The smoke thickens. Then it condenses. Then the condensation is twenty feet tall and surrounded by heat haze and the smell of burning. It regards you with deep irritation, as if your existence is personally inconvenient. This is accurate.
Djinni Comparison — Read This First #
The efreeti is the djinni’s opposite number — same planar intelligence, same basic power structure, directly opposed element. Where the djinni is air, freedom, and essentially good-hearted, the efreeti is fire, servitude (resented), and “irritable and often evil.” Every encounter framework established in the Djinni (Lesser) and Djinni (Greater; Pasha) entries applies here in mirror form.
Key differences from djinn:
| Feature | Djinni | Efreeti |
|---|---|---|
| Element | Air | Fire |
| Alignment | Chaotic (good-hearted) | Chaotic (irritable, often evil) |
| Summoning | Possible (resented) | Possible (101-day limit) |
| Natural form | Humanoid | Cloud of smoke → giant man with flames |
| Unique power | Whirlwind form | Pillar of flame form |
| Enemies | Haoou, Efreet | Helions, Djinn |
| Fears | Earth | Water |
| Load (Lesser, full speed) | 3,500 cn | 5,000 cn |
| At peace with elementals | Generally | Generally, but picks fights |
Mutual enmity: “Efreet hate djinn and will attack them on sight.” This is absolute — no negotiation, no hesitation. An encounter where both efreet and djinn are present results in immediate combat between them regardless of any other circumstances.
Efreeti, Lesser #
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 10d8* (avg 45 HP) |
| AC | 16 |
| AV | 3 (melee) / 2 (missile) |
| HR | +7 |
| FR | +6 |
| FD | 18 |
| Move | 90 ft (30 ft encounter) ground / 240 ft (80 ft encounter) flying |
| Attacks | 1 fist: 2d8 (2d8+1d8 = 2d8+1d8 in flame form) |
| No. Appearing | 1 (1) |
| Save As | Fighter 15 |
| Morale | 12 |
| Treasure | Nil |
| Alignment | Chaotic |
| Intelligence | High (INT 14) |
| XP | 1,750 |
| Load | 5,000 cn full speed / 10,000 cn half speed |
AC/AV Reasoning #
RC original is AC 3 (descending) = Ascending AC 16. The efreeti’s body is semi-substantial fire and smoke — harder to strike than a solid being.
- AC 16 — The efreeti’s fiery, smoke-wreathed form makes precise strikes difficult. The heat haze surrounding it distorts targeting. Its large size makes it easy to locate but the instability of its form makes landing a clean hit challenging
- AV 3 — The semi-substantial fire-body absorbs some physical impact. Weapons that connect partially pass through the smoky outer layer
- Weapon immunity: Only magical weapons can hit a Lesser Efreeti. Normal weapons pass through the smoke/fire form with no effect
Plane of Fire Statistics #
On its own plane, the efreeti has enhanced statistics:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| AC | 17 (RC AC 1 descending) |
| HD | 10* |
| Move | 240 ft (80 ft) flying only |
| Attacks | 1 strike or special |
| Damage | 2d8 or special |
| No. Appearing | 1d4 (1d100) |
| Save As | Fighter 15 |
| Morale | 8 |
| Treasure | Special |
| Alignment | Chaotic |
| XP | 1,750 |
Plane of Fire additional immunities:
- Immune to normal weapons (same as Prime Plane)
- Immune to all 1st level spells
- Immune to all attacks based on earth
- Detect invisible at will (120 ft range)
No. Appearing on home plane: 1d4 individual / 1d100 in settlements — the efreet live in cities on their own plane. 100 efreet in a settlement encounter is a civilization, not a monster group.
Skill Slots #
(9 total — 10* HD = 4 base + 5 at 9 HD + 1 at HD 10; 1 asterisk; High INT 14)
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Skilled) | HR +7 |
| 2 | FR Investment (Basic) | FR +6 |
| 3 | Efreeti Powers (innate, special) | Create objects, create illusions, turn invisible — each as per djinni equivalent. Wall of Fire 3/day. The asterisk |
| 4 | Pillar of Flame (innate) | Transform into a pillar of fire. Full mechanics below |
| 5 | Flight (innate) | 240 ft (80 ft encounter) |
| 6 | Weapon Immunity (innate) | Magical weapons only — normal weapons: zero damage |
| 7 | Fire Immunity (innate) | Fully immune to all fire — natural, magical, environmental. Cannot be harmed by fire of any kind |
| 8 | Intimidation (Skilled) | The air around an efreeti is always hot and smoky — its mere presence is physically uncomfortable for non-fire beings. Creatures of 5 HD or fewer within 20 ft must Save vs. Spells or suffer –1 to attack rolls from the heat and smoke |
| 9 | Language (Expert) | Speaks Efreet, Fire Elemental, Common, and typically 1d4 additional languages learned through contact with summoners and slave markets |
The Three Efreeti Powers (Shared with Djinni) #
The RC states the efreeti can “create objects, create illusions, and turn invisible like a djinni.” These work identically to the djinni equivalents:
Create Objects: Can create metallic objects (gold: 1 day duration, iron: 1 round) and soft goods/wooden objects (permanent). Same durations as djinni.
