 Investigator
Source Advanced Class Guide pg. 30
Whether on the trail of a fugitive, a long-lost treasure trove, or a criminal mastermind, investigators are motivated by an intense curiosity about the world and use knowledge of it as a weapon. Mixing gumption and learnedness into a personal alchemy of daring, investigators are full of surprises. Observing the world around them, they gain valuable knowledge about the situation they’re in, process that information using inspiration and deduction, and cut to the quick of the matter in unexpected ways. Investigators are always evaluating situations they encounter, sizing up potential foes, and looking out for secret dangers, all while using their vast knowledge and powers of perception to find solutions to the most perplexing problems.
Role: Investigators live to solve mysteries and find inventive ways to get out of jams. They serve as advisors and support for their adventuring parties, but can take center stage when knowledge and cunning are needed. No slouches in battle, they know how to make surprise attacks and use inspiration to bring those attacks home.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Parent Class(es): Alchemist and rogue.
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp).Class SkillsThe Investigator's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 6 + Int modifier.Class Features| | Spells Per Day | | Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | | 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Alchemy, inspiration, trapfinding | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | | 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Poison lore, poison resistance +2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | | 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Investigator talent, keen recollection, trap sense +1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | | 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Studied combat, studied strike +1d6, swift alchemy | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | | 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Investigator talent, poison resistance +4 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | | 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Studied strike +2d6, trap sense +2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | | 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Investigator talent | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | | 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Poison resistance +6, studied strike +3d6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | | 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Investigator talent, trap sense +3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | | 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Studied strike +4d6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | | 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Investigator talent, poison immunity | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - | | 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Studied strike +5d6, trap sense +4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | - | - | | 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Investigator talent | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | | 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Studied strike +6d6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | | 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Investigator talent, trap sense +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | - | | 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Studied strike +7d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | | 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Investigator talent | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | | 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Studied strike +8d6, trap sense +6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | | 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Investigator talent | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | | 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Studied strike +9d6, true inspiration | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Investigators are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and sword caneUE. They are proficient in light armors, but not shields.
Alchemy (Su): Investigators are highly trained in the creation of mundane alchemical substances and magical potionlike extracts.
When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an investigator gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the skill check. In addition, an investigator can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to attempt such a check.
Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract. These extracts have powerful effects, but they are also bound to their creator. Extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by dispel magic and similar effects, using the investigator’s level as the caster level.
An investigator can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts per day is given on Table 1–8: Investigator. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.
When an investigator mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an investigator must reprepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work.
Creating extracts consumes raw material, but the cost of those materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements; extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement.
An investigator uses the alchemist formula list to determine the extracts he can know. An investigator can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, an investigator must have at least an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the extract’s level. The saving throw DC for an investigator’s extract is equal to 10 + the extract’s level + the investigator’s Intelligence modifier.
An investigator may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract. At 1st level, an investigator starts with two 1stlevel formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new investigator level, he gains one new formula for any level that he can create. An investigator can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. A formula book costs as much as a spellbook. An investigator can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An investigator can also learn formulae from another investigator’s or an alchemist’s formula book (and vice versa). An investigator does not need to decipher arcane writing before copying that formulae.
Inspiration (Ex): An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.
An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.
Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
Trapfinding: An investigator adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks (minimum 1). An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
Poison Lore (Ex): An investigator has a deep understanding and appreciation for poisons. At 2nd level, he cannot accidentally poison himself when applying poison to a weapon. If the investigator spends 1 minute physically examining the poison, he can attempt a Knowledge (nature) check to identify any natural poison or Knowledge (arcana) check to identify any magical poison (DC = the poison’s saving throw DC). Lastly, once a poison is identified, he can spend 1 minute and attempt a Craft (alchemy) check (DC = the poison’s saving throw DC) to neutralize 1 dose of the poison. Success renders the dose harmless. The investigator has no chance of accidentally poisoning himself when examining or attempting to neutralize a poison.
Poison Resistance (Ex): At 2nd level, an investigator gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and to +6 at 8th level. At 11th level, the investigator becomes completely immune to poison.
Investigator Talent (Ex or Su): At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, an investigator gains an investigator talent. Except where otherwise noted, each investigator talent can only be selected once.
Investigator talents marked with an asterisk (*) add effects to an investigator’s studied combat or studied strike. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack, but the decision can be made when the damage is dealt.
See the Investigator Talents section for a full list of Talents from all sources.
Keen Recollection: At 3rd level, an investigator can attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, an investigator gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, granting him a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by 1 (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level).
Studied Combat (Ex): With a keen eye and calculating mind, an investigator can assess the mettle of his opponent to take advantage of gaps in talent and training. At 4th level, an investigator can use a move action to study a single enemy that he can see. Upon doing so, he adds 1/2 his investigator level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until he deals damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit.
An investigator can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.
Studied Strike (Ex): At 4th level, an investigator can choose to make a studied strike against the target of his studied combat as a free action, upon successfully hitting his studied target with a melee attack, to deal additional damage. The damage is 1d6 at 4th level, and increases by 1d6 for every 2 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 9d6 at 20th level). The damage of studied strike is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit; creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to studied strike.
