What feat would benefit a Half-Orc Inquisitor in Pathfinder Society gameplay more...Combat Reflexes or Keen Scent? Can't decide between these two for my first level feat. The ability to sniff our ambushes at +8 perception is really cool, but the ability to get AOO's while flat footed is really nice as well. Any recommendations?
To me, I have found PFS is more combat less roleplay/intreague/etc. Combat reflexes, then, would more likely be useful, unless you want to combine keen scent with something like blind fight, maybe dropping darkness and hunting in the dark.
It really depends on the GM. The thing is, you are usually playing with strangers in PFS, as opposed to your buddies around the table in a home game, so most people are less open to flex their creative muscle.
Maybe we did it wrong, but I half a HO Inquisitor with SCENT too and it came in pretty handy to "sniff-out" that damn invisible ghost.
(DM judged that ghosts actually do have a scent - ozon)
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You cannot be evil, but there is no restriction on gods you worship.
Ashava is CG, and has the Darkness Domain.
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Desna is the God. So I guess there is an argument for both feats then, combat reflexes being less dependant on the GM's creativeness correct? I have only plated 2 PFS scenarios, but how often do you find yourself tracking in those games?
This is just from my opinion from experience and it may be limited, but I have played in 16 PFS scenarios and ran 2 and have not come accross where tracking was a benefit. Actually three different GM's I gamed with in different scenarios told me not to worry about it. But Scent is really beneficial though, I would not pass it up.
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SurpriseWhen a combat starts, if you are not aware of your opponents and they are aware of you, you're surprised.
Determining AwarenessSometimes all the combatants on a side are aware of their opponents, sometimes none are, and sometimes only some of them are. Sometimes a few combatants on each side are aware and the other combatants on each side are unaware.
Determining awareness may call for Perception checks or other checks.
The Surprise RoundIf some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard or move action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no surprise round occurs.
Unaware CombatantsCombatants who are unaware at the start of battle don't get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not acted yet, so they lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
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He's a half-orc. He has Darkvision.
Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty.
Also note that while catching the ambush lets you act in the surprise round, you are still flat-footed until you act. Combat Reflexes doesn't change that, it just lets you take AoO while flat-footed. As far as I know, the only ability that completely negates being flat-footed is Uncanny Dodge.