pennywit |
I've looked over the ACG classes several times, and I've got a handle on some of them and how they might work. But I'm kind of flummoxed about the Investigator. From everything I can see, the Investigator is basically Superman outside of combat, with skills, trap sensing abilities, utility magic from alchemist formulae, and a highly flexible skill bonus pool with Inspiration.
But what does the Investigator do IN combat? How well does he handle? He doesn't seem to have much in terms of offensive abilities.
Rynjin |
Before 4th level? Not a whole lot, honestly. They make good Finesse fighters with a Rapier. If, at 5th level, you grab Fencing Grace you'll be really solid.
After Studied Combat comes online though they're pretty beastly. Getting a bonus to-hit equal to your level at-will is something many classes would trade their left arm for.
For perspective, by dropping a Talent on it, by level 20 you have an at-will Quickened True Strike.
Studied Combat makes them pretty good at maneuvers as well.
Faelyn |
Before 4th level? Not a whole lot, honestly. They make good Finesse fighters with a Rapier. If, at 5th level, you grab Fencing Grace you'll be really solid.
After Studied Combat comes online though they're pretty beastly. Getting a bonus to-hit equal to your level at-will is something many classes would trade their left arm for.
For perspective, by dropping a Talent on it, by level 20 you have an at-will Quickened True Strike.
Studied Combat makes them pretty good at maneuvers as well.
Just an FYI... Studied Combat bonus is only equal to 1/2 your character level, not full character level. It's still an awesome bonus to a 3/4 BAB class.
Faelyn |
Hm, you're right. But it also adds to damage.
I think I may have been operating under the original Playtest version, which as I recall was full level to-hit, but no damage.
Yeah, the playtest was straight level to hit, but no damage. The final version is so much better! It actually allows an Investigator to be decent in combat... In fact, a half-elf investigator can be an extremely potent damage dealer w/ their racial FCB for investigator, Combat Inspiration, Amazing Inspiration, and an Inspired weapon.
Very nice combination!
kBro |
Levels 1 and 2 are tough, so you'll be relying on a lot of luck in your rolls to do well (though everyone is at that point). Smart use of your limited extracts can serve you very well.
At level 3, taking Mutagen as your Investigator Talent helps you in combat significantly. That, combined with buff extracts helps a lot. Using a DEX mutagen with an extract of Shield can push your AC up by 8 alone, which while you won't be hitting hard, you'll be very hard to hit.
Level 4 and on is when the Investigator can shine in combat. The combination of Studied Combat, Mutagen, and Extracts can turn them into very formidable combat monsters.
Deadmanwalking |
Yeah, a Str build or a Dex build dipping Inspired Blade is very solid even for the first few levels.
I mean, the difference between an Investigator and a Fighter at those levels is maybe +1 or +2 to hit...or, if they're using Power Attack, +2 or +3 damage. And you can make up the second with an Extract of Enlarge Person at need (if going Str), or the first with an Extract of Reduce Person (if going Dex).
Your AC will lag a bit as a Str build, but that's what Shield is for.
And then you can, at least once a day, in an emergency, burn Inspiration to make an attack that almost hit, actually hit. In short, for the first few levels, you're marginally behind a Fighter, but able to equal them in bursts via Extracts (and maybe some Inspiration).
Now, the difference between full BAB classes and the Investigator's baseline rises by around 4th or 5th level...not coincidentally the time when Studied Combat (and Quick Study) come online, boosting them back into the running. Plus Mutagen, if they want it.
In short, Investigators are adequate melee combatants from level 1-2 or 3, and very good melee combatants from level 4 onward.
Now, it should be noted that this assumes, y'know, an actual combative build (Str or Dex 16, basically). A somewhat lower physical stat build can do very well at high levels, but has much more trouble in the early game, and even then, starting with your main attack stat at less than 14 is a really bad idea.
Basically, an Investigator isn't a Wizard, and if you build them with a similar physical layout to a Wizard, you're gonna be in trouble. I note this because it's surprising how many Investigator builds I've seen with mediocre physical stats at best who were then wondering why they were bad at combat...
Rerednaw |
Well there's also the Inspired Weapon enchant. Though I don't like using a enchantment you have to pay for to sell a class. And again this doesn't address the low levels. Note that combat inspiration requires level 9.
INSPIRED
Price +1 bonus; Slotnone; CL 7th; Weight —; Aura moderate enchantment
This special ability can be placed only on simple weapons, hand crossbows, rapiers, shortbows, short swords, and sword canes. In the hands of an investigator, an inspired weapon reduces the cost of using inspiration on attack rolls made with the weapon. The weapon's wielder needs to expend only one use of inspiration to augment his attack rolls with this weapon, as with the combat inspiration investigator talent. If the wielder already has the combat inspiration talent, the wielder must still expend one use of inspiration, but in addition to adding the result of the inspiration roll to the attack roll, the investigator adds twice the result of the inspiration roll to the weapon's damage roll.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost +1 bonus
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, good hope
Melkiador |
The favored bonus is good but it's not as great as it sounds. It's limited by your uses of inspiration. It doesn't kick in until level 4. You can't get combat inspiration till level 9. You are giving up +4 hit points or skill points for every +1 you get to inspiration. And the damage isn't multiplied on a crit. It's still a good choice and if you want to play a half elf you should take it, but it's not as if it makes the race that much stronger than the other investigators.
Deadmanwalking |
The favored bonus is good but it's not as great as it sounds. It's limited by your uses of inspiration. It doesn't kick in until level 4. You can't get combat inspiration till level 9. You are giving up +4 hit points or skill points for every +1 you get to inspiration. And the damage isn't multiplied on a crit. It's still a good choice and if you want to play a half elf you should take it, but it's not as if it makes the race that much stronger than the other investigators.
This is true to some degree, though I'll note that with a couple of Talents, +1 to Inspiration is basically +1 to almost all skills on every roll forever.
It's certainly not enough to make all Investigators need to be Half Elves, though, I agree.
Rynjin |
The favored bonus is good but it's not as great as it sounds. It's limited by your uses of inspiration. It doesn't kick in until level 4. You can't get combat inspiration till level 9. You are giving up +4 hit points or skill points for every +1 you get to inspiration. And the damage isn't multiplied on a crit. It's still a good choice and if you want to play a half elf you should take it, but it's not as if it makes the race that much stronger than the other investigators.
1d6+X to all skills is pretty rad though.
Deadmanwalking |
Male Lashunta also make excellent Empiricist Investigators (+2 Str, +2 Int, -2 Wis), and are thematically well-suited to the role of alien warrior-scientist that the class allows. I really want to play this in an Iron Gods game if I can just get somebody to run one...
Ratfolk and Androids also work quite well.