Help with Inquisitor (Sanctified Slayer) Sword & Shield

[Kasoh]

So, I'm building an Inquisitor for a Curse of the Crimson Throne game I'm going to be in shortly and I liked the sanctified slayer archetype, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Rather than try to work shield bashing into the build, I decided that I would be a more cautious sort, higher AC and would wait for the 'right moment' to deal good damage, IE, sneak attack. If I can get flanking often then it shouldn't be a big problem, but if the positioning is not happening, then Dirty Trick should either blind them so I can sneak attacks or prevent full attacks as they remove the condition. Also, I can play off the blinding as light from the shield for the real Iomedaen experience.

But, the Inquisitor is a 3/4 Bab chassis and Dirty Trick isn't usually a weapon based maneuver, so I wonder if I'm not investing heavily enough in it. I have a trait open and the only feats I know I'll take is Disciple of the Sword, a sacrifice I'm making for theme.

We're using the Unchained Automatic Bonus Progression, so I don't know how that will affect gearing up, but there's the Wayfinder and Dusty Rose Ioun Stone and Gauntlets of the skilled maneuver that I know of.

Domain or Inquisition, I was looking at Valor Inquisition to be immune to fear eventually.

I haven't looked at spell selection yet either.

what I know about the other party members is Gunslinger, Sorcerer (Harrowed Bloodline), Bard (Archaeologist), Druid (Urban), and maybe a barbarian.

Human Inquisitor (Sanctified Slayer) of Iomedae

Str 16 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 12 Wis 14, Cha 11

Trait: Fates favored and Open

1 Power Attack
H Weapon Focus
3 Dirty Fighting
3T Precise Strike
5 Disciple of the Sword
6T Outflank
7 Improved Dirty Trick
8 (Ranger Combat Style) Shield Focus
9 Greater Dirty Trick
9T Coordinated Maneuver

[FelwynGD]

Fates Favored, Threatening Defender
Conversion Domain
H- Combat Expertise
1- WF Longsword
3 Improved Feint
3T- Precise Strike
5- Disciple of the Sword
6T- Outflank
7- Swordplay Style
8 Slayer Talent- Rogue Talent- Combat Trick- Power Attack
9- Swordplay upset
9T- Intercept Charge

Utilizing sword play style, this build will let you get sneaks in because you can feint them when the miss you with a melee attack. You should have good ac due to the combat expertise bonus (penalty reduced by threatening defender) and the swordplay style feat. You are still getting a shield bonus to AC but you can also use you long sword 2 handed for 1.5 STR and the PA boost. With the accuracy boosts from Divine Favor, Studied Target you should be able to hit ok. Conversion domain has a pretty cool 8th level power but also lets you use your wisdom for bluff so you can feint with ease.

[Kasoh]

FelwynGD wrote:

Utilizing sword play style, this build will let you get sneaks in because you can feint them when the miss you with a melee attack. You should have good ac due to the combat expertise bonus (penalty reduced by threatening defender) and the swordplay style feat. You are still getting a shield bonus to AC but you can also use you long sword 2 handed for 1.5 STR and the PA boost. With the accuracy boosts from Divine Favor, Studied Target you should be able to hit ok. Conversion domain has a pretty cool 8th level power but also lets you use your wisdom for bluff so you can feint with ease.

Thanks. That's an interesting build. I usually overlook combat expertise. I'll have to read up on that.

[FelwynGD]

Regarding your original build. I think you can dirty trick without an issue. Gauntlets of peerless maneuver and Wayfinder should get you all you need, especially if you are flanking with dirty fighting

Another way to get sneak attack reliably is the Circling Mongoose +Canny Tumble Combo. It is feat intensive but really good at getting those sneak attacks! It also would combo really well with your precise strike+Outflank teamwork feats.

H Dodge
1- Mobility
3- WF Longsword
3T- Precise Strike
5- Disciple of the Sword
6T- Outflank
7- Spring Attack
8- Slayer Talent- Rogue Talent- Combat trick- Canny Tumble
9- Circling Mongoose
9T- Intercept Charge

No power attack on this build but if you want power attack, remove WF and grab it and replace the Disciple of the sword with Extra bane or Accomplished Sneak attacker for an extra D6. Now you can dance around someone and count as flanking (with yourself, hello outflank and precise strike). Damage will be good because of Sneak Attack+ Studied Target+ Bane+ Weapon Spec (From DotS)

You Are looking at 1d8 (LongSword)+2d6 (Bane) +2d6 (Sneak) +1d6 (Precise) +9 (STR +Bane+Dots+Studied Target)= 1d8+5d6+9

Attack Bonus
6(BAB)+ 3(STR)+1(WF)+2(BANE)+2(STUDIED TARGET)+4(OUTFLANK)+2(CANNY TUMBLE) = +20/+15

This is not including the bumps you will get from Divine Favor, inherent bonuses or higher stats.

[Zedorland]

My favoured build for a sanctified slayer with sword and board is pack flanking with the chivalry inquisition. Iomedae has access to the chivalry inquisition, granting you access to a mount from level 1. With solo tactics and pack flanking, from level 3 (lvl 1 Combat expertise, level 3 pack flanking) you can have flanking at all times whilst riding your mount, guaranteeing sneak attack. I like Halfling for a medium sized wolf mount personally. Grab outflank at inquisitor 6 and precise strike at inquisitor 3 for additional flanking benefits. Also allows you to use the move action to activate studied target, and also attack in the same round, with bane as a swift action from level 5.

Also consider accomplished sneak attacker for extra sneak attack dice, risky striker for extra damage, and a mount with the bodyguard archetype (and yourself picking up “look out” teamwork feat”) to allow you to always act in surprise rounds (great time to activate studied target whislt your mount moves around, or even just charge forward and sneak attack before they can with a 50ft move from the wolf and a standard action from yourself.

Only thing this loses out on is the social skills from the conversion inquisition, which is a shame. Also, not as good at intimidating due to small size, if that’s something you were keen on.

[BadBird]

While it's often not a good idea to multiclass an Inquisitor, if you're specializing in Dirty Trick then a level of Maneuver Master Monk for Flurry of Maneuvers is pretty exceptionally powerful since you get an absolutely free Dirty Trick with every full attack action. Flurry of Maneuvers doesn't care about wearing armor and doesn't affect your other attack rolls. You can also pick up Improved Dirty Trick for free which helps feat crunch a lot, and a Monk level is a boost to saves.

Also, Kitsune Style is all about using Dirty Tricks - if you dropped Disciple of the Sword and pushed Power Attack down to your Ranger Style feat, it would be an easy grab. Or even easier to get with one level of Maneuver Master.

So if you crossed Kitsune Style and a level of Maneuver Master, you could use double-condition Dirty Trick on a charge as well as free with a full attack, opening up sneak attack like crazy without needing to flank.