Detective / Inspector - like character

[gordonknox]

Hello,

Any suggestions helpful...

Looking for any hints, ideas, templates, prestige classes on a inspector / detective like character.

I will build it around the rogue character class.

Im trying to get something similar to J. Depp's character in the movie "From Hell."

gk

 

[Savage Wombat]

I give you (from my new campaign):

Sleuth

Requirements:
Skills: Gather Information (8 ranks); Search (8 ranks); Sense Motive (4 ranks),
Feats: Investigator; Track

1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Discerning Eye; Profile; Trained Observer
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Scene of the Crime
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +1d6
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Lay of the Land; Non-lethal Force
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Badgering the Witness
6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +2d6
7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Discern Lie
8th +6 +2 +6 +6
9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +3d6
10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Breaking the Case

Hit Die: d6
Skills:
Skill Points: 8 + Int Modifier per level
The sleuth’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sleuths gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Discerning Eye (EX): The sleuth may use Search instead of Survival when using the Track feat in an urban or indoor environment. If a trail leaves the city, the sleuth must use Survival to follow tracks in that environment.

Profile (EX): By making a Gather Information check (DC 15) when talking to witnesses of a crime, the Sleuth compiles a rough mental picture of the suspect. This mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing markings and visible mannerisms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by witnesses.
The Sleuth can expand the profile by making an Search check (DC 15) involving the crime scene or other evidence linked to the suspect. If successful, the Sleuth combines eyewitness accounts with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the suspect’s method of operation. This provides a +2 circumstance bonus on any skill checks made to uncover additional evidence or otherwise locate and capture the suspect.

Trained Observer: At 2nd level, the sleuth gains a +2 bonus on Listen, Search, Sense Motive and Spot checks.

Scene of the Crime (EX): At 2nd level, the Sleuth learns how to find and analyze forensic evidence at the scene of a crime. First the Sleuth must make a successful Search check (DC 20) modified by the time that has elapsed since the clue was left, and whether or not the scene was disturbed.
Circumstances DC Modifier
Every day since event (max +10) +2
Scene is outdoors +5
Scene slightly disturbed +2
Scene moderately disturbed +4
Scene extremely disturbed +6
If the Search check is successful, the Sleuth then makes a Sense Motive check for the entire crime scene; the result determines how well he is able to put the details together to gain additional information:
DC Results
10 Determine Timing
15 Determine Methodology and General Motive; Determine Mundane Cause of Death if Body Present
20 Determine Race and Gender of Perpetrator; Determine Unusual Cause of Death if Body Present
25 Determine Primary Class of Perpetrator; Determine Magical Cause of Death if Body Present
30 Discover Outrageous Connection to Perpetrator (this clay is only found in one building in the city)
Investigative Feat: Beginning at 3rd level, the sleuth gains an additional bonus investigative feat. He gains an additional feat at 6th, and 9th level. These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list of skill enhancement feats: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, or Stealthy.

Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every third level (3rd, 6th, and 9th). If a sleuth gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Lay of the Land (EX): By 4th level, the sleuth has learned how to quickly pick out significant or discordant elements in a situation. As a standard action, the sleuth may make a Spot check (DC 15, adjusted by +1 DC per 10' of distance) to recognize where a clue should be in a room or when something is fishy about a situation. This ability does not provide the sleuth any information about a possible clue or loaded situation; he must still make a Search or Sense Motive check to gain actual facts.

Non-lethal Force (EX): At 4th level, a sleuth becomes adept at using non-lethal force to subdue an opponent. From this point on, he or she can deal subdual damage with a weapon that normally deals lethal damage (if he or she so chooses) without taking the normal –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Badgering the Witness (EX): At 5th level the sleuth has mastered the art of conversation. While in the process of questioning someone, he may make a Bluff check opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check. The target may add its base Will saving throw bonus to the roll along with any other applicable modifiers. If the Bluff check result exceeds this special Sense Motive check result, the target lets something slip that they didn't mean to say. Using this skill against a targets of a different cultural background is difficult, because it’s harder to know what buttons to push; the GM may assign a -4 to -8 penalty on your Bluff check. Most targets are aware that they said something they shouldn't have, and, without a rushed Diplomacy check (DC 30), will end the conversation.

