(PFS) Help Fleshing Out Inquisitor of Count Ranalc


Advice

Liberty's Edge

I am pretty excited to be starting an adventure in the Pathfinder Society who will be an Inquisitor of Count Ranalc. I'll stay away from hard stats in this post, in part because I've read a couple of guides and in part because this is more about fitting this character in the world of Golarion and less about stat optimization. If you would like to recommend some feats or ideas that's perfectly fine though.

Erbin Salbodor has had the misfortune of being born a slave, in lands where slavery is common. He was to be sold off as a young child to some rich nobleman for some rich purpose when he found the caravan he was a part of attacked. He shouldn't have survived, and it says more of his ability to run and hide than his courage and bravery that he did so.

He spent some time as an orphan, on occasion moving listlessly from major city to small town. He wasn't particularly strong and he wasn't a charmer by any means, but he was quick to observe the world around him and he felt it only natural to want to see the world as it was. It wasn't until he was a late teenager that he realized that this was because, having grown up under the watch of those who treated him as a servant on the best of days and a dog on the worst, that staying in one place for too long kept him stifled. In short, he has to travel to feel free.

Becoming an Inquisitor of Count Ranalc wasn't something that was planned so much as he fell into. He'd met a few clerics of The Traitor, and found it convenient to travel with them, but at first the doctrine he was shared not only lacked cohesion from cleric to cleric but also lacked any grand purpose compared to the other gods. Something about the Count resonated with him as a character, though, and Erbin slowly started sharing stories of him as well. In some tellings and embellishments, Ranalc was an outcast who deserved to make his way back home. In others, he was a cruel, yet cunning, trickster. On thing Erbin believes and believes strongly is that the Count is still out there, very much alive. To him, finding Count Ranalc isn't the mission, however, so much as it is a personal interest. No, to Erbin his job is to ensure that anyone who wants to find their way home is able to do so. This makes him a natural fit for the Liberty's Edge movement.

Mechanically, he's a CG Human Inquistor with the Travel domain, a rapier he can finesse, a composite longbow for when the enemy is a little bit away, and a (initial, at least) preference for armor that allows him to move quickly such as studded leather. Magical options and more specialized options will change this. He'll never be the hardest hitter, although feats are being considered to help him be utilitarian or control (such as Improved Disarm) and he'll never be more than a secondary healer (although wands in the future can help this). However, I see him as being a solid addition to any team, both for player and for play. Teamwork feats continue to be a concern, but I imagine as I play the class more I can get more of a solid idea of what works for him.

Any thoughts, especially on how to tie the character more into the world?

Liberty's Edge

Thought I'd post a follow-up, since this fell off the first page and I know this forum can be fickle about who is on when.

Don't hesitate to give me lore ideas, or just post your thoughts and feelings in general.

Liberty's Edge

So far, this is what I have as far as the feats, abilities, and skills this character will use. Obviously he may need a few more utilitarian things (like a backpack?) and to upgrade to masterwork on some things ASAP. He'll also want a want of cure light wounds at some point, but for the character's first adventure I'm hoping this is a good start.

Thoughts?

Erbin Salbodor
CG 1 Inquisitor [Count Ranalc] of Liberty's Edge
Human

Stats:
HP 9
STR 12 [+1]
DEX 17 (15+2 racial) [+3]
CON 13 [+1]
INT 13 [+1]
WIS 14 [+2]
CHA 10 [+0]

Traits:
Threatening Defender (negates -1 of Combat Expertise penalty)
Two-World Magic (Prestiditation)

Feats:
Weapon Finesse (Rapier)
Combat Expertise

BAB +0, Fort +3, Ref +3, Wil +4

Abilities:

Domain: Travel
* base speed + 10
* Ignore difficult terrain 6 rounds/day
Judgement 1/day
Monster Lore (+Wis to creature knowledge checks)
Stern Gaze: +1/2 moral bonus to Intimidate, Sense Motive (min +1)

SPELLS KNOWN
Orisons
1 Detect Magic
2 Guidance
3 Create Water
4 Read Magic
* prestidigitation (Two-Worlds Magic)

Level 1
1 Cure Light Wounds
2 True Strike

Skills: 6+Int(1)+Human(1)=8

Bluff 1+0
Disguise 1+0
Heal 1+3
Knowledge (Religion) 1+1
Intimidate 1+1+1(SternGaze)
Perception 1+3
Sense Motive 1+3+1(SternGaze)
Stealth 1+3

Starting equipment
Rapier 1d6+1 attack +3 critical 18-20x2 P [20g]
Longbow 1d8 attack +3 critical x3 [75g]
Arrows x 20 [1g]

Studded Leather [AC +3] ACP -1 [25g]
Buckler [AC +1] [ACP-1] [5gp]
24g remaining to spend (clothing, rations, etc)


I would assume clerics of Count Ranalc to be exceptionally rare - it seems highly unlikely that you would meet multiple of them by chance. Personally, I would either pick one "mentor" that taught you about the faith, or else say that you heard about him and it piqued your interest, so you sought out more members of his faith.

