Puppeteer WIP 2

Core Puppeteer Traits
Primary Ability - Dexterity and Intelligence
Hit Point Die - D8 per Puppeteer level
Saving Throw Proficiencies - Dexterity and Intelligence
Skill Proficiencies - Choose 3: Arcana, Deception, History, Medicine, Nature, Occult, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand
Weapon Proficiencies - Simple Weapons
Tool Proficiencies - Any one type of Artisan's Tools of your choice.
Armor Training - Light armor

Starting Equipment (2014):
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
-(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a simple weapon
-(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
-(a) weaver's tools or (b) woodcarver's tools
-leather armor and two daggers

Starting Equipment (2024):
Choose A or B: (A) Leather Armor, 2 Daggers, Light Crossbow, 20 Bolts, Crossbow Bolt Case, Burglar's Pack and 18 GP; or (B) 75 GP


Becoming a Puppeteer ...

As a Level 1 Character

    Gain all the traits in the Core Puppeteer Traits table.
    Gain the Puppeteer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Puppeteer Features table.

As a Multiclass Character

    Gain the following traits from the Core Puppeteer Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with any one type of Artisan's Tools of your choice, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Puppeteer’s skill list, and training with Light armor.
    Gain the Puppeteer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Puppeteer Features table.


Level  PrBonus  Class Features
1 	+2 	Puppets, Novice Stagehands
2 	+2 	Puppet Roles (1), Intercepting Entrance
3 	+2 	Puppeteer Theater, Apprentice Stagehands
4 	+2 	Ability Score Improvement
5 	+3 	Get In Character
6 	+3 	Additional Role Known, Magic Strings
7 	+3 	Puppeteer Theater Ability
8 	+3 	Ability Score Improvement
9 	+4 	Puppet Roles (2)
10 	+4 	Additional Role Known, Experienced Stagehands
11 	+4 	Puppeteer Theater Ability
12 	+4 	Ability Score Improvement
13 	+5 	Places Please
14 	+5 	Additional Role Known
15 	+5 	Puppeteer Theater Ability
16 	+5 	Ability Score Improvement
17 	+6 	Puppet Roles (3)
18 	+6 	Master Stagehands
19 	+6 	Epic Boon*
20 	+6 	All the World's a Stage

*If not using 2024 rules, replace with an additional Ability Score Improvement.


Level 1: Puppets

Your imagination run wild, you conjure the intricate designs in your mind into existence with will and magic to serve you. As an Action, you can create 1 or more Puppets, each in an unoccupied space within 15 ft of yourself. The Puppet is a mindless creature loyal to you that possesses the Puppet stat block below, and acts on your initiative with its own set of actions, but with certain limitations.

Puppets cannot utilize items- such as weapons, tools, or armor- that have associated proficiencies that the Puppet does not have. They cannot perform Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks. Puppets cannot perform Reactions unless they have a trait that says otherwise, and will use their Action to perform the Dodge Action on their turn if not ordered otherwise.

You may spend a Bonus Action to Order any and all Puppets you control. These Puppets may then perform an Action of your choice, other than Influence, Magic, Ready, Search, or Study, but must all perform the same type of Action (Attack, Disengage, etc).

Each Puppet can only perform one Attack action per round, and only one effect that requires a Saving Throw can be applied by any of your Puppets to each creature once per round; effects that would grant a Puppet additional Attack actions are not applied, and if any situation would arise where a creature would be forced to make another Saving Throw against an effect made by one of your Puppets in a round they already made a Saving Throw against one of your Puppets (even if not the same Puppet), they automatically succeed the latter. The Save DC of any effect of a Puppet that requires one is 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Puppeteer's Intelligence.

Puppets are destroyed at 0 HP, when you die, or when you choose to dismiss them as a non-action, and leave nothing behind of themselves. You can create a number of Puppets up to your Proficiency Bonus, regaining all uses of this ability after a long rest, and one use of this ability with each short rest. Any Puppets already created that are still present when you complete a short or long rest are counted towards your maximum. You can only have a number of Puppets at one time equal to half your Proficiency Bonus, rounded up.


