We might run a "classic style" campaign. 15 point buy.
I made a half-orc inquisitor 1.
Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10.
I took Sacred Tattoo and Shaman's Apprentice alternate racial traits (+1 luck bonus to saves and Endurance as a bonus feat, replaces Orc Ferocity and Intimidating).
For traits, I plan on taking Fate's Favor (increase luck bonuses by +1) and Reactionary (+2 initiative).
For spells, I selected cure light wounds and divine favor (Fate's Favor increases the luck bonus to +2 to attacks and damage).
I plan on being a switch hitter with longbow and greataxe.
I'm trying to determine what feat to take at 1st level. I'm thinking of Improved Initiative (with it, I can get +11 to initiative at 2nd level: +4 for feat, +2 for trait, +2 for Dex, +3 for Wisdom/Cunning Initiative), Diehard (since I have Endurance), and Point Blank Shot.
Initiative seems generally useful for both melee and ranged combat, and for spellchucking later on when I get more attacky spells. Diehard seems like it would let me pretty much double my hit points at 1st level, and it sounds like the campaign might be old school 1st Edition AD&D gritty and brutal. Point Blank Shot will obviously be good at archery, and I can take Power Attack at 3rd level for melee.
I don't know what the other PCs will be. One is usually a tricksy magic-user or swashbuckler type. The other is usually a ranger type or support type.
Character sounds cool.
Of the three feats you mentioned I would take point-blank shot I think. Can you maybe squeeze 2 more points into Con for survivability?
I plan on using my favored class bonus for hit points. That, combined with the extra bonus from Fate's Favor, is quasi-equivalent to +2 Constitution. At 1st level, my saves are Fort +5, Reflex +4, Will +7. Not too shabby.
I can always dump my Charisma to 8 if needed for extra Constitution, but my other PC has Charisma 6 (a dragonscourged dwarf barbarian 1/magus 6), so I want to play someone slightly not socially challenged.
So far, I'm considering:
1. PBS
3. Power Attack
5. Extra Bane
7. Improved Initiative
Gonna boost Strength at 4th, and maybe Wisdom thereafter.
Also considering taking Dodge and Ironskin, for +2 AC. Maybe Quick Draw if I end up switching between my weapons a lot, or if I end up just going axe and javelins.
I'm going for the Travel Domain, so I can wear Medium Armor, sleep in it from Endurance, and still have a speed of 30 from the Domain ability.
I always feel weird when I don't use feat chains.
That luck bonus trait was a nice find. My brother is playing an inquisitor, just hit 8th level and I think divine favor is still his routine self buff. I guess you will cast things like prayer and divine power as well later?
Yeah, I really like that trait. I saw someone else mention it on the boards only a couple weeks ago.
I also made a 7th level halfling sorcerer (draconic bloodline) in case my barbarian/magus dies, and spending a trait for an additional +1 to all saves is amazing! I plan on him being an uber-blaster, with his first 6 non-bonus feats being Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Elemental Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration (maybe). I also want to get Spell Perfection, so I gotta squeeze in some metamagic there too. Quicken Spell is a bonus, and I'll probably want Empower Spell, Intensify Spell, Dazing Spell, Selective Spell, and maybe Lingering Spell. I know blasting is not optimized, but I figure it fills roughly the same role as the magus (magical damage dealer); that party has a cavalier and horse to tank (with healer cleric cohort), a ranger and pet to back up, and a rogue/witch/arcane trickster, so I won't mind being kind of squishy at mid-level+.
Sounds like a good character i would go the axe javelin route myself and grab a sling for longer range missile fire there cheap and light also you add your strength bonus to damage
What do you mean by a "classic style" campaign?
Like, 1st Edition AD&D. Whatever that means. The GM has been kind of vague. I'm kind of hoping for lots of dungeoneering. We've been doing Kingmaker, and the wandering around outside with no clear objective has been getting kind of boring. I GMed the first module (levels 1-4), and another kid is GMing the second module (4-7). Hopefully the next module is more goal-oriented.
One the PCs in my 3.5 D&D game just discovered the joys of the sling. His character concept is a 3pp ranger/rogue class, and he mostly grapples and garrotts. Basically, he doesn't want to pay any money on weapons. :-P
I kind of want to use a bow. 1d8 seems to beat 1d4+1--and I hate d4s!!! 1d6+1 javelins, on the other hand, sound like a great pre-closing weapon! :-)
Wow, this is the exact build for my half-orc Inquisitor who is now at 3rd level. Divine Favor +2/+2 is great right at 1st level. What Domain will you be taking? I have Plant (Growth) which is great for reach and 3d6 greataxe damage.
For your first level feat I have used Deepsight to great effect. 120 darkvision and a (comp)longbow makes you the ultimate sniper as most races will have no idea where the shot in the dark is coming from.
I caution against Diehard. I was tempted as well, but it REALLY sets you up for a deathblow. I went with good old Toughness and never regretted it. Last session I went from +10 hit points down to -11. Without those extra 3 HP I would be gone. Or go for Improved Initiative.
