DAO (Earth Genie) – 5e stats

Large elemental (genie), neutral evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 187 (15d10 + 105)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
Speed (suggested) 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 50 ft.

Proficiency Bonus +4
Proficiency Bonus +6 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
23 (+6)12 (+1)24 (+7)12 (+1)13 (+1)14 (+2)

Saving Throws lnt +5, Wis +5 , Cha +6
Condition Immunities petrified
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Terran
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Earth Glide. The dao can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the dao doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.

Elemental Demise. If the dao dies, its body disintegrates into crystalline powder, leaving behind only equipment the dao was wearing or carrying.

Sure-Footed. The dao has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.

Innate Spellcasting. The dao’s innate speilcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

Innate Spellcasting (suggested). The dao’s innate speilcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The dao makes two fist attacks or two maul attacks.
  • Fist. Melee Weapon Attack:+ 10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
  • Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (4d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Strength check or be knocked prone

5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.

It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it

DESCRIPTION

Dao are a type of genie that originate from the Elemental Plane of Earth. They are tall, stocky, and muscular, with bald heads and dark skin. They often adorn themselves with jewelry, turbans, and elaborate clothing. Dao have a strong affinity for earth and stone, and can manipulate them with ease. They also have a keen eye for craftsmanship and value things that are well-made. Dao are generally evil and greedy, and have no qualms about enslaving other creatures to serve them or mine precious gems for them. They fear losing their own freedom, however, and despise anyone who would imprison them. Dao are proud and arrogant, and consider themselves superior to other genies and mortals. They are also cunning and scheming, and will always try to twist any wish they grant to their own advantage. Dao speak all of the languages of the genies, as well as common and the tongue of earth elementals.

COMBAT

Dao prefer to avoid direct combat unless they are sure of victory. They rely on their innate magic and their earth-based abilities to attack and defend. Dao are immune to any earth-affecting spells or abilities, such as petrification or move earth. They can also burrow through unworked earth and stone without leaving any trace, and carry objects with them while doing so. Dao can cast a variety of spells, such as detect magic, stone shape, passwall, invisibility, phantasmal killer, plane shift, and wall of stone. Once per day, they can also grant a limited wish to a creature native to the Prime Material Plane, but they will always do so in a malicious or twisted way. Dao are not afraid to use their physical strength in combat, either. They have retractable metal claws that can shred flesh and armor alike, and they often wield heavy mauls that can crush bones.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

Dao live in the Great Dismal Delve, a vast network of rifts and caverns on the Elemental Plane of Earth. They use their slaves, such as earth elementals, xorn, dwarves, gnomes, or humans, to mine the rich veins of gems and metals that they covet. Dao are ruled by the Great Khan of the Dao, who resides in the Sevenfold Mazework, a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that only he knows how to navigate. The Great Khan is served by noble dao, who are larger and more powerful than ordinary dao. Noble dao act as his generals, governors, and emissaries, and command respect from their lesser kin. Dao have a rigid hierarchy based on wealth and influence. The more gems a dao possesses, the higher their status and power. Dao often compete with each other for resources and favors from the Great Khan or the noble dao.

Dao settle pockets of elemental matter on their own plane, bending those pockets to their will and desire. A dao mazework contains 4d10 dao, as well as 8d10 elemental and non elemental slaves.

Each mazework is ruled by an ataman or hetman who is advised by a seneschal. The loyalty of a mazework’s ataman to the Great Dismal Delve is always questionable, but the seneschals are chosen by the khan of the dao, and their loyalty is to him alone.

The khan of the dao lives at the center of the great mazework called the Great Dismal Delve. The land within the delve is said to be larger than most Prime Material continents. The Great Dismal Delve is linked to all manner of elemental pockets, so the khan can call forth whatever powers he needs.

The population of dao in the delve is unknown, as is the number of slaves that constantly work the tunnels and clear away damage caused by the quakes which frequently shake it. Dao dislike servitude as much as efreet and are even more prone to malice and revenge than their fiery counterparts.

ECOLOGY

Dao have a significant impact on the ecology of the Elemental Plane of Earth and any other plane they visit. They alter the landscape with their mining activities, creating new tunnels, chambers, pits, and piles of rubble. They also trade their gems and metals with other creatures or planes, influencing the economy and politics of those regions. Dao have few natural enemies on their home plane, but they often clash with other genies or elemental beings over territory or resources. On other planes, dao may encounter resistance from those who oppose their slavery or greed. Dao have a long lifespan, but they are not immortal. When they die, their bodies disintegrate into fine crystalline dust, leaving behind their possessions.

Dao manage a thriving business of trade, driven by a desire for more power and access to precious gems. High on their list of hatreds are most other genies (except efreeti, with whom they trade worked metals for minerals). They also have little use for other elemental creatures; the dao value these only if they can exploit them in some fashion.