The exact appearance of your Puppets varies, limited only by your imagination, but all adhering to a chosen theme or motif that make them identifiable as your own. Come up with a visually defining quality that is shared by your Puppets, or roll on the table below.

[Table]

d8 - Visual Theme
1. - Jumping lions, roaring tigers, dancing bears, goofy clowns, oh my! All draped in bright, garish colors, dense makeup, and loose clothing. Your Puppets make up the cast of a circus, and you are their ringmaster.
2. - Simple wooden joints, crisp, clean uniforms, and equipment in miniature- these toy soldiers follow your orders to the letter, and their weapons prove just as dangerous as the real deal!
3. - Desaturated colors and oddball patterns stitched together make up your ragdoll-like Puppets, looking for all the world like a pile of discarded children's toys come to life- though the glint of something dangerous in their hand discourage any thoughts of family-friendly play.
4. - Epic tales of adventurers are sang by bards everywhere, and you share that storytelling itch- perhaps modeling your Puppets as homages to the greats will bring a taste of their talents to your traveling troop of celebrities-in-the-making? Or maybe you emulate your allies themselves, creating flattering charicatures (or not so flattering, in the case of that cultureless lug Benny) in their image... or yours!
5. - Forgoing stylization, your Puppets are anatomically accurate models of the majestic wild life you've seen in your travels, or perhaps only in books on the subject whose dry tones were ignored by others.
6. - Wisps of energy dance and take on loosely humanoid shape, small elementals formed of your will shirking the guise other Puppeteers' creations take on and turn pure function into fashion all its own.
7. - Effigies of important figures in your character's culture, or even icons in reference and reverence to your deity, are a rare but not unheard of approach for a pious Puppeteer to take- their deeds and tales done and told in the name of their beliefs, or to keep old traditions alive.
8. - Straw bundles in the loose shape of humans were a common sight back on the farm, and from the protection they've given your harvests to the first time you willed one into form to scare off some bandits threatening your family, the humble shape continues to be a symbol of safety and community to you.


======

Puppet

Small Construct
AC 13 + your Dexterity Modifier (natural armor)
HP 1 (the Puppet has a number of hit dice [d6s] equal to your levels in this class)
Speed 30 ft.

STR 10 (MOD 0, SAVE 0)
DEX 10 (MOD 0, SAVE 0)
CON 10 (MOD 0, SAVE 0)
INT 1 (MOD -5, SAVE -5)
WIS 1 (MOD -5, SAVE -5)
CHA 1 (MOD -5, SAVE -5)

Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 5
Languages: speaks and understands the languages you speak
Challenge: -
Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus

Traits:
Immutable Form. The Puppet is unaffected by effects that would transform it into a different creature or object, except for Roles marked with [Shift].
Master's Control. When the Puppet would make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution Save, the Puppeteer makes a Dexterity Save, and the Puppet uses the result. When the Puppet would make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma Save, the Puppeteer makes an Intelligence Save, and the Puppet uses the result.
Semi-Realness. When the Puppet successfully Saves against an effect that would inflict damage even on a successful Save, the Puppet suffers no damage.

Actions.
Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: PB + your Dexterity modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d4 + PB + your Intelligence modifier damage*.

*Choose Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing when creating the Puppet; Strike deals damage of the chosen type.

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Level 1: Novice Stagehands

Though your actors might steal the show, every successful production relies on what goes on backstage. As an Action, you can create a fleeting manifestation of force to assist in some simple task, called a Stagehand.

This functions as the Unseen Servant spell, but with the following changes: The Stagehand is visible, with a clearly non-threatening appearance within the same overall theme or motif of your Puppets. Stagehands have a Duration of 1 round. You can spend an Action at the start of your next turn to extend this Duration by 1 additional round. You can order your Stagehand as part of the Bonus Action to order your Puppets.

Starting at 5th level, you can create multiple Stagehands when using this ability, up to your Proficiency Bonus - 1. You can order multiple Stagehands as part of the same Bonus Action.


Level 2: Puppet Roles

Every actor has their own role to play. You learn three Roles of your choice. Each time you create a Puppet, choose 1 of the Roles you know and apply it to that Puppet.

