Dao

The Dao are greedy, malicious genies from the Elemental Plane of Earth. They adorn themselves with jewelry crafted from precious gems and rare metals, and when they hover, their lower bodies become columns of swirling sand. A dao isn't happy unless it is the envy of other dao.
All That Glitters. The dao dwell in complexes of twisting tunnels and glittering ore-veined caverns on the Elemental Plane of Earth. These mazeworks are continually expanding as the dao delve into and reshape the rock around them. Dao care nothing for the poverty or misfortune of others. A dao might grind powdered gems and gold dust over its food to heighten the experience of eating, devouring its wealth as mortals consume a precious spice.
Lords of the Earth. A dao never assists a mortal unless the genie has something to gain, preferably treasure. Among the genies, dao are on speaking and trading terms with the efreeti, but they have nothing but scorn for djinn and marids. Other races native to the Elemental Plane of Earth avoid the dao, which are always seeking new slaves to mine the mazeworks of their floating earth islands.
Proud Slavers. The dao trade for the finest slaves that money can buy, forcing them to work in dangerous subterranean realms that rumble with earthquakes. As much as they enjoy enslaving others, the dao hate being enslaved. Powerful wizards have been known to lure dao to the Material Plane and trap them in the confines of magic gemstones or iron flasks. Unfortunately for the dao, their greed makes it relatively easy for mages to cozen them into service.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Genies

Genetic Descendants

• Earth Genasi

Related Ethnicities

• Earth Elementals

Dao

Large elemental, neutral evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 187 15d10+105

Speed 30ft Fly: 30ft Burrow: 30ft

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STR

23 +6

DEX

12 +1

CON

24 +7

INT

12 +1

WIS

13 +1

CHA

14 +2

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Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +5, Cha +6

Condition Immunities petrified

Senses darkvision 120 ft.

Languages Terran

Challenge 11

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.
Innate Spellcasting. The dao’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect evil and good, detect magic, stone shape
3/day each: passwall, move earth, tongues
1/day each: conjure elemental (earth elemental only), gaseous form, invisibility, phantasmal killer, plane shift, wall of stone
Sure-Footed. The dao has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.
Variant: Genie Powers. Genies have a variety of magical capabilities, including spells. A few have even greater powers that allow them to alter their appearance or the nature of reality.
Disguises.
Some genies can veil themselves in illusion to pass as other similarly shaped creatures. Such genies can innately cast the disguise self spell at will, often with a longer duration than is normal for that spell. Mightier genies can cast the true polymorph spell one to three times per day, possibly with a longer duration than normal. Such genies can change only their own shape, but a rare few can use the spell on other creatures and objects as well.
Wishes.
The genie power to grant wishes is legendary among mortals. Only the most potent genies, such as those among the nobility, can do so. A particular genie that has this power can grant one to three wishes to a creature that isn’t a genie. Once a genie has granted its limit of wishes, it can’t grant wishes again for some amount of time (usually 1 year). and cosmic law dictates that the same genie can expend its limit of wishes on a specific creature only once in that creature’s existence.
To be granted a wish, a creature within 60 feet of the genie states a desired effect to it. The genie can then cast the wish spell on the creature’s behalf to bring about the effect. Depending on the genie’s nature, the genie might try to pervert the intent of the wish by exploiting the wish’s poor wording. The perversion of the wording is usually crafted to be to the genie’s benefit.

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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.