Puppeteer
Those artificers who specialize in the creation of arcane puppets, eerily similar in appearance to humanoids, are often looked at with moderate disdain or insidious curiosity. They learn the arcane arts to not only control puppets, but people as well, for their control over a multitude of humanoid creatures often has them confused for necromancers.
But these masters of puppets craft their dolls and statues with the sharpest detail. And with such an erudite eye, they control others like puppets upon their arcane strings. They may seem weak and they may not make the largest explosions, but before a foe realizes it is already caught in the web of the puppeteer's strings.
Puppeteer Tools
When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with carpenter's tools which are your puppeteer tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.
If you wish to construct puppets out of different materials, speak to your DM and decide together on a set of appropriate puppeteer tools.
Puppeteer Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Puppeteer Spells table. You also learn the mind sliver spell. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare or the number of artificer cantrips you know.
Puppeteer Spells
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | command, dissonant whispers, mind sliver |
| 5th | crown of madness, mind whip |
| 9th | hypnotic pattern, tiny servant |
| 13th | confusion, summon construct |
| 17th | animate objects, dominate person |
Puppets upon Arcane Strings
At 3rd level, you have learnt to create puppets which bend to your will. You can maintain up to 2 puppets at once and can maintain an additional puppet at 9th level and again at 15th level. All your puppets are friendly to you and your companions, and obey your commands. See its game statistics in the Arcane Puppet stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You determine your puppet's appearance, but it has no effect on its game statistics.
In combat, your arcane puppets share your initiative count, but they take their turns immediately after yours (you choose the order if there are multiple puppets). They can move and use their reactions on their own, but the only action they take on their turns is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command them all to take other actions (they can all take the same or different actions). When you use your bonus action to command your puppets, only one puppet may take the Attack action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, your puppets can take any action of their choice, not just Dodge, but only one puppet may take the Attack action each turn.
If the mending spell is cast on an arcane puppet, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your puppeteer's tools as an action to revive one or more puppets, provided you are within 5 feet of all of them and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to revive them. Your arcane puppets return to life after 1 minute with all their hit points restored.
At the end of a long rest, you can create new arcane puppets if you have puppeteer's tools with you. If you already have more than 2 arcane puppets from this feature, one of your choice immediately perishes. Your arcane puppets perish and fall to the ground limply if you die.
Arcane Puppet
Medium construct
- Armor Class 11 + PB (natural armor)
- Hit Points 2 + your Intelligence modifier + 2 times your artificer level (the puppet has a number of Hit Dice [d4s] equal to your artificer level)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10(+0) 12(+1) 12(+1) 4(–3) 10(+0) 6(–2)
- Saving Throws Int –3 plus PB, Wis +0 plus PB
- Damage Resistances psychic
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10
- Languages understands the languages you speak
- Challenge — Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
False Appearance. While the arcane puppet remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal puppet.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d6 + PB force damage.
Reaction
Arcane Transfer. The puppet delivers a spell you cast that has a range greater than self. The puppet must be within 60 feet of you and you must be able to see the puppet. The spell uses your own senses.
Psychic Strings
At 5th level, your spells and puppets send searing pain through the minds of those unfortunate enough to be your enemies. Once before the start of your next turn, when a creature fails a saving throw against a spell you cast using your puppeteer tools as a spellcasting focus or is hit by a weapon attack from one of your puppets, roll a d8. You deal additional psychic damage on one of the spell's damage rolls or to one creature hit by your puppet equal to the number rolled.
Entangled Strings
At 9th level, your puppeteering can extend into the minds of other creatures. When a creature fails a saving throw against a spell you cast or one of your arcane puppets hits a creature, you can pluck on its mental strings to cause one of the following effects:
- The target immediately uses its reaction to move half its speed in a direction of your choice. The target isn't compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard.
- The target immediately uses its reaction to make a melee weapon attack against one creature or object of your choice within its reach.
- The target immediately drops prone.
Psychic Shatter
At 15th level, your puppets can enter and disrupt other creatures minds at the expense of their physical forms. As a reaction when a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you or one of your puppets is forced to make a saving throw, you can destroy one of your arcane puppets to impose disadvantage on the saving throw. If the creature fails this saving throw, you may deal 2d8 psychic damage to the creature.
Artificer Infusions
Most of the following artificer infusions can be taken by any artificer but their origins lie with the puppeteers whose studies allow them greater control of their own and others minds. Some of the following infusions can only be taken by puppeteers. Where this applies, it is noted in the prerequisites section.
Mental Distorter
Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer
Item: A rod, staff, wand, or puppeteer tools (requires attunement)
While holding this item, a creature gains a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls. In addition, the creature ignores half cover when making spell attack rolls.
The arcane focus has 6 charges. While holding it, the wielder can expend a charge when they cast a spell that forces one or more creatures to make an Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma saving throw to cause one of the creatures to subtract 1d6 from the saving throw. The arcane focus regains 1d6 expended charges daily at dawn.
Mind-control Device
Prerequisite: 3rd-level puppeteer artificer
Creature: A humanoid
As an action, you can embed this device into the brain or spine of an unconscious humanoid. If the CR of the humanoid is 1 or less, the humanoid must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become controlled as though they were an arcane puppet. On a success, the creature is immune to the effects of this infusion for 24 hours. You cannot maintain more arcane puppets than the maximum for your artificer level and if you make a new arcane puppet using this infusion, one of your previous arcane puppets of your choice is destroyed.
Puppeteer
Created by /u/CrossOut_
Artist Credit: Bagoum – Liam, Master of Puppets (Evo Art)
kevinsidharta – Gypsy Puppeteer
Replicate Magic Item
Artificers familiar the mind controlling studies of the puppeteers may add the following magic items to their available options for their Replicate Magic Item infusion. A puppeteer artificer who creates a mind blade or mind carapace armor can determine the weapon or armor's type from the types that they are proficient in. These items can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide or Volo's Guide to Monsters. You must choose the individual which any relevant item is created for and can ignore the racial restrictions usually imposed.
Replicable Item (6th-Level Artificer)
| Magic Item | Attunement |
|---|---|
| Ring of mind shielding | Yes |
Replicable Item (14th-Level Puppeteer Artificer)
| Magic Item | Attunement |
|---|---|
| Mind blade | Yes |
| Mind carapace armor | Yes |
| Mind lash | Yes |
| Shield of far sight | No |
Psycho-sensory Extender
Prerequisite: 6th-level puppeteer artificer
Item: An arcane puppet
This small device can be attached to the base of the neck of any arcane puppet an artificer controls. As an action, you can telepathically communicate with the arcane puppet out to a range of 1,000 feet. The puppet can telepathically share with you what it sees and hears. You cannot use the puppet's arcane transfer ability through the puppets senses with this infusion.
If the arcane puppet which this infusion is attached to is destroyed, the infusion is deposited within 5 feet of the point where the puppet was destroyed.
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