Roles are Traits that give a Puppet new actions, bonuses, and other benefits as outlined in that Role, making them suited for different purposes.

You learn one additional Role of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. Each time you learn a new Role, you can also replace one Role you know with a different one.

As you advance your Puppeteer level, the number of Roles you can give a Puppet on creation increases; at 9th level, you can give 2 Roles to each Puppet, and at 17th level, you can give 3 Roles to each Puppet.


Level 2: Intercepting Entrance

A dramatic entrance at the right time can make the scene. If you are the target of an attack, or an effect that requires a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution Save, you can spend a Reaction to create a Puppet in an unoccupied space adjacent to you and make it the target of that attack or effect in your place. You must declare your use of this ability when you are declared the target of an effect, before any rolls are made.


Level 3: Puppeteer Theater

The stage is set, the cast is arranged, now play the music, light the lights, and open your Theater. At 3rd level, you choose a 'Theater', a set of abilities that define your art's stylings and the shows you'll put on.


Level 3: Apprentice Stagehands

A tinge of your imagination rubs off on anything your Stagehands touch. Your Stagehands can use the Cast a Spell action, and learn the Spell Prestidigitation.


Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th 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.


Level 5: Get In Character

You can temporarily transfer your consciousness to your Puppet. As an action, you can see through a chosen Puppet's eyes and hear through its ears. It is treated as having the better of your own senses and skill modifiers and its own while this effect is active, and you can spend actions to have your chosen Puppet perform skill checks of your chosing, even if the Puppet is not Proficient with that skill. You can also choose to project your voice through the Puppet to speak at a distance.

During this time, you cannot see or hear anything with your own eyes and ears- you are treated as deafened and blinded in regards to anything your Puppet can't sense. You can end this effect at any time (requires no action). This effect ends if the Puppet is ever further than 100 * Puppeteer level feet away from you, or the Puppet is destroyed.


Level 6: Magic Strings

Damage inflicted by your Puppets' attacks are treated as if inflicted by a magical weapon.


Level 10: Experienced Stagehands

Long hours are common to many professions; thankfully, your assistants can put in the time. The duration of your Stagehands is increased from 1 round to 1 hour, and the distance they can move from you without ceasing to exist is increased to 120 ft. If you would create a new group of Stagehands, dismiss your existing Stagehands.


Level 13: Places Please

Everyone knows their marks, now take them! As an Action, you can swap places between yourself or an ally, and one of your Puppets, teleporting them. You must have line of sight to the Puppet or ally, and if not switching with yourself, at least one of the two you're swapping must be adjacent to you. You can do this a number of times up to your Intelligence Modifier until your next Long Rest.


Level 18: Master Stagehands

That rare moment where what should be behind the scenes comes to the fore can make or break a production. Your Stagehands can now be used as Puppets for your Intercepting Entrance, Get In Character, and Places Please abilities. For the purposes of Intercepting Entrance, the Stagehand must be adjacent to you. For the purposes of Places Please, the Stagehand's position must be in line of sight, but you need not be able to see it. When the effect ends, dismiss all active Stagehands, and you cannot summon Stagehands again until your next Short Rest or Long Rest.


Level 19: Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Fate is recommended. If you are playing with pre-2024 rules and resources, replace this with an additional instance of Ability Score Improvement.


Level 20: All the World's a Stage

When rolling Initiative, you can create a Puppet; this Puppet does not count towards the number of Puppets you can create, but does count towards how many you can have at once.



List of Roles:

The Save DC for all effects of a Puppet's Roles is 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Puppeteer's Intelligence Modifier.

It is possible for a Puppet to possess multiple Roles that involve a Saving Throw; in that event, you may choose to skip the Saving Throw for one or more of those effects- the effects you did not ask for a Saving Throw for apply whatever effects would be applied if the target(s) succeeded that save. This allows the Puppet to choose which effect will apply for the one Saving Throw per creature cap described in the Puppet class feature.

Some of the following Roles are tagged with [Shift]; these Roles change the Puppet into a different creature or object, and are an exception to its Immutable Form trait. Some effects also interact differently with these Roles.