On the crunch, is there something you're building toward with Combat Expertise? Because I would suggest instead going the Fencing Grace route by taking Weapon Focus. That would let you dump Str. And why 13s in two stats? Having three odd stats is very questionable.

If you are interested, you could use your level 2 free retraining to switch your first level to Inspired Blade. That gets you free Weapon Finesse and Weapon Focus, lets you use Opportune Parry and Riposte, Derring-Do, and Dodging Panache (which is very nice for avoiding being full-attacked.) Just a thought.

Liberty's Edge

I was originally going to go: Combat Expertise -> Improved Disarm -> Greater Improved Disarm, and I still think that would be a fun thing to do. However, this was without being made aware that Fencing Grace was a thing. If I dropped Combat Expertise, I could also choose another trait, although choosing from them is exceptionally exhausting.

13's in two stats is because originally I did not want to have a 10 in strength, considering I'd eventually want a compound longbow and I'd need a little something to make the rapier hurt more than it currently does. The feat you've presented me fixes that rather well.

As to the Inspired Blade archetype of the swashbuckler, I hadn't considered it, and to be honest I'm not sure if it's the best route I'd go, although I'll put more thought into it. If this character made his way to level 11 (which as I understand is the ultimate level in PFS barring specific modules) I originally assumed he'd have two levels in Rogue, which would give him a Rogue Talent Feat and a (minor) sneak attack boost. To be honest here, as well, there's so many different archetypes for so many different classes it is hard to keep up!


Disarm tends to be weak - it's worthless against monsters that don't use weapons, and not much use against casters.

World Traveler seems like an appropriate choice, which gives you a +4 on Knowledge (local). Enemy of Slavers is thematic but very situational.

Why are you thinking of going for Rogue?

Liberty's Edge

Not as much as what I'd get from swashbuckler. I think when I first read the Inspired Blade I was concerned because Intelligence and Charisma modifiers together makes... well, one use of any one ability a day, which isn't great. I completely overlooked how it solved two issues with one stone, making the rapier useful and giving early options for combat before teamwork feats kick in.

I suppose a better spread for ability scores could be:
STR 10 [+0]
DEX 17 (15+2 racial) [+3]
CON 10 [+0]
INT 13 [+1]
WIS 14 [+2]
CHA 14 [+2]

But now CON has taken a hit. :C

I wonder if Menacing Swordplay stacks with Stern Gaze. Probably not, but a +WIS bonus to a swift action intimidate? Yes please.

Also, in PFS play, how easy are items like Angelic Breastplate to come across? I understand you have to find them before you can buy them, and I guess a concern of mine is finding the armors that will work for this character's needs.


Swashbucklers don't need as much Con because they have great defensive abilities (Parry and Dodging Panache), as well as the d10 hit die.

Menacing Swordplay and Stern Gaze definitely work together - Stern Gaze is just an always-on bonus to Intimidate, and Menacing Swordplay is just a way to make more Intimidate checks.

Also, by "Angelic Breastplate" are you referring to Celestial Armor? Anyway, in PFS you don't necessarily need to find an item before you buy it, but if not you need the requisite amount of fame (which basically means you need to be a high enough level.) But some things are always available, like the (magic) mithral shirt (which is the thing you really want at low levels.)

Silver Crusade

You want to read the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. It's a free download on the Paizo web site, in My Downloads. That will answer a lot of your questions. For example, it explains how you buy stuff, and what is available when.

One bit of unsolicited advice: keep your CON at least 12+ for PFS play. You want every HP you can get.

Liberty's Edge

RumpinRufus wrote:
Also, by "Angelic Breastplate" are you referring to Celestial Armor? Anyway, in PFS you don't necessarily need to find an item before you buy it, but if not you need the requisite amount of fame (which basically means you need to be a high enough level.) But some things are always available, like the (magic) mithral shirt (which is the thing you really want at low levels.)

That was exactly what I meant, and that absolutely explains the disconnect I saw between "You must find it to buy it" and "you can buy it if you have enough fame." Reading the document and having the chance to see it in action are two different things, of course.

Still need to play with the scores a bit, but I think I'm going somewhere solid with this. Thanks!

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