Halfling mounted inquisitor

[Zedorland]

Hi all.

I've been trying to make a halfling inquisitor work for pfs, with a whole bunch of restrictions and requirements on myself. I present it below for your critique.

Str 16(14)
Dex 12 (14)
Con 14
Int 12
Wiz 14
Cha 7(9)

Inquisition - chivalry for a wolf mount (full level)

Sanctified slayer archetype for bonus to attack and damage over the variable uses of the judgement. The +1 to stkatcks dnd damage is better than the +1 to either for the fiest few levels, and can be used infinite times per day. Also sneak attack.

Animal companion with the bodyguard archetype, combined with solo tactics and look out teamwork feat at 3 means I always act in the suprise round, as does my mount. Allows for buffing in the first round.

I am using the chivalry domain over the sacred huntmaster to conserve bane, which is super powerful and handy to have to up my damage.

Traits- fates favoured to combo with divine favour , reactionary

For feats I am not sure. I could go weapon finesse and tweak the stats to get a higher dex, and probably precise strike for extra damage, using the wolfs movement to get the flanking. Possibly also overwhelm to flank large or larger opponents. Along with the sneak attack granted by the archetype, I can stack up some substantial alternate damage sources.

My mount would grab bodyguard and combat reflexes to up my ac, and stay medium, focusing on mobility and defense rather than offense. I've got a hunter with a large wolf focusing on tearing opponents apart, and I would rather avoid that this time.

I am also not super keen to focus too much on charging with a lance. I would need to burn a feat on proficiency, and even then I would need mounted combat and spirited charge to make it worthwhile. I see most of the damage for this build coming from bonus die that wouldn't be multiplied, so I figure it's easier to go elsewhere.

Instead I could grab a Heavy shield and long sword, and focus on sneak attacking and bane for bonus damage.

So, if anyone has any ideas for feats, or anything else, please sound off. Cheers.

[Ascalaphus]

Sacred Huntsmaster doesn't lose Bane. And it's Huntsmaster Tactics feature is really just too good to pass up.

[Zedorland]

Right, I meant judgement. Without a scaling source of accuracy I think the inquisitor could end up falling pretty far behind in the to hit. Also, it just end up looking too much like my hunter.

[Imbicatus]

Zedorland wrote:

Right, I meant judgement. Without a scaling source of accuracy I think the inquisitor could end up falling pretty far behind in the to hit. Also, it just end up looking too much like my hunter.

Sacred Huntmaster has a scaling accuracy booster in Animal Focus, but they also have an always on +4 to hit from outflank and pack flanking. You can also use your domain/inquisition on something useful since the companion is already there.

You have a point about hunter similarity, but Sacred Huntmaster is the most powerful inquisitor build you can make.

[Zedorland]

Yeah, I totally agree that sacred huntmaster is stronger and easier, but I want to avoid it. I can still get the outflank/pack flanking with the chivalry option, if need be, but the requirements are steep, especially considering that outflank isn't a bonus feat like it is for hunters.

Long story short, I have a hunter, And while I acknowledge that sacred huntmaster may be the best option, it simply comes to close to what I already have going for my hunter,.

[Cleru]

You should get Pack Flanking anyway since it help you pull Sneak Attack off reliably.

And now you makes me want to theorycraft a way to pull Archery Sneak Attacks off via Pack Flanking... Maybe choosing Ranger Combat style at level 8 and Extra Slayer Talent for Point Blank Master at level 9? Wearing Armor Spike/Gauntlet would let you threatening adjacent square right while wielding bow right?

[cnetarian]

although it is cookie cutter, I'd consider going the scimitar/dervish dancer route and lowering the strength to 13 while increasing dexterity to 16.

[Rodinia]

cnetarian wrote:

although it is cookie cutter, I'd consider going the scimitar/dervish dancer route and lowering the strength to 13 while increasing dexterity to 16.

Why? That combat approach will contribute little in this case, at the cost of a precious feat.

With just 14 STR and no Dervish Dance, two handing a longsword attacks at +2 for 1d8+3 HP, average 7.5 HP.

With reduced strength, DEX 16, and a feat spent on Dervish Dance, you attack with a scimitar at +3 for 1d6+3 = 6.5 HP. So +1 to hit for -1 damage, at the cost of a feat. You'd do better with the weak Weapon Focus feat, which at least gives a straight up +1 to hit. You do free up a hand for a shield, but at the cost of never using Power Attack.

