Puppet Masters....

[Darthbelch]

So, I was sitting here trying to think up of a new class for a campaign I'm going to be running here soon. One of the enemies is going to be this deranged Toy Maker, and suddenly it hit me, a puppet master! So, A Puppet Master class sounds like alot of fun, but Im not exactly sure how to approach this...I mean. Would the puppets ALWAYS have to be connected by string or in contact with the puppet master in some way? Could the Puppet Master just put a small piece of his life force [er, I'm not sure how to say it exactly, but Im sure you get the idea by "Life Force" lol] into them, and lose health say if one were to be damaged, or killed? The puppets, would affect his abilities and such, or the puppets would have the abilities, and not him...or he could channel such skills into the puppets. Considering it seems like He'd be a crafter, there would be almost endless possibilities for the types of puppets he could create! IT seems like a really fun and neat class, especially for rp purposes! I just thought I'd get a little bit of feedback before I attempted to tackle something like this.

Or...has someone already tried something like this?
I think this would be an awesome class, even if the enemy in the campaign turns out to not be a puppet master. [though I couldnt imagine why not ]

 

[Land Outcast]

I did something similar in this forum... but the crash ate it

5 level PrC, with whichever requirements you want.

The idea would be to endow constructs with:
4 HD per point of Con invested into them.
2+int skillpoints per HD
1 feat at first HD and another every 3 HD
ability score distribution (created with 25+(2 per Con point) points via point buy)
Natural Armor 3 per Con point invested

Only 1 Con point per Puppet Master level can be invested into one Puppet.

Roughly that...

Something 5/Puppet Master 1
could have
A bodyguard:

Bodyguard
HD: 4d10+20 (42 hp)
AC: 14 (+4 natural, +1 Dex)
Attacks: Slam +8 (1d8+6)
Feats: Improved Natural Attack (Slam), Weapon Focus (Slam)
Abilities: 18 (4th HD increase), 12, -, 10, 10, 10

----------------------

Roughly

 

[Land Outcast]

Even if that worked perfectly (which I doubt seriously), you'd have to decide about various size constructs and how that modifies the costs (maybe 1 additional Con increases or decreases one size category).

Also would have to decide how weapons and armor would interact with them (given that they are not mindless), I mean, if you want to give that to some of them.

 

[Darthbelch]

Hmm

Yea, that sounds pretty good. But I was kind've hoping this would be a base Class......And not just like, a body guard. The Puppet Master Im thinking of, he could craft the puppets from scrap, [would start out with one of course] and tehy would offer him various modifiers, or battle for him. Hmm...

 

[Darthbelch]

Yea

Yea, they wouldnt be totally mindless. Their actions would resemble their owner/creator, so if the creator was evil, or a theif or something, the Puppet would be mischevious/do evil deeds [with or without its current owners consent.] Only the original creator could directly control the puppet..if another master were to get it, it may act on its own.

 

[Land Outcast]

I just showed a bodyguard because I felt it'd be one obvious choice...

Have the same Puppet Master create... an assasination team (costing 4 Con, but well worth it).

(4)
Assassin
HD: 4d10+20 (42 hp)
AC: 17 (+4 natural, +4 Dex)
Attacks: Slam +8 (1d8+1)
Feats: Improved Natural Attack (Slam), Weapon Focus (Slam)
Abilities: 12, 18 (4th HD increase), -, 10, 10, 10
Skills: Move SIlently +11, Hide +11

 

[Darthbelch]

Right, sorry xD
That sounds good, the assassin team, but Im thinking...maybe the puppetmasters skills would be him imbuing them with specific abilities during battle?

The more I think about this, the more I want to do it

 

[Land Outcast]

Base class... hum...

But what you are looking at reminds me more of someone getting first an animal companion (Druid's advancement) and then, at level 6, getting leadership.

Say, his puppet from level 1 to level 5 has the stats of a Druid's animal companion (or equivalent), at level six, it upgrades to the stats of an NPC of the Puppet Master's level -2.

 

[Darthbelch]

Right! But, how would that work exactly, would he start crafting new puppets AFTER level 6?

 

[Land Outcast]

Decided: You are looking for:

A guy with the Druid's animal companion, Leadership, and a Cleric's buffing capabilities... did I understand?