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Investigator Details | Investigator Feats | Methodologies


There is a Legacy version here.

PFS StandardInvestigator


Source Player Core 2 pg. 100
You seek to uncover the truth, doggedly pursuing leads to reveal the plots of devious villains, discover ancient secrets, or unravel other mysteries. Your analytical mind quickly formulates solutions to complicated problems, and your honed senses identify even the most obscure clues. Wielding knowledge as a weapon, you study the creatures and dangers you encounter to exploit their weaknesses.

Key Attribute: INTELLIGENCE
At 1st level, your class gives you an attribute boost to Intelligence.

Hit Points: 8 plus your Constitution modifier
You increase your maximum number of HP by this number at 1st level and every level thereafter.

Roleplaying the Investigator

During Combat Encounters...

Your keen insights regarding your foes make you more dangerous than your physical strength would suggest. After spending a moment to study your enemies, your perceptiveness allows you to act quickly, striking them where it hurts most. You often assist tougher members of your party, wisely protecting yourself while providing vital aid.

During Social Encounters...

Few can stand up against your scrutiny. You might not be the most charming, but you see things for what they really are and develop an understanding of a social situation rapidly. Every conversation is an investigation, after all, and you never know what you might uncover!

While Exploring...

You look for clues in your environment. You often prove yourself to be a valuable ally by serving as a party scout, analyzing the intricacies of puzzles or mysterious phenomena, and pursuing leads that could reveal beneficial information.

In Downtime...

You study up on subjects new and old, make new allies you can share information with, and pursue hobbies that keep your active mind satisfied. You might make a bit of coin on the side working as a private detective or consulting with the local constabulary.

You Might...

  • Start asking questions—including several that are quite involved—immediately after you're presented with a conundrum.
  • Strive to uncover the deeper meanings behind anything you encounter and to identify the social machinations that truly drive events behind the scenes.
  • Get so involved in a case that you ignore other matters, deeming them trivial.

Others Probably...

  • Find the cascades of information you spout forth extremely helpful, if difficult to fully comprehend.
  • Get a bit annoyed that you're such a know-it-all.
  • Rely on you to solve mysteries, puzzles, or other challenges requiring intellectual curiosity and reasoning.

Initial Proficiencies

At 1st level, you gain the listed proficiency ranks in the following statistics. You are untrained in anything not listed unless you gain a better proficiency rank in some other way.

Perception

Expert in Perception

Saving Throws

Trained in Fortitude
Expert in Reflex
Expert in Will

Skills

Trained in Society
Trained in one or more skills determined by your methodology
Trained in a number of additional
skills equal to 4 plus your Intelligence modifier

Attacks

Trained in simple and martial weapons
Trained in unarmed attack

Defenses

Trained in light armor
Trained in unarmored defense

Class DC

Trained in investigator class DC

Class Features

You gain these features as a Investigator. Abilities gained at higher levels list the levels at which you gain them next to the features' names.
Your LevelClass Features
1Ancestry and background, attribute boosts, initial proficiencies, on the case, Devise A Stratagem, methodology, investigator feat, strategic strike 1d6
2Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
3General feat, keen recollection, skill increase, skillful lesson
4Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
5Ancestry feat, attribute boosts, skill increase, skillful lesson, strategic strike 2d6, weapon expertise
6Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
7General feat, skill increase, skillful lesson, vigilant senses, weapon specialization
8Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
9Ancestry feat, fortitude expertise, investigator expertise, skill increase, skillful lesson, strategic strike 3d6
10Attribute boosts, investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
11Deductive improvisation, dogged will, general feat, skill increase, skillful lesson
12Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
13Ancestry feat, incredible senses, light armor expertise, skill increase, skillful lesson, strategic strike 4d6, weapon mastery
14Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
15Attribute boosts, general feat, greater weapon specialization, savvy reflexes, skill increase, skillful lesson
16Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
17Ancestry feat, greater dogged will, skill increase, skillful lesson, strategic strike 5d6
18Investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase
19General feat, light armor mastery, master detective, skill increase, skillful lesson
20Attribute boosts, investigator feat, skill feat, skill increase

Ancestry and Background

In addition to the abilities provided by your class at 1st level, you have the benefits of your selected ancestry and background.

Attribute Boosts

In addition to what you get from your class at 1st level, you have four free boosts to different attribute modifiers.