Create Illusions: Sight and hearing, no concentration required, until touched or dispelled. Same mechanics as djinni.
Turn Invisible: As Invisibility spell, until the efreeti attacks or chooses to become visible.
Wall of Fire (3/day): As the 4th-level Magic-User spell. The efreeti is immune to its own Wall of Fire.
Key difference from djinni: The efreeti does NOT have Create Food and Water, Gaseous Form, or Whirlwind powers. It has Wall of Fire instead. The power suites are parallel but distinct.
Pillar of Flame — Complete Mechanics #
“An efreeti may transform itself into a pillar of flame (the same height as the efreeti) that will set fire to all flammable items within 5 ft. It can retain the flame shape for up to 3 rounds. When in this form, the fire adds 1d8 points of damage to each of the efreeti’s blows. The creature can only assume flame shape once per turn at most.”
Transformation #
The efreeti becomes a pillar of fire equal to its height — typically 10–15 ft tall. This is not a spell effect; it is a physical transformation of its body from smoke-and-human-form to pure flame-column.
Triggering the transformation: The efreeti chooses to transform as a free action. No casting time, no concentration required.
Duration: Up to 3 rounds maximum. The efreeti may revert to normal form at any time. Can only transform once per turn (once per 10 rounds minimum between transformations).
While in Flame Form #
Damage bonus: Each fist attack deals 2d8 + 1d8 = 3d8 damage (avg 13.5 vs. standard 9) from the fire added to the impact.
Flammable items: Everything flammable within 5 ft of the efreeti’s position immediately catches fire. This includes:
- Wooden weapons being used to attack
- Wooden shields
- Leather armor
- Clothing and cloth items
- Paper and parchment
- Rope
- Any character carrying oil
The catch-fire mechanics: Items that catch fire deal 1d4 fire damage per round to their bearer until extinguished (dropping the item or using an action to smother it). This is in addition to the efreeti’s attack damage.
Attacking the flame form: The pillar of flame is still the efreeti — it has the same AC and HP. Magical weapons still deal damage. The fire itself does not add to AC.
The 5 ft fire zone: Any melee attacker who closes to attack the efreeti in flame form is within 5 ft — their equipment is on fire. A Fighter who charges the flame-form efreeti must immediately check all carried flammable items for ignition (DM rolls separately for each flammable item: 1–4 on d6 it catches fire).
The 101-Day Summoning #
“An efreeti may be summoned by a high-level magic-user… for as long as possible. Once summoned, the efreeti can be forced to serve for 101 days.”
Requirements #
- The summoning Magic-User must know the special spells: Create Magical Monsters (to summon) AND Wish (to bind)
- Both spells must be cast — the summoning alone does not bind it; the Wish seals the service period
The Service #
The efreeti serves for 101 days — not 100, not indefinitely, exactly 101 days. After that period, the binding breaks regardless of circumstances and the efreeti returns to its plane.
“Reluctant and difficult servant”: The efreeti will obey its exact instructions while attempting to distort their meaning to cause trouble for its master. This is the same malicious-compliance behavior as a resentful djinni but more consistently harmful — the efreeti is “irritable and often evil” rather than merely resentful.
Distortion examples:
- “Bring me the treasure from the cave” → the efreeti brings it by smashing through the cave wall, collapsing it, and destroying half the contents in the process
- “Guard this door” → the efreeti guards the door by incinerating anyone who approaches, including the summoner’s allies who were expected to pass freely
- “Fetch my enemy” → the efreeti fetches them in a condition too damaged to interrogate
Wording discipline: A Magic-User who binds an efreeti must be extraordinarily precise in every instruction. Unlike the djinni (which resents service but won’t actively sabotage), the efreeti will find ways to technically comply while causing maximum inconvenience or damage.
The Amir Response #
“Amirs cannot be summoned by spells, and are affected by very few magical items. They normally appear on the Prime Plane only in response to the cries of a mistreated efreeti.”
Same trigger as the djinni Pasha — an efreeti under abuse summons its ruler. See Amir section below for the mistreated-efreeti trigger mechanics.
