Ranged combat is indeed feat hungry. Though carrying a missile weapon for emergencies (like enemy archers you simply can't reach for some reason) is good basic tactics. An inquisitor does work either way.
Yeah I'd say if you want to go melee then go for it. I usually prefer melee, it's a little more tactical than just full-attacking every round.
If you need range then just carrying a Longbow or something will cover you when the time comes (and as an Inquisitor your Bane ability will even cover you for the ranged damage if needed).
One thing that stands out to me is that this is going to be a skill-heavy party. You've got a Rogue (8+), an Inquisitor (6+), a Barbarian (4+) and an Alchemist (4+, but INT-based). This can cover a lot of bases that magic often would. You could talk to your group about all taking Srealth as a focus, and if you take Scott's advice and take SHARED TRAINING you could even give the party STEALTH SYNERGY or something. Just one idea, but I think looking at the Teamwork feats is a good idea.
If you really want a sword-and-crossbow look you could carry a Hand-Crossbow into battle. You won't be able to reload it, but you could put a poisoned bolt in or something to make that one shot count (or screaming bolts could be fun and flavourful).
A SHADOWSHOOTING Hand-Crossbow would reload itself, but won't come online till level 6-10 (depending how much you prioritize it). The minimum damage clause doesn't even matter for a Hand-Crossbow, you're not gonna get much damage out of the dice anyway.
All of an inquisitors abilities work equally well with both melee and ranged combat. Inquisitors also get proficiency with a lot of good ranged weapons, including repeating crossbows. You also get proficiency with your deities favored weapon. This means you don’t have to limit yourself to melee or ranged combat. Dual wielding a longsword and crossbow is probably not going to work well, but there is no reason you cannot simply switch weapons.
Most of your combat ability is going to come from class abilities. So it is just a matter of figuring out your feats. Melee does not require much more than power attack so that is fairly easy. Since you will be using a repeating crossbow you don’t need rapid reload and can go straight to rapid fire. If you are playing a human you can pick up both point-blank shot and rapid shot at first level. You can pick up power attack at third level. Pick up quick draw at 5th level to be able to draw a weapon as a free action. At 7th level take deadly aim to boost your ranged damage. Use the longsword two handed to get the increased damage from both your STR and power attack.
This is just a variant of the classic Treantmonk switch hitter. You start combat using a repeating crossbow and when your opponents get close you switch to the sword for melee. Trying to use two weapon fighting with a longsword and crossbow is going to be tough. I guess you could use a repeating hand crossbow, but you might as well use a heavy repeating crossbow.
Inquisitors are proficient with Hand-Crossbows.
My thoughts would be to just build for Melee: Power Attack, Toughness, maybe Weapon Focus or Furious Focus, eventually Improved Critical.
Then just tag on Deadly Aim for when you can't get into melee. As an Inquisitor Rapid-Shot might do more when you have Judgements and Bane going, so you could do that instead/as-well. You don't rrally need Point Blank Shot or Precise Shot because when the enemy are in melee you will be too. If you want to Switch-Hit (shoot till they close on you, then melee) Quickdraw is great.
The Hand-Crossbow isn't great, but if you can get a +1 Shadowshooting Hand-Crossbow the your class abilities will make it good enough. The main problem is that reload-speed.
Since Melee only really needs 1 feat (Power Attack) you should be fine adding flavour to your build like this.
Another possibility would be to use a light weapon as your main weapon and take Weapon Focus. It makes your melee attacks less damaging but gives you better Range. You can go DEX-to-Damage if you like, but yiu really don't need to.
If you're going to use a hand crossbow for 1 shot/combat then you get just one feat, opening volley. Maybe not even that. If you're going to spend more feats I'd recommend using a full-size repeating crossbow (light or heavy) since inquisitors get a free proficiency. It's just a better piece of kit.
I think the crossbow was partly for the Bloodbourne aesthetic, so the Hand crossbow works best for that. Remember though that you can use (but not load) any crossbow using 1 hand, you just take penalties. So you can upgrade to a bitger crossbow for general use and still 1-hand it to look cool when you want.
Inquisitors are also proficient with repeating crossbows so reloading is not really that big of a deal. A repeating crossbow can fire 5 shots before having to reload the clip. It does require two hands to use the lever, but while the enemy is at range he does not need the sword. If he picks up quick draw it becomes a free action to draw the sword.
Yes there is a repeating hand crossbow and inquisitors are proficient with it. They are also proficient with the repeating heavy crossbow. My suggestion is to use a repeating heavy crossbow and quick draw to switch to a sword when the enemy gets into melee with him. The bonus for a quickdraw shield is minimal so he would be better off two handing the sword for the extra damage.