At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you get four free boosts to different attribute modifiers. If an attribute modifier is already +4 or higher, it takes two boosts to increase it; you get a partial boost and must boost that attribute again at a later level to increase it by 1.

Initial Proficiencies

At 1st level, you gain a number of proficiencies that represent your basic training, noted at the start of this class.

On the Case

As an investigator, you think of your adventures as cases waiting to be solved. You gain one activity and one reaction you can use to investigate cases: Pursue a Lead and Clue In.

Pursue a Lead

Concentrate Exploration Investigator 
Source Player Core 2 pg. 102
You name one detail you've identified that you think is part of a larger mystery, then spend 1 minute examining it. The detail is typically either obvious or something you've already discovered using Recall Knowledge, Sense Motive, Gather Information, or a similar action. After the minute passes, the GM either confirms there's a larger mystery or tells you there's nothing more to learn (the detail is inconsequential or you know all the information already). If there is in fact a larger mystery at play, you can't Pursue a Lead again for 10 minutes, but you can choose to open an investigation. To do so, define the question at the heart of the mystery, such as “Where has the priceless work of art that was supposed to hang here been taken?” or “Who or what killed this priest?” Work with your GM to refine the question if need be. You can also give your investigation a name to better keep track of it (such as “The Case of the Cheated Goblin” or “The Skinsaw Murders”).

Investigation Bonus Whenever you attempt a Perception check or skill check to attempt to get closer to answering the question at the heart of an active investigation, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to the check. The exact checks this applies to depend on the actions you use to investigate and are determined by the GM, but checks to investigate are typically Perception checks or skill checks that use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Active Investigations You can maintain two active investigations at a time. If you Pursue another Lead after that, the case must be different from any of your current investigations (as far as you are aware), and you give up on a current investigation of your choice. Once you've given up pursuit of an investigation, you can't Pursue a Lead into it again until after the next time you make your daily preparations. Solving an Investigation If you answer the question at the heart of your investigation, the GM tells you that you've done so. You don't lose the bonus or other benefits until you choose to close the investigation by Pursuing a Lead again or voluntarily Dismissing it. If what you discover points to an even larger mystery, you can work with the GM to adapt the question and name of the investigation to the new information.

Clue In [reaction]

Concentrate Investigator 
Source Player Core 2 pg. 102
Frequency once per 10 minutes
Trigger Another creature attempts a check that could help get you closer to answering the question at the heart of one of your active investigations.
You share information with the triggering creature. They gain a circumstance bonus to their check equal to your investigation bonus from Pursue a Lead. The GM can add any relevant traits to this reaction depending on the situation, such as auditory and linguistic if you're conveying information verbally.

Devise a Stratagem

You can play out a battle in your head, using brains rather than brawn to execute an attack.

Devise a Stratagem [free-action] or [one-action]

Concentrate Fortune Investigator 
Source Player Core 2 pg. 103
Frequency once per round
You assess a foe's weaknesses in combat and use them to formulate a plan of attack. Choose a creature you can see. You can Devise a Stratagem as a free action if you're aware that creature could help answer the question at the heart of one of your active investigations. Roll a d20, then decide on an attack stratagem or skill stratagem.

Attack Stratagem If you Strike the chosen creature before the start of your next turn, you must use the result of the d20 roll for your Strike's attack roll instead of rolling. You make this substitution only for the first Strike you make against the creature this round, not any subsequent ones. When you make this substitution, you can add your Intelligence modifier to your attack roll instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, provided you Strike with an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon (which must be agile or finesse if it's a melee weapon with the thrown trait), or a sap.

Skill Stratagem You can't attempt to Strike the target until the start of your next turn. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your next Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill check or Perception check involving the target before the start of your next turn. If you would gain your Pursue a Lead investigation bonus to such a check, that bonus increases by 1 instead of you gaining the +1 bonus listed.

Methodology

Your studies have made you savvy in a broad spectrum of areas, but one particular investigative process drew your intense—even obsessive—interest. Choose a methodology.

Methodologies can be found here.

Investigator Feats

At 1st level and every even-numbered level, you gain an investigator class feat.

Strategic Strike

When you strike carefully and with forethought, you deal a telling blow. When making a Strike that adds your Intelligence modifier to your attack roll due to Devising a Stratagem, you deal an additional 1d6 precision damage. As your investigator level increases, so too does the deadliness of your strategic strike. Increase the number of dice by one at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.

