Puppeteer, Variant (5e Class)
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Puppeteer
Puppeteer
Not everyone is born with the power of magic, while some are born with immense levels of magical ability. And still, there are others who have the potential but are unable to release their power. A small tribe of mountain-dwelling creatures developed a new tool. A tool that enhances one's magical prowess. Through the use of small magical strings, a puppeteer can control their puppet. Not only is the puppet strong in its own right, but it also amplifies one's ability. Giving them a small enhancement to their magical ability, allowing them to unlock their potential. Some use their puppet in place of a wand or a staff to become powerful wizards. Others use it as an extra set of eyes and hands to move stealthily and accurately as assassins. While others use it as armor that enhances their strength. Not many have adapted to this new instrument, but those who have, have a very unpredictable and dangerous craft. One that can be feared by all.
Creating a Puppeteer
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- Quick Build
You can make a Puppeteer quickly by following these suggestions. First, constitution, charisma, or dexterity should be your highest ability score, depending on which specialization (Integral Bond, Dancing Blades, Magi Puppeteer) and Puppet (Beast, Shadow, Faces) you choose. The remainder of your ability scores are completely up to your playstyle. Second, choose from the Student of Magic, Denizen, or Metal Worker (Machinist Specialization) backgrounds.
Class Features
As a Puppeteer you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Puppeteer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Puppeteer level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Puppet
Tools: Tinker Tools, Carpenter's Tools, & Smith's Tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, Dexterity
Skills: Sleight of Hand and Performance
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) 2 Daggers or (b) Crossbow with 25 Bolts
- (a) leather (armor) or (b) padded (armor)
- (a) Tinker Tools or (b) Carpenter's Tools or (c) Smith's Tools
- (a) an arcane focus embedded into your puppet or (b) a component pouch
- If you are using starting wealth, you have Bag with 15gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |||
| 1st | +2 | Choose a Puppet | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Mind and Matter | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Choose a Specialization, Specialization Feature | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | A Healthy Puppet is a Happy Puppet, Integral Bond Specialization Feature | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Specialization Feature | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Magical Fusion | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Choose a Spell (3rd Level), Dancing Blade Specialization Feature | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Switch-a-roo Specialization Feature | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Better Materials are Good, Dancing Blade Specialization Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Specialization Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Choose a Spell (5th Level), Dancing Blade Specialization Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Master of Puppets | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As you level up, you gain new abilities and make choices that can change the play style of your character drastically. Choose wisely to create the ultimate character, or choose poorly and have fun with it!
Magic Initiate
At level 1, you have an innate sense of magic. Choose 2 level 1 spells, and 2 Cantrips from the Puppeteer Spell List. You will use the chart above for your spell slots for now. These spells do not count towards “spells known” if you take the Magi Puppeteer later on. Your spellcasting ability with these spells is Charisma. Your spell attack modifier is your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. Your Spell Save DC is 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Choose a Puppet
At 1st level, you choose a puppet. Your puppet can look however you design it to look. Any details, carvings, colors are all up to you. The only base rules are that it has to be the size of a small to medium sized creature and its base element of creation is wood and metal. Your magical tether with your puppet can only be broken if you lose consciousness, or you choose to move too far away and break the tether. Choose between Puppet of the Beast, Puppet of the Shadow, or Puppet of Many Faces, all detailed at the end of the class description.
Mind and Matter
At level 2, you gain the ability to hear, see, feel, and cast spells through the use of your puppet as well as the ability to speak through it.
Puppet Build
At 3rd level, you choose a build for your puppet. Choose between Integral Bond, Dancing Blades, and Magi Puppeteer, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at the 3rd level, and again at the
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively you may choose a feat.
A Healthy Puppet is a Happy Puppet
At 5th level,Your puppet can now be healed with the use of magic and potions.
Also choose two level 2 spells to learn, these spells don't count towards spells known in the Magi Puppeteer Specialization.
Magical Fusion
At 7th level,spending a long rest with your puppet, you can fuse any weapon into your puppet. You may only fuse one weapon at a time. You gain proficiency with this weapon upon fusion. If it is magical, your puppet gains its ability.
Choose a Spell (3rd Level)
At 9th lvl Choose one level 3 spell from the Puppeteer Spell List to learn. This spell does not count towards spells known in the Magi Puppeteer Specialization.
Switch-a-roo
At 10th level You gain the ability to switch positions with your puppet as a bonus action or reaction (to avoid damage or take damage). (If you chose integral bond as your specialization, you also get 10 max HP and 1 additional max HP every level thereafter)
Better Materials are Good
At 13th level You have spent the better part of your life with your puppet. You have managed to upgrade its parts to more sturdy material. Your puppet’s AC increases by 2, and your tether distance doubles.(If you chose Magi Puppeteer as you specialization, your tetherless reach doubles)
Also choose one level 4 spell from the Puppeteer Spell List, does not count towards spells known in the Magi Puppeteer Specialization.
Choose a Spell (5th Level)
At 17th level Choose one Level 5 spell from the Puppeteer Spell List. This spell does not count towards spells known in the Magi Puppeteer Specialization.
