstory of a fallen kingdom or something

[@riftwilliams]

I ran one game with a Genius Loci. It was fairly well fed, but the chosen thrall ket the power go to his head. The Town: Waterdeep The Thrall: Elminster

[@lancefullmer9384]

The idea of a moon sized Genius Locii just screams Ego the living planet to me lol

[@Zaprozhan]

In DC comics, there's a living planet called Mogo. It's also a Green Lantern.

[@levihankenson3801]

First thing that I thought of! Thanks

[@LEGObowserYT]

I was screaming that in my head the entire video lol

[@DipUniversal]

Dead Space is what first came to mind, though I can see that

[@levihankenson3801]

@@DipUniversal look up the comic version of Ego, and you’ll see what we mean

[@NINJAfries07]

What about a Plasmoid that is essentially a small piece of a Genius Loci, shed, but still connected, sent out to explore the world after the Loci adopted some of the wanderlust of their thrall

[@badideagenerator2315]

Make them a horizon walker ranger

[@Mr.Despair.]

This is an underrated comment

[@alexandermiddleton1023]

Imagine the plasmoid looking like a mini walking landscape. Miniature land masses on their body like natural armor.

[@SwirlyPinwheel]

Really gives "My name is The Lorax and I speak for the trees" a whole new meaning.

[@redman7775]

I am Genius Loci I speak for the trees And through your careless flames They now want your knees

[@AndrewChumKaser]

The lorax is a thrall of the genius loci

[@wayward5219]

My name is The Lorax and I am a tree

[@usernameig975]

​@@wayward5219The ground holds me captive, please set me free.

[@windhelmguard5295]

i was thinking of a galactus/silver surfer dynamic.

[@ProfArmitage218]

Spelljammer for 2e had Constellates, living constellations with a size listed as "1 to 100 million square miles". They were more of a plot device than something that could actually be fought though. They had magical attacks, but no listed hit dice or hit points.

[@davenrippe480]

Technically the epic level handbook has no limit. it only covers up to level 30 but does state that going past level 30 you just keep repeating the same table over and over if you remain in the same class

[@InflamedCorgi]

There is a book called The Immortal's Handbook and it was designed to cover levels up to 1500 plus

[@Senok13]

@@InflamedCorgi That's sounds both stupid and ridiculous. Even the level 20 characters can fight and defeat demigods, a level 30 should be able to beat one ALONE, after level 35 they are literally can be considered minor gods themselves!

[@SymbioteMullet]

​@@Senok13 The gods in the 3.5 Deities & Demigods book are "only" about level 60 (but are probably challenge 80ish when you add god powers on top of their class levels), but the ELH also has rules to advance monsters to any level, so a 1500 level game is entirely plausible. Although very silly. The Atropal mentioned in the video is about challenge 35, and the Hecatonchires (you can see it at 3:16) is the toughest thing in the book at CR 53. And then the Draconomicon came along and gave us the Prismatic Dragon which goes up to CR 86. I tried to run a game for level 100 charcters, and it ended during character creation when it turned out that the wizard was able to cast time stop twice per turn for ever, thus effectively freezing the universe for ever since they were never going to not do that. And that was without ever using the _utter_ stupidity that was Epic Spellcasting.

[@davenrippe480]

@@InflamedCorgi Wow, I might need to look for that one. I just know that the epic level handbook gave the blueprint for going up to level 30 and then gave the information to go beyond that but it requires a lot of work after a while

[@Dukstless]

@@SymbioteMullet "whoops, I get to use time stop twice per turn, game's over."

[@chrispoznich]

I like the idea of a giant shifting forest that’s made up of pockets of real trees that the genius loci moves around its body. I feel like it would have a symbiotic relationship with a colony of dryads and primarily feed on dead wildlife or those who dare try to deforest it.

