|
I threw this investigator together for PFS play, please give me advice on ways to make it better. Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place.
Half-Elf Investigator (Empiricist) 1
NG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +2 (1d6+2/18-20)
Ranged sling +2 (1d4+2)
Investigator (Empiricist) Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4):
1st—keen senses{super}APG{/super} (DC 14), shield
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Sharp Senses[APG], Skill Focus (Disable Device)
Traits elven reflexes, resilient
Skills Bluff +4, Craft (alchemy) +7 (+8 to create alchemical items), Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +9, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +9, Sense Motive +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Languages Common, Elven, Jistka, Osiriani, Varisian
SQ alchemy, elf blood, inspiration, trapfinding +1
Combat Gear sharpstone sling bullets (10); Other Gear studded leather, rapier, sling, sling bullets (10), backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, formula book, ink, black, inkpen, mess kit, parchment (10), pot, scroll case, sealing wax, soap, thieves' tools, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 29 gp, 9 sp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Alchemy +1 (Su) +1 to Craft (Alchemy) to create alchemical items, can Id potions by touch.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Inspiration (+1d6, 3/day) (Ex) Use 1 point, +1d6 to trained skill or ability check. Use 2 points, to add to attack or save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Trapfinding +1 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
|
Your character lacks focus. If you focus just a bit more you can manage to be a lot better mechanically.
For example, if you buy Student of Philosophy instead of one of your existing Traits, you can drop Cha to 7 with no real loss to you mechanically after 1st level (and little loss even at 1st...you're worse at gathering information and feinting, but better at the social stuff, and you get the gathering info back at 2nd level), you can then drop Con to 12, and raise either Int to 18, or (mechanically better) whichever of Dex and Str you'll be using for combat to 16. Me, I'd go Str 16.
Additionally, Sharp Senses is a terrible Feat, and you'd be well advised to grab something else. Personally, I'd go with Medium Armor Proficiency if going with Str and Weapon Finesse if going Dex.
Finally, I might be inclined to swap out your Skill Focus for Dual Minded. That'd let you easily drop Wis to 10 (since all it gets you is a +1 to certain skills at 1st level only, and then +1 Will Saves) and use those points to buy one of your 16s to a 17. You'll be less superb at Disable Device, but +6 is good enough for 1st level (specially when it jumps to +8 at 2nd).
Keen senses isn't a feat. It's a half elf racial trait, or a spell from the APG.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Your character lacks focus. If you focus just a bit more you can manage to be a lot better mechanically.
For example, if you buy Student of Philosophy instead of one of your existing Traits, you can drop Cha to 7...
I really don't like dropping a stat to 7 unless I can come up with a reason for it that fits the character, not just for mechanics. Any ideas for a reason for an empiricist to have that low of a Charisma? Here's the description of the archetype for some help.
<i>Champions of deductive reasoning and logical insight,
empiricists put their faith in facts, data, confirmed
observations, and consistently repeatable experiments—
these things are their currency of truth.</i>
Ah, ok.
Yeah that's a pretty terrible feat.
Go with Skill focus (perception) instead. If you really want a boost to Perception.
I would personally change some of your ability scores, they seem a bit spread out. STR and DEX both at 14 is a 10 point investment, I would rather go 10 STR and 16 DEX (with weapon finesse), but that's me. I love finesse builds. Better AC, chance to hit and better ranged to hit.
And for the cost of a feat and slightly lower damage (but since you'll hit more often, the damage part is lesser).
I really don't like dropping a stat to 7 unless I can come up with a reason for it that fits the character, not just for mechanics. Any ideas for a reason for an empiricist to have that low of a Charisma? Here's the description of the archetype for some help.
<i>Champions of deductive reasoning and logical insight,
empiricists put their faith in facts, data, confirmed
observations, and consistently repeatable experiments—
these things are their currency of truth.</i>
That doesn't mean he can't be socially awkward.
Just look at Benedict Cumberbatch and his interpretation of Sherlock Holmes (THE empirist investigator). He's not exactly charming, he's inconsiderate, hurts people's feelings on a regular basis.
That being said, I'm not really a fan of stat dumping either, unless it's a character trait I want to explore.
If you haven't seen Sherlock, go see it. It's a great series, and an exellent source of inspiriation for an investigator character.
|
|
I really don't like dropping a stat to 7 unless I can come up with a reason for it that fits the character, not just for mechanics. Any ideas for a reason for an empiricist to have that low of a Charisma? Here's the description of the archetype for some help.
Be Sherlock Holmes.
No, seriously, with Student of Philosophy you can be persuasive and charming when you like...you're just kind of a dick (or at least unlikable) otherwise. That's Holmes in a nutshell, especially if you go with interpretation on the BBC's Sherlock.
Alternately (or additionally, though that's probably redundant given that most depictions of Holmes fall under this category in addition to being a bit of an ass) just assume your character has Aspergers syndrome or some other form of high functioning autism. Student of Philosophy plus Empiricist plus low Charisma does an excellent job of reflecting someone like that with no natural gift for human social interaction who's overcome that issue with logic and intellect. Going this route, you can actually also be a nice guy, which is a plus.
EDIT: Semi-ninja'd. Ah, well, the Aspergers stuff is still relevant.