Armed

When learning this Role, select three Simple weapons. Choose one of these selected weapons when creating a Puppet with this Role; the Puppet gains an attack that functions as that weapon for all purposes except as outlined below, and is treated as Proficient with it.

* Use your Dexterity Modifier for its attack roll modifier.
* Use your Intelligence Modifier for its damage roll modifier.
* Add the Puppet's Proficiency Bonus to the damage roll.
* If it is a thrown weapon, the 'thrown' 'weapon' vanishes after the attack and 'reappears' in the Puppet's possession.
* If it is a ranged weapon, the Puppet does not need ammo to use it.
* If using the 2024 ruleset, the Puppet has access to the mastery properties for the chosen weapon.

You can Learn this Role multiple times; each time, select three more Simple weapons, OR select one Martial weapon.

This Role can be given to a Puppet multiple times; it gains an additional attack based on a chosen weapon each time.


Assistant

The supporting cast can make or break a play. This Puppet can perform the Help action as a Bonus Action. For the purposes of the Help action, it is treated as if it can perform the required action and possesses the required proficiencies.


Condition

When you Learn this Role, select two of the following Conditions. When creating a Puppet, choose one of the Conditions from among those selected when learning the Role.

When the Puppet damages an enemy with one of its attacks or traits, it can attempt to apply the chosen Condition. The damaged enemy must make the designated Saving Throw; if they fail, they gain that Condition. The enemy may make a Saving Throw at the start of each of its turns every round following the round it gained that Condition; success ends the Condition. This counts towards the one Saving Throw per round limit on your Puppets' attacks and traits. You can end a Condition inflicted by this effect as a non-action.

* Blinded: Target must make a Constitution Save or be Blinded.
* Charmed: Target must make a Wisdom Save or be Charmed. The Puppeteer and all of their Puppets count as the Charmer for this effect. If the Puppeteer or one of their Puppets would attack or take harmful action against the Charmed target, this condition ends.
* Frightened: Target must make a Wisdom Save or be Frightened. They do not have disadvantage from this Condition on the Save to end the Frightened Condition from this effect.
* Poisoned: Target must make a Constitution Save or be Poisoned. They do not have disadvantage from this Condition on the Save to end the Poisoned Condition from this effect.
* Prone: Target must make a Dexterity Save or become Prone. This Condition does not offer a repeat Saving Throw to end; it may be ended normally.
* Restrained: Target must make a Strength Save or be Restrained. Target or creature that has target within their reach may spend an Action to attempt a Strength check to end this effect.

You can learn this Role multiple times; each time, select two more Conditions.

You can apply this Role to a Puppet multiple times. Each time, choose a new Condition from among those selected when learning the Role. The Puppet decides which singular Condition (if any) from those chosen when giving it the Role its damaging attack or effect will inflict before making the Attack Roll.


Elemental

When you Learn this Role, select three of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, electricty, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, thunder.

When creating this Puppet, choose one of the selected damage types. Apply the following benefits:

* The Puppet may inflict the chosen damage type with any of their attacks or traits in place of the normal damage type for that attack.
* The Puppet is immune to damage of the chosen type.
* You can apply the following effect to any creatures within the Puppet's reach at the start of that enemy's turn: Inflict 1 + Proficiency Bonus damage of the chosen type to that creature. If you chose Poison or Psychic, inflict 2 + Proficiency Bonus * 2 damage instead.

This Role can be Learned multiple times. Each time, select three more damage types.

This Role can be given to a Puppet multiple times. Each time, choose an additional damage type.


Explosive

If this Puppet is destroyed or dismissed, you can have it go out with a bang! Enemies within 10 ft of the Puppet must make a Dexterity Save; the explosion deals (Proficiency Bonus)d6 force damage, halved on a successful save. A nonmagical object that isn’t being worn or carried also takes the damage if it’s in the explosion’s area.

This Role can be applied multiple times. For each time it's applied after the first, you can increase the damage done (before halving on a successful save) by the Puppet's Proficiency Bonus, and/or increase the area affected by the explosion by 10 ft.


