Inquisitors and Spells


Rules Questions

Sovereign Court

Question to see if I am reading this correctly

An inquisitor’s selection of spells is extremely limited.
An inquisitor begins play knowing four 0-level spells
and two 1st-level spells of the inquisitor’s choice. At each
new inquisitor level, she gains one or more new spells as
indicated on Table 2–4. (Unlike spells per day, the number
of spells an inquisitor knows is not affected by her Wisdom
score. The numbers on Table 2–4 are fixed.)

So If I understand this correctly a first level Inquisitor only has 4 Zero level spells in their list to cast and 1 first level not including any Wisdom modifier.

At 2nd they would have 4 0- levels and 2 - 1st
At 3rd they would have 4 0-level, and 3 - 1st
At 4th they would have 4 - 0-level, 3 - 1st and 1 - 2nd
etc...

They at NO time will ever have more spells than this unless their Wisdom is say 18 then they would get 1 st and 1 2nd?

Seems WAY Under powered if I read this right, and only at 5th level could they remove 1 spell from the list and get a different spell

Now this does not reflect how many they can cast, only what they can learn.

if I am wrong please clarify and show me where it is in the APG

Thanks

Shadow Lodge

IceniQueen wrote:
Question to see if I am reading this correctly

If I'm reading what you're writing correctly, that is correct. This is no different than the other established hybrid class "arcane" spontaneous caster, the Bard.

Heck the Sorcerer isn't a whole lot better on spells known when they hit new spell levels.


If you really do want more spells some races have inquisitor favored levels giving them just that(Human for example). It is definitely not underpowered as the inquisitor spell list is amazing. They get a fair amount of unique spells and buffs that will allow you to not dumpstat wis and keep the character as a strong martial option.

@MisterSlanky I do agree with the general comparison but Inquisitor got the long end of this stick as their skill AND combat prowess are both very good without much sacrifice like bards have to do.

Silver Crusade

No.

An inquisitor gets 4 first level and 2 second level spells known at first level (as shown in the "spells known" table on page 41 of the APG). She can cast one of these spells once per day plus a number equal to the extra spells she can cast from her Wisdom (page 40 of the APG and page 17 of the Core Rulebook).

Thus an Inquisitor with an 18 Wisdom (hardly a huge push) could cast 4x0 level an infinite number of times and two first level spells (one base and one for a high Wisdom). If she had (say) Bless and Cure Light Wounds as her spells she could either cast Bless twice or Cure Light Wounds twice or both spells once each.

Can they out cast Clerics? No. But they are far better damage dealers than Clerics, have better weapon choices and have a host of skills and abilities that make them very useful outside of a fight.


I'm not sure what you mean by "4 0-level spells to cast and 1 first level..."

Do you mean how many spells per day? If so, then yes. That's how many spells per day they get without a positive wisdom mod. However, pretty much ANY Inquisitor is going to have a decent wis (14+), so they'll at least get bonus 1st and 2nd level spells.

The spells know on the other hand IS set in stone. Of course, they ALWAYS know at least 2 spells of every level, and top out a 6 spells known for each level (5 known for 5th and 6th) Also, they max out at 6 cantrips on level 3.


Fall of Camelot is correct, known spells aren't affected by high attributes, only the number of times you can cast.

Scrolls and wands are the inquisitors best friend, next to her repeating crossbow...

Shadow Lodge

Xaaon of Korvosa wrote:
Fall of Camelot is correct, known spells aren't affected by high attributes, only the number of times you can cas.

I must have read the OP completely wrong then, but this is correct.

Again, no different than the bard in terms of spells per day or spells known.

Sovereign Court

OK See I was looking at chart 2-3 not 2-4

So then if an inquisitor has a Wis of 18 they get 1 1st level bonus and 1 2nd level bonus at 4th level giving them 6-5-3 in the Known as well as 4-4-2 that they cast per day?


Not quite...
# of spells know is a static, immutable number. Every Inquisitor ever will have the same number of spells known for each level.