If the investigator’s attack used a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), he may choose to have the additional damage from studied strike be nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. If the investigator chose to make an attack with a lethal weapon instead deal nonlethal damage (with the usual –4 penalty), the studied strike damage may also deal nonlethal damage.
The investigator must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An investigator cannot use studied strike against a creature with concealment.
Swift Alchemy (Ex): At 4th level, an investigator can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes an investigator half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items. He can also apply poison to a weapon as a move action instead of a standard action.
True Inspiration (Ex): At 20th level, an investigator can use inspiration on all skill checks—even ones he isn’t trained in—and all ability checks without spending inspiration.
In addition, whenever he uses inspiration on an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, he adds 2d6 rather than 1d6 to the result. Some talents can affect this. If using the amazing inspiration investigator talent, he rolls 2d8 instead. If using this with empathy, tenacious inspiration, underworld inspiration, or a similar talent, he rolls two sets of inspiration dice and uses the higher of the two results.Alternate CapstonesSource Chronicle of Legends pg. 28
When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. The following section provides new capstones for characters to select at 20th level. A character can select one of the following capstones in place of the capstone provided by her class. Some capstones are for specific classes, while others are for a range of classes that qualify for them. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select a new capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.
Deadly Study (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 29
At 20th level, the investigator knows just how to hit where it hurts. The investigator increases the bonus from studied combat by 4, and his studied strike damage increases by 3d6.
Perfect Body, Flawless Mind (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s endless training and study has resulted in an unmatched mastery of the self. The character increases her ability scores by a collective total of 8. For example, she can increase one score by 8, or one score by 5 and another by 3, or four scores by 2, and so on. Characters of any class can select this ability.
The Boss (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 30
At 20th level, the character has become more than just a lone hero—she has become one of the senior figures of her field, with powers and responsibilities to match. The character becomes one of the leading figures in some manner of group or organization, as appropriate to the campaign and the setting. A wizard might become the dean of an arcane university or mages’ guild, a fighter could command a mercenary army or a city guard, a cleric might lead a major temple or her own sect, and so forth. The player and the GM should work together to determine the specifics. The character gains the Leadership feat if she does not already have it, and the number of followers that the feat grants is multiplied by 10 (although depending on the campaign and setting, the position may grant other powers as well). If multiple characters in a party select this capstone, the GM may consider pooling them to grant the players a particularly large and powerful organization, such as a small kingdom. Characters of any class can select this ability.
With This Sword (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Won’t Stay Dead (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a paragon of resilience. Once per week, if the character is killed, petrified, or otherwise removed from play, the character manages to survive by some dint of skill or luck and returns at the end of the combat or the scene (GM’s discretion). The player and the GM should work together to ensure that the method of the character’s survival is at least vaguely plausible, if unlikely. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Favored Class Options Aphorite (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Gain a +1/4 bonus on damage rolls for critical hits made while using studied combat.
Catfolk (Blood of the Beast pg. 4): Add 1 to the bonus provided to a single skill (maximum +2) by inspiration. This skill must be one the investigator can already apply inspiration to. The investigator can select a different skill each level.
Duskwalker (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 17): Add a +1/3 bonus on inspiration rolls applied to Heal, Knowledge and Linguistics checks.
Dwarf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 69): Gain a +1/4 bonus on Perception checks when underground and +1/2 bonus to the investigator’s trap sense ability regarding stone traps.
Elf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 69): Increase the total number of points in the investigator’s inspiration pool by 1/3.
Ganzi (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 19): Increase the total number of points in the investigator’s inspiration pool by 1/3.
Gathlain (Legacy of the First World pg. 9): Add a +1/3 bonus on inspiration rolls applied to Bluff and Knowledge checks.
Gillman (Blood of the Sea pg. 9): Increase the total number of points in the investigator’s inspiration pool by 1/3.
Gnome (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): Add one extract formula from the investigator’s list to his formula book. This formula must be at least 1 formula level below the highest level the investigator can create.
Half-Elf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): Gain a +1/4 bonus on all inspiration rolls.
Halfling (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): Add one extract formula from the investigator’s list to his formula book. This formula must be at least 1 formula level below the highest level the investigator can create.
Half-Orc (Advanced Class Guide pg. 71): Gain a +1/3 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls made while using studied combat (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with those gained through Critical Focus and similar effects.
Human (Advanced Class Guide pg. 71): Add one extract formula from the investigator’s formula list to his formula book. This formula must be at least 1 formula level below the highest level the investigator can create.
Kitsune (Blood of the Beast pg. 12): Gain 1/6 of a new Magical TailARG feat. Any kitsune character can choose this bonus upon gaining a level in her favored class.
Locathah (Blood of the Sea pg. 11): Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and a +1/2 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information.
Ratfolk (Blood of the Beast pg. 20): Add 1 to the bonus provided to a single skill (maximum +2) by inspiration. This skill must be one to which the investigator can already apply inspiration. The investigator can select a different skill at each level.
Shabti (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 23): Add 1/6 rounds to the duration of the investigator’s studied combat.
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