Guardian

* Increase the reach of this Puppet's melee attacks by 5 ft.
* This Puppet can perform an Opportunity Attack as a Reaction.
* If this Puppet damages a target within its reach with an attack or ability, you can apply the following effect: the target must succeed on a Dexterity Save or have their move speeds reduced to 0 until the end of their turn.


Layered

The Puppet gains a larger outer shell; you can treat the Puppet as one size larger for all purposes, chosen upon creating this Puppet.

If this Puppet would be destroyed or reduced to 0 HP, you can remove this trait instead.

This Role can be applied to a Puppet multiple times; its benefits stack.


Magic

The Puppet gains a small spark of magic, allowing it to produce simple or limited magical effects. Select three of any combination of Cantrips and Level 1 spells from the Wizard Spell list when you learn this role. Then when giving this role to a Puppet, choose one of those spells.

The Puppet can use the Magic Action. It can cast the spell chosen upon its creation as if it had it prepared. If a Level 1 spell is chosen upon its creation, it can cast the spell once without spending a spell slot.

Use your Puppeteer level as the Puppet's character level and your Intelligence modifier as the casting modifier for all purposes. Only one Puppet can cast spells each round.

You can Learn this Role multiple times; select 3 more cantrips/level 1 spells from the Wizard spell list each time.

You can give a Puppet this Role multiple times; each time, choose an additional spell from the list of spells selected when learning the role.


Mobile

When creating this Puppet, choose one of the following benefits:

* Increase the Puppet's movement speeds by 10 ft.
* The Puppet gains a Climb Speed equal to its Speed.
* The Puppet gains a Swim Speed equal to its Speed.
* The Puppet gains a Fly Speed (Hover) equal to its Speed.

In addition, Opportunity Attacks made against this Puppet in response to its movement are made with Disadvantage.

You can give a Puppet this Role multiple times. Each time, choose another option. You can choose the first option as many times as you wish, stacking the increase. If your Puppeteer level is 11 or higher, you can choose the fourth option twice to remove (Hover) from its Fly Speed.


Prop [Shift]

Sometimes you need some extras as stage dressing. Literally. When you learn this Role, select a number of non-magical, non-consumable items from the Adventuring Gear and Tools categories, whose total value does not exceed 100 gp.

When you give this Role to a Puppet, choose one of these items. The Puppet may spend a Bonus Action to functionally become a perfectly ordinary and mundane version of the chosen item. The Puppet must be resting on a surface that can support the item's weight. If the Puppet would become this item or return to its normal form in space too small for it, it will expand to the maximum size that the space permits without pushing or crushing anything, continuing to approach that form's normal size whenever given more space to do so.

The Puppet cannot perform any actions or inflict damage in this state, except a Bonus Action to end this effect, but retains its traits. Damage is subtracted from the Puppet's HP (usually 1) as normal.

Creatures attempting to identify the Puppet in Prop form as unusual must make an Insight check, the DC being calculated the same as for the DC of Saving Throws against Puppet effects.

You can Learn this Role multiple times. Each time, you can change the selected items. The selected items' total gp value must be no more than 100 * the number of times this Role has been learned.

You can give this Role to a Puppet multiple times; each time, choose another item for it to turn into. You can have a Puppet spend a Bonus Action to switch from one item form to another. Additionally, a Puppet that has this Role two or more times can perform actions and possesses its normal traits while in its transformed states, including using itself as an item (counting as proficient with any tools it can turn into)- able to suppress or reactivate its traits during its turn as desired. If its traits are not suppressed, no Insight check is needed to identify it.

If the Puppet also possesses the Armed Role, it can take the form of the weapon chosen upon its creation for that Role. It can be wielded by a creature, allowing them to use the attack the Puppet gains from the Armed Role.


Second Skin [Shift]

As an Action, Puppets with this Role can attach themselves to a willing creature in an imitation of armor; while in this state, the Puppet is not treated as a creature, and occupies the same space as the creature. This confers the following benefits:

* The creature may treat the Puppet as a set of Light Armor they are wearing, using the higher of the Puppet's total armor class or their own if they do.
* The creature is immune to effects that inflict poison damage or the poisoned condition (ongoing damage and effects ignore this immunity), and is treated as having access to breathable air.
* The creature has access to any items carried by the Puppet.
* The creature may utilize the Puppet's attacks, and gains any traits granted by a Puppet's Roles, except [Shift] Roles.
* The creature is treated as having the Intercepting Entrance Puppeteer ability; instead of creating a Puppet to use the ability, the Puppet separates from them and becomes the target.