The Bonus spells from high wisdom could be better defined as "bonus castings" rather than spells.


Inquisitors are limited in their spell selection, but their spellcasting is not one of the primary mechanics of the class. Their strength lies in being martial combatants and 'face' characters. They can function extremely well in both ranged and melee combat, and they make great mobility characters. Their ability to control the battlefield combined with their survivability and array of tricks makes them, in my opinion, the most versatile class in the game.

A comparative example may help you understand the way ability scores effect their spellcasting ability. I have bolded the section that differs in the two examples:

Inquisitor 1, WIS 11:
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 1st)
1st (1/day) - expeditious retreat, true strike
0 (at will) - create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, light
Inquisitor 1, WIS 18:
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 1st)
1st (2/day) - expeditious retreat, true strike
0 (at will) - create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, light

Advancing both examples to 4th level gives you the following, if an Inquisitor with a Wisdom score of 11 could actually cast 2nd-level spells, of course:

Inquisitor 4, WIS 11:
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 4th)
2nd (1/day) - flames of the faithful, silence
1st (3/day) - cure light wounds, divine favor, expeditious retreat, true strike
0 (at will) - create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, light, read magic, sift
Inquisitor 4, WIS 18:
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 4th)
2nd (2/day) - flames of the faithful, silence
1st (4/day) - cure light wounds, divine favor, expeditious retreat, true strike
0 (at will) - create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, light, read magic, sift

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32, 2012 Top 4

Heaven's Agent wrote:
Inquisitors are limited in their spell selection, but their spellcasting is not one of the primary mechanics of the class. Their strength lies in being martial combatants and 'face' characters. They can function extremely well in both ranged and melee combat, and they make great mobility characters. Their ability to control the battlefield combined with their survivability and array of tricks makes them, in my opinion, the most versatile class in the game.

(Emphasis mine.)

I have to +1 this sentiment. I'm playing a very mobile inquisitor 10/fighter (cad) 1 in a Carrion Crown game and he's been very versatile since level one. He's awesome! when fighting in tandem with the party tank (fighter 11).

Liberty's Edge

Tom Qadim wrote:
Heaven's Agent wrote:
Inquisitors are limited in their spell selection, but their spellcasting is not one of the primary mechanics of the class. Their strength lies in being martial combatants and 'face' characters. They can function extremely well in both ranged and melee combat, and they make great mobility characters. Their ability to control the battlefield combined with their survivability and array of tricks makes them, in my opinion, the most versatile class in the game.

(Emphasis mine.)

I have to +1 this sentiment. I'm playing a very mobile inquisitor 10/fighter (cad) 1 in a Carrion Crown game and he's been very versatile since level one. He's awesome! when fighting in tandem with the party tank (fighter 11).

Thirded. Bard's the only real rival for versatility, and it's quite a bit worse at direct personal combat (though it does do party buffing an order of magnitude better).

There's a reason those two classes are by far my favorites in the game.

Silver Crusade

I ran a Carrion Crown campaign with 4 Inquisitors. They were devastating.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Inquistors are one of the most versatile and all-round useful classes introduced in APG. They're slightly less "magical" but more "combative" than Bards, and fill a very nice niche. Magic is, like with any partial spellcasting class, an icing on the cake, it's the other class abilities that define Inquistors.

Silver Crusade

Another thing about Inquisitors is that an awful lot of their spells are swift actions. From experience an inquisitor effectively becomes more deadly the more rounds go past.

Plus solo tactics is one of the most underrated abilities in the game. Combine that with shake it off, precise strike and outflank and you have a character that can dish out some serious mojo.

Also they get a nice selection of spells. Ear piercing scream is a decent low level damage spell (which does sonic damage and a good debuff, not to be sniffed at), invisibilty is always useful, heroism, greater magic weapon, magic vestment, keen edge and freedom of movement are great long duration buffs and burst of speed can put you in positions to utilise flanking with very little risk.

