Puppetmaster Sorcerer

Breathing life into the lifeless, Puppetmaster Sorcerers have a knack for splitting their focus and channeling the smallest amounts of magical energy into constructs of their own creation. These arcane craftsmen have spent generations developing techniques, and the origin is driven less by bloodline and more taught by other masters of the craft. All that is required is a minor aptitude for magic, since the craft requires very little output to control said puppets. However, those who pursue it further may find they are more gifted at spellcraft than originally thought.

Bonus Proficiency

While most magic requires special crystals or wands, the tools of the Puppetmaster trade are a bit more artisanal. Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Woodcarver's Tools if you don't already have it and the tools can be used as your Arcane Focus.

Bonus Cantrip

The puppet is the staple of the trade so constant maintenance is a must. At 1st level, you learn the Mending cantrip. It does not count against your number of cantrips known.

Dollmaker

Naturally, the first step in the trade is to make the puppet. At 1st level, you gain the ability to build puppets out of wood that you can magically imbue and control. With enough wood on hand, you can use your Woodcarver's Tools to build a single puppet as part of a short or long rest. The puppet can take any appearance of your choosing but its size cannot exceed Small or smaller. The detail and complexity is subject to DM approval and my require a Dexterity check against your own spell save DC if the desired form exceeded the allotted time (eg. a humanoid puppet with specific facial features made during a short rest). However, being that this trade combines magic with handcraft skill, this restriction is flexible with DM approval.

At 6th level, the puppet's maximum size limit becomes Medium or smaller. At 14th level, the size limit becomes Large or smaller. At 18th level, the size limit becomes Huge or smaller.

Regardless of size or appearance, puppets are treated as Constructs and do not require air, food, drink or sleep. As such, puppets can only be healed via the Mending cantrip, regaining 2d6 hit points per cast.

Upon their creation, a puppet's game statistics are as follows:

Wooden Puppet
Size: (Varies)
Type: Construct
Alignment: Unaligned
AC: 10 + User's Proficiency Bonus
HP: Half user's max HP
Speed: 40 feet flying speed (hovers 4 inches off the ground)
STR: User's CHA stat and modifier
DEX: User's CHA stat and modifier
CON: User's CHA stat and modifier
INT: N/A
WIS: N/A
CHA: N/A
Damage Vulnerable: Fire
Damage Immune: Psychic, Poison
Condition Immune: Blind, Charm, Deaf, Exhaustion, Fear, Paralyze, Petrified, Poison
Actions:
(See puppet varieties by size below)

Tiny Puppet
Actions:
Slam - Melee Weapon Attack, Reach 5', One Target, Hit +(1 + User's Proficiency),
Damage 1d4 bludgeoning
Spell Release - (Accessible at 6th level; Max Spell Slot 1st)

Small Puppet
Actions:
Slam - Melee Weapon Attack, Reach 5', One Target, Hit +(2 + User's Proficiency),
Damage 2d6 bludgeoning
Spell Release - (Accessible at 6th level; Max Spell Slot 2nd)

Medium Puppet
Actions:
Slam - Melee Weapon Attack, Reach 5', One Target, Hit +(3 + User's Proficiency),
Damage 3d8 bludgeoning
Spell Release - (Accessible at 6th level; Max Spell Slot 3rd)

Large Puppet
Actions:
Slam - Melee Weapon Attack, Reach 5', One Target, Hit +(4 + User's Proficiency),
Damage 4d10 bludgeoning
Spell Release - (Accessible at 6th level; Max Spell Slot 4th)

Huge Puppet
Actions:
Slam - Melee Weapon Attack, Reach 5', One Target, Hit +(5 + User's Proficiency),
Damage 5d12 bludgeoning
Spell Release - (Accessible at 6th level; Max Spell Slot 5th)

Arcane Threads

Once you have the puppet made, obviously next comes controlling it. At 1st level, you can use invisible arcane threads from your fingertips to control your puppets. The range of these threads equals your walking speed stat (not including temporary buffs to the speed stat such as Haste or Longstider) and the puppet falls limp if outside this range. As a bonus action, you can connect or disconnect these tethers to a single puppet within range using one or two hands, your choice. The puppet can be moved as a bonus action with at least one hand connected, and can take actions (using your action) with two hands connected.