The Puppet can separate from this creature and return to its original state as a non-action on its turn, or if the creature spends a non-action on their turn. If the creature would be reduced to 0 HP, or be Immobilized, Paralyzed, Petrified, or Restrained by an effect, they can destroy the Puppet instead to remain at 1 HP or negate the condition, respectively. If the creature dies or takes damage, the Puppet is destroyed.


Sentry

Trust the actors to memorize their lines. This Puppet can use the Ready action. The Puppet will automatically spend its Reaction to perform the chosen action at the first instance of the trigger being met.

When ordering multiple Puppets to use the Ready action, you must choose the same circumstances for all ordered Puppets when you Set the Trigger, and choose the same Action (or movement).

Once you have ordered a Puppet to use the Ready action, it will use it instead of the Dodge action on a turn where it has not been ordered, choosing the same Action and trigger. This lasts until you order your Puppets again.

Puppets with this Role are automatically aware of anything you are, and are treated as having a passive perception equal to the Puppeteer's +5. They can exercise the same level of judgement their maker can with the information both possess, but no more.


Skilled

* When learning this Role, choose three skills from the following list: Athletics, Acrobatics, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Survival.
* When creating this Puppet, it gains Proficiency in two skills from among the chosen skills, or Proficiency and Expertise with one skill from among the chosen skills.
* For the purposes of the chosen skills, use the Puppeteer's Dexterity Modifier in place of the Puppet's Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution Modifier, and use the Puppeteer's Intelligence Modifier in place of the Puppet's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Modifiers.
* The Puppet is treated as having any tools needed to perform checks using those skills.
* This Role can be learned multiple times. Each time, choose three more skills from the list.
* This Role can be applied to a Puppet multiple times. Choose two skills from the list each time, granting it Proficiency in the chosen skill if it did not possess it, and Expertise if it did.



Puppeteer Theaters:

Theater of Improvisation

If the world follows a script, it's loathe to share it with its actors. Thus the school of thought that the best skill a Puppeteer can master is Improvisation. Where others will plan their own small stories and try to herd the cast accordingly, you're more than happy to 'Yes, and' your way along with each would-be actor or extra's plot twists and character moments- no matter how gauche. Puppeteers of the Theater of Improvisation are the hardest to peg a specific trope or genre to, as their Puppets can change before the audience's very eyes.


Level 3: Improvisation

You learn 1 additional Role.

As an Action, or as as part of the Bonus Action to order your Puppets, you can choose 1 Role you know; 1 Puppet or Stagehand of your choice gains that Role; this effect applies for 10 minutes (if you spent an Action) or 1 minute (if not), or until you use Improvisation again. A Stagehand can never inflict damage, make an attack roll, or produce an effect that requires a Saving Throw through this effect.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence Modifier; you regain all uses when you Long Rest.


Level 7: Costume Change

Choose 1 Role you know; you give the chosen Role to all of your Puppets.

After a Short or Long Rest, you can choose a different Role to replace the one chosen for this ability.


Level 11: Last-Minute Rewrite

As a Reaction, you can spend 1 use of Improvisation to apply a Role you know to a Puppet or Stagehand for 1 round. This does not end an ongoing effect from Improvisation, but otherwise functions as that ability.

You now regain 1 use of Improvisation when you Short Rest.


Level 15: Cattle Call

After a Long Rest, choose 1 Role; you learn that Role until your next Long Rest.

You can apply the effects of Improvisation or Last-Minute Rewrite to all of your Puppets and Stagehands at once, applying the chosen Role to all of them.



Theater of Magic

One would think that those who can weave their dreams into physical moving puppets would have no trouble expanding their talents to mastery of the magical, but in truth it takes dedicated training and study to blend both arts together. Puppeteers of the Theater of Magic are typically diligent if not obsessive and more structured than others, even those of the more somber Theaters such as Theater of War. This focus is rewarded with Puppets that themselves can act as conduits for the arcane.


