D&D 5E Need help with idea. All comments welcome.

[FoolishPity]

Hey Folks,

I have an idea for a one-shot in which my players are using the stat blocks for each of the four Genies in the MM. I want my antagonists to be a group (plus minions) who are trying to capture the players in lamps but I'm having trouble thinking of creatures/stat blocks that would be a solid counter to Genies as I'm aiming for this to be sufficiently challenging. Any advise on this would be greatly appreciated.

For context, this is the brief I'm planning on sending my players (feel free to use it yourselves):

In eons past, the Monks of the Natural Fist made a pact with four beings that represent the different paths of their discipline. Efreet for Fire, Dao for Earth, Marid for water and Djinn for Air. Once every 16 years, the Monks summon these beings into the material plane so as to teach them the ways of the Natural paths. In exchange the Monks provide the Genies with a feast of food, riches and in harder years, souls.

You, the players, will take on the role of the Genies as you feel the tug of the summoning a full year earlier than usual, it is up to you to how to react. Anger, curiosity, compassion or expectation.

 

[aco175]

@FoolishPity welcome to the site first. I'm sure you will get several great ideas.

I think the easiest way to have the players run genies is to have them all be aasimar with the different traits. They start off low in power and gain power over time. You can swap out some genie powers with class powers at certain levels to make things fit. This way, you can use the same monsters and develop a campaign where the PCs uncover their past as they discover who they are. It is a classic trope like Luke Skywalker or the kid from Avatar.

Its been many years and the lost prophesy is coming true. The secret cult of the 4 elements all vie for power within the church of Blah Blah. They each want to gain the power of the PCs and try to capture them to steal their 'che'. Plan a few lower level things where they discover a hidden temple describing who they might be and a place about this cult. An encounter with bandits reveals a secret mark on them to be cultists. Maybe the leader in the end is one of their fathers who is a full genie with a goal to take all their powers.

 

[FoolishPity]

Excellent idea but I'm designing a one-shot in this particular instance.

 

[aco175]

Excellent idea but I'm designing a one-shot in this particular instance.

I should have read more better.

In a 1-shot I would go with dragons then. Some ancient conflict between the two races with a dragon leader trying to steal the power of the genies through a ritual. Giants could be working as its minions. Genies are somewhere in the level 14ish range I think.

 

[Stormonu]

Humans and their ilk are always great antagonists. Warlock NPCs with Pact of the Genie as opponents might be appropriate - a "hit" team specifically gathered to thwart the party or their antics being the reason for the early summons.

Counter-elementals (i.e., A Water Elemental in opposition to the Efreet, etc.) or Golems might make good bodyguards that present challenges, especially in the former if you can somehow separate the group (a puzzle in four pieces that has to be activated simultaneously, etc.). Likewise, giants could somehow be involved, though I wouldn't think they'd make good end-boss material - they'd make for powerful elite troops, though. Demons, Devils or other outsiders may make for a good end boss to the adventure.

P.S.: If the PCs are using monster stat blocks, I'd strongly advise cutting the hp of the characters to something like 5 + Con modifier per "level"/CR of the creature. Monsters have a staggering amount of hp compared to PCs of equal ability.