Masked Puppet (5e Race)
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This page is of questionable balance. Reason: There are arbitrary DCs in this race, as well as flat bonuses to skills. Additionally, how does mask swapping work? The fact this race has essentially 4 subraces by the time they are level 20 to swap around is overpowered in besting pretty much any other race in versatility. It sounds more like a class gimmick, given how much a mask gives in comparison with something like the official eladrin.
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Masked Puppet[edit]
"Trapped in our own disguises, cut free but soulless still. We're all surrounded by the masks we wear..."
Physical Description[edit]
On the surface, these mannequins appear to be nothing more than life-sized wooden puppets, similar to what would be found in a clothing shop. Their faces are featureless save for a slight bump where a nose would be. Their joints vary in style, but are most commonly ball joints made of the same wooden material used for the rest of their bodies. Their movements are sudden and jittery, every motion done one at a time and, if watched closely, they appear to float a fraction of an inch off the ground. When the light is right, ethereal strings can be seen running from various body parts up towards some unseen source, passing through any obstacles. These strings appear to lead nowhere and vanish one to three meters above the puppet.
When in their normal state, these puppets are virtually indistinguishable from each other, and posses very little in the way of personality. All this changes, however, when they don one of the many masks at their disposal. Their appearance then shifts slightly to appear more akin to the creature represented on the mask (A puppet wearing the mask of the fiend will appear to have a reddish tint and may have a variety of horns protruding from several places on its surface, for example).These changes are purely illusory, and anyone able to pierce this illusion will see them as their usual selves and most of the masks' special features will not affect them. Along with visual changes, these masks also drastically change the mannerisms, disposition, and character of the puppets wearing them, so much so that they are often unrecognizable
History[edit]
Nobody knows where these freak shows came from, and those among their ranks that are inclined to tell their tale say that they simply woke up one day, unsure as to their purpose and lost in a world they knew nothing about. The masks, which they found scattered around them when they awoke, give them a purpose, an ideal to strive towards, and serve as a barrier between them and the outside world, full of unknown quantities and potential threats.
Society[edit]
Due to the ever-changing nature of these constructs, Masked Puppets tend not to live with one another and instead try to integrate themselves into other societies.
Masked Puppet Names[edit]
Masked Puppets dont have names, but rather adopt a name of their choosing, often linked to the mask they choose to wear.
Masked Puppet Traits[edit]
A race of soulless puppets that seek guidance through the masks they wear.
Ability Score Increase. Varies with each mask.
Age. Though technically immortal, wear and tear tends to get the better of these constructs after 250 years.
Alignment. Varies with each mask.
Size. There are very few variations between puppets, any difference usually attributed to erosion of their feet after time. They usually stand 6ft. tall and their size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25ft. feet.
Stage mask. You may don one of your available stage masks during a long rest, gaining a variety of benefits depending on the mask. When you start a new character, you can choose one mask from among those listed below. Characters beginning play at higher levels receive one additional mask for every 5 character level they posses (2 at level 5, 3 at level 10, etc.)
Already occupied. While wearing a mask, you have advantage on saving throws against charm and mind-control effects.
Wooden frame. Your creature type is construct, in addition to a type granted by your current mask. You are also vulnerable to fire damage.
Yearning for Guidance. While not wearing a mask, you have disadvantage on saving throws against Intimidation, Persuasion, and Deception, as well as against charm and mind-control effects.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language dictated by the mask you wear.
Masks[edit]
Mask of the Denizen[edit]
Ability Score Increase. All your scores increase by one.
Alignment. True Neutral.
Blend in. While wearing this mask, you appear human to the casual observer. A DC15 insight check will reveal you in your original form. Your creature type is humanoid, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You gain no new language.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with woodcarver's tools.
Mask of the Guardian[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Alignment. Lawful Good.
Selfless Protector. When an adjacent ally takes damage, you may expend your reaction to attempt a DC 15 Constitution check. If you succeed, the damage taken is split between yourself and the ally, rounded up. Your creature type is Celestial, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Celestial in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with maces and shields.
Mask of the Adjudicator[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
Alignment. Lawful Neutral.