[@tefnutofhoney2832]

Ive had an idea for a genius loci before. Basically an entire animate dungeon, fully sentient, that uses the monsters within as a sort of "immune system", and uses adventurers as almost vitamins~

[@CompassRoseGaming]

I'm gonna use this idea. I love it :)

[@maximeteppe7627]

As it can move, you can make it a labyrinth that reconfigures its passages around until you put it down (obviously, rather than plentiful but squishy ooze behind every brick, this version should have a limited number of vital organs scattered about the dungeon, defended by hordes of enemies)

[@BasilBeesLair]

*omnius slightly muffled voice can be heard from the Genius Loci* "HMMMMM..... Gummie Vitamins... Nham Nham"

[@patches1758]

Or a huge maze can be a genius loci. The maze changes because it’s alive and the monsters in it that got trapped are under its control.

[@amiablereaper]

I invite you to read Dungeon Meshi, or watch the upcoming anime adaptation. It's actually about almost this exact premise!

[@ascendedsleeper5693]

I feel like this monster could be one of the reasons the spell Proctiv's move mountain was created. If you had no way of dealing with titanic ooze, then floating it so it can't do anything would be a good option.

[@gamediverbr]

An unused idea while reading abot this guy was to make druids being a special kind of warlocks, using this guys as the "entity" for the "pact of patronage".

[@NextToNothingNet]

Thought the exact same thing!

[@doctorbrainenstein2973]

BITD, 3.5 days, I once turned an epic druid/master of many forms character with all the feats to alter his wild form into elementals and magic beasts Into a genus loci when he used a carelessly worded Wish.

[@jemm113]

@@doctorbrainenstein2973 this is what arcane lawyers are for, same with devils on retainer. You NEVER go into a Wish without choosing your words carefully (ESPECIALLY if they come from a genie). It would take a feat of poetry to make a simple wish work as intended (aka, make your DM capitulate from experiencing your sheer skill at epic, dramatic, and romantic poetry so he gives you a freebie in the last boss fight)

[@Kryptnyt]

I like the idea of two loci (locii? Locuses?) at war with one another, or at least, in competition with one another, with all the beings on both seeking to outdo or undo the other. Any tribe of people who make sacrifices to the local volcano could also be totally justified if the volcano is in fact a loci.

[@bionicdragon5]

Kinda sounds like the plot of Xenoblade.

[@ReshyShira]

But Dad, you forgot, you can apply the Sentry Ooze template and give it an intelligence score.

[@KevinVideo]

Dungeonscape is an amazing book.

[@raegan_1018]

This sounds to me like Tom Bombadill is an immortal who became a thrall of a genus loci and ended up living so long that their consciousness became extentions of one another. Two powerful beings inextricably linked and unable to be separated

[@jonp8015]

IMO, one of the best pop culture representations of a Genius Loci is the Disney movie Moana. The Entire Ocean in that movie was a Genius Loci and Moana was its thrall. On that same track for a Genius Loci Warlock, the Fathomless Patron could very easily be re-flavored into it. Replace the Cold damage of the tentacles with Bludgeoning and replace the water breathing and swim speed with a burrowing speed. Also change Fathomless Plunge to take you to and from your Genius Loci location.

[@qwopiretyu]

Replace the water breathing and swim speed when it can be a lake? You're going further than you needed.

[@Senok13]

I think he only forget to add 2 words: "the Fathomless Patron could very easily be re-flavored into it - if necessary".

[@shahproductionsuser2965]

Burrow speed is kinda OP though

[@katza831]

Ego from guardian's of the galaxy

[@byrontheusurper6505]

That's what I thought, genious loci Patron could be such a cool thing

[@bigjimslim]

Now movie “The Hills Have Eyes” has a whole new meaning.

[@nickanderson55]

I like the idea of a nice genius loci there’s a halfling city that sprouted up when the founder came across it, its infancy forming both a symbiotic relationship and a friendship when the Heflin died, his personality lived on in the genius loci protecting his people, making a thriving community

[@truekurayami]

Ohh that just gave me a wonderful idea for dark but wholesome quirk for a nation. Ancestorial spirits are very well known and honnored in a specific nation. The land of the nation is effectively a group of Genius Loci that shaped themselves to reflect the race that first settled the land of a particular Loci, with that first thralls connection being so Strong their spirit remained and is inhabiting a golem made by the loci so that first thrall can stay by the Loci's side and see the growth of the thralls people.