Master of Puppets
At 20th level After spending so much time with your puppet, you barely need to think when using it. It has almost become indistinguishable from a living creature. Both you and your puppet can use an individual action and bonus action on your turn.
Puppets
Your puppet shares all of your modifiers, saving throws, and skills/proficiencies. It is a part of you, so you can use it just as potently as you can use your own body.
Puppet of the Beast
HP: (1/2 of the user’s max HP) times Constitution
AC: 6 + Proficiency + Constitution
Movement Speed:30, Flying Speed: 15
Tether Distance: 25
Immunities: Blind, Charmed, Deafened. Fatigued, Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, Exhaustion.
Resistances: Piercing
Carry Weight: 400 lbs
Storage: 2 by 2 cubic ft
Weight: 0lbs
Actions:
-Bite: Weapon Attack: (Constitution + Proficiency) to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit:(1d8 + Constitution) Piercing Damage.
-Claws Multi Weapon Attack: (Constitution + Proficiency) to hit, (1d6 + Constitution) per swing. Two attempts per attack.
Puppet of the Shadow
HP: (1/4 of the user’s max HP) times Dexterity
AC: 6 + Proficiency + Dexterity
Movement Speed:40, Flying Speed: 0
Tether Distance: 30
Immunities: Blind, Charmed, Deafened. Fatigued, Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, Exhaustion.
Resistances: Piercing
Carry Weight: 100 lbs
Storage: 1 by 1 cubic ft
Weight: 0lbs
Actions:
-Serrated Needles: Ranged Weapon Attack: (Dexterity + Proficiency) to hit, Hit: (2d4 Piercing + Dexterity)
-Cast Pass Without a Trace once per long rest (twice at level 6, three times at level 10, 4 times at level 14, and 5 times at level 20)
Puppet of Many Faces
HP: (1/4 of the user’s max HP) multiplied by Charisma
AC: 6 + Proficiency + Charisma
Mvment Speed:30, Flying Speed: 0
Tether Distance: 20
Immunities: Blind, Charmed, Deafened. Fatigued, Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, Exhaustion.
Resistances: Piercing
Carry Weight: 100 lbs
Storage: 1 by 1 cubic ft
Weight: 0lbs
Actions:
-Hidden Blade: Unsheaths dagger from inside arm, Weapon Attack: (Charisma + Proficiency) to hit, Hit: (1d6+ Charisma)
-Free Cast: Disguise Self on Yourself and Puppet
Specialization
Integral Bond
This specialization focuses on bonding with your puppet. It becomes a part of you. Your armor. It becomes an extension of your being. While this limits your magical capabilities, it enhances your physical form. This is good for players who like to play as a barbarian or a fighter, but want a little flare and added mechanics.
- Puppet Armor
At Level 3, as a Bonus Action you may call upon your puppet to surround your body as an armor.
-You gain you puppet’s movement capabilities
-You gain your puppet’s HP as Temporary HP
-You gain resistance to Piercing damage from non-magical weapons
-Your AC is replaced by your puppet’s AC
-You may wield weapons and shields that you are proficient with
-You can only remove or repair the puppet during a short rest.
-If you lose all temporary Hit Points, the puppet armor falls limp, and you cannot use it until it is repaired during a long rest
- Shared Actions
At 5th Level you can attack twice per action while inside of your puppet.
- Shared Reactions
At 6th Level, while inside your puppet, you can use two reactions per round.
- Shared Lifeforce
At 10th Level, calling your puppet to surround you now increases your max HP by the puppets current HP. Therefore, it can be healed by normal healing spells and potions. The puppet will protect its user’s body until death. It will no longer fall off until the user’s hit points reach 0. After reaching 0 hit points, the user cannot use the puppet until completing a long rest.
- Extended Power
At 14th Level, while surrounded by your puppet, your reach is increased by 5ft, your puppet’s movement speed is doubled, and you gain immunity to stuns, paralysis, and petrification.
Dancing Blades
Magic? Magic's pretty cool. I use it a bit, but whats better at stealing things and fighting without fighting than a rogue? A rogue with an accomplice as good as he/she is!
- Hidden Potential
At 3rd Level, your puppets attacks can now cause sneak attack damage based on level. Whether or not sneak damage applies follows the same rules for rogues. If you like sneaking about, and strategically moving about the battlefield without taking damage or potentially not even being seen? This is for you friend!
-2d6 at Level 3
-3d6 at Level 5
-4d6 at Level 7
-5d6 at Level 10
-6d6 at Level 12
-7d6 at Level 14
-8d6 at Level 16
-9d6 at Level 18
-10d6 at Level 20
- I'm basically a rogue, but with a puppet
At 6th Level, You can use your bonus action to hide yourself, or your puppet. You or your puppet have advantage if neither of you are within line of sight of your target.
You also may use your bonus action to attack a second time.
- One of us hides, the other one dies. Wait thats not quite right...
At 9th Level, you and your puppet can add sneak attack damage as long as you or your puppet are hidden from your target.
