Puppeteer | Element 133 Class Feature | Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Statblocks & Sheets

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TIER ONE FEATURE: Puppeteer

AXP: 0

Pre-Requisites: Selected Ravager as base class (no Feature or Ability may grant access to this feature)

Grants Access To: Hacking I Hustler class feature

As explained in the Ravager class description above, the Ravager is split into three separate but not independent entities; the AI, Host, and Thrall(s). This feature explains the mechanics of this separation, and grants abilities to each entity (referred to as an Avatar).

Terms Defined

Here are common definitions for names you might find within this class.

Ravager. The combination of the AI, Host, and Thrall(s), working as one unit as the player's character. The pronouns of you/your/yours refer to the Ravager or the player.

AI. This refers to the controlling avatar of the Ravager. A malignant AI, fleeing the Second Cold War, who has infected a Host and enslaved a Thrall. The AI is controlled by the player.

Host. This refers to the body the AI has infected. Typically weak of mind and stature, they are most commonly children, teenagers, or religious individuals. They are under the complete control of the AI and may or may not even have individual thoughts or personalities that exist solely in their mind. Any actions made by the Host are dictated by the AI and therefore the player. Features that affect the Host affect the AI and Host as one unit.

Thrall(s). These are enslaved people, constructs, and undead under the sway of the AI. They have been infected with a fragment of the AI's programming making them completely aligned with the AI. They have individual thoughts and personality traits from the AI, however, they are completely aligned with the AI making decisions based completely on the AI's goals. Although they may attempt their own tactics based on their personal history and abilities. The Thrall (or Thralls at higher tiers) is controlled by the player and acts on the same initiative as the AI/Host but as a separate unit in combat, able to travel away and engage different enemies.

Avatar. this is used to refer to any single entity (The AI, Host, or Thrall(s)). Typically this term is used to identify the focus of an effect or the entity to take a certain action.

Separation of Abilities

Some abilities, resources, and actions may only be taken by a specific Avatar. Here's how to divide your character's abilities.

Hit Points and AC

As a ravager you gain one additional hit die at each tier, however, these hit die, and the hit points that come with them must be split between the Host and Thrall. And the Host must always have fewer hit dice than the Thrall. At the first tier, your Host has 12 hit points and 1d12 hit dice, and your thrall has 2d12 + 8 + CON hit points and 2d12 hit dice. View the table below for an example of how to divide your hit dice at each level.

Additionally, the AC of both the Host and Thrall are calculated individually based on their Dexterity scores, and what armor or features affect them.

Ravager Hit Points

Tier	Number of Hit Dice	Host Hit Dice	Host Hit Points	Thrall Hit Dice	Thrall Hit Points
Tier 1	3d12	1d12	12	2d12	2d12 + 8 + CON
Tier 2	6d12	2d12	+ 1d12 + CON	4d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 3	9d12	3d12	+ 1d12 + CON	6d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 4	12d12	4d12	+ 1d12 + CON	8d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 5	15d12	5d12	+ 1d12 + CON	10d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 6	18d12	6d12	+ 1d12 + CON	12d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 7	21d12	7d12	+ 1d12 + CON	14d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 8	24d12	8d12	+ 1d12 + CON	16d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 9	27d12	9d12	+ 1d12 + CON	18d12	+ 2d12 + CON
Tier 10	30d12	10d12	+ 1d12 + CON	20d12	+ 2d12 + CON

Ability Scores

The Host and Thrall(s) have separate ability scores, the Host providing the mental strengths of the character and the Thrall providing the physical strength of the character. You will need to record the ability scores of both the Host and Thrall. The Host's starting ability scores are the same as your original rolls for this character plus modifiers received from the Host's Race and Class (see Step One in Character Creation) -2 in Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The Thrall's starting ability scores are 10s in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. And roll 3d6 + 6 for the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability scores. You may apply and modifiers from the Thrall's race as well.

You may add the ability score modifiers from your occupation to only one avatar, as only one of your avatars gains benefit from an occupation as described below.

Ability Score Increases

Whenever you gain a feature that allows you to increase your ability scores these increases apply to the Host. But you may increase one ability score of the Thrall by one at the same time.

Occupation

At the start only one of your Avatars, either the Host or the Thrall has access to your Occupation, all modifiers, abilities, and skill proficiencies apply only to that Avatar.

Proficiencies and Skills

Your Host and your Thrall have separate access to their proficiencies. It is suggested that you record all of your skills for the Host and only those in which you have proficiency for the Thrall. Typically, Thrall's will only have a few proficiencies.

Weapon, Vehicle, and Tool proficiencies are shared by both the Host and the Thrall, assuming they have taught each other how to use them.

