Puppetmancer

Puppetmancers are wizards who have delved deep into the arcane secrets of animation and manipulation, bringing to life inanimate objects and using them to carry out their will. These mages find beauty in the control of marionettes and derive power from their mastery of the art of puppetry. This Puppetmancer subclass gives wizards a unique blend of creativity and control, allowing them to unleash the power of puppetry in both combat and role-playing situations. With the ability to craft and customize animated objects, Puppetmancers can bring a variety of creative and strategic options to the table.

Spells

Cantrips

• String Manipulation

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  • You control the movement of strings or threads within the spell's range, allowing you to manipulate objects or puppets. You can use this spell to perform tasks such as moving small objects, opening doors, or even maneuvering your puppets.

• Marionette's Grasp

  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a miniature puppet)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  • Your puppetry skills enhance your dexterity and agility. For the duration, you gain advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and can use your Dexterity modifier for Strength (Athletics) checks. This spell also allows you to perform acrobatic maneuvers with ease.

1st-Level Spells

• Puppeteer's Strings

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a piece string or thread)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  • You can control one creature or object within range, as if it were a puppet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be subject to your control, moving and acting as you dictate. The controlled creature or object can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

• Animate Puppet

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a puppet or miniature construct)
  • Duration: 5 minutes
  • You imbue a puppet or construct with temporary life. It follows your verbal commands and can perform simple tasks, such as fetching items, assisting with actions, or providing a distraction. It has statistics similar to a Tiny animated object (as per the Monster Manual).

3rd-Level Spell

• Masterful Marionettes
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a marionette)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  • You create and control up to three Tiny or Small animated objects, each resembling marionettes. They can move, attack, and interact with their surroundings under your guidance. Use the statistics for animated objects, but they can be controlled independently, and they benefit from your Puppeteer's Resilience feature.

4th-Level Spell

• Puppeteer's Spectacle
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a masterwork puppet)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  • You create an awe-inspiring spectacle using your puppets and objects. You can manipulate up to six objects or puppets, orchestrating a complex and mesmerizing performance. While concentrating on this spell, you can make each puppet or object perform tasks, create illusions, and even use them to aid your allies in various ways.

7th-Level Spell

• Titan Puppet
  • Casting Time: 2 actions
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (A miniature replica of the creature to be puppeted worth at least 500 gp)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 2 minutes

  • You channel your mastery of puppetry to control a colossal, puppet-like version of a creature of your choice, which must be a Huge or smaller creature you can see within range. This spell works on both living creatures and inanimate objects.

    The target creature, in the form of a colossal puppet, is under your absolute control for the duration of the spell. It loses its normal turn in the initiative order and instead takes its turn immediately after yours. While under the influence of this spell, the creature has the following properties:

    • Its hit points and hit point maximum become the same as the creature it represents.
    • Its Armor Class is equal to your spell save DC.
    • Its Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores are each equal to 18.
    • It retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
    • It retains all of its special abilities, actions, and features.
    • You can command the Titan Puppet using your bonus action. It can move, attack, or use abilities as you dictate. It obeys your commands without hesitation.

    However, if the creature you're controlling through the Titan Puppet spell takes damage or fails a saving throw, it can attempt a Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn to break free from your control. On a successful saving throw, the creature regains control of itself, and the spell ends. If the creature's hit points drop to 0 or it dies, the spell also ends.

    When the spell ends, the target creature, if still alive, regains control over its body, and it may be disoriented or harmed by any actions it took while under your control.

    At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using an 8th or 9th-level spell slot, you can target a Gargantuan creature.

These spells should add unique flavor and gameplay options to a Puppetmancer, allowing them to control and interact with their surroundings in inventive ways.

Puppetry Expertise

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency with Tinker's Tools and the Performance skill. You also acquire a set of specialized tools, known as a "Puppeteer's Kit," which allows you to create and manipulate puppets and marionettes.

Animate Objects

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your magic to breathe life into inanimate objects. As an action, you can expend a spell slot to animate a Tiny or Small non-magical object you can see within 30 feet of you. The object becomes a Tiny animated object for the duration, which is 1 minute per spell level of the expended slot. The object's statistics are found in the Monster Manual under the Animated Object entry. You control the animated object as a bonus action on your turn.

Master Puppeteer

At 6th level, your expertise in puppetry allows you to enhance your control over animated objects. When you use your Animate Objects feature to create an animated object, you can choose to give it a unique feature or quality. For example, you could add blades to its limbs for slashing attacks, or give it a small container to hold and deliver potions. You can change the added feature whenever you use Animate Objects. The feature should be appropriate to the object's size and form.

Puppeteer's Resilience

Starting at 10th level, your bond with animated objects has granted you an uncanny resilience. You gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage while an animated object you control is within 30 feet of you.

Master Puppetmancer

At 14th level, you reach the pinnacle of your craft. You can now use your Animate Objects feature without expending a spell slot once per long rest. Additionally, you gain the ability to animate one Small object as a Tiny animated object without expending a spell slot, allowing for greater versatility in your creations.

Spells

Puppetmancer comes with a wide variety of unique spells you have through your appreciation of puppeteering.

Masterful Marionettes Spell

Unlocks Masterful Marionettes for players

Puppeteer's Spectacle

You learn Puppeteer's Spectacle

Titan Puppeteering

You open yourself up to the mastery of puppeteering, enabling you to puppeteer huge creatures or smaller!