Let's Read the 4e Monster Manual 2: Djinn
This is part of a series! Go here to see the other entries.
Djinns are inspired by the same real world Arabic folklore that inspired efreets, and they’ve been in the game since at least BECMI.
The Lore
Djinns are some of the most ancient sapient elementals, on par with efreets (which we saw in the first Monster Manual/Vault Let’s Read). They’re aspected to Air, and in the book’s own words, are “Ingenious Engineers of the Fabulous”.
Back in the day, the djinn built entire civilizations in the Elemental Chaos. Theirs were shining palaces filled with treasure beyond mortal comprehension, and great gleaming cities built on mobile floating platforms.
When the Dawn War came, the djinns chose to side with the primordials, which I suppose they saw as the pragmatic choice. After all, their own empire was outside the world, and the stronger primordials looked like they had a better chance of winning. In the end, though, they chose wrong.
The gods scattered the djinns as punishment for their deeds in the war, and imprisoned many of them in objects such as rings, lamps, or other artifacts. The ones that remained free had their powers severely reduced. Over the ages a lot of those artifacts and a lot of djinn relics made their way to other planes and to the world.
So yeah, it’s totally possible for a PC to find the proverbial magic lamp. It’s up to the GM whether the magic that binds the djinn inside forces it to serve the bearer, though. If it does, then these relics are super-powerful! Even if the djinn can’t grant wishes like in the stories, it’s still an epic-level creature full of magic powers.
The djinns who remained free, and those who freed themselves over the ages, mostly busy themselves with roaming the planes looking for the remains of their ancient civilization, with the goal of rebuilding it. I would guess they had some success in that, but that it’s still nowhere up to its former heights of glory.
The djinns presented here are all Unaligned, which implies that as a people they are mostly interested in picking up the pieces of their civilization than in going a-conquering or enslaving others. They can still get into conflict with PCs who (knowingly or not) keep those pieces from returning to their original owners. Hold on to that lamp for too long and its inhabitant’s friends will show up at your door with some very pointed questions. I can’t say they’d be wrong to do so.
The Numbers
Djinns are Large Elemental Humanoids with the Air keyword. They have Blindsight 10, an immunity to disease and poison, Resist 15 Thunder, a ground speed of 6 and a flight speed of 8. The least intelligent djinn in this entry nas an Int of 19, so the ingenious engineers are also geniuses. Their level range covers the early-to-mid Epic tier, making them only slightly weaker than efreets.
Most djinn powers have an air or storm theme, but they vary per stat block.
Djinn Thunderer
Thunderers are Level 20 Artillery with 146 HP and all djinn traits. They wield jeweled scepters and strong air magic in combat.
The Scepter mostly acts as an implement, but can be used as a Reach 2 basic melee attack in a pinch. Their main ranged attack is a Thunderburst (area burst 2 within 20 vs. Fortitude), which does thunder damage and dazes for a turn. Once per encounter they can use Imperious Thunder, which targets Reflex and which has the same area and damage but instead of dazing causes 10 ongoing thunder damage (save ends) even when it misses.
The thunderer can avoid getting boxed in with Zephyr Step (minor; recharge 6), which allows it to teleport 20 squares. If it takes damage from a critical hit, it will respond with Rage of Storms (close burst 2 vs. Reflex; free action, encounter). This does high thunder damage, pushes hit targets 5 squares, and gives the djinn 1 action point as an effect, which it can use normally later on.
Djinn Windbow
Windbows are Level 22 Skirmishers with 204 HP and all standard djinn traits. They wield bows that fire arrows made out of wind, and this might lead PCs to think they’re artillery. However, they’re equally good at melee and ranged combat.
Their basic ranged attack is the Windbow (Ranged 10/20), and their basic melee attack the Slash of Thunder. Both do about the same amount of damage, which is thunder for the Slash and physical for the bow.
The djinn can cause one of their arrows to turn into a Brutal Zephyr (Ranged 30 vs. Reflex), which does thunder damage and is a bit stronger than the usual attack. If this misses, the windbow gets to choose a different target within 10 squares of the original one and re-roll the attack against them.
If damaged by a critical hit they can use Blowback, which works exactly like the Thunderer’s Rage of Storms.
Djinn Stormsword
Stormswords fight with scimitars and train to form whirlwinds that pull enemies towards their blades. They’re Level 24 Soldiers with 222 HP and all standard djinn traits, plus Resist 15 Lightning.
Their Scimitars are Reach 2, high-crit weapons that mark for a turn on a hit. Their printed critical damage is 9d10+33, and it would be even higher with a math fix. They can also use a technique named Whirlwind Dervish (close burst 2 vs. AC; encounter) which does heavy thunder and lightning damage and recharges when they’re critically hit.
Stormswords can drag targets into range with Come To Me (Ranged 5 vs. Fortitude; minor action), which does no damage but pulls the targets 5 squares. They can sometimes intensify that into a Spinning Vortex (Ranged 5 vs. Reflex; recharge 6), which does heavy cold and thunder damage, and immobilizes (save ends).
Djinn Skylord
Skylords are djinn spell-casters, specializing in sky- and weather-themed magic. They’re Level 25 Controllers with the Leader keyword and 236 HP along with all standard djinn traits.
Their main weapon/implement is the Storm Staff (reach 2 vs. AC), which does physical damage and allows the djinn to shift 2 squares or make an extra recharge roll for Storm Shout. This, in turn, is a Close Blast 5 vs. Will that does heavy thunder damage, pushes 3 squares, and knocks prone. It recharges on a 5-6.
The skylord’s main ranged attack is Mystic Hail (ranged 20 vs. Will), which does psychic damage and makes the target grant combat advantage to the djinn. This lasts until the target spends a standard action clearing their head, which is a heavier cost than having to roll a save. This works as a nice setup for Sandstorm (Close Burst 5 vs. Will), which does heavy physical damage and creates a zone. Allies inside the zone gain concealment, and enemies starting their turns inside are dazed for a turn. This can be sustained with a minor action. And finally, the djinn can also use a minor action (1/round) to use Elemental Command (ranged 10), which always hits, does no damage, and slides the target 1 square.
Sample Encounters and Final Impressions
Djinns are said to mostly hang out with their own kind, and the two sample encounters (level 22 and 26) bear this out. They’re assorted djinn parties, likely journeying after relics of their old empire. The first one has a couple of rimefire griffon pets, the second has 2 storm gorgons.
Djinns are cool, and I like that they’re presented as not necessarily hostile. Unlike in previous edition they’re not in an eternal war against the efreets, though I imagine they don’t often have friendly interactions all that often either. It might also be interesting to take a page from Middle Eastern folklore here and say that many djinn in the present are devout worshippers of the gods.