So, I'm new to the Inquisitor. In fact, no one in my group has ever run one. But we recently started running Carrion Crown and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to play a Kinslayer/Infiltrator Dhampir Inquisitor.
I've had a lot of fun so far, and I've loved the diverse playstyle of the class, but I have absolutely no idea what I should be spending feats on. So far (level 3), I've been using feats to improve my ranged attacks with my Heavy Repeating Crossbow (Point-Blank Shot and Rapid Shot). But I don't know if I should begin focusing on my longsword as well (follower of Iomedae) or what in the world I should do.
I honestly have no idea what I should be focusing on.
You kind of need to pick--archer or melee beatstick are the most common choices.
If you go Archer, you want PB Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Deadly Aim, and Clustered Shots as soon as possible. Weapon Focus is nice, too. Oh, and use a Composite Longbow--adding your Strength to damage is crucial.
If you go for melee, you pretty much just need Power Attack and a big weapon. You'll probably want some general survival feats (like Toughness) and some maneuverability feats like the Step Up chain, too, but Power Attack is all that's really critical.
Focused Aim, Deadly Aim, extended bane, guided hand if you qualify(wisdom instead of strength to attack w/longsword).
I started typing out all the options, then I remembered we have
Click that link, scroll down to the "Nobody Expects a Guide to the Inquisitor" post, click that link and:
BEHOLD!!!!!!
A plethora of informations waiting to be read!!!!
(it is just. that. glorious. Like twin-rainbows glorious. Srsly)
You kind of need to pick--archer or melee beatstick are the most common choices.
If you go Archer, you want PB Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, and Clustered Shots as soon as possible. Weapon Focus is nice, too. Oh, and use a Composite Longbow--adding your Strength to damage is crucial.
If you go for melee, you pretty much just need Power Attack and a big weapon. You'll probably want some general survival feats (like Toughness) and some maneuverability feats like the Step Up chain, too, but Power Attack is all that's really critical.
I've been basically switch hitting between my darkwood heavy repeating crossbow and my magically hardened viridium longsword.
I chose the heavy repeating crossbow because it does 1d10 (+1 PB Shot) and my STR is only +2, so I could essentially only do 1d8+2 with a composite longbow.
Focused Aim, Deadly Aim, extended bane, guided hand if you qualify(wisdom instead of strength to attack w/longsword).
I don't have channeling or channel smite for the Guided Hand pre-req. Extended Bane is a great idea when I hit level 5.
Is there anything besides Focused Shot that adds damage to crossbows?
I started typing out all the options, then I remembered we have
Click that link, scroll down to the "Nobody Expects a Guide to the Inquisitor" post, click that link and:
BEHOLD!!!!!!
A plethora of informations waiting to be read!!!!
(it is just. that. glorious. Like twin-rainbows glorious. Srsly)
I've used the guides before, but I didn't think to look at the Inquisitor guide until after I had created the character. So, I'm basically trying to figure out what root to take now. Inquisitors have so few feats, I probably shouldn't attempt to switch hit, so I guess I need to focus on casting and ranged attacks.
Here are my stats, if it helps:
STR 14, DEX 17, CON 12, INT 13, WIS 17, CHA 16
RACE: Dhampir
CLASS: Inquisitor - Infiltrator/Kinslayer
DOMAIN: Sun (Light)
WEAPONS: Darkwood Repeating Heavy Crossbow and Magically Strengthened Viridium Longsword.
Honestly, switch-hitting still isn't the worst idea - there's a lot of good synergy to be had with your teamwork feats (that can be swapped around as a swift action, mind you) and grabbing a big ol' weapon can still do quite well with just Power Attack.
I'm also a huge fan of the intimidation feat chains for Inquisitors - they're so good at scaring people, why not maximize it?
A 40 point point-buy?!
A 40 point point-buy?!
probably rolled
A 40 point point-buy?!probably rolled
Yeah, we rolled and I got decent scores.
Honestly, switch-hitting still isn't the worst idea - there's a lot of good synergy to be had with your teamwork feats (that can be swapped around as a swift action, mind you) and grabbing a big ol' weapon can still do quite well with just Power Attack.
I'm also a huge fan of the intimidation feat chains for Inquisitors - they're so good at scaring people, why not maximize it?
I actually don't have any teamwork feats yet. Kinslayer's Greater Brands replace them, and I wanted to be able to use my brand at range.
However, I like the idea of picking up Power Attack and at least one teamwork feat (so I can use all of them). Then I would be able to capitalize on my domain powers' radiuses, help the rogue flank, and help the paladin absorb some damage. It wouldn't cost me much either.
My intimidate is already pretty decent because of my high charisma and the 3 ranks I put into it.
Sidestory:
I hate rolling, but the group I joined recently did so. I rolled really high (effectively 38 point buy) and felt uncomfortable with it for fear this new group I barely knew would think I cheated, so I lied and dropped a couple of my numbers down.
Then I got there and found 6 of the other 7 players had effecitve point buys of 34+ (one had 48!), while the last guy had 14. He died in two sessions, made a new character, and ended up with 45 point buy equivalent.
I hate rolling (not that I like Point Buy either, I prefer arrays), but it certainly seems to make for powerful characters.
Dhampir Inquisitor with the Sun subdomain? I giggled.
