College of Arcane Strings

Skulking from the shadows, a graduate of the College of Arcane Strings weaves their manipulative web over a mysterious marionette, laying vicious traps to ensnare their prey, and hold influence over battlefield manoeuvres.  

Puppeteers are oft greeted with warmth and caution; the tension they pull on a community’s heartstrings are just, for bards of this specialty have as many faces as they do puppets. They conceal their intentions as they conceal their identity, donning masked, black robes as to remain barely visible while on-stage performing, or fleeing the dangers of combat.

Travelling far and wide with access to a diverse range of prestigious patrons, puppeteers are accustomed to side employment as agents of espionage and assassination, furthering the stigma to their name.

 

Puppet Mechanics

Arcane Strings

You can channel your magic into invisible, unbreakable threads that sprout from your fingertips. Initially your arcane strings can reach 45ft, but this increases at 6th and 14th level.  If you exceed beyond the range of your arcane strings, you lose control of the puppet and it crumples to the floor.

Manipulation

You can use your action to manipulate one puppet, utilising the puppet’s individual statistics and abilities. A puppet requires a free hand to be properly controlled; you can wield any medium or smaller sized puppet with a single hand and a large-sized puppet with two hands. You can apply arcane strings to one construct/object with a bonus action. You may wield a single weapon with your arcane strings if you have proficiency with that weapon; controlling a weapon shares movement and action economy with the caster.
You must maintain concentration while focused on manipulating more than a single construct with your arcane strings. Make a constitution saving throw for each focus when the caster is attacked. If you fail the save, your arcane strings are detached and control of your puppet is lost. With your Puppeteers Mage Hand you may wield up to three constructs, but make any constitution saving throw to maintain concentration with disadvantage. Otherwise, your arcane strings can only be disrupted within the effects of an anti-magic field. 

Your puppet can act as a spell-casting focus and the articulations of your fingers fill the somatic component of a spell. In order to make an attack, the target must be within the caster’s line of sight.  

As a bonus action, you are able to latch your arcane strings onto an incapacitated, unconscious or willing target within range, and move them 10 ft in any direction, permitting it does not extend out of the range of your arcane strings. The target incurs any opportunity attacks; this action requires a free hand to perform.

Movement

While strung to your magic, your puppet splits your movement speed. If your movement speed is 30ft then a total combined movement of 30ft can be shared between you and any puppet wielded. As a reaction, you may spend a point of Bardic Inspiration to rapidly reel your arcane strings in, returning your puppet to a position closer to you. This movement may incur an opportunity of attack from opponents. 

Puppet Statistics

As puppets are constructs, they do not have any inherent ability scores; any save throw required of the puppet will adopt your ability score. You may equip your puppet with up to two weapons that you are proficient with. Your puppet's attacks will utilise your dexterity scores in place of requisite strength scores. 

Puppets share the same condition immunities as other constructs. They are immune to being blinded, charmed, frightened, exhaustion, paralysed, petrified or poisoned. Additionally, they are immune to poison and psychic damage. Initially, they are constructed from wood and have an inherent weakness to fire damage. 

Your puppet's AC equals 2 x (DEX + CHA modifiers).

Puppet Health and Healing

Your puppet's health is determined by your bard levels. The formula equals (1dx) x (DEX + CHA). 
At 3rd level, your puppet's health die is a d4: 1d4 x (DEX + CHA). This increases to 1d6 at 7th level, 1d8 at 11th level, 1d10 at 15th level and 1d12 at 20th level. 

If the puppet is reduced to 0 health, it crumples on the spot and remains inactive until you can restore hit points. During a short rest, you can split your hit die between yourself and your puppet. Your puppet is fully repaired after a long rest.  

Manipulating Weapons

Any weapons you wield using your arcane strings have a total health of your DEX + CHA. The weapon's AC is calculated with the same formula used for your puppet: 2 x (DEX + CHA modifier). Non-magical weapons can be repaired using the mending cantrip. 

Nimble Fingers

At 3rd level, you learn to manipulate combat puppets and weapons with your arcane strings, which reach a length of 45ft.
As a bonus action, you are able to latch your arcane strings onto an incapacitated, unconscious or willing target within range, and move them 10 ft in any direction, permitting it does not extend out of the range of your arcane strings. The target incurs any opportunity attacks; this action requires a free hand to perform.
Tests of strength that challenge your arcane strings can be replaced by your Dexterity ability and modifier scores. This includes grapples made by your puppets.

Inspired Crafting

Also at 3rd level, you gain the Mending cantrip and it does not count against your total Bard cantrips known. You may spend a Bardic Inspiration dice to cast Mending as a bonus action; your inspired mending will heal your construct for the number rolled with the inspiration dice adding your Charisma modifier. At 6th level, you'll add half the number rolled (rounded up) to the total score, and at 14th level, you'll double the score rolled. 

Feature Performance

Your experimentation and tireless practice has resulted in the gained ability to customise your puppet with mechanical features that improve its performance. At 3rd level, you gain three Feature Performance mechanics of your choice. When you reach 6th and 14th bard levels, you gain additional mechanics of your choice. You may alter your puppet's features after a long rest. 