Skill FeatsLevel 2

At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill feat. You must be trained or better in the corresponding skill to select a skill feat.

Skill IncreasesLevel 2

You gain more skill increases than members of other classes. At 2nd level and every level thereafter, you gain a skill increase. You can use this increase to either become trained in one skill you're untrained in or to become an expert in one skill in which you're already trained.

At 7th level, you can use skill increases to become a master in a skill in which you're already an expert, and at 15th level, you can use them to become legendary in a skill in which you're already a master.

General FeatsLevel 3

At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a general feat.

Keen RecollectionLevel 3

You can recall pertinent facts on topics that aren’t your specialty. Your proficiency bonus to untrained skill checks to Recall Knowledge is equal to your level instead of +0.

Skillful LessonsLevel 3

At 3rd level and every odd-numbered level thereafter, you gain a skill feat. This feat must be for an Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill, or for the skill you gained from your methodology.

Ancestry FeatsLevel 5

In addition to the ancestry feat you started with, you gain an ancestry feat at 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Weapon ExpertiseLevel 5

You’ve dedicated yourself to learning the intricacies of your weapons. Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons, martial weapons, and unarmed attacks increase to expert.

Vigilant SensesLevel 7

Through your adventures, you’ve developed keen awareness and attention to detail. Your proficiency rank in Perception increases to master.

Weapon SpecializationLevel 7

You can inflict greater injuries with the weapons you know best. You deal 2 additional damage with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you are an expert. This damage increases to 3 if you’re a master, and to 4 if you’re legendary.

Fortitude ExpertiseLevel 9

Your physique has grown hardy in your adventures. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.

Investigator ExpertiseLevel 9

You’ve refined your investigative techniques to an exceptional degree. Your circumstance bonus from Pursue a Lead increases to +2. Your proficiency rank for your investigator class DC increases to expert.

Deductive ImprovisationLevel 11

You use your skills at deduction to perform whatever task is necessary to solve the case. You can attempt any check that requires you to be trained in a skill, even if you’re untrained in it; you can attempt any check that requires you to have expert proficiency in a skill so long as you’re trained in it; and you can attempt any check that requires you to have master proficiency in a skill as long as you have expert proficiency in it.

Dogged WillLevel 11

In your pursuit of truth and knowledge, you won’t be dissuaded. Your proficiency rank for Will saves increases to master. When you roll a success on a Will save, you get a critical success instead.

Incredible SensesLevel 13

You notice things that are almost impossible for an ordinary person to detect. Your proficiency rank for Perception increases to legendary.

Light Armor ExpertiseLevel 13

You fully understand your weapons. Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons, martial weapons, and unarmed attacks increase to master.

Weapon MasteryLevel 13

You fully understand your weapons. Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons, martial weapons, and unarmed attacks increase to master.

Greater Weapon SpecializationLevel 15

Your damage from weapon specialization increases to 4 with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you’re an expert, 6 if you’re a master, and 8 if you’re legendary.

Savvy ReflexesLevel 15

With an eye for incoming danger, you masterfully keep yourself out of harm’s way. Your proficiency rank for Reflex saves increases to master. When you roll a success on a Reflex save, you get a critical success instead.

Greater Dogged WillLevel 17

Your willpower becomes truly unbreakable. Your proficiency rank for Will saves increases to legendary. When you roll a success on a Will save, you get a critical success. When you roll a critical failure on a Will save, you get a failure instead. When you fail a Will save against a damaging effect, you take half damage.

Light Armor MasteryLevel 19

Your skill with light armor improves, increasing your ability to dodge blows. Your proficiency ranks for light armor and unarmored defense increase to master.

Master DetectiveLevel 19

As a master detective, you can solve any case and find all the clues available. Your reputation precedes you, and even the most skilled criminals and deceivers fear you. Your proficiency rank for your investigator class DC increases to master.

In addition, if you enter a new location that includes another clue toward answering the question at the heart of one of your active investigations, the GM informs you of the existence of the clue and its type: an object, person, spell effect, or the like. When you find the clue, the GM informs you that you've done so.

If there is more than one clue in the location, the GM chooses one to inform you about. When you find any of the clues in that location, the GM informs you that you've done so, even if it wasn't the clue they'd chosen or there are other clues you haven't found.