Efreeti Civilization #
“On their own plane, efreet live in cities similar to those of wealthy human desert-dwellers.”
Political relationships:
- Fire Elementals: Generally at peace, but the efreet pick fights and have been at war with the elementals in the past. The peace is unstable
- Djinn: Enemies — attack on sight, no exceptions
- Helions: Enemies (the fire-plane equivalent of the haoou in relation to djinn)
- Water-type creatures: Fear — water is the efreet’s opposing element. Water-based attacks deal double damage to efreet (DM adjudication, consistent with elemental opposition principles)
Efreeti, Greater (Amir) #
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 20d8*** (avg 90 HP) |
| AC | 21 |
| AV | 5 (melee) / 3 (missile) |
| HR | +13 |
| FR | +10 |
| FD | 26 |
| Move | 120 ft (40 ft encounter) ground / 360 ft (120 ft encounter) flying |
| Attacks | 2 fists: 3d10/3d10 (3d10+2d8 each in flame form) |
| No. Appearing | 1 (1) |
| Save As | Magic-User 36 |
| Morale | 11 |
| Treasure | Nil |
| Alignment | Chaotic |
| Intelligence | High (INT 14) |
| XP | 7,775 |
| Load | Fly: 10,000 cn full / 20,000 cn half; Walk: 20,000 cn full / 40,000 cn half |
AC/AV Reasoning #
RC original is AC –2 (descending) = Ascending AC 21. The Amir’s body is denser fire and more substantial than a lesser efreeti.
- AC 21 — Significantly harder to strike than the lesser efreeti, reflecting the Amir’s greater mass and more intense fire-body
- AV 5 — Substantially more resistant to impact
- Weapon immunity: +1 and below ineffective; +2 or better required to harm the Amir
Amir vs. Lesser Efreeti Comparison #
| Feature | Lesser Efreeti | Amir |
|---|---|---|
| HD | 10* | 20*** |
| AC | 16 | 21 |
| Fist attacks | 1 (2d8) | 2 (3d10/3d10) |
| Weapon requirement | Magical (+1) | +2 or better |
| Regeneration | None | 2 HP/round |
| Powers | 3 of djinni’s set + Wall of Fire 3/day | All lesser powers unlimited (once/round) |
| Daily powers | None beyond above | Wish, Fireball, Explosive Cloud (all at 20th level) |
| Flame form duration | 3 rounds max | Unlimited |
| Flame form radius | 5 ft | 15 ft |
| Flame form bonus | +1d8/fist | +2d8/fist |
| Ethereal access | No | Yes (1 round concentration) |
| Summoning | Possible (Magic-User + special spells) | Cannot be summoned |
| Save As | F15 | M36 |
| Fly speed | 240 ft | 360 ft |
Amir Skill Slots #
(14 total — 20*** HD = 4 base + 5 at 9 HD + 6 for HD 10–20 + 3 asterisks; High INT 14)
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Expert) | HR +13; two-fist attack at 3d10/3d10 |
| 2 | FR Investment (Skilled) | FR +10 |
| 3 | All Lesser Efreeti Powers — Unlimited (innate, special) | All lesser efreeti powers, once per round, as often as desired. First asterisk |
| 4 | Three Daily Powers (innate, special) | Grant Wish, Fireball (20th level), Explosive Cloud (20th level) — each once per day. Second asterisk |
| 5 | Enhanced Flame Form (innate, special) | Unlimited duration, 15 ft radius, +2d8 per fist. Third asterisk |
| 6 | Weapon Immunity +2 threshold (innate) | +1 and below: zero damage. +2 or better required |
| 7 | Regeneration 2 HP/round (innate) | Continuous; does not stop in combat |
| 8 | Ethereal Plane Access (innate) | Enter or leave Ethereal Plane with 1 full round of concentration |
| 9 | Flight (innate) | 360 ft (120 ft encounter) |
| 10 | Unsummonable (innate) | Cannot be summoned by spells; very few magical items affect it |
| 11 | Intimidation (Expert) | The Amir’s presence at 15–30 ft height, surrounded by roaring flame, forces Morale checks at –4 for creatures of 8 HD or fewer |
| 12 | Fire Immunity (innate) | Absolute immunity to all fire |
| 13 | Sense Distress — Efreeti (innate) | Detects any efreeti under its authority that is being mistreated, enslaved, or killed — instantaneous regardless of planar distance |
| 14 | Knowledge — Planar (Expert) | Complete knowledge of the Plane of Fire, efreet politics, elemental plane relationships, history of efreet/djinn conflicts |
Enhanced Flame Form (Amir) #
The Amir’s flame form is dramatically more powerful than the lesser efreeti’s:
Duration: Unlimited — the Amir can maintain flame form indefinitely, not just 3 rounds.
