Inquisitor build advice


Advice

Silver Crusade

Hi people !

I am setting up to participate in a homebrew campaign and would like to play an inquisitor.

The concept behind the character is to be some sort of Knight Templar, hunting the enemies of his faith be they monsters or heretics.

He'd be Human and we are stating level 3. His deity is Iomedae (the major deity in the empire he lives in).

I've selected the Persistance Inquisition, both for concept (hunting down the enemies and never relenting) and for the Step Up bonus feat, which I just love for wizard hunting (in combo with litany of sloth).

Since I view him as a Knight Templar I am building him with heavy armor in mind. I am losing Stalwart, but indend to have mithral armor at some point to mitigate that.

To have heavy armor there are 2 choices, dip in fighter or blow a feat.

There are 2 build to my character.

Stats (for both)

Str 16
Dex 13
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 14
Cha 10

Feats

Build 1 : Inquisitor 3

1- Heavy Armor
- Antagonize
- Step Up
3- Weapon Focus (Longsword)

Build 2 : Fighter 2/Inquisitor 1 (the idea is to have 4 lvls of Fighter for weapon spec, the 2 other levels would come after inquisitor 5 for bane)

1- Eclectic (to get both favored bonuses)
- Antagonize
-Power Attack
2- Weapon Focus (longsword)
3- Toughness
-Step Up

I am just wondering if the 4 levels of fighter will be worth it in the end. I do not think we will get past lvl 15.

I'm not asking for the perfect optimal min-max build, I just don't want to gimp too much my abilities as an inquisitor.

Silver Crusade

Forgot to mention.
The fighter levels also provide with martial proficiency which I would find useful (for a glaive-guisarme or bec de corbin).


An inquisitor is one of the worst classes to multclass with, too many of their abilities are based on level. You are delaying your spells, judgments and bane. You will do a lot better just blowing the feat.

Silver Crusade

So the versatility of martial weapons and the early power boost (throught toughness and power attack) aren't worth it ?

Liberty's Edge

Stalwart is waaaay too good to give up, just get Heavy Armor Proficiency as a feat. In a magical setting, I'd say that a knight templar would be defensive both physically (AC and Fort), and mentally (Will).

Put me in the camp of going straight Inquisitor.


Don't delay the Bane - Straight Inquisitor. Buy Breastplate, or better yet Mithral Agile Breastplate and be done.


Blow a feat--multi-classing sucks in Pathfinder unless you're already a sucky class (like Fighter, Monk, or Rogue) or abusing a very specific level 1 ability (The Lame Curse, Crossblooded Draconic/Orc Sorcerer, Awesome Display, etc.). In the long run, +1 level of spells will always trump a feat, even without considering all the level dependent class features.

What traits are you taking? You can get the Glaive-Guisarme proficiency with Heirloom Weapon. Or be a half-elf and get an awesome exotic weapon.

You also seem to have one more feat than you ought to in each build.

If you're desperate for Weapon Specialization, though (and I don't think it's really worth it), there's a feat for followers of Iomedae that lets you get it. Sword Oath


I had a Dwarven Inquisitor that was walking around in Adamantium Full Plate. I was sad when I got Stalwart, just to have it not work. I think its really an awesome ability.

He was doing very well though. Always taking the regen during his judgements and having that DR from the armour.

Inquisitors also get proficiency with their god's weapon right? So you should have a longsword on your list. As far as I remember Iomedae was pretty strict on her weapon choices as well?

Silver Crusade

The extra feat comes from my inquisition.

I know stalwart is a good ability, and do not sacrifice it lightly. I am taking heavy armor with the sole purpose of having a mithral one by level 11.

As far as trait goes we generally don't use them in my group. Not everyone is versed in the rules, we still play and build stuff the 3.5 way of things (hence the heavy on multiclass).

Well thanks guys you pretty much confirmed what I was already reluctant to do, sacrifice spells/judgements for a few feats. The skill progression is way better without fighter levels anyway.

Another question for you guys.

Level 4 and 8, pump wisdom or strength ? Initially thought of going for strength (as he's a warrior). But would more wisdom provide more dividend early ?


I think one fighter level isn't terrible. It's not optimal either, but not terrible. Multiple fighter levels is a pretty bad idea.

As for your new question: strength all the way! Your wisdom provides a useful bonus to a few skills and occasionally determines the DC of the odd offensive spells (but you probably won't cast many of those). Your strength determines whether or not you hit, and for how much damage, every single time you swing a weapon.


As a wisdom class that gets 1/2 level to sense motive Snake Style rocks the inquisitor for touch ac, naked ac and sometimes just a better ac.