Discern Lie (EX): At 7th level, a Sleuth develops the ability to gauge whether another character is telling the truth by reading facial expressions and interpreting body language. The Sleuth must be able to see and hear (but not necessarily understand) the individual under scrutiny. With a successful Sense Motive check opposed by the subject’s Bluff check result or against DC 10 (whichever is greater), the Sleuth can tell whether the subject is deliberately and knowingly speaking a lie. This ability doesn’t reveal the truth, uncover unintentional inaccuracies, or necessarily reveal omissions in information.

Breaking the Case (EX): At 10th level, a Sleuth becomes so adept at solving mysteries that he or she can always find a way to put enough pressure on a suspect to get him to confess. As a full round action, the sleuth presents the subject with an incriminating piece of evidence or a logical flaw in the subject's explanation. The suspect then must make a Will save (DC 15 + sleuth's INT modifier). If the suspect fails his save, he confesses, or explains truthfully, along with a full accounting of his motives. If the suspect makes his saving throw, he doesn't provide the sleuth with any information.
The GM may apply a 4 point situational penalty or bonus to the suspect's saving throw to represent the environment surrounding the conversation. It is easier to extract a confession from a criminal on the stand in a courtroom than from a master villain while you are chained to a rock.
As long as the sleuth can provide another piece of evidence or logical contradiction, the sleuth may attempt to use the power on the suspect again the following round. The sleuth may make a Bluff check opposed by the subject’s Sense Motive check or DC 30 (whichever is greater) to manufacture evidence to extract a confession, though he may only do this once during a conversation.

 

[gordonknox]

Very Nice!

I give you (from my new campaign):

Sleuth

Requirements:
Skills: Gather Information (8 ranks); Search (8 ranks); Sense Motive (4 ranks),
Feats: Investigator; Track

1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Discerning Eye; Profile; Trained Observer
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Scene of the Crime
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +1d6
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Lay of the Land; Non-lethal Force
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Badgering the Witness
6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +2d6
7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Discern Lie
8th +6 +2 +6 +6
9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Investigative Feat; Sneak Attack +3d6
10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Breaking the Case

Hit Die: d6
Skills:
Skill Points: 8 + Int Modifier per level
The sleuth’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sleuths gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Discerning Eye (EX): The sleuth may use Search instead of Survival when using the Track feat in an urban or indoor environment. If a trail leaves the city, the sleuth must use Survival to follow tracks in that environment.

Profile (EX): By making a Gather Information check (DC 15) when talking to witnesses of a crime, the Sleuth compiles a rough mental picture of the suspect. This mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing markings and visible mannerisms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by witnesses.
The Sleuth can expand the profile by making an Search check (DC 15) involving the crime scene or other evidence linked to the suspect. If successful, the Sleuth combines eyewitness accounts with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the suspect’s method of operation. This provides a +2 circumstance bonus on any skill checks made to uncover additional evidence or otherwise locate and capture the suspect.

Trained Observer: At 2nd level, the sleuth gains a +2 bonus on Listen, Search, Sense Motive and Spot checks.

Scene of the Crime (EX): At 2nd level, the Sleuth learns how to find and analyze forensic evidence at the scene of a crime. First the Sleuth must make a successful Search check (DC 20) modified by the time that has elapsed since the clue was left, and whether or not the scene was disturbed.
Circumstances DC Modifier
Every day since event (max +10) +2
Scene is outdoors +5
Scene slightly disturbed +2
Scene moderately disturbed +4
Scene extremely disturbed +6
If the Search check is successful, the Sleuth then makes a Sense Motive check for the entire crime scene; the result determines how well he is able to put the details together to gain additional information:
DC Results
10 Determine Timing
15 Determine Methodology and General Motive; Determine Mundane Cause of Death if Body Present
20 Determine Race and Gender of Perpetrator; Determine Unusual Cause of Death if Body Present
25 Determine Primary Class of Perpetrator; Determine Magical Cause of Death if Body Present
30 Discover Outrageous Connection to Perpetrator (this clay is only found in one building in the city)
Investigative Feat: Beginning at 3rd level, the sleuth gains an additional bonus investigative feat. He gains an additional feat at 6th, and 9th level. These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list of skill enhancement feats: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, or Stealthy.

Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every third level (3rd, 6th, and 9th). If a sleuth gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Lay of the Land (EX): By 4th level, the sleuth has learned how to quickly pick out significant or discordant elements in a situation. As a standard action, the sleuth may make a Spot check (DC 15, adjusted by +1 DC per 10' of distance) to recognize where a clue should be in a room or when something is fishy about a situation. This ability does not provide the sleuth any information about a possible clue or loaded situation; he must still make a Search or Sense Motive check to gain actual facts.

Non-lethal Force (EX): At 4th level, a sleuth becomes adept at using non-lethal force to subdue an opponent. From this point on, he or she can deal subdual damage with a weapon that normally deals lethal damage (if he or she so chooses) without taking the normal –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Badgering the Witness (EX): At 5th level the sleuth has mastered the art of conversation. While in the process of questioning someone, he may make a Bluff check opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check. The target may add its base Will saving throw bonus to the roll along with any other applicable modifiers. If the Bluff check result exceeds this special Sense Motive check result, the target lets something slip that they didn't mean to say. Using this skill against a targets of a different cultural background is difficult, because it’s harder to know what buttons to push; the GM may assign a -4 to -8 penalty on your Bluff check. Most targets are aware that they said something they shouldn't have, and, without a rushed Diplomacy check (DC 30), will end the conversation.

Discern Lie (EX): At 7th level, a Sleuth develops the ability to gauge whether another character is telling the truth by reading facial expressions and interpreting body language. The Sleuth must be able to see and hear (but not necessarily understand) the individual under scrutiny. With a successful Sense Motive check opposed by the subject’s Bluff check result or against DC 10 (whichever is greater), the Sleuth can tell whether the subject is deliberately and knowingly speaking a lie. This ability doesn’t reveal the truth, uncover unintentional inaccuracies, or necessarily reveal omissions in information.

Breaking the Case (EX): At 10th level, a Sleuth becomes so adept at solving mysteries that he or she can always find a way to put enough pressure on a suspect to get him to confess. As a full round action, the sleuth presents the subject with an incriminating piece of evidence or a logical flaw in the subject's explanation. The suspect then must make a Will save (DC 15 + sleuth's INT modifier). If the suspect fails his save, he confesses, or explains truthfully, along with a full accounting of his motives. If the suspect makes his saving throw, he doesn't provide the sleuth with any information.
The GM may apply a 4 point situational penalty or bonus to the suspect's saving throw to represent the environment surrounding the conversation. It is easier to extract a confession from a criminal on the stand in a courtroom than from a master villain while you are chained to a rock.
As long as the sleuth can provide another piece of evidence or logical contradiction, the sleuth may attempt to use the power on the suspect again the following round. The sleuth may make a Bluff check opposed by the subject’s Sense Motive check or DC 30 (whichever is greater) to manufacture evidence to extract a confession, though he may only do this once during a conversation.

I ll show this to the DM.

Do you have an investigative group of characters?

gk

 

[hong]

Hello,

Any suggestions helpful...

Looking for any hints, ideas, templates, prestige classes on a inspector / detective like character.

I will build it around the rogue character class.

Im trying to get something similar to J. Depp's character in the movie "From Hell."

gk

The plethora of divination spells and abilities in D&D means that the detective character concept probably doesn't scale very well to high levels. At the very least you should give it plenty of divinations as well, otherwise you'll end up with other characters (cleric, wizard, paladin) stealing your schtick. The watch detective in MotW and the witch hunter in OA may give you some ideas.

 

[SteelDraco]

Do you have an investigative group of characters?

Yeah. We're a group of city-based investigators in a very corrupt city. Bits of Neverwhere, from Neil Gaiman seem to have cropped up in the first session as well. Seelie and Unseelie courts, a bunch of different religious setups, and a shadow version of the main city. It should be fun.