 

Camouflage

While your puppet pulls the enemy's focus, you may spend a point of bardic inspiration to take the Dodge action as a bonus action, three times in the next 10 minutes.

Conduit

Your puppet becomes a magical conduit for casting spells. Any Bard spells, including those with the range of 'touch' may be cast from the puppets location.

Enthralling Performance

Once per short rest, you may dazzle onlookers with an awe-inspiring performance, gaining advantage on any charisma based skill check. 

Fulcrum Joints

When your puppet is attacked with a melee weapon, you may use your reaction to spend a Bardic Inspiration dice to spin its limbs deflecting the blow. The amount of damage taken by your puppet is reduced by the number rolled on your inspiration die + Dex Modifier. Your opponent makes a Dexterity saving throw and on a fail, is knocked prone. 

Spider's Touch

Your puppet gains a climbing speed of 30ft. It does not incur a movement penalty while moving on web-like surfaces. 

You may spend a point of Bardic Inspiration to discharge a mass of thick, sticky webbing over the ground in a 5ft radius. The webs are difficult terrain and lightly obscure their area. This webbing increases by 5ft at 6th level (10ft) and 14th level (15ft). 
If the webs aren't anchored between two solid masses (such as walls or trees) or layered across a floor, wall, or ceiling, the conjured web collapses on itself, and the spell ends at the start of your next turn. Webs layered over a flat surface have a depth of 5 feet.
Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is restrained as long as it remains in the webs or until it breaks free.
A creature restrained by the webs can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. If it succeeds, it is no longer restrained.
The webs are flammable. Any 5-foot cube of webs exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 2d4 fire damage to any creature that starts its turn in the fire.

Limber Timber 

After successfully attacking an enemy, your puppet does not provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy's reach.

Defensive Appendage

You've equipped a reinforced steel appendage to your puppet, which can be used to push creatures around the battlefield. The limb reaches ten feet long. As an action, your puppet can make a melee attack with a 10ft reach that deals 1d4 + DEX bludgeoning damage on a hit. A medium-sized or smaller opponent makes a strength saving throw against your spell DC and on a fail is knocked prone. 

Viper's Venom

You've coated your puppet's blades with a powerful neurotoxin. Every melee attack made by your puppet with slashing or piercing damage also deals 1d6 poison damage if they fail a CON save against your Spell DC, or half as much if they succeed.  

As a reaction, when a friendly creature within 20 ft of your puppet is attacked, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration die to attack an enemy with ranged poison needle. On a successful hit, the target takes poison damage equal to the number rolled on the bardic inspiration die + Charisma Modifier.

Puppet Possession

You may use an action to possess your puppet and control it out of range. While in this state you can move, see, hear and speak from your puppet, and your physical body remains in a trance-like state. This feature ends if your puppet engages in combat or as a result of the dispel magic spell; your puppet crumples to the ground in place. 

Arcane Dexterity

At 6th level, your dedication to your craft has enhanced your puppet melee attacks which now deal magical damage. 
You’ve improved your control over manipulating your arcane strings, and can now extend them a further 15ft (60ft range).
Your proficiency with the art of ventriloquism has granted you the ability to cast your voice from your puppet's location. 

Puppeteer's Mage Hand

At 6th level, you gain the Mage Hand cantrip: if it was previously known then it no longer counts against your total Bard cantrips known. Your proficiency with arcane articulation grants you a Puppeteer’s Mage Hand, which can weave additional arcane strings, providing greater freedom to control your puppets. This hand now counts as a third hand, which can be used to manipulate puppets, weapons and creatures. 

As a bonus action you may concentrate on directing your empty Puppeteer's Mage Hand to attach arcane strings on a medium or smaller sized enemy. The opponent must make either a strength or dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed roll, the enemy moves at half speed and has disadvantage on your choice of either strength or dexterity saves. At the beginning of each turn, the opponent can repeat this save. This feature can be used once per short rest. 

Feature Performance (2)

At 6th level, you gain an additional customisation slot, totalling four choices altogether. You also gain access to the additional Feature Performance mechanical customisations. 

Art of War

Your puppet gains advantage on its attack roll made in the first round of combat on a target that has not yet had their turn.  

Iron Defence

You've upgraded you puppet's core material from wood to steel, removing vulnerability to fire. Your puppet also gains resistance to one of the following types of damage: Acid, Fire, Cold, Thunder or Lightning.

Lightfoot

Your puppet no longer splits its movement with you. Puppets have an inherent movement speed of 30ft unless specified otherwise. 

Mechanical Mount

You've redesigned your puppet into a Large sized construct, which can now be mounted by a single rider. 

Mimic

Your puppet has been sculpted in your likeness. When a hostile creature targets you while your puppet is within 10ft, roll a d20. On a 1-10, the creature targets the puppet instead. Your puppet's size matches your own. Out of combat, a creature can make an investigation check against your deception. On a success, the creature knows that you're being impersonated by a puppet. If you have the Puppet Possession feature, engaging in combat will no longer end the possession.