Level 3: Puppet Spellcasting

Your Puppets are now capable of casting spells. They can now use the Magic action.

Cantrips. Your Puppets know two cantrips of your choice from the Wizard spell list. Fire Bolt and Shocking Grasp are recommended. Whenever you gain a Puppeteer level, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip of your choice from the Wizard spell list.

When you reach Puppeteer level 10, you learn another Wizard cantrip of your choice.

Spell Slots. The Theater of Magic Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots your Puppets have to cast their level 1+ spells. Your Puppets share a singular pool of spell slots among them. All their expended spell slots are regained when you finish a Long Rest.

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for your Puppets to cast with this feature. To start, choose three level 1 spells from the Wizard spell list. - are recommended.

The number of spells on their list increases as you gain Puppeteer levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Theater of Magic Spellcasting table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Wizard spell list until the number of spells on their list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which your Puppets have spell slots. For example, if you’re a level 7 Puppeteer, your Puppets' list of prepared spells can include five Wizard spells of levels 1 and 2 in any combination.

Changing Your Puppets' Prepared Spells. Whenever you gain a Puppeteer level, you can replace one spell on their list with another Wizard spell for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your Puppets' spellcasting ability for their Wizard spells. They utilize your Intelligence for all intents and purposes relating to spellcasting.

Spellcasting Focus. The Puppets themselves count as their own Arcane Focus for their Wizard spells.


Caster Level. Puppets use your character level for all rules and effects relating to character level in regards to their spells, such as Cantrip Upgrades.

Casting Multiple Spells. No matter how many Puppets you control, only one can cast spells each round.

Puppet Targeting. If your Puppets cast a spell that would affect one of them, you can apply that spell's benefit to all existing Puppets. If you do, anything that would end the spell's effect on one Puppet ends the effect for all of them.

Multiclassing. As this ability grants your Puppets spellcasting and not yourself, you do not count your Puppeteer levels for the purposes of multiclass spellcasting progression rules, nor do you advance your Puppets' spellcasting based on your levels in classes that grant you spellcasting.

Magic Role. Add spells selected when you learned the Magic Role to your Puppets' Prepared Spells. These spells do not count toward the Puppets' nomal Prepared Spells limit.


Theater of the Mind Spellcasting
Puppeteer Level Prepared Spells 	1st 	2nd 	3rd 	4th
3 	             3 	                 2 	- 	- 	-
4 	             4 	                 3 	- 	- 	-
5 	             4 	                 3 	- 	- 	-
6 	             4 	                 3 	- 	- 	-
7 	             5 	                 4 	2 	- 	-
8 	             6 	                 4 	2 	- 	-
9 	             6 	                 4 	2 	- 	-
10 	             7 	                 4 	3 	- 	-
11 	             8 	                 4 	3 	- 	-
12 	             8 	                 4 	3 	- 	-
13 	             9 	                 4 	3 	2 	-
14 	             10 	         4 	3 	2 	-
15 	             10 	         4 	3 	2 	-
16 	             11 	         4 	3 	3 	-
17 	             11 	         4 	3 	3 	-
18 	             11 	         4 	3 	3 	-
19 	             12 	         4 	3 	3 	1
20 	             13 	         4 	3 	3 	1


Level 3: Flexible Casting

If your Puppet spends its Action on a type of Action that affects 1 creature (Attack, Help, etc) other than itself, it can spend its Bonus Action to cast a spell that normally has a casting time of an Action. The spell must affect 1 creature, and be used to affect the same creature as the initial Action.

Your Puppets can use Flexible Casting a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain all uses of this ability after a long rest.


Level 7: Coordinated Casting

Though only one Puppet may cast a spell at a time, all of your Puppets are focii of magical might and intent- and coordinating multiple Puppets is old hat to any Puppeteer.

When you order a Puppet to use the Magic action to cast a spell, you can order additional Puppets to spend the same Action to perfom the Magic action (I.E. an Action if the spell has a casting time of an Action, a Bonus Action if the spell has a casting time of a Bonus Action, etc) to enhance that spell.

