5e Shaair for Al Qadim's campain

[igordragonian]

Hello.
I am working on Al Qadim Campain for a forum game, and I have managed to collect most of the homebrew I need.
But I couldnt find something that really fita the Shair the way he is represented in the original book.

I have researched the original class, and it's 3.5 version.
It isnt complete-
I have based it on the Warlock.

I still need to list the "Wonders'- An abilty which switch the invocations for the Shair and has more genie-elemental focus.

And I need to list the possible gens and the spells which they add. (Like patrons for an actual warlock)

I am not exprienced at homebrewing, and I feel like I am struggling between making the class intresting and unique, between the simple elegance which usually define 5e.

So I will apreciate a feedback.
I am fully aware, that this might be just a big mess, and maybe it best to settle with the offical genie warlock and give up on it.

I want to run some of the original modules, and my goal is simply to modernize the game for my campain mechanicly.


Either that, or try and run it in ad&d...

Shair

gen
spell bringing
genie lore
jan summon
elemental protection
genie summon


Skill Prociencies-


Attempt number 3-.
I am basing this Shair kn the skeleton of the Warlock.
Why? Fluff the bond with supernatural beings+ it mentioned a lot that Shairs are inspiring awe and fear- so chraisma based+they are sort of have few speicifc nishes so warlock seems fair for that+their limited spell slots
With that in mind let's dive in.

At Zakhara, the land of Fate, there are people who specialize at their relationship with the elemental planes. Some of them who are warlocks who find patrons to empower them.
But Shairs have a diffrent relationship with the Elemental planes: Shairs have the dominance in the relationship with the super natural, inspiring awe even if begrudgingly by the genies.
In short a Shair is a mortal who either enlsave or make deals with genies.
Their main ally on this journey to power is the Gen.
The Gen are a tiny and lesser version of the Genies, and often are bullied, mistreated or at the best case quite disrespected.
So answering the call of the Shair for a pact is a promise for a future where they can gain power and respect, and maybe to show off the Genies.
For the Shair, the Gen is their chain to the Elemental planes and basicly their source for arcane power.
Their relationship would vary and chage depend on the induvdial Gen and Shair- from a toxic slaver-slave relations to true and legendary friendship and everything in between.

Genies have both respect and suspcion toward Shairs, so if adventuring group has a Shair, the genies would tend to focus on the Shair, wether it is a combat or a social encounter.




Crunch-



Gen Servant- At level 1 you are making a pact with a gen via the Shair variant "find familiar" spell which all Shairs have and doesnt count against their "known spells" list. It can be casted as a ritual.
Wether it was a fair and honest deal, or a slavery under a sinister manipulation or something else- a pact was made.
The gen is the Shair's connection to the elemental planes and the channel for his magic.
The gen is a tiny elemental who advice and guide the Shair about genie lore* and the elemental planes. Even if the gen isnt physicaly near the Shair- as long as the pact exist, the Shair can cast spells.




Also due to the essential role of a Gen in the Shair"s function Shair can only pick the "pact of the chain"
You need to pick one of the four main kinds of Gens (or one of the other five secondary kinds)
Each kind of Gen comes with the stats of the gen and expanded spell list in the Gen appendix.



Spell Retrival-

If the Shair witness or research a spell from a level they can cast, the Shair can as bonus action to send their gen to retrieve the spell from one of the planes. If the gen suceed, they will be back wuth the spell that would be added to the warlock spell list.
The maximum number of retrieved spells is charisma bonus+proficency bonus.
If the Shair want to retrieve spells beyond this quantity, he has to give up one of his spells, so the gen could switch the spell.


The Process of Spell retrival-
The gen begin to search the spell at the Elemental planes and if required- beyond them.
The gen and shair can cast spells to improve his chances.
To determine the results, roll Aracan either with the Shair's stat either with the gen's stat- but using the Shair's stats considered as an actiom.

Determing the DC:
the basic DC is 10+the level of the searched spell.
Spell which isnt from the gen's element (for example a fireball for an earth gen)+1 DC.
A spell from an opposite element to one of the gen+3
(Air-Earth
Fire-Water
Void/shadow/necromancy-every other element.)