But their main overlooked ability is their access to healing magic. Not the cure line of spells but the spells that remove afflictions such as lesser restoration, restoration, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease, remove curse, remove paralysis and of course heal. These spells are important to have because without them you can have serious problems.

It's a beautifully designed class that can contribute in a bunch of different ways. I love inquisitors.

Grand Lodge

Inquisitor makes a great sneak and scout if done right.


It's also important to not that though they don't select many spells known, an inquisitor's selection of spells allows them to fill many gaps in a party's makeup. As FallofCamelot mentioned, they can fulfill the role of utility healer if a party needs it. If your group boasts a devoted cleric, you can pick up a different selection to fulfill other needs.

My inquisitor's group, for example, has a dedicated cleric in addition to a druid and paladin for support heals. I didn't need to go that route. Instead I selected spells and abilities that would allow me to be a front-line support combatant. Our rogue and paladin always need a flanking partner, so I learned expeditious retreat and picked up Mobility. Combined with Outflank and Precise Strike, I'm capable of providing my teammates with a much-needed tactical advantage while benefiting from it myself as well. I also selected spells that would increase my general defensive abilities, allowing me to keep moving during combat, draw AoO so my teammates don't have to worry about them, and rarely suffer damage in the process.

My increased movement combined with my ability to ignore defending NPCs also makes me an ideal caster killer. I don't rely on spellcasting myself, so by casting the spell on me I create a mobile field of silence, and can continually press forward against enemy spellcasters. My damage may not reach the same ceiling as my group's paladin or rogue, but I'm no slouch, either, and can usually down a devoted enemy caster without assistance.

I also use a meteor hammer, which when used in fortress style functions as a tripping weapon with reach. I love combining this with true strike to knock especially pesky enemy creature prone. I'm currently picking up the trip Feats, and I look forward to adding this to my back of tricks in the future.

This is just one way to play an inquisitor. Their versatility means members of the class can fulfill any number of roles and perform well in all of them. I hadn't though of it in the same terms, but I have to echo Deadman's sentiment; I think the inquisitor has become my overall favorite class in the game.

Dark Archive

FallofCamelot wrote:
I ran a Carrion Crown campaign with 4 Inquisitors. They were devastating.

Have you a quick rundown of their builds?


I found Inquisitors aren't all that great at ranged combat. 1st ranged combat is feat intensive and you don't get any bonus feats for ranged combat. Ranged makes solo tactics and team work feats a waste. Honestly if ranged is what you want go with a Ranger. An Inquisitor can do ranged just they can't do it as well as they do melee. An Inquisitor in melee rivals a fighter and inquisitor with Longbow is lacking compared to the fighter or ranger. If you could get Point Blank Master, then you have something. You could take snap shot as well.

Silver Crusade

Sarcastro wrote:
FallofCamelot wrote:
I ran a Carrion Crown campaign with 4 Inquisitors. They were devastating.
Have you a quick rundown of their builds?

Can't give you exact builds but we had the following:

A Dwarven Inquisitor of Iomodae. He acted as the tank and took heavy armour proficiency to maximise his AC. With buffs his AC was 40+

A Human Inquisitor of Desna. He went the heavy repeating crossbow route and concentrated on the usual archer feats. Did a lot of damage.

A Changeling Inquisitor of Milani with the Spell Killer Inquisition and the Witch Hunter Archetype. Used bane rounds to increase the DC of her spells and focussed on direct damage spells like Searing Light, Ear Piercing Scream and Chaos Hammer to soften up foes. She would occasionally get in to heal or fight as needed. She was the weakest on paper and probably the least effective overall. Of course this meant she was the only one to survive to the end :).

A Halfling Inquisitor of Sarenrae with the sin eater archetype. He was the small nimble one, using burst of speed and mobility to get into flanking positions to set up outflank and precise strike. Did respectable damage.

I also had Kendra accompany the group after book 1 to add some magical support but she was a couple of levels lower than the rest of the party and acted as a cohort.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Inquisitors and Spells All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.