At fifth pick up Extra Bane. At seventh Extended Bane, because Bane is the pinacle of destruction for an Inquisitor.
Always go 2-handed weapon. As for Judgements I use Fast Healing almost exclusively.
Cool! Thanks! I'm going for the Travel Domain. This PC is for a back-up campaign, and in the primary campaign, my dwarf barbarian 1/magus 6 uses enlarge person before raging with his dwarven waraxe a lot, so I want to use different tactics--especially since both are 6/9 casters with big wonking axes!
I think I WILL take both Bane feats. Totally seems worth it!
I think I might fiddle with my stats once I know what everyone else is playing. I dropped the Intimidating racial trait for the Shaman's Apprentice racial trait, which gives me Endurance as a bonus feat.
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There is a trait that lets you use Intelligence instead of Charisma for any Intimidation rolls. Get the higher Int and dump Charisma to an 8. Int will help with Spellcraft, Intimidate and identifing monsters (needed for a correct Bane activation).
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 15, Chr 8
At 4th up Wisdom and 8th your Str. Bam. Done. Cheque please.
So far, I'm considering:1. PBS
3. Power Attack
5. Extra Bane
7. Improved Initiative...
I always feel weird when I don't use feat chains.
Personally I would rather have rapid-shot rather then improved initiative. More attacks equals more sweet bane damage.
I understand high initiative is always great for anyone, and of course when you are already seeing a good number in something it's tempting to blow it through the roof, but cunning initiative and reactionary and good dex already have you in good shape IMO. It's not like you are a cleric who has to worry about a lot of party buffs before the team scrambles.
Yeah, I'm a big fan of Rapid Shot too. Back in the day, my elf druid had it, and got to Rapid Shot produce flames. Very fun.
So, by "classic 1e adventure", you mean you're going to get killed at every turn by completely unfair traps and the casters are all so flimsy that a stiff autumn breeze could kill them? :D
I remember when CLERICS didn't get their first spell until 2nd level!
Hmmm.... Maybe I should make a Dwarf Barbarian with Con 20 and Toughness. With favored class bonus, that's 21 hit points at 1st level.
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Somebody already said that switch hitters are harder to build for the inquisitor. They are right. Rangers and fighters get a huge amount of bonus feats, inquisitors dont. They work best in the roll of a specialist.
Speaking from an optimization point of view if you want to go the archer route you will need deadly aim and manyshot feats to be able to deal the serious hurt. Otherwise you will forever be in the junior league with your bow. Archery is also one of the most feat intensive chains in Pathfinder.
For manyshot the prereq is DEX 17 and BAB +6, for power attack STR 13 and BAB +1.
My suggestion would be to drop the half orc and pick up human.
STR 13
DEX 15
CON 12
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 08
That extra feat will help with archery and the extra skill point with a low INT. Bane only kicks in at level 5, at this point your maximized main knowledges are at +8 already.
Feats:
1lvl:
Point Blank Shot
Prescise Shot
3lvl
Rapid Shot
5lvl
Deadly Aim
7lvl
Power Attack
9lvl
Manyshot
The first 2 stat points at lvl 4 and 8 must go to DEX. Use a spear or morningstar for close combat. You can switch Power Attack with Rapid Shot or Deadly Aim if you prefer but you will be more effective staying at range and just letting the arrows fly.
The inquisitor's preacher archetype is also pretty sweet for a ranged combatant and forget about endurance, chainshirt pijamas FTW.
I want to stick with half-orc. Darkvision and +2 on all saves seem really useful in dungeons. :-)
I might not worry about being an archery specialist, but an archery generalist. A combo of greataxe and javelins and longbow.
Feats:1lvl:
Point Blank Shot
Prescise Shot
Obviously half-orc is how he envisions the character, I like to think of optimization as something that serves concept, not the other way around.
In this case, I would just give up precise shot. Just don't shoot into melee.
When melee breaks out, fight melee.
I went with a more melee-oriented Inquisitor. Used javelins for ranged combat, great axe for melee. Went pretty well (my lowest hit point total was 0--thank you DR/magic-granting judgement!), even if I kept rolling lots and lots of natural 2s.
By "old school" the GM made 3 house rules:
1. No AoOs
2. Automatic success on critical threats
3. Player descriptions trump skill checks (for example, role playing will trump a bad Diplomacy roll, a board over a pit will trump a Disable Device roll, etc.)
Also, each player (a human wrecker oracle of the dark tapestry and a human fighter with an Aldori Dueling Sword) controlled a 1st level warrior quasi-henchman. Only 1 henchman died, making a heroic attempt to leap off a platform high in the mountains and on to a giant bat with a goblin with a harpoon with a (dying) human fighter stuck to it. But there were several almost TPKs. Good thing we had two healers and found lots of potions.
It was really weird without AoOs. Supposedly combat went faster. I'm just glad I wasn't playing a reach cleric! :-P But it was very fun. We played for 6 or 7 hours and had a good mix of RP and combat encounters. Probably at least half a dozen fights.