I built an Oni-Spawn Tiefling Inquisitor yesterday, and honestly could not think of what level 1 feat to give him as a melee character, because he didn't meet the BAB requirements for Power Attack or Weapon Focus.
So I gave him Toughness. That's probably not all that helpful for you if you intend to focus on fighting from range, though.
For now id say stick with the xbow, but when u get high enough level to take advantage of str belt, the comp lb will out pace it.. With that said i would wait for weapon focus till you switch to comp lb.. Or i suppose u could always go the xbow master route if u never plan on increasing ur str.. extra bane is nice after 5th.. the other archery staple have already been listed, deadly aim, precise shot, manyshot, clustered shots, improved precise shot etc..
Sidestory:
I hate rolling, but the group I joined recently did so. I rolled really high (effectively 38 point buy) and felt uncomfortable with it for fear this new group I barely knew would think I cheated, so I lied and dropped a couple of my numbers down.
Then I got there and found 6 of the other 7 players had effecitve point buys of 34+ (one had 48!), while the last guy had 14. He died in two sessions, made a new character, and ended up with 45 point buy equivalent.
I hate rolling (not that I like Point Buy either, I prefer arrays), but it certainly seems to make for powerful characters.
We have several DMs in our group. Some do 20-25 point buys, one prefers traditional rolls, and our current DM prefers the modern roll.
That's the thing about rolling - it's random. You can be ungodly powerful or incredibly weak or anywhere in-between. You have to take what you get, but it can often help me decide what class/race to play.
Dhampir Inquisitor with the Sun subdomain? I giggled.
I built an Oni-Spawn Tiefling Inquisitor yesterday, and honestly could not think of what level 1 feat to give him as a melee character, because he didn't meet the BAB requirements for Power Attack or Weapon Focus.
So I gave him Toughness. That's probably not all that helpful for you if you intend to focus on fighting from range, though.
A little background: His mother was on a walk with her husband and bitten by a vampire. A paladin of Iomedae found her and drove the vampire off, but never found the husband she kept screaming about (left some ambiguity for my DM to play with). The shock sent her into premature labor and the head priest at the temple of Iomedae delivered the baby while using light spells to hopefully "cure the evil" in the child. So, the character was Dayborn (immune to light blindness), born with a scar resembling the symbol of Iomedae, and raised in the temple to hunt the evils that his lineage represents and eradicate the Whispering Way.
A little background: His mother was on a walk with her husband and bitten by a vampire. A paladin of Iomedae found her and drove the vampire off, but never found the husband she kept screaming about (left some ambiguity for my DM to play with). The shock sent her into premature labor and the head priest at the temple of Iomedae delivered the baby while using light spells to hopefully "cure the evil" in the child. So, the character was Dayborn (immune to light blindness), born with a scar resembling the symbol of Iomedae, and raised in the temple to hunt the evils that his lineage represents and eradicate the Whispering Way.
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First always get precise shot over rapid shot if you actually fight in combat with your friends, or get ready to charge in with them when they get too close with a sword. Nothing makes team mates angrier then getting hit by a friendly arrow. "That is only if your DM knows about those rules, otherwise keep on double tapping :D"
I was always under the impression that an Inquisitor's main source of damage came from bane.
So your + makes up for any negatives power attack/deadly aim/what ever the dex melee version of power attack was.
Inquisitor had some nice spells that can help out in situations that you engage in melee combat, like the bow to staff, or just carry a greatsword. I always went with greatsword power attack bane, and longbow rapidshot tree for range.
buckler can be useful.
Consider getting the animal domain. Since you don't have to worry about getting the awful spells. having a bear or wolf follow you around with boon companion would be great for hunting evil.
Although the other domains are half bad, even if you don't consider the lack of domain spells.
You have a pretty decent strength score. A 14! thats +2 with a comp long bow. If you can, ask the dm if you can switch point blank shot for longbows, "if he is aware that you need to be specific most DMs don't know or care".
Do the math 1d10+1 vs 1d8+3. that is a min of 4 and a max of 11 vs a min of 2 and a max of 11, my average the long bow will always be doing more damage.
You are already fear starved, do you really need to waste a feat on rapid reload? You don't need rapid reload if you use a longbow.
If you don't carry a shield around. "Think about getting a buckler". Two-handing your longsword will give you 1d8 + 3 damage. Replace rapid-reload for power-attack, That is 1d8 + 6 damage at level 1. Think about getting a greatsword to make that 2d6 + 6, and at level 5, 4d6 +9 when you get bane, and your bane would cancel out the negatives of your attack rolls.
Although that is for later levels. Since you are going range, which is not a bad choice. I would completely recommend longbow point blank shot, precise shot "if your DM understand melee combat rules, your party will love you for NOT HITTING THEM in melee combat", and rapidshot by level 5.
Rapidshot, and level 5 inquisitor bane at level 5 means 2d8+ 2d6 + 6, giving you a 8 min damage, 22 average damage and 36 max damage. Your average monster has about 55 health at that level, and there is a group of you.
AND THAT IS WITHOUT USING YOUR LOVELY SPELLS AS AN INQUISITOR.
At level 7 manyshot, level 9 deadly aim. However, don't simply just think you will never get in melee combat.
A few nice teamwork feats, go ahead and read them all, since "you can use them all" technically.