Sleuth Investigator with a swashbuckler dip - Advice?

[Umbranus]

I'm thinking about how to build a sleuth/swashbuckler with main focus on the investigator part. The PB is 15 and core races are preferred (but not mandatory). Total level is 9th.

For a human I'd take a PB like this, but I'm not at all set on human:
STR: 10 DEX: 14 CON: 12 INT: 16 WIS: 8 CHA: 14

As a swashbuckler archetype the inspired blade would be an option, giving me both int and cha to panache.

[Umbranus]

Feats are nice and all but so is dark vision. And as long as I nobody convinces me otherwise I'll go half-orc.

Half-Orc Investigator:

Swashbuckler (inspired blade) 3/ Investigator (sleuth/empiricist) 6
Sacred tattoo, city raised

STR: 8 DEX: 16 CON: 12 INT: 15 WIS: 8 CHA: 14
First I wanted to switch int and dex but I'm not so sure now.

Inspiration: 5
Panache + Luck: 6
Feats:
B: Inspired finesse, weapon focus (rapier)
1: Fencing grace
3: Extra investigator talent
5:
7:
9:

Investigator talents:
- Expanded inspiration
- Quick study
- Sapping offensive

[Umbranus]

Optional feats:
- Battle cry
- combat reflexes
- Splintering weapon
- Quickdraw
- Extra inspiration

Interesting equip:
- Cloak of the sneaky scoundrel
- Plume of panache

[Deadmanwalking]

Why are you going Sleuth? It's basically just flat-out awful for most purposes, and certainly miles worse than a standard Investigator.

[Umbranus]

Because the group I build this for gives different pointbuy depending on the amount of spell levels you get. No spells to 4th level gets 15, up to 6th gets 10 and 9th gets 10 with an additional penalty.
I do not like the rule but before I start arguing, I'll build a mundane guy.
Sure per RAW alchemy isn't spells but they are close enough to be treated like it.

[Deadmanwalking]

Umbranus wrote:

Because the group I build this for gives different pointbuy depending on the amount of spell levels you get. No spells to 4th level gets 15, up to 6th gets 10 and 9th gets 10 with an additional penalty.

I do not like the rule but before I start arguing, I'll build a mundane guy.
Sure per RAW alchemy isn't spells but they are close enough to be treated like it.

Ouch. I'd be very tempted to go standard Investigator even so. With Empiricist (and the Student of Philosophy Trait), you can ditch Cha entirely, and still have decent Panache via a level of Inspired Blade:

Str 8 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 16 Wis 9 Cha 7

That'll give you 4 Panache (due to getting a minimum of 1 from Cha) and really quite good skills in general by level 3. You'd lose out on Charmed Life, but basically nothing else...and could drop down to only 1 level of Swashbuckler and keep almost full Investigator 'spell' progression.

[Umbranus]

Could work. I'd get a little less damage without using inspiration because I lose precise strike but I have alchemy and I have more options for talents. Sadly not combat inspiration yet. Which is really nice with an inspired weapon.

Thanks for the advice.