[@nickanderson55]

@@truekurayami cool :) that’s really close to what I was thinking the Gollum is a nice touch

[@caleblawther1854]

@@nickanderson55 same hair you could have the genius loci make a escalator out of ten hand

[@GameHunterMaster]

So, technically, Marvel's Ego the Living Planet would be considered to be a Genius Loci, right?

[@Qualman701]

So would DC's Mogo the green lantern.

[@BlueProphet7]

Not really. Genius Loci are a somewhat 'natural occurrence' without any sort of intelligence or motivation. They are literally a weird giant nature blob that comes into being and it gets it's "flavor" from the whatever intelligent locals inhabit the area. The beings like Ego in Marvel are Celestials (according to the MCU) or alternatively, a relatively unexplored race of planetary godlike beings. They ABSOLUTELY have intelligence and motivation that are part of them - they do not rely on beings around them for purpose and alignment.

[@lanterns_glow]

Mr. Popo's pecking order is pretty much this guy's whole deal

[@GotrekGurnisson]

Your comment made me smile.

[@lancefullmer9384]

First rule of Popos training is you don't talk about Popos training

[@GotrekGurnisson]

@@lancefullmer9384enjoy the climb back up

[@AnonymousJohnAutobon]

Ah, a man of culture I see

[@chasenovak122]

There’s you, the dirt, the worms inside the dirt, Popo’s stool, Kami… and then Popo…

[@alexisthompson376]

It feels like the small moon versions of the Loci would be one that has taken over the entire moon over because of sheer time allowing it to. Using this for a warlock, it could be that with time, it could intelligent enough to be a warlock's patron. All their spells could be similar in theme to whatever type of moon it is if you wanted to add flair to things.

[@benkenobi6137]

Spin off of this, the moon is /very far away/ and the warlock can feel itngetting closer

[@hendrickvanrensselaer5147]

I love finding new and bizarre monsters to use in my campaign. This channel is a true resource.

[@DungeonDad]

Thanks for watchin'!

[@SergioLeonardoCornejo]

Well. This one is more like an obscure classic. But I agree

[@ReshyShira]

Take a look at Living Spell and Spell Soverign from 3.5e. Those are pretty cool.

[@DrMedicTM]

An amazing vid about this old creature! Love your content and all the cool creatures from DnD's past that you re-flavor for 5e use. I felt inspired by your comment about a Genius Loci being a Patron to a Warlock and feel inspired to homebrew the "Pact of the Loci" on DnDB.

[@AliasEliahus]

If you're still up for some planetary monsters consider looking up the 4th edition monster "Allabar opener of the way" its essentially a living planet that drifter too close to the far realm and went insane and now serves as a moving gateway for eldritch creatures to appear on a nearby planet. would be very interested to see if you could convert it to 5th edition

[@keantully-mclelland1383]

Love the idea of you having to go warn a group of druids or nomads etc about a group of raiders coming their way and them not really seeming bothered by it. Which seems odd so you and your party decide to stay and defend them from the aggressors and as you see the pillagers charging towards the camp or settlement you just see the army get swallowed into the ground in an instant (no exp for you) 😂

[@keylimepython641]

Would it kill you to make a CR 30 creature? In all seriousness, I'm glad you are giving the epic level handbook another look, and its good to see more powerful oozes.

[@brettwood1351]

Well it might kill the party...

[@abellator7560]

​@@brettwood1351 that sounds like a skill issue

[@Fanatic_Foremem]

@@abellator7560 yeah the issue being that skills don't go that high.

[@abellator7560]

@@Fanatic_Foremem eh just mold epic level handbook to 5e conversion it works or RNG will see if they are worthy

[@keylimepython641]

@@Fanatic_ForememTarrasques beg to differ

[@drjobygax]

Excellent stuff! My plan is to use this creature as the new threat since the players surprisingly lopped off the head of the Big Bad Boss I intended for them to spar with for another series of sessions. Since they just killed the usurper of the throne of the God of Death the throne stands barren. And without a ruler in the Plane of Death the plane itself begins to animate with all the souls choking up the soul-pipes, presenting a new and strange threat to the heroes. Thanks!