For each Puppet using the Magic action to enhance the spell, apply two of the following effects. You can choose a given effect once per Puppet; the effects can stack.

* Duplicate Spell: If the spell affects your choice of one or more creatures, choose an additional creature to be affected by it. For the purposes of range, use the Puppet enhancing the spell to determine if the additional creature is in range; I.E. if the spell's range is Touch, it requires the enhancing Puppet to have the target within reach. Attack Rolls and Saving Throws are rolled separately for each target.
* Enlarge Spell: If the spell affects an area, increase that area by 10 ft.
* Focus Spell: Treat the spell as if it was cast with a spell slot 1 level higher.
* Rapid Spell: If the spell has a casting time measured in rounds or minutes, reduce the number of rounds or minutes by 1. If this would reduce the casting time to 0 rounds or minutes, treat the casting time as an Action.


Level 11: Magical Assistants

While their far more tenuous existence limits their use as conduits, Stagehands can still serve a purpose to assist in your acts. When creating Stagehands, you can choose 1 cantrip your Puppets know that does not inflict damage, involve an attack roll, or involve a saving throw; the created Stagehands can use the chosen cantrip. If you create additional Stagehands and choose a different cantrip, the newly selected cantrip replaces the prior cantrip for all active Stagehands.


Level 15: Insistent Magic

Saving Throws made against your Puppets' spells do not count towards your Puppets' normal limit of one Saving Throw effect per round per creature.

If a Puppet makes a successful Attack Roll against a creature and/or a creature fails a Saving Throw against a Puppet's effect: you and your Puppets' Attack Rolls against that creature gain Advantage, and that creature's Saving Throws against you and your Puppets' effects have Disadvantage, until your next turn.



Theater of War

Stories of glory and valor in combat exist in all cultures, and history itself is often presented with flair and embelishment by the teller- just as often as it is with gravity and brutal honesty by those who lived through the tragedy and horrors. While not all Puppeteers would desire a starring role in these tales, some accept that the times and world around them may write their place in the story for them, or even embrace it. Puppeteers of the Theater of War produce more combat-ready Puppets than their contemporaries, each taking up the role of soldier in the ongoing tales playing out around them.


Level 3: Toy Soldiers

You automatically learn either the 'Armed' or 'Guardian' Role. If you already know both, you learn another that you meet the prerequisites for.

You can give any Puppets you create the 'Armed' or 'Guardian' Role for free, in addition to whatever Roles you would choose for them normally.

Furthermore, increase the AC of your Puppets by 2.


Level 7: Decoy

As an Action, or as part of the Action to create Puppets, you can create 1 'Decoy' Puppet.

Decoys do not count towards the number of Puppets you control. Decoys cannot Attack, are automatically dismissed after 1 minute, and possess only the Explosive Role (even if you do not know the Explosive Role). The first time the opponent makes a Saving Throw against the effects of a Decoy's Explosive Role in a turn does not count against the one Saving Throw per creature cap described in the Puppet class feature. Decoys otherwise function as normal Puppets.

You can create a number of Decoy Puppets equal to your Proficiency Modifier, in addition to your normal Puppets. You regain 1 Decoy Puppet after a Short Rest, and all of them after a Long Rest.


Level 11: Group Tactics

When you Order your Puppets, you can choose and apply one of the following benefits to all of your Puppets until you Order them again:

* Flanking Maneuver: If an enemy is in two or more Puppets' reach, all Attack Rolls against that creature are made at Advantage.
* Shield Wall: Attacks made against you or a non-Puppet ally while within reach of a Puppet are made at Disadvantage.
* Evasive Maneuvers: Dexterity Saves made by Puppets and allied creatures in their reach are made at Advantage.
* Rapid Reposition: The Puppets can perform the Dash or Disengage Action as a Bonus Action.


Level 15: Diverse Decoys

You can grant Decoys 1 Role in addition to their Explosive Role. This Role can also be the Explosive Role, even if you do not know the Explosive Role.

Furthermore, one Decoy can perform a single Attack each round.