Marionette (5e Class)

 

The Marionette (5e Class)

Walking through the streets, from a distance, you spot a man carrying a large coffin on his back. Upon looking at his face, you notice he resembles a human, but it was clear he wasn’t. He looked mechanical. Suddenly he stopped walking and drops the large coffin on his back. He opens it and you begin to see puppets of all kinds leaping out from.

Marionettes are gifted and cursed. They are gifted in the fact that they are blessed to be able to control and weave magic. They could have once been a great sorcerer or wizard. However, they are cursed as their bodies have been modified into a puppet (like a primitive cyborg). Parts of their body have been replaced with metal, they control these parts with magic strands that originate from their organic heart which is imbued with their own magic. While you have your humanity, your physical body is slowly turning to more and more to a puppet.

Sign of a New Age

The Marionettes did not start to appear until great technological advancements have happened in any society. Depending on what point your campaign’s society is placed in it could very drastically change your experience when it come to interacting with your environment. For example, a marionette could be like Frankenstein's Monster, an illegal bio-experiment. Even if you were forced to become one, you could be chased down because your existence is taboo. Perhaps being a marionette is common, but there is some sort of scorn being one. Another example, could be your country is at war and you were morally wounded. In order to save people like you, a program was created that would allow those who have some ability to control magic to have body parts replaced with something mechanical.

Masters of Puppets

One of the most notable things about Marionettes is their ability to control puppets. In order, to become a Marionette you must be able to move and live with a mechanical body with the use of magic to bring life to the rest of your body. Although, this may allow you to live you sacrifice your ability to weave magic and spellcast due to your body no longer being completely flesh. However, on the plus end this doesn’t mean your magic is gone. Marionettes are able to transform their magic into something more simple: strings. These strings are special, they are not visible to the regular eye, nor is tangible, and most of all they can control things with these strings.

Creating a Marionette

Quick Build

You can make a Marionette quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intellect. Secondly, choose the artisan background. Third, choose 30 Darts and Disguise Kit.

Class Features

As a Marionette you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per Marionette level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Marionette level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: none
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Light Crossbows, Slings
Tools: Tinkering tools, and either a Disguise kit or Poisoner's Kit
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Arcana, Investigation, Deception, Intimidation, Performance

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) 30 Darts or (b) Dagger
• (a) Disguise Kit or (b) Poisoner’s Kit
• (a) Explorer's Pack or (b) Entertainer's Pack

Table: The Marionette

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	String Skill Limit	# of Strings per Hand
1st	+2	Inhuman Body, Soul of Strings	0	3
2nd	+2	Arcane Puppets, Transmogrification	5	3
3rd	+2	School of Puppetry Feature	5	4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	6	4
5th	+3	Puppet Frenzy	7	4
6th	+3	Puppet Trunk	8	5
7th	+3	School of Puppetry Feature	9	5
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	10	6
9th	+4	Coordinated Attack	13	7
10th	+4	Pure Puppet	14	8
11th	+4	School of Puppetry Feature	15	9
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	18	11
13th	+5	String Shot	22	14
14th	+5	Possessed Arcane Puppets	30	18
15th	+5	School of Puppetry Feature	43	23
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	58	29
17th	+6	Auto Repair	64	32
18th	+6	Aura of Strings	66	33
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	68	34
20th	+6	True Puppet	70	35

Inhuman Body

You may look like a humanoid but you are no longer just any normal humanoid. Parts of you have been replaced with mechanical parts. You no longer require armor to have an increase one's armor Class. While not wearing any armor your Armor Class is 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.

However, being fully metal comes with its downsides. You no longer heal like a conventional being and rather than retaining all your hit points at rest, you need to repair. Any damage sustained in battle, say a loss of a limb (if recovered from battle), can be repaired. During a long or short rest, using your tinkering tools and materials equal to 1 sp per hit point

Soul of Strings

Whether you consider it a curse or a blessing, you are gifted with magic. Magic flows through you. Unarmed and using your hands, whatever you touch you are able to connect strings to things at will. These strings are magical, and the color of your soul. They are not tangible or visible to anyone besides you; unless they have senses that allow them to see or interact with magic. You can disconnect these strings anytime as bonus action or as a reaction. The strings also disappear if you fall unconscious.

The length of these strings extend as far as 30 feet, but increase 30 feet more at levels 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th. If the object surpasses the length then you are either can dismiss your strings as a bonus action or a reaction.

Starting at first 1st level, you are able to control certain amount of strings, and you are able to control more as you level up; refer to the number of strings you can control in the number to strings you can control table.

Although you are able to control a certain number of strings, according to your level, there is a skill limit to how many strings you can manipulate for one object. Surpassing this limit for every turn you must make a intelligence saving throw of 15. On a failed save, you’ll take (number of strings passed limit)d4 psychic damage coughing up blood. On a successful save, you are able to resist the backlash of surpassing your limit and take only half the damage.