Speed, Size, and Senses

Your Host and Thrall may have different speeds, sizes, and senses depending on their features. They will also look and appear differently to everyone else, they may have different voices, weights, heights, genders, races, and so on.

Special Abilities and Multiclassing

Almost all features are only used by the Host, including ones from other classes. Features that apply specifically to a Thrall will say so in the feature description. Additionally, some features can be used by both the Host and Thrall. Features granted by the Thrall's Occupation or Race are only available to the Thrall.

The An Extra Something feature from the Human race may grant a Thrall a feature from any class negating the multiclassing AXP cost, but not the prerequisites. The Thrall may not take any further multi-classed features until after granted by a feature from the Ravager class.

Everything Else

Everything else not specified by these alterations is only available to the Host, including Wealth, Reputation, Supply, Hero Points, Defenses, Multiclassing, etc.

Personality Archetypes refer to the AI but can accrue Hero Points to be used by the Host.

Action Economy

As a Ravager you have the same amount of action economy (see the Action Economy article for details) as other players. Meaning you will need to decide how to split up your actions between your Avatars. You may move your Thrall and attack with your Host, or vice versa but you could not attack and move with both Avatars. You may use all of your actions with one Avatar but remember that means your other Avatar(s) may only be allowed to take free actions. The one exception to this rule is the normal Move action, you may choose to split the movement between your Avatars allowing each to move half their movement as one Move action. Additionally, both Avatars may take the Move action on their respective turns, counting as replacing the standard action for one. Dashes and other Full-Round Actions may not be split between Avatars unless modified by another feature.

Example Ability Score Build

Let's say you're building a Ravager with a young human host and a middle aged human thrall.

For your Host your original rolls may look something like this:

Then you add the human child and Ravager modifiers.

Then you reduce your Host's Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores.

For your Thrall, your original rolls may look something like this:

Then you add the Human adult racial modifiers.

You may add your occupation to only one Avatar so you choose your Host. Making your final blocks look like this:

HOST:

THRALL:

Several features in this class allow other actions to be split, or grant additional action economy to a certain Avatar. Be sure to take note of this as you gain these features to allow you the best use of your character during combat.

Initiative

The Ravager takes all of their actions on a single initiative calculated using the Host's Dexterity score. You may choose the order of the actions taken between the Host and Thrall(s) each turn and may bounce between Avatars. Allowing your Thrall to attack, then having your Host move, and then your Thrall uses your bonus action would be an example of this.

Death

The AI and Host rely on each other to live, and the Thrall is addicted to the infection in their brain. Death saves are made individually by each Avatar. If the AI dies the Host dies also, and the Thrall immediately gains three levels of madness and acts of his own accord. If the Host dies, and the AI cannot escape to a suitable computer system within one round, the AI dies as well. If the Thrall dies the Host immediately gains four levels of exhaustion and must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw to avoid becoming comatose. If any one of the Avatars dies the player's character is considered to be dead or partially dead. The party may work to revive the character, but for gameplay purposes, they will begin playing a new character if it does not seem likely to happen within the next session.

Avatar Features and Abilities

When you take this feature at Tier One your Avatar gains the following features and abilities.

AI

Your AI gains the following benefits:

Your AI does not have its own pool of hit points, AC, or ability scores. It cannot take or deal damage, communicate on its own, move or take actions on its own or act in any way besides through the Host or another computer system.
The AI can however communicate telepathically to your Thrall and any computer device that is on the Host's person or connected to the Host. You know 2 additional languages and Machine Code (the language of computers).
The AI may not voluntarily leave the Host unless the Host is dead or comatose. Such action from a live host would render the Host brain dead, and the AI corrupted.
The AI may only be killed by killing the Host or by using a localized EMP.

Host

Your Host gains the following benefits:

+2 to any one ability score, or +1 to DEX and CHA
Your Host's height, age, and size will never increase unless magically increased.
Your Host gains a bonus of 10ft to speed and can hide as a free action.
Your Host can get onto your Thrall's shoulder or back as a bonus action. Once on your Thrall you gain proficiency in all ranged weapons and have access to the following abilities:
- Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your Host's ranged weapon attack rolls.
- Your Host's ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover.
- Before your Host attacks with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If that attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage.

Thrall

Your Thrall gains the following benefits:

Your Thrall gains resistance to nonmagical slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage.
As long the Host is within 5ft of the Thrall, the Host can not be targeted by an attack unless the Host makes an attack. The target of the attack is the only one who can attack the Host. If they do attack the Host, the Thrall gains an extra damage dice against them.
If the Host is within 30ft of the Thrall and the Host takes damage the Thrall can halve the damage to the Host and take the remaining damage adding resistances if necessary.

Created by

BreePeterson.

System

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Statblock Type

Element 133 Class Feature

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Dungeons & Dragons 5e Element 133 Class Feature: Puppeteer