+ 1 to spells outside the warlock's spell list and from the sorcereor and bard's lists.
+ 2 to spells outside the warlock's spell list and from the wizard and artifcer's lists.
+ 3 to spells outside the warlock's spell list and from the druid's spell list.
+ 4 to spells outside the warlock's spell list and from the cleric and paladin's spell lists.



So for example:
The Shair see a cleric casts Cure Wounds:
Base DC:10
level 1 spell+1
outside of the gen's element+1
spells outside the warlock's spell list and from the cleric's list+4
so
10+1+1+4=16
so the DC is 16




Results of failure of Spell retrival-
At failure roll a d10:
if a 1 is rolled the gen is jailed at some other plane for 1d6 days. During this time, the Shair cant prepare new spells

additonaly, by the required spell level the Shair suffer a punishment

spell level 1-2- The Shair suffer "evil eye" as written in page 79 of the book-
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LAdovC1tKwKwZm9lkXz


spell level 3-4 - An unkown force from other plane of existence turn on you: Next time someone rolls an attack on you, he has advantage and on hit he gets double damage.

Spell level 5-6- The god or entity that the gen has enraged send a monster to punish the Shair. The monster should be at least 1 CR above the Shair's level and will fight until the Shair's death or the monster's. The monster will appear at the end of the next short or long rest alongside the gen. Killing this monster does not grant XP


Spell level of 7+: The Shair is summoned to the hall of the enraged entity to be judged.
Usually as a repayment, the entity would task the shair with a quest- it's difficulty would be determined by the success of the shair to justify himself.
(It would be wise, if the DM could connect it the current or next adventure rather then sending the Shair on a completly unrelated quest)


Level 2 The Shair's Wonders- The Shair has a list of wonders which replace the invocations, which be listed later.

Level 3: The Shair must to take the chain pact.




Level 6: Summon Genie
The Shair's connections with elemental planes gotten deep to the point they can summon genies.
The number of summon is equal to charisma bonus, and it renewed after a long rest.
To summon a genie roll Genie Lore with DC equal to the genie's CR+5
Knowing the name of a specific genie skip the skill roll.
(Summoning a gen will rise a resistance from the gen the Shair is allied with and will express hosility.
The genie will arrive in 1d8 rounds minus the charksma bonus. (Minimum of 1 round)


When the genie arrive, a negotiation for a single mission will start. Unless the genie is attacked, he will listen to the offer.
Roll with haggling.
Knowing the name of the genie lower the DC in half. (rounded up).
Is possible to lower the DC with one of the charisma skills- but a failure will raise it instead.

As a rule of thumb/guiding liñe:
A mission/quest that is measured by minutes (the amount of time that a Shaair may request is a number of minutes up the the Shaair's level) would be worth 100 gp for every CR of the genie.

A mission/quest that is measured by hours (the amount of time that a Shaair may request is a number of hours up the the Shaair's level) would be worth 500 gp for every CR of the genie.


For a long term mission/quest that is measured by days (the amount of time that a Shaair may request is a number of days up the the Shaair's level) would be worth 1000 gp for every CR of the genie.
If the mission isnt dangerouse nor complicated the cost should be halved.
The genie might demand a specific item or a favor instead, or the genie's service could be gained in a bet or a challe he.
At the end of the mission the genie shall report the results of the mission and dissappear.



Level 10- Elemental Journey-
You may cast Plane Shift from the material plane to one of the Elemental planes or the opposite, or between the Elemental Planes.
The ability doesnt count against the spell limit and renewed after a short rest.
At level 15 you may cast it twice before requiring a short rest.





Level 14- Crafting A Genie Prison
You may craft a genie prison from a non magical item. Enchanting the prison item takes 2d4 rounds.
The prison crafter pick an activation word for the prison, and if a genie is at the range of 60 feet from the prison, the prison will suck him in, unless he suceed in Cha save against the Prison Crafter.
Of course, if the genue is convinced, he/she may choose to fail the save-but it wont be easy.

Every time the a prison fails, the prison crafter need to roll Genie lore at DC equal to the spell DC of the genie who has managed to escape. At failure, the prison is ruined.
After crafting a prison, the Shaair cannot craft another, until he or she complete a long rest.
Shaairs who craft prisons, usually attract rage among the genies as a group, and might meet genies in the future with more hostile attitude.