Mechanically the best option is probably a Repeating Crossbow, Quickdraw and Deadly Aim, then spec everything else for melee (maybe Rapid Shot if you really want to spend the extra feat on it).
If you want to be able to fire AND reload it with one hand then the Repeating Crossbows don't really help, so just snagging the Hand-Crossbow and the Shadowshooting enchantment will cover you. That does of course cost more money, but could save you a feat.
My advice if you want to be more bloodbourne is to take the minimum feats required to make the Crossbow Viable and put the rest into Melee - maybe even something like Spring Attack for funsies.
For those unfamiliar with Bloodbourne THIS is the aesthetic Shoome is going for (or something similar).
Knowing there's a barbarian in the party, I'd feel compelled to go with anger inquisition to use the amplified rage teamwork feat without all the usual fuss of getting a raging ally through pets or summons.
The Sin Eater archetype gives up the domain, which means no inquisition.
The base inquisitor is actually pretty decent. Unless you are looking for a specific class feature that one of the archetypes offers I would suggest not even bothering with an archetype. If all you want is heavy armor don’t trade away your domain, just spend the feat. One thing to keep in mind is that using heavy armor means you cannot use Stalwart. That does not come online until 11th level but is a pretty good ability.
See if your GM will allow you use an inquisition instead of a domain. Overall they are better than a domain for an inquisitor. The Sun domain is almost useless to an inquisitor due to not having channel positive energy. The Illumination Inquisition seems like it would fit the deity. Clandestine Inquisition from inner sea intrigue is actually very good, but may not be appropriate. Something like conversion or reformation would also be good if allowed.
Sanctified Slayer gives up judgements for studied target and sneak attack. While this is not a bad trade judgements are incredibly versatile. They offer not only offensive boost but some good defensive options as well. Between judgements and bane you can totally adjust your combat style to any situation you run into. If you go for a switch hitter build this is going to mean you can become whatever the party needs for almost any combat.
One thing you should never do is multiclass an inquisitor. Giving up casters levels is generally a poor trade off, but for the inquisitor it is much worse. They have so many class abilities that are level dependent that you will always be giving up more than you get.
Do you plan to use the sword or the bow as your primary weapon?
If you're going primarioy melee then I'd make STR your higher stat.
If primarily ranged then keeping DEX higher makes sense.
Alaternately you could swap your Longsword for a Shortsword and take Weapon Finesse. You won't be able to 2-hand your weapon for extra damage but it makes DEX your primary stat for both melee and ranged combat.
Another alternative for a Half Elf is to take the Ancestral Arms alternative racial trait and use an Elven Curved Blade. It's a finessable 2-handed weapon with great damage and a high crit-range. The disadvantage here is that you won't be able to use it 1-handed, but if you don't mind losing that sword-and-crossbow look it's probably your best bet.
Derp, Inquisitors can't use Short Swords (or Longswords) unless they're a deity's favoured weapon.
If there's an appropriate deity with a decent favoured weapon go with that, otherwise you can use Ancestral Arms on it.
(Or don't worry about it if you think you'll be mostly Ranged, or want to focus on STR.)
I agree with MrCharima about the elven curve blade. Using the same stat to hit for both melee and ranged allows you to use either combat style equally well. If you do that put your racial bonus to DEX instead of WIS. This will increase your AC, and reflex saves. Another alternative would be an elven leaf blade. This is similar to a curve blade it is a one handed weapon and the damage is less. What it would allow you to do would be to put the Agile enchantment on it to get DEX for damage. It also looks more like the sword in the picture. It would also allow you to take slashing grace if the Agile enchantment is not available.
Since most of the inquisitors spells are bluffs and utility you don’t need to boost your WIS as high as someone using offensive spells. As long as your WIS is high enough to cast your spells you should be fine. That is not to say you don’t want to boost your WIS, but it will not hurt to priorities DEX. I would probably leave your STR at 13 especially if you go the elven leaf blade with the Agile enchantment. Personally I would be putting my stat bonuses to DEX and WIS instead of STR or CON, although the CON is very tempting at 13. Put the 12 into INT, the extra skill points are more valuable. If you are able to use an inquisition you have the option to use WIS form some social skills so CHA becomes even less important.
Personally I don't think you need to start with more than 16 DEX (or STR if you go that route), but 14 is pretty low for an attack stat, especially if your increases at level 4/8/etc aren't improving it.