[@mavericktitan7874]

So apparently this means 'UNICRON' from the Transformers franchise is effectively a mechanical Genius Loci, and Galvitron is his Thrall. Heck, the same could be said about GALACTUS and the Silver Surfer (or whoever his current herald may be). Perfect. I love it!

[@ShiroNekoDen]

Cybertron aka primus itself is one as well

[@redstoneraptor8101]

This reminds me of the idea of a colony of mimics acting as an entire town. The Genius Loci can just do that all on its own.

[@jamesburrows3602]

And it comes with a thrall!

[@AlvoriaGPM]

"Shouldn't it have some Lair Actions?" "Nope. It IS Lair Actions!"

[@eliotoole4534]

4:39 You know what, one of these invading Ravenloft would be a cool campaign

[@j2minerblacksands881]

Story Idea: So, given the fact that it is an Ooze we can have this as a powerful weapon of Juiblex or Ghaunadaur cultists, a living moving castle filled with other Oozes such as Slithering Hoards or Living Spells under the command of a cultist like the "Pudding King". It is up to the party to try and siege the Genius Loci before it gets to whatever destination it going, such as a hidden Abyss portal or moving threw the Under-dark to an elven city for a massive raid.

[@danielgehring7437]

"How many torches do you guys wanna bring along?" "Yes."

[@brettwood1351]

@@danielgehring7437 "If by torches you mean call in that favor an Ifreet owes us, then yes."

[@pevendesu7750]

Thank you very much for this video! I had a place in my campaign that wanted to use for the finale, and couldn't get a very idea of how to approach it, but this changes everything. It was very useful and now I have some pretty good ideas of how to do this.

[@danielgehring7437]

When I was a much younger DM, I used to love to throw these kinds of creatures at the party, but it always backfired. The PCs caught on pretty quick that whenever I sent along an NPC it was just to serve as domination fodder for the boss they were going to kill.

[@binchlipusfukaroniiandchee464]

Subversion. I'm gonna tell my next group that there's a band of goblins and orcs that patrol a mountain nearby who kill every single living thing that steps foot near it's base, even squirrels and rats. They will have camps all across the bottom of the mountain like a ring, and the top 60% of the mountain will look untouched. A character will tell them that even when lightning set the mountain ablaze, they never climbed it to tend to the mountain they seemingly valued so much. If they somehow find a way to brave the armies and make it to the peak of the mountain, their reward will be a silent and irreversible connection to their beloved destination of mystery. If they never go up there, then I get to put *whomstever* I so choose up there, and the story progresses.

[@JebusKristSuperstar]

I have used a genius loci in my last big campaign, he was a mountain range that was protected by a dragon who happened upon the mountain range. The Loci had a long standing deal with the country that it bordered to keep it safe from the outside world at its borders.

[@axolatlas5799]

The picture of the genius loci on the thumbnail looks like it plans on crashing into the world in three days

[@Star194Dust]

This is a little off the wall but it's my birthday today (25) and I was just talking to some friends about growing up learning to read with my parents 3rd edition books. Seeing this thumbnail threw me back to first being struck by the art and slowly picking together the bits and pieces of the description until it really set in the whole fantasy in front if me. Thank you for your content and giving me whole new pathways to enjoying my favorite hobby!

[@DungeonDad]

That’s awesome! Happy birthday!

[@mikeoxlong1395]

I remembered it, when he mentioned the trees. You fight this thing in Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer.

[@aaroncunningham8307]

I literally just looked up an article on the Veserab. It's funny how they're horrifying in appearance, but are described as shy herd animals.

[@chrisg8989]

Love the Idea of this being a Walock Patron. Especially if it's just a Dip Into Warlock for a Multiclass. Since the Genius Loci dominates it's Guardian, it would make sense that most of the power the PC has isn't from the Patron. I'm thinking a Sorlock; Hexblade/Aberrant Mind, for the telepathic connection.

[@aiporia1284]

This is really interesting. I was planning on using the Dresden Files interpretation of a Genius Loci where a caster does something to intrinsically link themselves with a location in order to perfectly perceive everything that’s happening there as if perceiving what the land itself would if it were alive. It’s always been a really cool concept to me but this is certainly an interesting approach that I’ll have to use in one of my games eventually

[@maximeteppe7627]

If you like Dresden files and the concept of a genius Loci, may I recommend the rivers of London series? Half the worldbuilding is about the tremendous amount of genii Locorum hanging about London (though in that case, they manifest has humanoids deities protecting the location and interacting with its inhabitants).