Snake Style (Combat, Style)
You watch your foe's every movement and then punch through its defense.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Acrobatics 1 rank, Sense Motive 3 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks, and you can deal piercing damage with your unarmed strikes. While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.
Normal: An unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage.

Add this spell:

Perceive Cues
School transmutation; Level alchemist 2, inquisitor 2, ranger 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of water)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 10 minutes/level
Your senses become preternaturally keen, and you gain insight into subtle behavioral cues. For the duration of the spell, you receive a +5 competence bonus on Perception and Sense Motive checks.

Silver Crusade

soupturtle wrote:
I think one fighter level isn't terrible. It's not optimal either, but not terrible. Multiple fighter levels is a pretty bad idea.

Might actually do that. Just for the fact that I don't care much for the lvl 20 capstone, and that it would give me valued proficiencies...

soupturtle wrote:


As for your new question: strength all the way! Your wisdom provides a useful bonus to a few skills and occasionally determines the DC of the odd offensive spells (but you probably won't cast many of those). Your strength determines whether or not you hit, and for how much damage, every single time you swing a weapon.

Wisdom also provides with will save (I have that aplenty already I know, but it maybe never too much).

I guess it will be Str-Str-Wis-Wis-w/e.
The 2 pts in wis allow me to cast my lvl 16 spells at the right time (lvl 16).

Silver Crusade

Another for you. I was considering archetypes, mostly the preacher.
Not that I don't like teamwork feats, I think the fact that the inquisitor has solo tactics makes them quite useable.

But I like the mecanics of getting rerolls to hit or forcing the opponent to reroll. I'd just like to know if it's good or if teamwork feats are an absolute MUST to make the class work ?

Silver Crusade

bump

Silver Crusade

Mithral full-plate will count as medium armor, so Stalwart will work as long as you are wearing mithral heavy armor.

For stats, I think you are putting too much stock in Cha. Yes, you have access to all of the party face skills, but withno boost to Cha, you're not going to be good at them. Chances are there will be a rogue, ninja, or sorcerer in your party who can fill that role better than you. Based on that, I would consider dumping Cha. I would go with a stat spread like:

Str: 16
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 12
Cha: 7

Then you can put your +2 bonus from being human into either Str or Wis. You can also get a headband with a +2 wisdom bonus as well as put 2 of your levelling bonuses into it to get you to 16 by the time you can cast level 6 spells.


Still need heavy armor prof. to wear mithril full without attack penalties. I agree with not multiclassing. Inquisitor is best as a stand alone. Stalwart is also twice as good as evasion, just because it's two saves not one. Arguably it's better as fort and will are generally more useful than ref anyway. I have a level 12 conversion inquisitor, no way will I multiclass. Just my two pennies.


I took 2 Fighter levels for my Inquisitor in Carrion Crown because I wanted the martial weapons and the heavy armor (and I loves me some bonus feats). He's the party tank and has been definitely keeping up with the rest of the not-multiclassing party. OK, I cheated a little by taking Judgement Surge but I was really happy to have those fighter levels when we came across the mithral full plate in book 1.

We actually just made 7th level so I finally have Bane now, will get to use it for the first time @ this weekend's session. I'm already the top damage-dealer in the party, Bane will just put me over the top!


Mysterious Stranger wrote:
An inquisitor is one of the worst classes to multclass with, too many of their abilities are based on level. You are delaying your spells, judgments and bane. You will do a lot better just blowing the feat.

I agree with this. if u feel u need to multiclass it should be EXACTLY a one level dip. and it needs to be a very compelling reason.


I'm doing something similar to you and have gone the 1 lvl of fighter
purely to get the heavy armour & polearm. Extra HP @ 1st don't hurt
either...
But, I've decided that will be it for multi...it's just not worth it,
& especially not for Weapon Spec. Lets face it, it's only 2 extra dmge.

Silver Crusade

Philip Knowsley wrote:

I'm doing something similar to you and have gone the 1 lvl of fighter

purely to get the heavy armour & polearm. Extra HP @ 1st don't hurt
either...
But, I've decided that will be it for multi...it's just not worth it,
& especially not for Weapon Spec. Lets face it, it's only 2 extra dmge.

Yeah, I'm pretty set on keeping the dip at 1st level.

It keeps the flavor I want for the guy and fits his background (was apprenticed at some point before becoming a full fledged templar).

The 4 lvls of fighter would have netted a 4th attack, but would have cost so much spell levels.

So yeah thanks guys for the answers !

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