Trying to make a character that likes knowledge... Does anyone know a good knowledge based build for Pathfinder? Investigator seems good, but not being able to take 10 until level 11 seems a little ridiculous if you ask me. Is there an INT based Bard Archetype that keeps Bardic Knowledge and the Take 10 feature?
Haha, sorry, it's PFS. If I ever get a chance to play something with Variant Multiclassing, I'm going for it 100%.
Azata-Blooded Aasimar
- Scion of Humanity (Human/Outsider, no disguise needed for Human)
- Truespeaker (2 Languages per Level, +2 Linguistics and Sense Motive)
VMC: Bard
Level 1: Swashbuckler (Inspired Blade)
Level 2+: Investigator (Empiricist)
That trait that gives me +1 to Knowledge (History) and +1 to Bardic Knowledge. Another trait that gives me bonuses somewhere.
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So, outside of that... any ideas for a Knowledge based character for Pathfinder? Maybe one who can be multi-lingual?
~Edits~
Lets do something different. Lets make 2 builds. The First build is PFS Legal Only. The second build is Paizo Published books only. :D
Bards even being charisma based do a great job. Since they get half their level to the knowledge checks you don't have to max out the skills.
Human bard = +1 skill point
FCB =+1 skill point
Intelligence 14 = +2 skill points
That is 10 skill points.
There are 10 knowledge skills.
You can focus on 6 of them.
Split 2 skills points between the last 4
and have 2 skill points for non knowledge things.
There is also the loremaster prestige class if don't want to go bard. It gains these.
4 + Int modifier.
Lore: At 2nd level, a loremaster adds half his level to all Knowledge skill checks and may make such checks untrained. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from Bardic Knowledge.
PS: You can take 10 with knowledge skills as a general rule. You just cant do it in combat.
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Investigator does not need to take 10s. They have insane modifiers + Inspiration dice on Knowledge checks. They really destroy every skill check in their path.
I would go Lamplighter Investigator and make puns about illuminating your party members with knowledge.
I would have thought about a Living Grimoire archetype inquisitor. Here is one who can kill your knowledge ...
I would have thought Questioner Investigator. Gets Bard casting (but is still Intelligence-based), and even has an ability called Know-It-Al(*)l -- what could possibly go wrong?
(*)Gives a slowly scaling bonus on all Knowledge skills for which you have training.
I know Living Grimoire Inquisitor is supposed to throw the book at criminals, but instead it gives me a vision of a certain scene from Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail . . . .
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At least one level of investigator gets you free inspiration on knowledge checks, which is slightly better than skill focus on all knowledge checks.
Also, deific obedience: Irori gets you +4 on all knowledge checks.
With breadth of experience as well, you will be looking at an average of +9.5 on all knowledge checks, before skill ranks, abilities or bardic knowledge.
An investigator using Kirin Style and Kirin Strike is a force to be reckoned with. 2x Int to damage as a swift action? Good, very good.
Yeah, it takes a while to get (9th for Kirin Strike), but it's very flavorful for the character that likes to use Knowledges in combat.
Heck, Kirin Path lets you take 10 on Knowledhe checks to identify creatures, including the Kirin Style one.
A half orc inquisitor with improved monster lore, and taking the half orc favored class bonus gets +1 bonus per level to knowledges to identify monsters. This is in addition to adding both INT and WIS to the total. They also get 6+ INT bonus skill points per level. This is only to identify monsters but the bonus is huge.
On a lark, I built an example 4th level Knowledge Monster. Here he is.
He is pretty mediocre at actually fighting, but Naturalist does have a lot of benefits given that it is an insight bonus to AC and saving throws, and thus gets added to CMD.
He could be given Kirin Style, but honestly, at the end of the day, he should not be fighting in any capacity other than being there to identify monsters and buffing allies. The Weapon Finesse can easily be swapped for something useful.
Wizard with a sage familiar. The wizard can focus on a select set of knowledges while the familiar focuses on others, with a 1/2 level bonus to them. A person that seeks knowledge should be smart enough to realize they don't know everything and would want to surround themselves with knowledgeable people/(familiar).
Everyone keeps saying Kirin Style wpuld be good, but by RAW it would take 2 turns to activate? First turn to Knowledge, second turn to activate? Or am I misreading it?
Okkam, I was wondering when someone would say that. I would be on it 100% if it didnt change the knowledge based skills the class gets. Theme fits, mechanics not so much.
Waifu, awesome build, but why so many religious texts? He seems like a living library with all them books. Lol
Psychic Seaker Lore Oracle looks like it would be interesting, giving me some good bonuses for lore based things and +2 Int at level 10.
Here is what I've vot so far for my knowledge based wimsy. I went for avoiding CHA so I could have something to dump without it hurting the class choice to much. I wanted to go into a language that gives me 2 Languages per level, but that requires a Boon. For non-PFS gameplay, Azata-blooded Aasimar ia my choice with Scoin of Humanity and Truespeaker. For now, duel talented human will have to do. I dont plan on specializing souly on Knowledge checks, as the sheer number of bonuses will often be enough. Sadly, I wont be contributing much to Combat until level 4 when I get studied strike. Is there any way to play something else to level 3 and change when I get to level 4?
Race: Human (Chelaxian) CR: 4
- Duel Talent
Swashbuckler (Inspiring Blade) 1
Investigavor (Empirilist) 3
Str: 10
Dex: 16 (14+2)
Con: 12
Int: 20 (18+2)
Wis: 10
Cha: 7
Feats:
Bonus: Weapon Finess (Rapier) - Dex to Attack with Rapier.
Bonus: Weapon Focus (Rapier) - +1 to Attack with Rapier.
Lvl 1: Dilettante - +2 Knowledge with 1-5 Ranks.
Lvl 3: Fencing Grace - Dex to Damage with 1H Rapier and free hand.
Traits:
Fanatic - +1 Knowledge Arcana and Knowledge History. One is a class skill.
Student of Philosophy - Int to Bluff and Cha to influence people.
11 Ranks 1st level, 12 Ranks 2-4 level. And still half decent in combat, better at level 5. Whatcha guys think?
Have you considered taking Focused Study instead of Dual Talent? Getting a few Skill Focus feats in knowledge skills seems appropriate.
A good feat is to worship Irori and get his divine obedience, gives +4 to all knowledges.
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Everyone keeps saying Kirin Style wpuld be good, but by RAW it would take 2 turns to activate? First turn to Knowledge, second turn to activate? Or am I misreading it?
It's worse.
First turn to enter the style, second turn to knowledge, third turn to activate. Unless the enemy died at that point; then it's third turn to knowledge again, fourth turn to activate.
Horrible feat.
Psychic of Lore + Vmc Bard.
Gain 1/2 lvl (x2) to all knowledge skills.
High Int caster too
I gotta second the mindchemist, maybe combine with bard.
You only need a 16 in charisma to cast all their spells, and you can get a headband to help with that, giving you more points for int.
Edit: And as mentioned above breadth of experience works great.
How about an Inquisitor with the Knowledge Domain and VMC Bard?
Trying to make a character that likes knowledge... Does anyone know a good knowledge based build for Pathfinder? Investigator seems good, but not being able to take 10 until level 11 seems a little ridiculous if you ask me.
If you are referring to eidetic recollection, I think you're reading it talent incorrectly. An investigator can take 10 just like any other class when not stressed or in danger.
One level of Lore Oracle is alone enough to get all knowledges as class skills, use CHA on all knowledge checks, and get +20s on non-pressured checks. Not to mention the ability to use Sidestep Secret.