**Class Abilities**
Pursue a Lead (Concentrate, Exploration, Investigator)
Frequency once per 10 minutes
Nelus spends 1 minute examining the details of one potential clue, designating the subject related to that clue as the target of his active investigation. This subject is typically a single creature, item, or small location (such as a room or corridor), but the GM might allow a different scope for your investigation. He doesn't need to know the identity, purpose, or nature of the subject, but he does need to be aware of its existence. For instance, finding a footprint is enough to investigate the creature that left it, and seeing a hasty sketch of an item or location can be enough to start his investigation of that subject.
Whenever he attempts a Perception or skill check to investigate a designated subject, he gains a +1 circumstance bonus to the check. The exact checks this applies to depend on the actions he uses to investigate and are determined by the GM, but checks to investigate are typically Perception checks or skill checks that use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
Nelus can maintain two active investigations at a time. If he Pursues another Lead after that, the subject must be different from any of his current investigations (or rather, they must be different as far as he knows), and he must give up on a current subject of his choice. Once he's given up pursuit of a subject, he can't Pursue that Lead again until after the next time he makes his daily preparations.
Clue In Reaction (Concentrate Investigator)
Frequency once per 10 minutes
Trigger Another creature attempts a check to investigate a lead Nelus is pursuing.
Nelus shares information with the triggering creature. They gain a circumstance bonus to their check equal to his circumstance bonus to checks investigating your subject from Pursue a Lead (+1). The GM can add any relevant traits to this reaction depending on the situation, such as auditory and linguistic if he's conveying information verbally.
Devise a Stratagem
Nelus can play out a battle in his head, using brains rather than brawn to execute an attack.
Devise a Stratagem Action (Concentrate, Fortune, Investigator)
Frequency once per round
Nelus assesses a foe's weaknesses in combat and uses them to formulate a plan of attack against his enemy. Choose a creature he can see and roll a d20. If he Strikes the chosen creature later this round, he must use the result of the roll he made to Devise a Stratagem for his Strike's attack roll instead of rolling. He makes this substitution only for the first Strike he makes against the creature this round, not any subsequent attacks.
When Nelus makes this substitution, he can also add your Intelligence modifier to his attack roll instead of his Strength or Dexterity modifier, provided his Strike uses an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon (which must be agile or finesse if it's a melee weapon with the thrown trait), or a sap.
If Nelus is aware that the creature he chooses is the subject of a lead he's pursuing, he can use this ability as a free action.
Strategic Strike
When Nelus strikes carefully and with forethought, he deals a telling blow. When making a Strike that adds his Intelligence modifier on his attack roll due to Devising a Stratagem, he deals an additional 1d6 precision damage.
Alchemical Sciences
Nelus's methodology emphasizes chemical and alchemical analysis, collecting information from unusual particles and fluids found on the scene. He possesses enough alchemical know-how to whip up a few tinctures to help him with his cases.
Nelus is trained in Crafting and gains the Alchemical Crafting skill feat. In addition, he gains a standard formula book for free and learns the formulas for two additional common 1st-level alchemical items, which must be elixirs or tools. Each time he gains a level, he learns the formula for one common alchemical elixir or alchemical tool of any level of item he can create.
During Nelus's daily preparations, he can create a number of versatile vials—alchemical concoctions that can quickly be turned into elixirs and tools— equal to his Intelligence modifier. He can use the Quick Tincture action to turn one of these vials into an elixir or alchemical tool for which he knows the formula.
Quick Tincture Action (Investigator Manipulate)
Cost 1 versatile vial
Requirements: Nelus knows the formula for the alchemical item he's creating, he is holding or wearing alchemist's tools, and he has a free hand.
Nelus quickly brews up a short-lived tincture. He creates a single alchemical elixir or tool of his level or lower without having to spend the normal monetary cost in alchemical reagents or needing to attempt a Crafting check. This item has the infused trait, but it remains potent only until the end of the current turn.
**Class Feats**
Known Weaknesses (Investigator)
Whenever Nelus Devises a Stratagem, he can also attempt a check to Recall Knowledge as part of that action. If he critically succeeds at the Recall Knowledge check, he notices a weakness and gains a +1 circumstance bonus to his attack roll from Devise a Stratagem. If he immediately conveys this information to his allies as part of the check, each ally gains a +1 circumstance bonus to their next attack roll against the subject, as long as their attack is made before the beginning of his next turn.
