Detectives in Pop Culture - looking for ideas

[Zin Z'arin]

A friend is designing a one-shot mystery-themed game where we all have to build a detective from pop culture to play. The following have been taken already:

Inspector Gadget
Ace Ventura

Here is my short list of ideas to play:

Sherlock Holmes (Empiricist Investigator)
Sookie Stackhouse (Fey bloodline sorcerer)
Doctor Who (Reincarnated Druid)
Encyclopedia Brown (???)
Patrick Jayne (Social-focused Bard?)
Dexter (Slayer?)

Aside from Sherlock, I'm pretty much rejecting most of the 'traditional' mundane detective types. I.e. no Poirot, Magnum PI, Sam Spade, Columbo, Kojak, etc.

What other ideas might I be missing? Bonus points: suggest a class/archetype for the character. (We'll be playing at level 6.)

[Samasboy1]

Harry Dresden, Private Investigator and Wizard for Hire!

[Zin Z'arin]

I'd also be interested in detective pair that could be played with a Summoner/Eidolon combination, if such a thing exists.

[Zin Z'arin]

Samasboy1 wrote:

Harry Dresden, Private Investigator and Wizard for Hire!

I would have to pick up some of those novels to read, but that does look promising.

[Gisher]

I would think that Dexter would be a Serial Killer Vigilante.

While Dresden is called a Wizard in his world, many elements (Aura Sight, Magic Circles, Implements like his Blasting Rod, and decent combat skills) make an Occultist is a better fit in Pathfinder. There's even a build known as The Dresden.

Another option is Garrett. Based on his military background, I think he'd likely be a Ranger (without an Animal Companion). Slayer might also work.

[Boothbey]

Seems pretty easy. Go with some version of vigilante and be:

Batman-The World's Greatest Detective.

[motteditor]

Veronica Mars. (Probably bard/detective, but maybe go something with an animal friend and incorporate Backup...)

[LankyOgre]

Somebody already mentioned Harry Dresden, but I'll second the suggestion.

There is Shawn Spencer from Psych. Pretty mundane with a high perception, but might be fun to roleplay.

Depending on what you include with detective from pop culture, there is
Neal Caffrey from White Color.
John Anderson in Minority Report
MacGyver
John McLane from Die Hard
The Great Mouse Detective
Wax from Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (human kineticist)

[Daw]

Ecclesiastical:
Father Dowling (The Father Dowling Mysteries)
Brother Cadfael (Medieval Benedictine Monk, Herbalist and former Crusader)
Could go on, but those are my favorites of the ilk.

For a grown up woman, Phryne Fisher (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries)

Alchemist/Scientists: (There are so many, going for the more obscure))
Dr. Lucian Blake
Hec Ramsey (the Wild West Investigator)
Dr. R Quincy (You can even make up his first name yourself)

Judge Dee(Di) (based somewhat loosely on a real, historical Yang dynasty magistrate)

Lord Darcy (d'Arcy). Randall Garret's investigator in a magical world.
Master Sean O'Lochlainn, his Forensic Sorcerer, of the superior Irish tradition.
(Spheres of Power, Psychic, or Psionic systems would work best for him)

Garret PI, Glen Cook's detective in a rather well crafted magical world
(The series is full of good characters)

[Azullius Koujou]

L from death note would be a different take on a detective to the traditional one, but just as qualified.
A person who view solving crimes as a game rather than a job

[avr]

It's been suggested that the Pathfinder character class best suited to Harry Dresden is actualy the occultist, whatever his listing in the yellow pages says. There's definitely a bit of something martial in him anyway.

[Zin Z'arin]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I've started a couple of builds and eliminated some others because they just weren't coming together. Here's what I've got it narrowed down to at the moment.

Doctor Who (Reincarnated Druid/Feyspeaker)
L (Perfect Scholar Monk Unchained)
Patrick Jane (Vox Mesmerist)
Dirk Gently (Amnesiac Psychic)
Sherlock Holmes (Empiricist Investigator)

I'm leaning towards Dirk Gently at this point. That could be fun. :)

In the meantime, no need to stop discussing ideas, there's a lot more out there than I first thought!

[Imbicatus]

Patrick Jane should be a phantom thief unchained rouge. He's a charlatain, being an actual mesmerist breaks the character.

[Redblade8]

If Dexter isn't what you're looking for, another character I'd base off a Slayer is Michael Westen from Burn Notice. (I think Slayer covers that sort of former Spec-Ops guy pretty well.)