I'd probably go something like S-13, D-16, C-13, I-12, W-16, C-10. Then put points into DEX (probably 1 into CON if you think you need it first). From there you can end up with a +3 WIS headband, and at 22 WIS you get a bonus spell-slot for your highest level of spells (and it's cheaper than buying the Runestones of Power for those extra spells). The CHA increase will do more for your social skills until about level 5 when the bonus skills from INT will give you more than the base stat would. Unless you're getting a class bonus from CHA you're usually better off with INT (which is a bit sad but that's how the game works).
Typically the most dangerous level is 1st. Even with max HP at first level one lucky shot can take down a 1st level character. All it takes is one critical hit from a great axe and a moderately good damage roll to kill most 1st level characters. That is the main reason I am recommending such a high DEX. The extra +1 to AC, reflex saves, initiative as well as to hit are more important at low level. If he chooses to go the weapon finesse route the extra bonus to hit for both melee and ranged combat even better.
Inquisitors get a ton of class features, but not at 1st level. At first level all an inquisitor gets in 1 judgement per day, monster lore 2 1st level spells and 4 Orisons. As he levels up he steadily gains abilities and really start to come into himself around 5th level when he gets Bane. That is the reason I would pump the DEX in the beginning and put the level up bonuses to WIS. In the end it works out the same, but the DEX is more useful at lower level.
Sin Eater is actually not that bad. While the healing may not be that great the ability to speak with dead is decent. Being able to question a foe after you kill them is always useful. Also being able to prevent something from coming back as an undead is also useful. These abilities may not help in combat, but there is more to the game than combat.
If you're toing with a Longsword you could look at an EFFIRTLESS LACE. It won't come at level 1 obviously, but it'll let you use Weapon Finesse with the Longsword.
Also I thought I replied to Mysterious Stranger but apparently my post didn't submit: I agree about starting with more DEX. I was thinking you'd start with 16 DEX 16 WIS and up DEX as your main stat, but you could go 18 DEX 14 WIS and up WIS twice hefore switching to DEX. This ends up with the same stats but gives you more DEX at lower levels when it's more valuable (I'd also probably up your CON once at level 4 if you think you'll spend any time in melee). Just somethin to think about.
I am not a big fan of heavy armor on an inquisitor. Besides losing stalwart it also means they are taking big penalties to climb, swim and most importantly stealth. The increased STR will help with the climb and swim, but your stealth is going to be pretty bad. It also means your reflex save is significantly lower. Reflex is the inquisitors weak save. By going with a DEX based character you seriously pump that up. It also means you’re starting AC is going to be lower. Heavy armor is expensive and most first level characters don’t have enough to afford it. Heavy armor is usually not affordable until 3rd level or higher.
As a half elf you can trade out adaptability (skill focus) for ancestral arms (proficiency with a martial or exotic weapon). If you are going with long sword of roleplaying that is fine, but if you think that is your only choice you do have other options. Elven thornblade is a one handed melee weapon that can be used with weapon finesse and does 1d6 damage, has an 18-20 critical hit range, and a +2 bonus to confirm critical hits. It is a bit pricey at 60gp but that should be affordable for a starting character.
Yeah I agree Stalwart is such a strong power you don't want to lose it for a few extra points of AC. Even though it comes online much later I'd still plan to have it.
If you need more AC at lower levels you can carry a shield (a Heavy Wooden Shield is +2AC for 7gp) and you could potentially take the Dodge feat for another +1AC.
I see the benefits of going DEX-based, but I don't think you need to if you don't want to. Usually DEX-based is more defence oriented while STR-based is more offence oriented (I haven't looked at the numbers for this character, but that's generally how it works).
To boost the damage on a finesse build just needs some way to get DEX to damage. The two ways to achieve that are by using the Agile enchantment or a feat. If the campaign allows it the agile enchantment is probably the best way to go. If for some reason that does not work taking slashing grace will get the job done. Slashing grace does require weapon focus so it will not be available until 5th level. That is probably around the time an agile weapon becomes available anyways.
The nice thing about the inquisitor is they have a lot of other stuff going for them. Even without getting DEX to damage they are still doing decent damage when they need to. So while they don’t get as many feats as a fighter or ranger they also don’t need them as much.
This character will be decent to start, but will really come online around 5th level. Early on your defenses are going to be at the high end of the party, but offensively probably a little below average. Mainly because it will probably take some time to buff yourself. At 5th level you will significantly increase your damage because of bane and DEX to damage. This may surprise your GM and the rest of the party.