[@meikahidenori]

This sounds like something you'd land on in a Spelljammer adventure 😂

[@HypercomboProduction]

The Party encounters a moon who's thrall is a Tree named Harold who has retained his memories and wants to die. However, the moon is going to grant his wish by crashing onto Strahd's castle.

[@brettwood1351]

... Okay it might be more interesting to just do nothing and see how Strahd deals with it. Though probably the DM will go with Strahd forcing or tricking the party into dealing with it.

[@HypercomboProduction]

@@brettwood1351 "Simon, I know we just met. I know you don't like me and I certainly don't like you. However, we need to put aside our differences and work together. We cannot let the Moon crush and destroy my beutiful world. Once the Moon is delt with, then we can continue our fight. Do we have a deal, Sir Belmont?"-Strahd, maybe.

[@harrybechtle4333]

…is that a reference to fallout 3

[@HypercomboProduction]

@@harrybechtle4333 and Majora's Mask!

[@BiowareNut]

There was a Genius Loci in the "Mask of the Betrayer" expansion for Neverwinter Nights 2. It was a very interesting and very cool chapter of the game. It was so memorable for me because I had never heard of the Genius Loci or seen the concept executed in such an interesting way before. It held its own in a DLC full of extremely interesting/cool story and enemies. This DLC is probably my favourite video game DLC of all time.

[@dandrakearts6324]

I made a campaign long a go, obviously not with the same monster but the story matches it perfectly: It was a futuristic but still magic universe where all of a sudden, a whole moon started moving towards planets. From it rained strange undead alien monsters and the first planet closer to it was devoured. We never finished it, but the idea is that the whole moon was alive-ish, taken by the soul of a lich who basically wanted to destroy all life in existence. For anyone who play this one, good luck with that!

[@baamxxv63]

Sounds like dead space ending, but I assume yours happens before the release ahhaha

[@dandrakearts6324]

@@baamxxv63 It happened before, but i actually never played dead space. Yes, i know.

[@Comrade2261]

Have any stats? Lol.

[@dandrakearts6324]

@@Comrade2261 Unfortunelly, i do not, but i imagine the monster in this vid is info enough for something like it.

[@ayevamazfiel]

That just sounds like Atropus! Which is great btw

[@borger8045]

i like the idea that the genius loci might have it's mind sort of "fuse" with the thrall instead of just taking influence from it perhaps some madman wishes to intentionally become enthralled in order to extend their life by living past their own demise as the land itself

[@maromania7]

I could imagine actually sending a low to mid level party against this. Someone killed its old thrall, and the Loci took the killer as a replacement. What was once a kindly ranger bending the Loci to good is now a highwayman bending it towards theft and evil. The party is tasked with taking a druid to assassinate the guardian, so that they may take the thrall's place and bend the"forest" back to the side of good.

[@RickarRickani]

If you want to know how the it's used in a story, start reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The Genius Loci is named Demonreach.

[@Joescotterpuss]

I'd love to be a DM running a wizard that has Harry's knowledge of the island when the party encounters them. Just knowing where they are at all times and keeping eyes on them if the party thinks of starting shit.

[@windhelmguard5295]

could you reflavour galactus as a genius loci with silver surfer as his thrall?

[@serketenglish5963]

I've been looking for a good way to do a Nature Warlock for a couple years. This is definitely it.

[@caffynated552]

The Elder Evils from 3rd edition has some good monsters you could look at. Atropus is a moon sized undead creature that devours worlds. Ragnorra is Final Fantasy The Spirits Within, but with physical monsters instead of ghosts.

[@goldensajti9022]

its basicly a big land that can murder you with no efford a evolved mimic

[@Not_Morgoth]

Land Druids knowingly (or unknowingly) dedicated to a genius loci is a very interesting concept to me.

[@antcow1239]

A genius loci that contains a city....full of mimics!