Fulcrum Frenzy

Per attack, your puppet can make two attacks with its in-built weapons. 

Poison Gas

As an action, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration die to release a spray of poisonous fumes that spread out in a 10ft radius cloud around your puppet. Any creature within this area must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell DC, and takes poison damage equal to the number rolled on your Bardic Inspiration Die on a failed save and half as much on a successful save. The poison gas remains in the area for 1 minute and any creature in the affected area at the end of their turn repeats the saving throw. At 6th level, you add half of the rolled number (rounding up) to the total damage score and at 14th level, you double the damage of the number rolled. 

Shadow Step

As a bonus action, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration dice to channel your energy into your arcane strings, magically swapping locations with your puppet. 

Smokebomb

Once per short rest, your puppet can release a 10ft radius cloud of smoke. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute, although a significant gust of wind can disperse the smoke. After releasing the smoke, you can move the puppet an additional 30ft as a bonus action. At 14th level, this increases to 15ft and can occur twice per short rest. 

Shocking Strike

Your puppet gains the Shocking Grasp spell. Additionally when you use this spell, you can spend a Bardic Inspiration point to attempt stunning the creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be stunned until the end of your next turn.  

Puppet Mastery

Starting at 14th level, you can attack two times, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
At 14th level, you have mastered the art of puppetry, increasing the range of your arcane strings by 15ft (75ft range). 
You've built a second puppet of medium or smaller size. This puppet can be customised with up to four Feature Performance mechanisms from the 3rd and 6th level options. 

Feature Performance (3)

At 11th level, you gain two additional customisation slot, totalling six choices altogether. You also gain access to the additional Feature Performance mechanical customisations.

Reflective Defence

(Recharge 4-6) When your puppet (or its rider) is targeted by a single target spell, it shields itself in attempt to reflect the spell. Roll a d12: 
1 The spell reflects onto the closest friendly creature to your puppet.
2-6 The reflect fails and the target takes the hit. 
7-11 The spell reflects dealing no damage. 
12 The spell is reflected and hits the original caster.

Coiled Strike

When a creature within 5ft of your puppet is attacked, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. 

Daunting Instrument

While your puppet is within 15ft of you, you gain advantage on Intimidation rolls.

Draconic Breath

As an action, you can spend a bardic inspiration die, causing your puppet to shoot forward a jet of chaotic energy into a 30ft cone. Creatures within the cone must make a dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a fail, the creature takes 4d8 "chaos" damage or half as much on a success. Chaos damage: Roll a d6 and apply the damage to the targets as rolled.
1. Acid damage
2. Cold damage
3. Fire damage
4. Lightning damage
5. Poison damage
6. Thunder damage 

Elemental Maiden (Pre-requisite: Mechanical Mount)

You've constructed a torture chamber used to imprison targets within your puppet. You've lined the cell with magical runes that deal your choice of acid, fire, cold, lightning, thunder or poison damage. You may choose only one damage type when you equip this feature. The puppet gains an immunity to that type of damage. 
Your puppet makes one melee attack against a grappled opponent. On a success, the target is imprisoned within the puppet's maiden chamber and is no longer grappled. The imprisoned target is blinded and restrained. It has total cover from spells and attacks outside of the puppet's chamber. At the start of each of your turns, you may spend a bardic inspiration point to activate the runes, dealing 3dx (bardic inspiration dice) worth of elemental damage. Your puppet can have only one creature imprisoned at a time. If you lose control of your puppet, or it is destroyed, the creature is no longer restrained and exits from the wreckage prone.  

Flight

Your puppet gains a flying speed double to your walking speed. 

Pack Tactics

Your puppet has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated

Ward of Protection

As an action, the puppet implants itself onto the ground, channeling protective energy outward, filling a 10ft radius cube. Friendly creatures that stand within the range of this ward benefit from the effects of half-cover, gaining +2 to their AC. Any hostile creature that walks through the affected area has halved movement speed, until they end their turn outside of the ward. While attacking inside the area of this ward, hostile creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, on a fail they have disadvantage on melee attack rolls. This ward remains active for 1 minute, and for the duration your puppet cannot take other actions, reactions or movement. 

Guardian's Ward (Pre-requisite: Ward of Protection)

All friendly creatures standing inside the Ward of Protection also gain temporary hit points equal to your Proficiency Bonus x CHA Modifier. The ward extends to a 15ft radius cube. 

 Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain

"As swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as fire, as immovable as the mountain".
Once per short rest, you can use your action to roll a d4 to determine the outcome of this manoeuvre:
1 - Your puppet receives the effects of the spell Haste for one minute. 
2 - An aura of Silence is projected around your puppet for one minute or until dispelled.  
3 - Your puppet erupts in an explosion of flame, as the effects of a Fireball spell surround it. Your puppet is receptive to damage from this effect. 
4 - The two closest hostile humanoids fall under the effect of the Hold Person spell for one minute or until dispelled.