Arcane Puppets

At 2nd level you are able to create magical arcane puppets that you can control with you soul of strings

Creating an Arcane Puppet

You can craft a Puppet using the "crafting a magic item" downtime activity (DMG p. 128). After creating a Puppet, before you can start making your puppet dance to your fingertips, you must spent a certain amount of time imbuing it with you soul of strings determined by its size and materials used (refer to table).

Transmogrification

At 2nd level, The Marionette can begin to alter and modify their body and their puppet(s). Adding such modification to themselves comes at a cost; requiring time and money. The more you level up the more options there are to modify your body and puppets further. All modifications on the Marionette themself does not require strings, but for all the puppets in order to add modifications you are also required to us more strings in order for those features to work. Refer to the Transmogrification table below.

You can only add as many Augments as it would make sense that your puppet can hold. Collaborate with your DM.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th 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.

Puppet Frenzy

At 5th level, the use of your puppet(s) can be rather overwhelming at times. Any foe that is attacked by your puppet must make a Dexterity saving throw against your puppet. This is equal to 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus. On failed save, the target is required to to target your puppet. On a successful save, the target is not required to target you puppet.

Also you’ve learned to maneuver your puppets in such a way where if it is between a ranged attacker and it's master, it provides half cover to them as well as allowing them to hide even in plain sight.

Puppet Trunk

From 6th level onward, you can spend 1 hour preparing a non-magical chest as an arcane puppet trunk. You can only have one such trunk at a time: when you prepare a new trunk, the old trunk reverts to a non-magical chest. Marionettes treat the interior of the trunk as nondimensional: you can place folded-up puppets into the trunk, up to its carry capacity of 3000 lbs, regardless of the size of the puppets. You can only place puppets in the trunk, and it has a fixed weight of 25 lb.

If the trunk is destroyed, its contents spill out unharmed.

As an action, if you are within 60 feet of the trunk, you can call the name of one of your puppets. It will immediately spring out of the trunk and unfold.

Coordinated Attack

Beginning at 9th level, you and your puppet(s) form a more potent fighting team. When you or your Puppets use the Attack action, you can use your puppet(s) Reaction to make a another attack. However, once one of your Puppets misses no other puppet can use their reaction to make another attack. After the third attack action, done by you and/or your puppet, all other attacks always have disadvantage.

Pure Puppet

At 10th level, you are turning more into a puppet yourself. You are used to the poisons you carry and diseases of the world. You are immune to disease and poison. You are also resistant to necrotic damage as you have little flesh to be affected by the necrotic damage. You no longer age, eat or drink, but with it you no long have a sense of taste or touch (except for the few points where you have skin and flesh).

String Shot

At 13th level, you no longer have to touch something in order to connect your soul of strings to objects. Now you can cast out strings that dwell within your body and launch them up to half your soul of strings length. Select a target up to half your string's total length from you, you can latch your strings onto the target and propel yourself to them or pull them towards you, if it's hostile, you must make a Dexterity Saving Throw contested by the target’s Dexterity Saving Throw. On a successful save, the target also becomes prone. If they are a size larger than you, you can not pulling them, but you can simply move to their location.

Auto Repair

At 17th level the Marionette’s mechanical body is now capable of repair itself. During a long rest you can fully recover your health without the use of materials or tinkering tools. Also at 20th level you can spend 6 hours of staying still, to focus yourself to repair, to fully recover.

You can also do makeshift repairs on yourself or on your puppets by concentrating and using magic to do repairs. As an action you can repair yourself or one of your puppets for 2d6 as many times as your Intelligence Modifier. Additionally, this ability can be used to heal another being that could be made into a puppet at the risk of actually turning them into a puppet, the target needing to succeed a DC 8 Intelligence saving throw. This ability resets after a long rest or 6 hours of idling at 20th level.

Aura of Strings

At 18th level, you constantly are aware of all surroundings via your inner strings. You are able to automatically detect any moving creature at a length 75 ft , buildings and stationary creatures at a string length of 50ft, and anything at all at 20 ft away from you.

True Puppet

At level 20, you understand your circumstance and have no choice to accept the truth there is very little from what’s left of your original body. You've become a puppet and no longer age. You can no longer sleep or have senses like smell, taste, touch, and pain. You and your Puppets gain Resistance to Bludging, Piercing, and Slashing Damage.

Schools of Puppetry

At 3rd level, choose a school on how you wish to modify yourself and or your puppets. School of Arcane Illusions, School of Oil, and School of Souls are all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th.

School of Arcana

Marionettes are naturally born with magic. However, due to their body not being completely flesh magic has become a lot more difficult. As a result, most of them focus their talents on their use of puppets; that doesn’t mean all of them. Some Marionettes will choose to invest their time learning more about their innate ability use magic. Those who master it learn to create deadly combination of both puppet mutilation and magic. <!-For subclasses introduce this class option here->

Deceptive Puppetry

At 3nd level, you’ve be skilled using your puppets and magic. You can now do several things with you puppets:

• You can project your voice though your puppet as long as your soul of strings are attached.
• As an Action, you can convince another creature that your puppet is a living being or even you. This can be done by making an Charisma (Deception) check contested by their Passive Perception. If you win the creature will not be able to distinguish you from your puppet, and you impose disadvantage on them if they try to attack you and your puppet is within 10ft from you.
• You gain Proficiency with Charisma (Deception) checks. It doubles if you’re already proficient.
• Your Puppet’s Charisma becomes the same as your Charisma if your puppet have a Puppet Disguise Augment.