Radius: 15 ft — triple the lesser efreeti’s 5 ft ignition range. Everything flammable within 15 ft of the Amir’s position immediately catches fire. In a standard dungeon corridor, this means the Amir in flame form ignites everything in the corridor regardless of where the party is positioned.
Damage bonus: +2d8 per fist (not +1d8). Each fist deals 3d10+2d8 (avg 15+9 = 24 per hit) in flame form.
The 15-ft fire zone in combat: Any character engaging the Amir in melee is automatically within 15 ft — all their flammable equipment ignites. Plate armor protects the body but wooden weapon hafts, wooden shields, clothing, backpacks, and rope all catch fire immediately. A melee fighter against the Amir in flame form is not just taking 3d10+2d8 punch damage; they are simultaneously managing 1d4 fire damage per round from multiple burning items.
Amir Daily Powers #
Grant Wish: As per the djinni Pasha — the Amir grants one wish to another creature per day. Unlike the lesser efreeti (which distorts summoner instructions), the Amir’s wish is given to whom it chooses, for its own purposes. An Amir that grants a wish does so to create an obligation, to manipulate future events in its favor, or to reward a creature that has served its purposes.
Fireball (20th level caster): 20d6 fire damage in a 40 ft radius sphere. The Amir is immune to its own Fireball.
Explosive Cloud (20th level caster): As Cloudkill but fire-based — a 40×20×20 ft cloud of superheated explosive gases. All within: instant death for creatures under 5 HD (no save), Save vs. Death Ray for creatures 5–6 HD or die, 1d10 damage per round for higher HD creatures. The Amir is immune to its own Explosive Cloud.
The Mistreated-Efreeti Trigger #
Identical structure to the djinni Pasha encounter, but with the Amir’s Chaotic alignment coloring the response:
What triggers the Amir’s arrival: Mistreatment, abuse, or killing of a lesser efreeti under the Amir’s protection.
The Amir’s response options:
- Warning: The Amir appears, states the offense, gives terms — but unlike the Pasha (who may be satisfied by respectful resolution), the Amir is looking for a reason to act against the summoner regardless. Its Chaotic alignment means it may escalate even a respectful response if it finds an excuse
- Punishment: The Amir acts directly against the summoner or their allies — flame form, fists, daily powers
- Full response: Wall of Fire, Fireball, Explosive Cloud, unlimited flame form with 15 ft radius
The key difference from the Pasha: A djinni Pasha arriving to protect a mistreated djinni can be placated by genuine contrition and respectful resolution. An Amir arriving for the same reason is significantly harder to placate — its Chaotic, irritable nature means it may use any perceived slight as justification for escalation even when the summoner is attempting good-faith resolution.
Encounter Notes #
The summoned lesser efreeti: The party’s employer has summoned an efreeti for a task. The efreeti is technically compliant but subtly wrong — the wall it was told to guard has been thoroughly guarded by incinerating a merchant who tried to walk past it. The instructions were technically followed. A party called in to manage the situation must navigate between the summoner’s needs and the efreeti’s technically-valid interpretation of its instructions. The efreeti has 97 days left in its service. It will be cooperative in the letter of any new instructions and creative in their distortion.
The free efreeti: An efreeti encountered without a summoner is on the Prime Plane for its own reasons — possible that it rode in on a fire elemental or arrived through some planar disruption. It is Chaotic and irritable but not automatically hostile to a party that is not djinn and not threatening. It may have goals the party can intersect with. It is significantly more dangerous to negotiate with than a djinni — it has no good-heartedness, no cultural prohibition against exploitation, and will interpret any agreement in its favor.
The amir encounter: A party that has been abusing a summoned efreeti (or whose employer has) faces an Amir. Unlike the Pasha encounter, the Amir is actively looking for a reason to escalate. Correct behavior: immediate release of the efreeti, formal apology, something of value offered. Even then, the Amir may use a technical violation of the apology’s wording to justify retaliation. A party being visited by an Amir is in significant danger regardless of how they respond.
CR summary:
| Form | CR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser Efreeti | 10 | Single fist; flame form 3 rounds; Wall of Fire; weapon immunity |
| Lesser Efreeti (Plane of Fire) | 12 | Additional immunities; Detect Invisible; 1d100 possible appearing |
| Amir | 18 | 2 fists 3d10; unlimited flame form 15 ft; +2 weapon required; Wish/Fireball/Explosive Cloud |