If you instead just took the Power Attack feat, keep STR at 14, and keep two-handing that longsword, you attack at +1 for 1d8+6 = 10.5 HP average. Power Attack gives -1 to hit for +3 damage, which is usually a good trade.

[cnetarian]

Rodinia wrote:

cnetarian wrote:

although it is cookie cutter, I'd consider going the scimitar/dervish dancer route and lowering the strength to 13 while increasing dexterity to 16.

Why? That combat approach will contribute little in this case, at the cost of a precious feat.

With just 14 STR and no Dervish Dance, two handing a longsword attacks at +2 for 1d8+3 HP, average 7.5 HP.

With reduced strength, DEX 16, and a feat spent on Dervish Dance, you attack with a scimitar at +3 for 1d6+3 = 6.5 HP. So +1 to hit for -1 damage, at the cost of a feat. You'd do better with the weak Weapon Focus feat, which at least gives a straight up +1 to hit. You do free up a hand for a shield, but at the cost of never using Power Attack.

If you instead just took the Power Attack feat, keep STR at 14, and keep two-handing that longsword, you attack at +1 for 1d8+6 = 10.5 HP average. Power Attack gives -1 to hit for +3 damage, which is usually a good trade.

sotto voce: you would also get +1 AC and +1 to the weakest save for inquisitors. however shield is not an option with dervish dance.

The problem with PA for this build starts with the inquisitor being a 3/4th BAB class. 3/4th BAB classes have to watch hit chance closely to be able to land hits at all before worrying about the damage done. When the damage bonuses from bane and sneak attack (flanking) are added in, a character like this will likely see a drop in damage done (DPR) when using PA because of the loss of hit chance, even with the flanking & other ally bonuses to hit. This isn't necessarily true but is worth crunching the numbers on (consider it, crunch the numbers and see what the result is), and weapon finesse alone might be enough to increase hit chance - but the more bonuses to damage a build has the more important it is to make sure as many attacks as possible hit.

[Zedorland]

Overwhelm allows flanking like pack flanking, but with fewer prerequisites, which is nice.

I don't want to stack on any attack penalties, and given I won't be two handing, and don't have full bab, I don't think PA is worthwhile. I might pick up risky striker at level five insteD for some bonus damage that scales.

Damage would be as follows-

D6 (long sword, granted by worshiping iomedae) +2 Str + 2 divine favour + 1 from studied target for d6 +5 at level 1, as well as the wolf attacks.

By level 7, thinks are looking quite a bit better though. Ignoring the wolf, as I will be building him for defense.

D6 wepon +2d6 sneak attack +2d6 bane +d6 precise strike + 3 divine favour +2 studied target +3 Str + 1 for a magic weapon for a total of 6d6 + 9. Avg 30dmg.

[Imbicatus]

Zedorland wrote:

Overwhelm allows flanking like pack flanking, but with fewer prerequisites, which is nice.

Overwhelm is only vs creatures two size categories larger than you and your ally, making it useless for most PFS encounters.

Since your mount is medium, you are only getting the bonus against huge creatures.

[cnetarian]

I don't see enough upside to avoiding pack flanking if you intend to stay mounted in combat, yes it requires raising int to 13 and the combat expertise feat but the sneak attack damage needs the flanking.

[Zedorland]

Ah, missed that overwhelm was the larger of the two of you. Bugga

I guess then my feats could go
1) combat expertise
3) pack flanking
3b) lookout
5) precise strike
6b) outflank
7) risky striker

Gives accuracy and damage, which is nice, and works very well with the mount. Also looks quite similar to hunter feats, but I guess that's just how animal companion builds go.

[Fosco Overhill]

I appreciate you're staying away from the Cavalier route. It does take a lot of feats, and takes away the specialness of the Inquisitor.
Nothing much to add (I find Inquisitors incredibly hard to pin down), but if you choose Fate's Favoured, also look into the Adaptable Luck alternate traits. I took Adaptable Luck for my Halfling, and it's great. I only found out recently about the interaction with Fate's Favoured, and I'm still sad I didn't take that trait. This combination would mean that three times per day, you can call for a +4 bonus on a roll, or a +2 retroactive bonus.