Please help with a spell-casting focused Inquisitor as an enemy NPC

[Lanathar]

I would like to throw a spell focused inquisitor at my group in an upcoming game

I say spell focused because:
- There will already be melee based ones in the game
- The AP has stats for this character already with relatively low strength and dex and I only want to make minor adjustments

I am looking at perhaps level 10-12

Stats (no ability boosts) are:

Str : 12
Dex : 10
Con : 14
Int : 10
Wis : 18
Cha : 13

Asmodeus Inquisitor with Magic Domain.
Now hand of the acolyte allows an attack using bane and wisdom to attack rolls but this doesn't seem like the best plan

A guided weapon would allow a relatively normal inquisitor

But is another take possible? They will be attacking with allies.

The problem as far as I can tell from a glance is that offensive inquisitor spellcasting is both low DC and save or suck (with limited spells that have a partial effect even if a save is passed).

This is obviously the worst combo. Combined with all my players having higher than average saves (especially Will) means this idea may be a non starter

Can anyone give me some pointers? Or another avenue to go with those stats since Judgement/Bane/Spell boosted inquisitor in either melee or with a bow seems off the table...

Thanks

[JiaYou]

Frankly, my best suggestion is to go Monster Tactician for full Summon Monster as a standard action. Past Level 5 summons get one teamwork feat that the Inquisitor knows. At level 10-12 that means summoning 1d3 or 1d4+1 Dire lions with Outflank or Broken Wing Gambit that you then buff with your next turn.

Mass Daze and Chaos Hammer are good 4th level spells, and if your Inquisitor and some PCs follow the same God, Rebuke could be devastating.

[Syries]

I would actually advocate for Sanctified Slayer archetype. +1 to all DCs of your spells when cast on a studied target. Pick up focused target as a feat at 5th and made your DCs a +3 when you focus on a single target. Additional +1s at 10th 15th and 20th levels. Stacks with greater spell focus and greater elemental focus too. Bring on the pain with a 10th level flame inquisitor with DC 28 fireball*

*DC breakdown: 18 base wis with +2 from level ups, +4 wis headband for a total of 24 wis (+7), greater spell focus(evocation) and greater elemental focus (Fire), on a third level spell 10+3+7+4 puts it at DC 24 normally. The sanctified Slayer studies up to three targets to increase the dc for them by 3, or a single target to increase the dc by 4.

Oh also, with access to invisibility, getting that extra damage dice from sneak attack is very nice.

[JiaYou]

Syries wrote:

Bring on the pain with a 10th level flame inquisitor with DC 28 fireball*

How is he getting Fireball as a spell? Inquisitors don't get domain spells, just domain powers.

Syries' idea is an intriguing one about how to raise your DCs for sure, but you have JUST Mass Daze (just realized you can't use Chaos Hammer because of alignment restrictions), and that only works really once (you have to wait a minute after a successful daze). Putting many more potential deathmachines in the way of the party I think is a much more useful use of an Inquisitor. They're a good support/skill/melee class, but they don't get all the caster goodies that other classes (even other 6th-level casters) get. A Magus or even a caster Warpriest (weird right?) would be a better choice in my opinion.

It sounds like you want to play this as relatively straight as possible: it's perhaps out of left field, but if you take 3 levels of Zen Archer (Asmodeus IS evil), you can use your Wisdom to hit with all your arrows. You'll still get Bane and other goodies which means you'll do a decent amount of damage with arrows. Even then, I still don't think that's going to be enough. But if your party has unusually high saves, then maybe direct damage might be a better goal. The issue is the chassis you're asking to build on is not optimal.

[Claxon]

Yeah, Inquisitors don't get the spell list from domains, just the domain powers.

So it's hard to make a casting focused Inquisitor, since most of their (good) spells are about buffing and utility. Frankly divine casters in general have this problem, where it's hard to be a dedicated offensive spell caster. The divine spell list is a lot of utility, defense, and buffing.

[Dave Justus]

Inquisitors can be ok support casters. If their are other melee characters as part of the encounter, buffing allies can be more effective than destroying enemies.

Also, players tend to go nuts when an enemy starts healing their foes, often completely out of proportion to the effectiveness of the healing itself. If this character can precast defensive spells, a healing or two early in the combat might be very effective at drawing player agro.

[Syries]

Dang I forgot they don’t get the spells from the domain. Well, boneshaker is a decent single target spell.

You can also go Samsaran to pick up a few decent spells like bestow curse and boneshatter from the cleric spell list.

[Magda Luckbender]

Another vote for Monster Tactician Inquisitor. It's one of few ways an Inquisitor can be a decent offensive caster.

[Zog of Deadwood]

Named Bullet can be cast well ahead of any encounters on any arrows/bolts/bullets the allies might be using (although it's kinda wasted on bolts). Shared Training is only a 2nd level spell and also can be cast well ahead of time to give multiple allies access to multiple teamwork feats. Blistering Invective requires only an easily pumped skill check and allows no save (if they have a paladin, combine it with Draconic Malice to eliminate immunity to fear). The initial damage is relatively trivial, but mass shaken condition plus catching your enemies on fire is not. Hidden Presence can be super fun if you can overcome their Will saves, as is Shadowmind. Inquisitors can be combat beasts, but if you are going for a spellcaster, make him a buffer/debuffer over a straight damager.

[PCScipio]

The Conversion Inquisition, max ranks of Intimidate and Blistering Invective would be very effective. You could even take Skill Focus: Intimidate if you want to add on yet another round of Shaken.

Judgement Light is a flexible spell that is based on your active Judgements.

[JiaYou]

Need to check conversion but I know Reformation does something similar with WIS but gives you a few rerolls per day.

Forgot, Unholy Blight would also be a good 4th level spell. So Unholy Blight and then Blistering Invective to make everyone - 4 to a lot.