List Of Advantages and Disavntages-

Noble Genie roll with advantage

A lower Genie than average, like a Jann for example, or Genasi, severly wounded genie (with less then his 10% of the HP) or a very young genie- roll with disavntage)

If the gen of the prison crafter is from the same kind as the genie target- the genie rolls with disavantage

If the gen of the prison crafter is of element oppositr of the genie target- the genie get an advantahe

If the item that used for the prison worth less then 5000 GP, the genie rolls with advantage

If the item that used for the prison worth more then 25,000 GP, the genie rolls with disadvantage


*Special*- If the prison crafter knows the genie's name and use it during the trapping an additional +10 is added to the spell save throw level

The genie is now trapped in the prison and can be released by touch-rubbing the prison.
The genie can communicate in radius of 60 feet from his prison with the people around

If the genie is released, and the prison crafter is in line of sight, the genie would try to revenge against him.
If the genie is unable to, or too scared the genie would escape.
Anyone else, which the Genie doesnt recongnize as a friend/ally of the prison crafter will get gratitude from the genie and it is likely the genie will fulfill one reasonable request or a wish, if it is within their ability.

Beside that, who ever holds the prison can negotiate with the genie, with similiar principles of a regular deals between a Shaair and a genie.
But the deal will oblige the genie only of the genie swear in the name of the Loregiver or the ruler of the Genie's elemental plane or a god they worship if there is any.


The usual deal is for the genie to fulfill a number of missions that is equal to 1d4+Charisma bonus of the shaair.
Between missions, and by the orders of the prison master, the genie will return to their prison.
Of course, the prison master may be sneaky and haggle over what is considered a mission and what not, or just trap the genie again- assuming the Shaair hasnt swore in the name of entities which oblige the shair.
The deal will "reboot', but the genie will be furiouse and much more difficult to negotiate with.

The shair may try to enslave the genie for eternal servitude, or a very long one- but it will be extremly difficult.

It expected of a noble genie to give 1d3 wishes in exchange for their release. A noble genie that is enslaved for a long time would refuse to grant wishes, and will relent only under very extreme pressure.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Here's a link to a Genie Patron I wrote up that predates Tasha's. It has a rest based spell swap mechanic and a way to integrate Gens into the Boons.

Good luck!

[igordragonian]

Here's a link to a Genie Patron I wrote up that predates Tasha's. It has a rest based spell swap mechanic and a way to integrate Gens into the Boons.

Good luck!

Thank you, it actually has the majority of what I am looking for mechanicly and it has the 5e's elegance.

But I am not sure I fully understand the genie's capturing ability.
Does it require a roll?
I think I have understood of the conditions of using a genie.
(Though giving up actions is a big drawback, I think)

But not the process of acquring a genie.
And since you are the creator, maybe you can clearify it a bit for me?

[BerzerkerUnit]

Thank you, it actually has the majority of what I am looking for mechanicly and it has the 5e's elegance.

But I am not sure I fully understand the genie's capturing ability.
Does it require a roll?
I think I have understood of the conditions of using a genie.
(Though giving up actions is a big drawback, I think)

But not the process of acquring a genie.
And since you are the creator, maybe you can clearify it a bit for me?

If you're talking about the level 14 feature, it would be narratively cool to have your players fight a Genie at level 13 so this is awarded as they defeat the Genie Patron or his rival, but from a purely mechanical standpoint, you don't have to do anything, your long association with your Patron allows you to either betray them and capture them, or capture their rival, and this is assumed to happen "off-screen."

All that said, I really liked my wondrous conveyance feature and the system for getting extra spells but I think the existing Genie Patron from Tasha's is very fun and could tackle Sha'ir easily. If you want merge them you can replace the Expanded Spell list with my spell seeking mechanic while mandating Genie Locks take Pact of the Chain and granting their choice of an elemental familiar CR 0-1 instead of the Imp.

Another rewrite: I'd make the Spell Seeking add spells known until the spirit seeks a new spell instead of a single casting. So if you sent your Air Gen to seek a Lightning Bolt spell, it would come back after a short rest with a Lightning Bolt ready to launch and add the spell to your spells known until you sent it to get something else.

I'm glad you liked it and good luck in any case!