[@brettwood1351]

Wow, I feel like that would be a great way to utterly mess with the players. There aren't a lot of other inhabitents like monsters other than the mimics, the city can shift and change, and they've got to find the rare chests that do contain useful items, that might help them escape. I could see both a straight up malevolent one working, but you could also do a mischivious one that's thrall liked to play games.

[@Iceican]

I like the idea of having one as a moon and it being like the teletubbies sun.

[@dylanbrewer8605]

I love this channel, I've been binge watching this series regardless of how old the episode may be.

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

Hey! World of Warcraft players! This is how you play a Titan that's beginning to awaken. The dominate thrall ability is a bit off-flavor, but otherwise this is a great concept for how you depict the early stages of an entire planet turning into a giant space dude who literally gets up and walks around the galactic plane.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

This feels way more like an NPC than a combat encounter, but I really like it. My first thought when you were taking about it was a moving island or flying mountain, with some crazy arch fey for its caretaker. Sort of an Avalon vibe

[@jirojhasuo2ndgrandcompany745]

I h8 murikkka

[@truekurayami]

There is so much possibility. If was an ocean instead of a "proper" land mass it can bring Sea gods that aren't part of the standard game setting for the Loci while the thrall is the equivalent ruler or emissary of said god's domain, Like Poseidon and his son Triton or Calypso and Davey Jones.

[@atroecious9357]

I'm running a campaign right now where the final boss is intended to be a Tarrasque being controlled by an Elder Brain. This has now evolved to the party needing to delve inside the Tarrasque, navigate the Genius Foci that has grown within the sleeping Tarrasque and bonded with the Elder Brain, followed by an escape from the Tarrasque as the Genius Foci bonds with it instead, and a battle against the Tarrasque who is now bonded to the Foci, in back to back battles at L20. I thank you for this, and I'm sure my party already hates you. They never have to know, though.

[@BrawlSnorlax]

I had two ideas for the genius loci. The relatively same one was to actually make it the base of operations for the adventuring party. They get a neat area to keep coming back to, and maybe the thrall is a butler or farmer or something. The other idea is kinda weird. That the monster got influenced by an overly enthusiastic nudist and it thinks taking everything that passersby are wearing is helping

[@danielgehring7437]

The nudist thing is a little bonk-worthy but I like the idea of the loci just randomly switching out player equipment, so suddenly the wizard has the barbarian's axe and the cleric's double-gripping two shields.

[@brettwood1351]

@@danielgehring7437 Oh man, I can just imagine it doing the "I'm Halping!" meme! 🤣

[@damiannuno7846]

Oh I like the base of operations Loci with an enthralled butler. The adventurers are allowed to use the place as long as they do the occasional favor for the unseen“Lord of the Manor”

[@ThefifthBishopofGord]

While the second seems a little weird but it certain contexts of what it is it could go from annoying to the tundra is stealing your clothes and anything attached or in pockets. So good luck if your party has their bag holding tied to them that is going with the clothes to some underground cave it formed and then sealed.

[@lucianorondano6602]

Children of the corn could be an excellent genius loci adventure

[@nealjustus9500]

".... a tinny moon" 😨next your going to tell me that there are things like living and possessed masks in some book some were, along with a flute that allows someone to go backward in time.

[@BelongsintheTrash]

I’ve been really trying to come up with a Cosmic-Horror campaign not involving the Starspawn and you’ve just given me the perfect hook. The last remaining fragment of a Planet-sized Genius Loci falls to the sword coast as a meteorite and plummets deep into the murky depths of the ocean. When it settles into the deeps and reaches out it’s psychic tendrils, it’s purchase finds hold on an Ancient Aboleth who, over centuries, facilitates its growth and beings to drive the populace of the planet either insane, or into the murky depths to serve their great master.