- Attacks of Flopportunity
At 13th Level, Your puppet takes half damage if hit from attacks of opportunity.
- Elemental Tinkering
At 17th Level, You have mastered the ability to change your puppet’s attunement. You can add half of the damage your puppet deals as Poison, Fire, Thunder, or Radiant damage.
Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until completing a long rest.
Magi Puppeteer
This is basically everyone's idea of a magic user who amplifies his power through a puppet. The puppet acts as a mobile wand, creating a powerful wizardlike character with slightly more mobility and "tankyness". Maybe not quite as powerful as a wizard in his/her magic ability, but just as potent. This is a little more complicated than your average wizard, so if you are new to the game, or magic, you should maybe try a different specialization.
- Magic Amplification
At 3rd Level, you begin to study the art of magic more deeply. You gain 2 more Cantrips(+1 at levels 4,10,15,and 17) and learn 3 spells from the Puppeteer Spell List. Each time you level up, you will learn a new spell. At each level, you may also choose to replace one known spell or keep your current ones. By 20th level, you should know 20 spells (not including those learned from other feats in the Master Puppeteer Class), after which you will be unable to change your spells. I made a chart for Spells known and spell slots at the bottom of this section.
- Arcane Focus
At 6th Level, you get a better feel for magic as you begin to unlock your inner potential. You have found your greatest strength within yourself. Choose a school of Magic, Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, or Transmutation. You now have the ability to learn any spell from your selected school, even ones not listed in the Puppeteer Spell List.
Along with the knew knowledge of spells, you also always recognize this school of magic. You can tell when someone uses a spell of the school you chose, as well as any runes that are written that focus your school's abilities.
- Animation
At 10th Level, your prowess with magic unlocks the ability to no longer need a tether to animate your puppet. As long as you are within 100 ft of your puppet, you can use it how you wish. You have also gained the ability to cast spells without the need for your puppet to amplify your ability, though at a greater cost. Whenever you cast a spell yourself without aid from the puppet, you expend 2 spell slots instead of one.
- Split Soul
At 14th Level, you have split your soul entirely with your puppet. If you fall unconscious within 200 ft of your puppet, your half of your soul is transferred to the puppet. You will still make death saving throws if your body is not aided, but you will still be able to fight through the use of your puppet Your puppet may act normally while holding your soul, however, if you leave the 200 ft to range from your body, your puppet instantly falls to 0 hit points and your character automatically fails a death save. If you find yourself on the brink of life and death, you can drop your puppet's hit points to 0 within the 200 ft range, and your character will regain consciousness with 1 hit point, but your puppet will be unrepairable until completing a long rest.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | +2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 4 | +2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | +3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | |||||||
| 6 | +3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| 7 | +3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||||
| 8 | +3 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 9 | +4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 10 | +4 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| 11 | +4 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| 12 | +4 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 13 | +5 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 14 | +5 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 15 | +5 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 16 | +5 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 17 | +6 | 7 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 18 | +6 | 7 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 19 | +6 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 20 | +6 | 8 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Puppeteer Spell List
These are the spells you may choose from as you level up.
If you are a Magi Puppeteer, you can learn any of these spells each time you gain a level. In addition to learning a new spell, you may also choose to change a spell you know to another spell on this list when you level up. Once you reach level 20 you may not change your spells known as you have peeked your magical ability.
- Cantrips
blade ward, acid splash, chill touch, dancing lights, fire bolt, light, message, poison spray, produce flame, ray of frost, shocking grasp, thorn whip, true strike
- 1st Level
armor of agathys, burning hands, chromatic orb, color spray, create or destroy water, disguise self, fog cloud, grease, hail of thorns, magic missile, shield, thunderwave, witch bolt,
- 2nd Level
acid arrow, blur, cloud of daggers, darkness, flame blade, gust of wind, heat metal, invisibility, scorching ray, shatter, web,
- 3rd Level
create food and water, daylight, dispel magic, fireball, lightning bolt, sleet storm, vampiric touch, wind wall,
- 4th Level
black tentacles, fire shield, greater invisibility, ice storm, polymorph, stone shape, wall of fire
- 5th Level
arcane hand, cone of cold, flame strike, telekinesis, telepathic bond
- 6th Level
chain lightning, create undead, flesh to stone, move earth, sunbeam, wall of ice, wall of thorns, wind walk,
- 7th Level
arcane sword, delayed blast fireball, finger of death, fire storm, prismatic spray, teleport
- 8th Level
clone, earthquake, incendiary cloud, sunburst, tsunami,
- 9th Level
gate, imprisonment, meteor swarm, prismatic wall, shapechange,
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into this class, you must meet these prerequisites: have the ability to cast at least one Cantrip or Spell. You must also have 12 Dex or proficiency in Sleight of Hand or Performance (otherwise you wouldn't be able to accurately control the tether strings)
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into this class, you gain the following proficiencies:Light Armor, Simple Weapons, Puppet, and your choice of Tinker Tools, Carpenter's Tools, or Smith's Tools
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