Black Powder Inquisitor

[ArkthePieKing]

Ahoy all! I'm helping to build an Inquisitor for my girlfriend, and we were looking through the guide and the Black Powder inquisition is listed as a red option. Now I don't know a ton about the game, though I am an old 3.5e vet. What makes that option so subpar? Are firearms just that bad? If so, why? Assuming she wants to keep it for fluff reasons, what feats or whatnot would you take to make it less terrible?

The help would be appreciated!!!

[Ciaran Barnes]

I only see a granted power, so if you are looking at something else I can't comment on that. Sure, it has unlimited use, but a saving throw that leads to a conditional -4 seems pretty situational. The spellcaster could simply not move to where he won't have to make a concentration check, or not cast that round. A better granted power has a more concrete, game affecting ability or at least a static one. Also, as you advance in level, the reload time is going to seriously affect your ability to use the full-attack action. This doesn't grant you any way to load a firearm more quickly.

[Daenar]

Craft alchemy 1 rank, pistol with alchemical cartridges, rapid reload. Have mending spell prepared for removing broken condition on misfires. Sub par? Yeah. Doable, I think so.

[Vaellen]

Firearms pretty much suck unless you have at least 1 level of gunslinger and really you need 5 for it to work out well (Dex to Damage). I would take a good domain or Inquisition and then dip 1 level of gunslinger if you are set on using guns.

[ArkthePieKing]

Ah. Yeah, the Dex to damage hurts a lot. Or I guess I should say the lack of Dex doesn't hurt enough lol.

I'll talk to her about it. Doing literally half the damage of a bow user is a problem. She's not a min/maxer, and neither am I, but she does enjoy being effective and this will absolutely take away from her effectiveness. I didn't realize Firearms didn't get Dex to damage. That's...pretty awful.

[Suma3da]

If she's more into gunplay than spells, you two may want to take a look at the Shield Marshal prestige class from Paths of Prestige. It was mainly designed as a way for Gunslinger's to pick up some of Inquisitor's toys.

[nate lange]

i wouldn't be too quick to dismiss this option...
yes, you will miss the Dex to damage that gunslingers get but don't forget that inquisitors can use the destruction judgment and the bane ability to bump their damage up and the fact that most of your attack rolls will go off against touch AC really mitigates the damage of only having a 3/4 BAB.

in addition to the rapid reload+alchemical cartridges+1hand firearm combo mentioned above, deadly aim is a great choice to up your damage.

[ArkthePieKing]

Woof. But those are so...expensive. And so are firearms. She was wanting to do an Annie Oakley style riflewoman, but for the church. She liked the idea of being an investigator for the church, but man, 12gp for every shot fired. Even 6gp a pop is wallet murdering. Plus it would be a long while before she can afford the 5,000gp rifle. I didn't realize this stuff was so...out of budget. We're starting at level 1. And it doesn't seem nearly worth the investment. Before she knew guns were a thing she wanted to use a shortbow. I imagine after this she'll go back to wanting that.

[Ciaran Barnes]

She can still use melee weapons in conjunction with the firearm. I had a gunslinger in my last group. We played from levels 1 to 10, and for the first few levels he occasionally switched to his axe any time it made sense to do so. She could do the same. Another alternative is a paladin, which has a firearm archetype. Is she more interested in the firearm aspect of the character, or the inquisitor//divine caster aspect?

[Imbicatus]

Inquisitor has Abundant Ammunition as a class spell, that really helps mitigate the GP cost of Firearms.

[Doug OBrien]

Imbicatus wrote:

Inquisitor has Abundant Ammunition as a class spell, that really helps mitigate the GP cost of Firearms.

Did this get FAQed/errataed? Not close to my books, but I remember asking why it wasn't on their spell list previously, and currently it's not listed as on their spell list in either D20pfsrd or the archives.

Almost certain I recall being annoyed it wasn't on their list and possibly even posting a question about it.

[ArkthePieKing]

Wow, the paladin build gets so much more in terms of gunpower. It's ridiculous. Still no gunslinger, but certainly better. Still, she wants to be an Inquisitor because she liked the holy investigator idea. The literal hunt part of huntering down her enemies, and the inquisitor gets some neat stuff in that regard.

She wanted to play an Inquisitor, and then saw the black powder option and decided that would be cool. It's absolutely Inquisitor first, guns second. Her original idea was to use a short bow.

[blackbloodtroll]

Inquisitor of Cixyron?

[ArkthePieKing]

She'd never go for it. Plus she does work for a church of [x] good god in Forgotton Realms (we know jack all about the lore in FR), but she wants it to be a good god, that much is for certain.

[Imbicatus]

Doug OBrien wrote:

Imbicatus wrote:

Inquisitor has Abundant Ammunition as a class spell, that really helps mitigate the GP cost of Firearms.

Did this get FAQed/errataed? Not close to my books, but I remember asking why it wasn't on their spell list previously, and currently it's not listed as on their spell list in either D20pfsrd or the archives.

Almost certain I recall being annoyed it wasn't on their list and possibly even posting a question about it.

Actually, no, I was in error. Mea Culpa. That's what I get for going from memory.

[nate lange]

she could start with one level of gunslinger- that grants gun proficiency, gunsmith feat, and a free gun, plus a Wis based grit pool. it also saves you your domain to spend on something else. you could level straight inquisitor from there.