PFS Sherlock Homes-ish Investigator


Advice


The couple of investigators I have actually seen in play concentrated on an extract for a self-buff then studied combat. I’m more wanting to concentrate on the skills and inspiration. Studied combat a close second. I suppose for the theme I should really max the intelligence at 20, but that is awfully expensive on ability points. Here's what I have so far:

Half-Elf
Investigator (Empiricist archtype)
Str: 14, Dex: 14, Con: 12, Int: 18(16+2), Wis: 12, Cha: 7
Traits: Pragmatic Activator and ??? (maybe History of Heresy or Bruising Intellect?)
Favored Class Bonus: +1/4 on all inspiration rolls

Feats & Talents
1 power attack (not sure of this since they don’t get a good THW except maybe long spear and then maybe it should be combat reflexes)
3 trap finder, extra investigator talent: underworld inspiration
5 quick study, extra investigator talent: perceptive tracking
7 amazing inspiration, extra investigator talent: inspirational expertise
9 combat inspiration, extra investigator talent: empathy
11 eidetic recollection, extra investigator talent: expanded inspiration

Probably 1-3 of those EIT’s should be changed for Infusion, Focused Inspiration, and/or Inspired Strike.

Not sure what extracts to choose. Suggestions?

Questions, Comments, Concerns?


dont you need a bab of +1 for power attack? ever considered Kirin Style? bonuses against creatures you identify and goes with the idea of him as an unarmed fighter. maybe a level of gunslinger?


Yup, forgot about the +1

Just recently started a gunslinger (up to level 2), so I don't really want another gun user.

Unarmed combat takes a moderately heavy focus in feats to even be halfway decent. Besides I figured it was unarmed mostly because in the time period for both the old and the new version, walking around with obvious weapons gets you in trouble.
If you set it in a place where such weapons are commonplace, I can easily see him carrying a weapon that isn't a hassle and doesn't get in his way too much. So the shorts sword or sword cane do sound thematic, even if they are not very good weapons.


its a good build for the knowing everything side of thing but your damage will be negligible may want to grab toughness so that he can be up and in the mix without it being a problem. might consider dropping strength so you can increase dexterity just so you arent so MAD. then take weapon finesse. drop strength to a 10 and you get a 16 in dex. I feel like his fighting skills were more about being precise than hitting as hard as he could.


Here's what I did and I'm totally rocking the skills. my stats started 16+2/14/13/16/7/7 and I took the dual minded half-elf ability to fix the will save and bumped con at lv4 (you could put the +2 in int if you want to). Now with the empiricist and the half-elf FCB you're awesome at skills. I fight with a longspear.
1 combat reflexes
3 power attack and mutagen
5 extra inspiration and quick study
I have heroism up most the time from alchemical allocation for a +2 to skills and saves, and heightened awareness for +2 to knowledge. those give me an awesome boost to skills, then I have barkskin to make my AC awesome. These and mutagen all last 10 minutes per level so at lv5 you're good for most of an hour, which has been enough to get through every session in that time.
He's great at skills, and great at combat. With everything going (which includes the mutagen hurting int) I have my knowledge with 1 rank sitting at a +10 + 1d6+1 and my highest bonus is perception at +16. I have a +1 cloak and my saves are fort 6/ ref 9/ will 7, AC is 24 and my damage is power attacking longspear +11 1d8+13 and then you study things for a +2 to the attacks and damage making +13 1d8+15.

sorry this is messy summary is that investigators are great at skills just because so that's why people "focus" on combat and then you're great at both.


Modified

Half-Elf
Investigator (Empiricist archtype)
Str: 10, Dex: 16, Con: 12, Int: 18(16+2), Wis: 12, Cha: 7
Traits: Pragmatic Activator and History of Heresy
Favored Class Bonus: +1/4 on all inspiration rolls

Feats & Talents
1 weapon finesse (used with short sword)
3 trap finder, focused inspiration
5 quick study, inspired strike
7 amazing inspiration, extra investigator talent: inspirational expertise
9 combat inspiration, extra investigator talent: empathy
11 eidetic recollection, extra investigator talent: expanded inspiration

Will be relying on the buff extracts, agile weapon, studied combat, and inspired strike to pump up the damage to decent levels.

Low 10 str will require buying a handy haversack as soon as possible (and/or a wand of ant haul).

Not sure what extracts to choose. Suggestions?

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

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