Spirit of Justice. As the ambassador of law and order, you can use your action to command a creature within 30ft to do your bidding. The creature must succeed a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8+proficiency+Wisdom). Lawful creatures have disadvantage on this check, while chaotic creatures have advantage. If they fail, you can force them to either move their full movement to the position of your choice or attack an adjacent target. Succeed or fail, they are then immune to this feature for the rest of the day. You need to finish a short rest before you can use this trait again. Your creature type is humanoid, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Primordial in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with mauls.
Mask of the Fiend[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Alignment. Lawful Evil.
Fiendish Aggression. You lose your vulnerability to fire, and you gain the benefits of the fighting style two-weapon fighting. However, you have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws. Your creature type is fiend, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Infernal in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with iron claws.
Mask of the Magus[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
Alignment. Neutral Good.
Arcane Knowledge. You gain a +2 in Intelligence(Arcane) checks and, if you have the spellcasting feature, you gain one spell slot of the level below your highest spell slot level (minimum 1st). For example, if you are able to cast 5th level spells, you would gain an additional 4th level spell slot. However, you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws. Your creature type is humanoid, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Draconic in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with quarterstaffs.
Mask of the Reaper[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Alignment. Neutral Evil.
Whispers of Death. When a creature dies within 30ft of you, you can make a DC 15 Intelligence check to seemingly absorb part of their soul, gaining 1d6+int temporary hit points on a successful roll. Your creature type is undead, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Deep Speech in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with Scythes. In addition, you can use your dexterity for attack and damage rolls made with these weapons.
Mask of the Vigilante[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Alignment. Chaotic Good.
Galivanting Justicier. You can inspire an ally to greater prowess. As a bonus action, make a DC 15 charisma check and, on a success, one ally of your choice within 30ft gains advantage on his next attack or saving throw. You can use this ability once per short rest. Your creature type is humanoid, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Undercommon in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with Rapiers.
Mask of the Trickster[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Alignment. Chaotic Neutral.
Giggling Retreat. Your base movement speed increases by 5ft. In addition, when hit by a melee attack, you can teleport up to 15ft instead of taking damage. You can do this once per short rest. Your creature type is fey, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Sylvan in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with Whips.
Mask of the Depths[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Alignment. Chaotic Evil.
Dreaded Despoiler. As a manifestation of your enemies' greatest fear, you can attempt to make them flee in terror. As an action, you can force all enemies within 15ft to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8+Proficiency+Charisma modifier). If they fail, they become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Succeed or fail, they are then immune to this feature for the rest of the day. You can use this ability once per short rest. Your creature type is Aberration, in addition to your original type.
Languages. You speak Abyssal in addition to any other language you know.
Proficiencies. You gain Proficiency with Greataxes.
Mask-less Puppet[edit]
As an action, a creature within melee range on the puppet can attempt to remove its mask. The creature must succeed a contested Dexterity check with the puppet, followed by a successful DC 20 Strength check.
A mask-less puppet is lost and confused. Every turn in combat, if not wearing a mask, you must succeed a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or panic, searching for a mask to wear. If one is present, magical or not, you must move your full speed plus 5 ft towards it, and attempt to put it on if possible. If a mask is not found, you spend the turn panicking, taking no action (you may still take a reaction outside your turn). If a mask is donned in this manner, none of its effects manifest, as it only satiates the puppet's desire to wear one (To be effective, a mask must be donned during a long rest), however it does reduce the puppet's insecurity, removing the need for a saving throw.
In addition to this, a puppet not wearing a mask loses the 'Already Occupied' racial feature, replacing it with the Yearning for Guidance racial feature. Masks donned hastily as described above do not count as worn masks for the sake of this feature. Spells and abilities that would normally not affect constructs affect mask-less puppets as normal.
Mask Carving[edit]
In addition to the masks owned by the puppet at the start of its existence, as well as those gained through adventuring, the masked puppet can spend (DM's discretion) gold and one week of devoted attention on the creation of a new mask of its choice. It must be in possession of, or have access to, woodcarver's tools to do this and, after every day of work, must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity (Woodcarving) check for that day to count in the creation of the mask. This week of work can be split up into any number of daylong chunks.
Constitution score granted by Masks[edit]
While several masks grant a bonus to Constitution, this bonus is never factored in when calculating the player's hit points, whether at first level or at any level beyond that. Only the character's base constitution, plus any bonuses not related to this race, are counted.
Random Height and Weight[edit]
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ 6'' | +1d4 | 80 lb. | × (5) lb. |
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*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
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