[@davidkoudelka10]

I am tempted to make a genius loci that has become infused with the powers of the Abyss from eating a demon, perhaps moving around destroying cities and creating more demons in their wake. Maybe created from a genius loci possessing a Dead Zone created by an envissu? (Plus I could see one of these getting a second stage at half hit points and resulting in a kaiju battle)

[@LifeEnemy]

Neat! There are a lot of neat stories you can use this creature in. I don't remember this one specifically, but I read a lot of the Epic level handbook a lot back in high school! So broken though lol

[@melamber9823]

I would totally go with the Dresden Files' use of it. The Genius Loci is the spirit of a prison for up to god tier monsters and the 'guardian' is the warden

[@The_best900g]

Amazing in-depth video, the care you add into the description and research is amazing! Amazing as always

[@Trivial_Whim]

I loved this thing. I used it as the god of mimics. Like, mimics had a religion where they believed a powerful enough mimic could become one through ascension. Also, the behavior is directly copied from a 1932 horror story called The Genius Loci. In it a pond is haunted by an evil old man and the author’s friend, a painter, keeps repainting the pond scene creepier and creepier as it takes over his mind. It was over worded and used prose to pretty up a fairly simple ghost story. But that’s normal for the time period. And again, it’s almost a one to one ratio n how this thing acts.

[@MrCyanobacterium]

Great video! I own the Epic Player’s Handbook and never really understood this monster until this video. Your description of a thrall finding food for the Genius Loci gave me the idea of a Silver-Surfer like NPC/PC forced to find villages for it to consume, doing their best to minimize innocent deaths by targeting bandit camps and the like

[@mslabo102s2]

This is perhaps the most inspiring Monster of the Week episode to me.

[@kiritokirigaya6584]

Encounter: the genius loci is an island with its thrall being a pirate captain, luring in ships with shelter or natural resources and plundering them. Basically the island fish from the 2003 Sinbad movie.

[@evetslon]

The thrall relationship and power of the Genius Loci reminds me of Tom Bombadil from Lord of the Rings! Interesting fan theory potential there lol

[@Avvy89]

Do you mean the stats for Cronus in that one Dragon Magazine article?

[@Xi-Xi-Kaisoku]

The first time i had heard of a Genius Loci was from The Dresden Files series, its cool seeing one as a dnd creature

[@davidpotts7116]

Absolutely love this monster. It’s one of my favorites and the final boss of a campaign I’ve been building

[@haydennoble9253]

Jim Butcher must’ve played dnd. I’d only heard of Genius Loci as you’ve described it in the Dresden Files. (I’ve always had a big interest in dnd but I’ve never known anyone that plays it and I’m a hermit.)

[@HenriFaust]

You fight a Genius Loci in one boss battle in _NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer._ It's one of the best D&D video games, if you can get past the dated user interface.

[@ihaveproblems9779]

>Kind and caring >Picture of Heliod HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@zenthr]

This reminds me of a monster from 4e (I think the 3rd MM?). It was "Allabar, Opener of the Way", which I remember as basically being an "awakened planet". I tried coming up with a campaign based on Allabar manipulating the PC's world to awaken it as a thrall, but I never really completed it.

[@LIscariot]

Allabar is definitely bigger naturally, although the rulebook assumes that the planet shrinks itself down to an undefined but more manageable size, or the players find a way to fight it more directly (on some metaphysical plane or something). Fundamentally, D&D is just not capable of combat past a certain scale.

[@quinnlee-newbury9003]

I'm running 5e superheroes/comic book campaign and you just gave me a base template to run an Ego or even Galactus-type (its enthralled creature being the Herald). Bless you Dungeon Dad. Also a warlock who's the Genius Loci's enthralled creature immediately came to my mind too! And the idea of druids acting as guardians for a Genius Loci just has so many immediate cool ideas coming from it. Druids that worship it in a cult (good or bad)? Sick. A Genius Loci heavily influenced by the druids that happen to tend it becoming a force for good and healing the natural world? Sooo many ideas!!

[@Metal_Maoist]

Since you've already made some Pathfinder to D&D conversions, could you maybe do the Hounds of Tindalos? They're a really cool monster and I'd love to see them in D&D

[@KevinVideo]

On the suggestion list with a few other people. I'll add your name.

[@anabominationagainstman3597]

I KNOW THAT NAME I DONT REMEMBER WHAT THEY DO

[@DukeNightmare]

​@@anabominationagainstman3597 lovecraft monsters that can only enter our reality through non acute angles

[@anabominationagainstman3597]

@@DukeNightmare Those FUCKIGN CORNER DEMONS!!!! YES!