Controlling puppets is second-nature to you and does not hinder concentration spells, however, if you take damage while connected to a puppet, you must make a Constitution save to maintain the connection (maintaining spell concentration, player's handbook pg 203) in addition to the Constitution save to maintain a concentration spell, if any. Alternatively, you can spend one sorcery point to automatically maintain this connection.

While connected with at least one hand, you can cast the Mending cantrip through the arcane threads to the connected puppet. With all other spells requiring somatic gestures, you need at least one free hand to cast.

Magical Marionette

The more you practice, the more energy you channel through your puppets. At 6th level, arcane energy fills your puppets while you are connected to them, enhancing their abilities. While connected, puppets are no longer vulnerable to fire damage and their attacks are considered magical. Also, as part of a short or long rest (which can be the same short or long rest you are spending to create the puppet), you can spend a number of sorcery points to store a single Sorcerer spell within the puppet to be released as an action while you are connected to it. The spell's casting time must be one that requires an action to cast, not bonus actions or reactions. The cost of sorcery points equals the amount required when converting spell slots of equal level (Creating Spell Slots Chart, Player's Handbook, pg. 101) and the maximum spell slot level that a puppet can safely contain is listed within the puppet's game statistics based on its size.

Possessed Dolls

With the influx of energy, your puppets could exhibit peculiar properties. At 6th level, your arcane fueled puppets can be used as vessels for stray souls at the time of death. While connected to a puppet, if a creature within 5' of it dies, as a reaction the puppet can absorb the dead creature's soul to inhabit it. The creature's body falls under the effects of the Gentle Repose spell while the soul is held within the puppet for the duration of the spell. While possessed, the puppet is under control of the soul and does not need the arcane threads to move or perform actions, but the puppet is no longer under your control.

Archmage Marionette

With practice comes expertise and the confidence to channel even more energy. At 14th level, the arcane energy of your Magical Marionette increases exponentially. While connected with two hands, you can now cast Sorcerer spells through your puppets as an arcane focus (including ones that require somatic components), but the spell's level cannot exceed the maximum spell slot of the puppet's size. If a spell was to be cast through your puppet that exceeds the maximum spell slot, the puppet overloads and explodes. All creatures within 5' of it must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the creature takes force damage equal to that of a puppet's Slam attack based on size (see puppet size chart above). On a success, it takes half damage. Either way, the puppet is destroyed.

For example, a Small puppet cannot be used to cast the 3rd level spell Fireball as it's limited to storing spells 2nd level or below. If you tried to cast Fireball through the puppet, the puppet will explode and deal 2d6 force damage to all creatures within 5' of it that fail the Dexterity Saving Throw, destroying it in the process.

Spells can be cast through puppets even while the puppet is storing a spell, and the spells cast do not need to be the same as the stored spell.

Sorcerer Substitution

Puppets fight on your behalf, but the truly skilled can defend with them too. At 14th level, you can use your puppets as shields to take blows. When you are hit by an attack while you are connected with at least one hand, and if you succeed on a Concentration check to maintain the connection, you can spend 5 sorcery points to switch places with your puppet as a reaction. The puppet then becomes the target of subsequent attacks made by the foe that turn.

Voodoo Doll Threads

When all else fails, masters of the trade can will others to become their puppet. At 18th level, you can use your Arcane Threads to control other creatures as if they were your puppets. As an action, you can spend 10 sorcery points to attempt to connect your Arcane Threads to a creature of your choice within range. This action requires a two hand connection and the creature's size cannot exceed Large. An unwilling creature must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. If it fails, the creature is under your control and cannot take
actions or movement of its own free will until you release at least one hand from the connection, or until the connection is broken. The creature can remake the Wisdom Saving Throw at the end of each of its turns. While connected, you use an action to command the creature to take any action of your choice on your turn except for casting spells, if the creature has that ability, as spells require more than just body motions.

If you take damage while connected, you must make a Constitution Saving Throw to maintain concentration, or alternately spend 2 sorcery points to automatically maintain this connection. Creatures connected in this way cannot be used as focuses for any of the aforementioned Puppetmaster Sorcerer features.