That's Odd (Investigator)
PFS Note GMs should provide a character with the That’s Odd investigator feat a hint whenever the character enters a room with hidden aspects, specifically with regard to hidden passageways (such as scuff marks near a bookcase that’s actually a swinging door), creatures or hazards (such as drippage on the floor from an unseen fungus growing on the rafters), or valuables (such as bunched carpet over a secret compartment in the floor that contains a bag of coins). The GM does not need to provide clues for rooms that have no significant secret or hidden features. These clues should indicate only that the character should investigate a given section of the room, not let them automatically uncover the hidden element or provide any additional information beyond signaling its presence.
When Nelus enters a new location, such as a room or corridor, he immediately notices one thing out of the ordinary. The GM determines what it is, or whether there's nothing reasonable to pick up, skipping obvious clues that can be easily noticed without a check or specifically looking for them. He learns only that an area or object is suspicious, but not why it's suspicious. For example, if Nelus entered a study with a large bloodstain on the ground, the bloodstain is so obviously suspicious it's evident to him already, so the GM might note that there's something suspicious about the desk drawer instead. Nelus would then need to investigate the drawer further to find out what specifically is out of the ordinary. That's Odd doesn't reveal whether creatures are suspicious.
Nelus doesn't typically get any benefit when he leaves and comes back to a place, though if a major change has happened there and time has passed, the GM might determine that he does.
Shared Stratagem (Investigator)
The plans Nelus makes include his allies as well as himself. When he hits a creature with an attack on which he substituted his attack roll due to Devising a Stratagem, designate one ally. The creature he hits is flat-footed to that ally on the next attack the designated ally makes against that creature before the start of his next turn.
**Multiclass Feats**
Witch Dedication (Archetype, Dedication Multiclass)
Nelus casts spells like a witch. He has a Rune patron; he has a familiar with two common cantrips of his choice from the arcane tradition, but aside from the tradition, he doesn't gain any other effects the patron would usually grant. Nelus's familiar has one less familiar ability than normal. He gains the Cast a Spell activity. He can prepare one cantrip each day from his familiar. He's trained in spell attack rolls and spell DCs from the arcane tradition. His key spellcasting ability for witch archetype spells is Intelligence, and they are arcane. He becomes trained in a skill of his choice.
**Ancestry Feats**
Arcane Tattoos (Uncommon(Varisian) Human)
Nelus has tattoos on his body corresponding to the ancient Thassilonian school of abjuration. He can cast Shield as an innate arcane spell at will.
Natural Ambition
Nelus was raised to be ambitious and always reach for the stars, leading him to progress quickly in his chosen field. He gains a 1st-level class feat for your class.
**Skill Feats**
Alchemical Crafting (General, Skill)
Prerequisites trained in Crafting
Nelus can use the Craft activity to create alchemical items. When he selects this feat, he immediately adds the formulas for four common 1st-level alchemical items to his formula book.
Arcane Sense (General, Skill)
Nelus's study of magic allows him to instinctively sense its presence. He can cast 1st-level detect magic at will as an arcane innate spell.
Recognize Spell (General, Secret, Skill)
Trigger A creature within line of sight casts a spell that you don’t have prepared or in your spell repertoire, or a trap or similar object casts such a spell. You must be aware of the casting.
If you are trained in the appropriate skill for the spell’s tradition and it’s a common spell of 2nd level or lower, you automatically identify it (you still roll to attempt to get a critical success, but can’t get a worse result than success). The highest level of spell you automatically identify increases to 4 if you’re an expert, 6 if you’re a master, and 10 if you’re legendary. The GM rolls a secret Arcana, Nature, Occultism, or Religion check, whichever corresponds to the tradition of the spell being cast. If you’re not trained in the skill, you can’t get a result better than failure.
Critical Success You correctly recognize the spell and gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your saving throw or your AC against it.
Success You correctly recognize the spell.
Failure You fail to recognize the spell.
Critical Failure You misidentify the spell as another spell entirely, of the GM’s choice.