(I'm playing the party's paladin/rogue; the Sleuth is played by the half-elf ranger/rogue. It's a very rogue-ish party.)

 

[Hammerhead]

I would disagree with Hong's assessment. While at higher levels many diviniations can scry individuals or provide information, a Mind Blank or powerful Nondetection can shut scrying down. With the appropriate countermeasures, a Rogue's legwork can be the only reliable means of finding someone.

 

[nimisgod]

Hello,

Any suggestions helpful...

Looking for any hints, ideas, templates, prestige classes on a inspector / detective like character.

I will build it around the rogue character class.

Im trying to get something similar to J. Depp's character in the movie "From Hell."

gk

There's the watch detective PrC from Masters of the Wild.

 

[RigaMortus]

Maybe levels in Bloodhound too?

 

[Hardhead]

I give you, from my campaign, a PrC based off detectiving in a highly-magical city. It's designed to be for the city watch in Sigil, the super-high-magic city in Planescape. It would probably also be useful in other high-magic metropolises, like Waterdeep. It gives abilities useful when your subjects have Spell Resistance and Teleport, and spells that would be useful for a detective. They can Speak with Dead to a corpse, and See Invisibility if the perp is a Wizard. That kind of thing.

Class  Base                                                             Spells per day
Level  Attack  F R W      Special                         
         Bonus                                                         1st 2nd 3rd 
1      +0       +2 +0 +0   Sense Invisibility                            1    -    - 
2      +1       +3 +0 +0   Skill  Focus,  Spell Penetration              1    -    - 
3      +2       +3 +1 +1   Track Teleport                                2   1    - 
4      +3       +4 +1 +1   Skill Focus, Greater Spell Penetration        2    1    - 
5      +3       +4 +1 +1   Follow Teleport                               3    2    1

Requirements
To qualify as an Planar Detective you must meet the following requirements
Feats: Seasoned Officer or Subdue Criminal (special feats from my campaign. You could substitute Alertness instead, maybe).
Sills: Gather Information 8+ ranks, Intimidate 4+ ranks, Search 4+ ranks
Other: BAB 4+

Class Skills
A Planar Detective class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha) Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Planar Detective

Hit Die: d8

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Planar Detective gain proficiency with the sap and mancatcher, if they did not already have them. They gain no other new armor or weapon proficiencies.

Sense Invisibility: Whenever there is an invisible creature or object within the Planar Detective's line of sight, he may make a Spot check with a DC equal to 10 plus the invisible creature's level/hit dice. If he succeeds, he knows there is an invisible creature nearby, but not it's exact location.

Spell Penetration: At 2nd level, the Planar Detective gains the Spell Penetration feat for free.

Skill Focus: Upon reaching 2nd level, and again at 4th level, the Planar Detective gains the Skill Focus feat for free. He may only apply it to one of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Innuendo, Intimidate, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, or Spot.

Track Teleport: A Planar Detective may sense the location another teleported to. To do so, the Planar Detective must spend a full round standing approximately where the teleporter teleported from and concentrate. The Planar Detective then gains a vision of where the subject teleported to. This power works with all forms of instantaneous travel, including Teleport Without Error and Planeshift

Follow Teleport: At 10th level, the Planar Detective gains the ability to follow a suspect that has teleported away. Whenever a creature teleports, the Planar Detective may choose to be automatically teleport along with the caster so long as the Planar Detective is within 5' of the teleporter. This power works with all forms of instantaneous travel, including Teleport Without Error and Planeshift

Spells per day/ Spells known: beginning at 1st level, a Planar Detective may cast spells as shown on the above table. These are arcane spells and the Planar Detective prepares and casts them as a wizard, though they know all the spells on the spell list and suffer no arcane spell failure for wearing armor. The Planar Detective's spell list is as follows:

1st - Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Comprehend Languages, Command, Detect Magic, Read Magic

2nd - Speak With Dead, Locate Creature, Hold Person, Find Traps, Tongues

3rd - Hold Monster, Dimensional Anchor, Invisibility Purge, Dispel Magic, Dictate


You can find it on the web here: http://www.zachshuford.com/Kriegstanz/harmonium.html