Puppet Casting

At 7th level, you can now cast your spells on and though your puppets as long as your soul of strings are connected to that puppet.

Swap Circumstance

At 11th level, as a reaction you can now switch places with one of your puppets, connected to your soul strings, though teleportation. By doing so you spend one of you spell slots. Also if you do this when attacked your attacker must make a Dexterity saving throw against you or your puppet. This is equal to 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus. On failed save, the one being attacked, after switching places, take half damage. On successful save, full damage is dealt.

Enchanted Armament

At 15th level, you can now enchant your puppets and yourself. Enchanting a puppet or yourself you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical weapons. It takes 3 hour to complete the enchantment and requires 5 soul string to use. You or your puppets can also gain resistance to any other damage type by using 3 soul strings.

In addition you can enchant integrated weapons attached to your puppets and yourself. Enchanting integrated weapons will overcome any resistances and immunities. It takes 3 hour to complete an enchantment and requires 2 soul string to use.

Even when enchanting yourself, you are required to spend some of your soul strings.

School of Oil

School of Oil allows your metal body to reform the ties of your human heart. Inside your body is created tubes which oil flow through. The oil inside you contains pieces of carbon that you to manipulate at your whim and provides the ability to harden your oil to diamond-like states. Your steel body has absorbed enough oil to seem to ooze oil itself.

Artificial Fluids

At 3rd level, your body is beginning to adept to the rest of your mechanical body. Your blood turns to oils, and so now when you bleed black oil flows. You gain +2 additional Hit Points per level.

Acidic Oil

At 7th level, The oil in your body has turned acidic. Any melee attack made against you sprays your oil back at your attacker, dealing 1d6 acid damage. Adding this to a puppet costs 25 gp.

Oil Coat

At 11th level, you can create pores on your skin creating hardening oil that flows outwards, increasing your AC by +1. Furthermore, any attack can corrode the weapon of an enemy and you cannot be grappled without the opponent taking 2d6 acid damage each turn still grappled to you. In addition to that, the area around you will be soaked in your acidic oil (dealing 1d6 to anyone in it). However, this hardening of oil slows down your flow of oil decreasing your movement speed by 5. You are also become vulnerable to flame damage, (and yes this is due to flames burning your oil). You can do this three time a day.

Carbon Harnessing

At level 15, the carbon in your oil can be used to mend your shields, armor, and even hit points. You can heal (half your level, rounded up)d4 health every use. You can do this a total of 4 times before you deplete your carbon. You regain all the uses of this ability after a long rest with 10 pounds of carbon (found in wood, animals, CO2).

School of Souls

The School of Souls focuses on making the most of your Soul of Strings.

Magic Hands

At 3rd level, using your soul of strings you are able to connect it to weapons up to 20 ft away. It allows you to freely manipulate your weapons through in the air and make attacks even when it is not held by anything or anyone. You must have your hands free to do this. You can also use your strings to attach to the opponent's weapon making it disadvantaged. You can attach a set of strings to a willing creature within 30 feet. On that creature's turn you can use your reaction to allow the target to move and make an action, even if they are incapacitated, paralyzed or stunned. In addition, you can use your reaction to immediately stand the target up if they are knocked prone. Strings require for any of these actions depends on their size.

Puppetry Expertise

At 7th level, you can have become better at controlling your puppets. When using your puppets you do not have to use extra strings in order to utilize 5 augments on each Puppet; adding any more than 5 augments to a puppet you will have to use extra strings.

Tangible Soul

At 11th level, you can now move your heart and soul to any puppet you own. You must spend long rest to calibrate the puppet to fit your heart and cannot be done in combat unless you are hidden which case it takes 2 full rounds and you must be next to the puppet to transfer your heart. After you have been reduced to 0 hit points and failed 3 saving throws you don't die, rather, you gain the ability to disconnect your heart from the puppet you inhabit. In this state, you can do nothing, have 10 AC and have hit points equal to your level. You require an ally to transplant your heart into another puppet where you can rebuild yourself. (cost of rebuilding is healing from 0 to max hit points.)

Dying Effigy

At 15th level, after taking damage that would reduce your hit points to 0, you can instead use your reaction to sacrifice an existing Possessed Arcane Puppet and drop to 1 HP and have a temporary HP equal to that Possessed Arcane Puppet’s HP. The puppet sacrificed drops to the ground lifeless and can never be made into a puppet again by you or any other Marionette. After using this ability you must finish a short or long rest to use it again.

Spell List

You know all of the spells on the basic spell list and additional spells based on your subclass.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the <!-class name-> class, you must meet this prerequisite: Charisma 13

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes