Help me "get" the Inquisitor


Advice


Hi all. This is my first time starting a thread on these forums, so please be gentle with me if I've posted in the wrong place or am asking a question that's been asked before (I searched before posting this, though there's every possibility I might have missed something.) If so, the moderators are more than welcome to point me in the right direction or move the thread to a more appropriate location.

Okay, that said...

I just don't "get" the Inquisitor, and by that I mean I don't truly grasp what its thematic function is. Yes, I know that it is a divine servant who hunts down threats, and is kind of a witch hunter or slayer... but every time I look at it I see a strange Paladin/Ranger hybrid and I cannot help but think "Why would anyone play this when they could be a Paladin or Ranger instead?"

I'm not asking you to defend the class. I think that its mechanics are well-written, and in a world without Rangers or Paladins (or both) I can definitely see where it would have a place. But right now all I see is a mash-up of two classes instead of a clear thematic niche, and I really do want to see the unique possibilities of the class.

So help me out, guys. Give me some examples of how this class can be different and awesome and its own thing rather than just a Paladin/Ranger hybrid.

Thanks much!


A ranger/paladin is multiclass combo you could play but you are lawful good and nature oriented. How's that fit the niche of say any of the other 7 alignments. For CE you could be Anti-Paladin/Ranger. I guess I view the Inquisitor as something different.

Currently I'm playing an Inquisitor of Mask in a Forgotten Realms game. I'm neutral evil, started out neutral but the job I'm doing for the Thieves guild just led down the path of Neutral Evil. I'm an enforcer and where I hunt down those who wrong the guild and those who are of a rival guild of which there are 2 other in the city. The ranger didn't fit this role nor would a paladin or anti-paladin.

As for awesome, my character tend to fight better than the fighters in the group when my judgments, buffs and bane are going. With out them the fighters do better. So usually I shine bright for 1 combat of the day, maybe two if the first one is over quick leaving me with few rounds of bane for the second combat. Surprised I'm quite bit weaker but with a really high initiative I'm not caught flat footed after the first attack.

What really impresses me with the Inquisitor is the social aspect. With Intimidate, Bluff, sense motive, and diplomacy I've found role playing the Inquisitor to be great fun.


I think Voska replied fairly well to this. The inquisitor does not need to be lawful, like a Paladin. Inquisitors of chaotic gods work quite well. For instance (I may have stolen these from elsewhere on the boards):
Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.
Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

In some ways you can get rid of nature bent of the ranger and make it work, but even then you do not really gain the social aspects of the class. Honestly, I see the inquisitor as its own, unique class.


Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

From your examples I get the notion that you see the Inquisitor as the "Black Ops" of the divine world. Does that sound correct? The concept of a "Holy Assassin" intrigues me, and is exactly the kind of idea I was hoping to get from this thread.

Thanks!


Pellatarrum wrote:
Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

From your examples I get the notion that you see the Inquisitor as the "Black Ops" of the divine world. Does that sound correct? The concept of a "Holy Assassin" intrigues me, and is exactly the kind of idea I was hoping to get from this thread.

Thanks!

I think black ops is a good way to put it. For instance, in an upcomming game set in the victorian era, my inquisitor is pretty much a special forces operative for the vatican. Sneaky, skilled, deadly, and divine.


Pellatarrum wrote:
Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

From your examples I get the notion that you see the Inquisitor as the "Black Ops" of the divine world. Does that sound correct? The concept of a "Holy Assassin" intrigues me, and is exactly the kind of idea I was hoping to get from this thread.

Thanks!

That is very much the feeling I get from the Inquisitor class (though there are plenty of other concepts). They are the ones working in the background making sure others don't secretly infiltrate their faith to degrade them from the inside. They are the ones who handle more unsavory jobs, with the skills to keep their deads out of the light.

Liberty's Edge

Pellatarrum wrote:
Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

From your examples I get the notion that you see the Inquisitor as the "Black Ops" of the divine world. Does that sound correct? The concept of a "Holy Assassin" intrigues me, and is exactly the kind of idea I was hoping to get from this thread.

Thanks!

I play an inquisitor. I see it more as a "rules-light cleric", or maybe "divine rogue" than anything else.

Also, I am a fan of the "Witcher" series, and I believe it is a close approximate.

And then, role-play wise ... nobody expects the Inquisition !

The choices in my own build are probably far from optimal, but they are sure fun.

Liberty's Edge

Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

Inquisitor of Milani : Let's free poor oppressed comrade goblin from his tyrannical jail in the fascist land of Cheliax. :)


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Armand From Galt wrote:
Caineach wrote:

Inquisitor of Gorum: runs and organizes tournaments. He makes sure that no one is cheating.

Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.
Inquisitor of Milani : Let's free poor oppressed comrade goblin from his tyrannical jail in the fascist land of Cheliax. :)

Inquisitor of Shelyn: Hunts down those that pervert love (sex slave trafficers, rapist, etc.)


Hmmmmmm....

I am going to be playing in the Serpent's Skull AP, and I have rolled up a Ranger (love the class), but I also rolled up an Inquisitor, but could not come up with a "reason" to play one.

What reason would an Inquisitor of Gozreh have to adventure to the Mwangi Expanse? Please no spoilers for the AP, I am just trying to figure out a reason to select this character to play.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Inquisitor of Gozreh
Domain - Animal for the companion at 4th
Longbow, back row archer kind of guy.
Van Helsing(?) - Does "jobs" for the church, for nature?


Papa-DRB wrote:

Hmmmmmm....

I am going to be playing in the Serpent's Skull AP, and I have rolled up a Ranger (love the class), but I also rolled up an Inquisitor, but could not come up with a "reason" to play one.

What reason would an Inquisitor of Gozreh have to adventure to the Mwangi Expanse? Please no spoilers for the AP, I am just trying to figure out a reason to select this character to play.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Inquisitor of Gozreh
Domain - Animal for the companion at 4th
Longbow, back row archer kind of guy.
Van Helsing(?) - Does "jobs" for the church, for nature?

If you haven't, look through the SS Player's Guide. From that it says that the Bonuwat worhip Shimye-Magalla which is a blend of Gozreh and Desna. I could see a church from outside the area sending in an Inquisitor too research Shimye-Magalla and possible "correct" those worshipers.


Papa-DRB wrote:

Hmmmmmm....

I am going to be playing in the Serpent's Skull AP, and I have rolled up a Ranger (love the class), but I also rolled up an Inquisitor, but could not come up with a "reason" to play one.

What reason would an Inquisitor of Gozreh have to adventure to the Mwangi Expanse? Please no spoilers for the AP, I am just trying to figure out a reason to select this character to play.[...]

Do you remembers words of Galadriela in the beginning of the Lord of the Rings film?

The world is changed. I can feel it in the water, I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air.

A powerful thread of destiny has entangled your senses. You know that there is something ominous, something terrible happening, and the thread is leading you toward the cause. The change is already there, but you can make the difference.

Regards,
Ruemere


Papa-DRB wrote:

Hmmmmmm....

I am going to be playing in the Serpent's Skull AP, and I have rolled up a Ranger (love the class), but I also rolled up an Inquisitor, but could not come up with a "reason" to play one.

What reason would an Inquisitor of Gozreh have to adventure to the Mwangi Expanse? Please no spoilers for the AP, I am just trying to figure out a reason to select this character to play.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Inquisitor of Gozreh
Domain - Animal for the companion at 4th
Longbow, back row archer kind of guy.
Van Helsing(?) - Does "jobs" for the church, for nature?

Dreams of seismic activity unleashing corrupting forces from the fallen sky-city of the ancients in the jungles of Mwangi?

Oracles arent the only ones allowed to have prophetic dreams.

To test yourself against the fabled gorilla men of the area? Why cant an inquisitor of Gozreh be the "Great White Hunter" all Alan Quartermaine style

Shadow Lodge

I'm currently running an Inquisitor (just made 6th level Saturday), but under the "church-less" concept offered in the domain description for the class. I have this idea of him eventually joining the Pathfinders guild and "hunting" secrets and those who would keep them. I took the Dangerously Curious and Scholar of the Great Beyond, traits. For a domain I chose Air, to represent his tendency to not stay in one place for long. RP whise he is fun to play and as far as power is concerned having access to pretty much all magic through the use magic device skill makes him quite fun to play in melee or at range. And yes the mix of skills does mean you are still viable off the battle field.


Doctor Who would make a great Inquisitor, wandering around stoping great evils and protecting Humanity :) Vanhelsing, Nature worshippers, just about anybody, not to mention the Vatican and the Spanish inquisition ! Talk about Lawful Evil ;)

Dark Archive

If instead of flavor you're looking for on a "power level", yes they are generally a weaker class than Rangers and Pallys (especially after the APG super-Ranger upgrade).

They have some neat tricks, and are casters on the level of bards (but with "selfish" buffs). In essence they play similarly to 3.5 combat clerics. They probably should have gotten some of the summoner benefits (some of the better spells made lower level so they could buff themselves better), but as written they only do "OK" at the combat game. Most people play them as archers, which mostly negates their "Solo Tactics" bonus (since almost no teamwork works with archery).

But they are fun, and they aren't so weak as to be inviable.


TerraZephyr, ruemere, Dragonsong. Thank you!!!

Dang fine ideas. I am going to yoink one (maybe all!) and run with the Inquisitor!

-- david
Papa.DRB

Sovereign Court

Caineach wrote:


Inquisitor of Calistra: protects ladies of the night. Can be hired to discover cheating lovers, and possibly to extract vengance.

Anyone else read this and think "Pimp"? /awesome


Thalin wrote:

If instead of flavor you're looking for on a "power level", yes they are generally a weaker class than Rangers and Pallys (especially after the APG super-Ranger upgrade).

They have some neat tricks, and are casters on the level of bards (but with "selfish" buffs). In essence they play similarly to 3.5 combat clerics. They probably should have gotten some of the summoner benefits (some of the better spells made lower level so they could buff themselves better), but as written they only do "OK" at the combat game. Most people play them as archers, which mostly negates their "Solo Tactics" bonus (since almost no teamwork works with archery).

But they are fun, and they aren't so weak as to be inviable.

I'd say that Inquisitor is equally as powerful as the Paladin. They are just different. I didn't think this by looking at the Class but I've been playing an Inquisitor and I'm actually very surprised and just how powerful this class is. Now a Paladin and Inquisitor working together, that's just scary. Say both worship Iomedae, I'd hate to evil around that pair.

Jon Brazer Enterprises

I just finished playing a Inquisitor of Caden Calea. I played him like Mal Reynolds from Firefly during the war. Attitude wise, he was significantly different than any paladin I've ever played. No stick up the butt and not lawful stupid. It was highly liberating. And he called the party paladin an oppressor to her face. It was fun.

For part of the campaign, he was the primary healer. The 6 levels of spells instead of 4 allowed him to be much better at casting spells. He did a great job. He wasn't a combat medic, but our fights tended to not last long enough to requiring massive healing.

Like all mid-bab classes, they have lots of fidley bits. When they're aligned, the class is better than full bab classes. The inquisitor's powers use swift actions, so you can't get them all aligned properly in 1 turn, but by the 2nd or 3rd turn, you tend to have them all up and doing just fine.

After playing the inquisitor, I don't know if I can play a paladin again. It was just so much fun being chaotic and still be paladin-esque.


Thalin wrote:

If instead of flavor you're looking for on a "power level", yes they are generally a weaker class than Rangers and Pallys (especially after the APG super-Ranger upgrade).

They have some neat tricks, and are casters on the level of bards (but with "selfish" buffs). In essence they play similarly to 3.5 combat clerics. They probably should have gotten some of the summoner benefits (some of the better spells made lower level so they could buff themselves better), but as written they only do "OK" at the combat game. Most people play them as archers, which mostly negates their "Solo Tactics" bonus (since almost no teamwork works with archery).

But they are fun, and they aren't so weak as to be inviable.

Really? I find them to have much more offensive capabilities than any ranger I have ever seen, except against a concentrated favored enemy. They are on par with the Paladin once they get their 4th level spells. I think you are seriously underestimating Divine Power, and Bane is amasing.

Sovereign Court Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder

I happen to be playing an inquisitor of Abraxas in SKR's Exiles of Zirnakaynin all-noble drow campaign. Currently, Phyxafein is level 12 inquisitor/ level 3 assassin. I'm playing him as a kind of an agent for the acting House matron, doing her dirty work, offing upstarts, traitors, and "leaks" of the all-important knowledge of House Azrinae. Servitude to House and Abraxas is all he lives for.

Between the judgements, greater bane, sneak attacks, multiple feats and teamwork feats, high level combat with the inquisitor is....complicated. At his best, Phyx can deal out 12d6 damage per hit....and he has 3 attacks in his full-round action. It can be devastating, but it is not as impressive as Crystal's level 15 fighter, who can easily top anything my inquisitor can attempt.

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