[@matthewbennett1972]

You could introduce them from some wizards bungling a time travel spell.

[@tbaldwin5114]

Ever since you made this video I'd wanted a Genius Loci in my campaign. I now have a campaign where the fertile farming land is a Genius Loci run by a Steward. Most would think that's because no King from neighbouring nations would bother running the place themselves. But really, its because the man who was made Steward had a love for the land that the land responded to. He will be its thrall, but the PCs will be able to interact with the Genius Loci through him and their own innate abilities (especially druids). Thanks for the inspiration once again. I often use your monsters in my campaigns as my players are experienced and I often need to find creatures that aren't in the official guides.

[@josephfurtado2306]

Looks like Ego the Living Planet

[@josephfurtado2306]

I would like to request the Paka from Ravenloft.

[@nonyabisness6306]

i didn't think it'd be an elemental, but an OOZEE? damn thats crazy.

[@urielseptim5956]

I always had a soft spot for Bonedrinkers even if they are a bit basic.

[@urielseptim5956]

They killed my wizard in the Red Hand of Doom but I can't bring myself to dislike them

[@courtlandfargo5251]

One fun idea I had is a Genius Loci that hires the PCs to find them rare and dangerous things to eat.

[@HypercomboProduction]

Hey DD quick question, where is your channel mascot Odoopi? Is it still looking for the Choclate Golem or did it bring back the Chia Pet Golem?

[@DungeonDad]

That's a great question, I will have to go out looking for it

[@gabrielmaggiore5565]

A cool idea would be a Genius Locii that is a moving oasis in a desert

[@DungeonDad]

Edit: Hey guys! Due to a very cool KZbin copyright issue the audio between 1:09 - 1:20 is muted. It's just some atmospheric music, but if you notice that it gets weirdly silent for 11 seconds, that's why! Edit again: Using KZbins editor I was able to add some music in there that then just kind of cuts off awkwardly. This is basically the best compromise I can offer without reuploding the video all together. Sorry for the weird cut there! Thanks for watching! What monster should I talk about next?

[@ExplosiveFloofBall]

Dendar? I know she's a specific entity rather than a general one but could be fun to see

[@bingobango3607]

The jabberwock

[@alexandrajones4518]

How about Joy Eaters from 3.5 E.

[@zimattack9994]

keep up the great work here to atropus some day

[@heathharris2545]

Constellates

[@michaelcohen8259]

Your channel plus that of Pointy Hat can make some wild combinations. He came up with a "Druidic Lich" called a Blight. It essentially becomes one with the land the druid was protecting. I can imagine a druid doing this, never realizing that s/he was actually protecting a Genius Loci! What an amalgamation!

[@thetalantonx]

I guess I've been using a variant of these in having a Crystalline Intelligence (inspired by the things from ST:TNG) but having them create a reality bubble around them. At a certain point they develop enough intelligence to connect with a sentient who can benefit from the reality generating effects in return for having someone keeping it company and being able to speak with other sentients without frying their minds or taking too long to speak (amplitude and wavelength of the consciousness are both too great for standard minds to connect with the older/bigger they get.)

[@sinisterfire6641]

What about a Genius Loci being the home-based of your party. Filled with a crew that is thrills that sell all the supplies, drinks ect for your party. Have a wizard thrall that uses his magics to teleport the Loci castle around to the call of the party

[@byrontheusurper6505]

Imagine playing a warlock whose patron is the genius loci controlling his mind! Edit: lmao same brain

[@kelwdavicuddui5677]

What if it enthralled an Oath of Conquest Paladin? I have visions of the loci becoming a kindgom at war lead by what the people of that kingdom might view as a god king in the form of that paladin. It would seek to prevail and crush the opposing kingdoms, but would also have some of the other notions of the Paladin affecting it like protecting the people who reside on it.

[@DWSP101]

OK I’ve been watching your channel for a while and I have to make this post please can you do a video on specifically creepy Crawley monsters that are swarm type not simple ones not rats, not magic eaters something more undead please hear my comment love your channel and I love the doc files that you always upload

[@Dewald]

Dungeon Dad seems to focus on the thrall being a humanoid, but what if it was an ancient dragon, Elder Brain, or Beholder?