Inquisitive 17 / (What) 3?

[Guest 6801328]

I'm just fantasizing here, thinking about Dungeon of the Mad Mage...which I suspect I'll end up DMing, not playing.

But, anyway, I've been jonesing to play an Inquisitive. And this one goes to 20, right? (Spinal Tap can only dream.)

But looking at the Rogue abilities table, I think I'd rather add some versatility with those last 3 levels. What should I take that would be flavorful and fun? (Not just maximize dpr) Oh, and AL-legal, because that's how my group likes to play.

Some ideas:
Warlock would be kinda cool. If this guy spends all his time poking around places he has no business, it would make sense that he both discovers some forbidden knowledge, and is willing to make a bargain to get even more. Great Old One seems like the best fit (although none are really perfect). Blade or Tome would both work. Charisma couldn't be high (Inquisitives already want to invest in Wisdom and to a lesser extent Intelligence) so utility or defensive spells rather than offensive. Misty Step, Invisibility, Darkness. Mage Hand. Oh, and may as well take Booming Blade: since you only get one attack anyway that works out pretty well. Devil's Sight, Eldritch Sight, Mask of Many Faces, and Eyes of the Rune Keeper would all be tasty invocations. (Too bad invocation level requirements are based on class, not character.)

Wizard has the Intelligence overlap, which is good. Spell selection would be similar to Warlock: utility, not damage. War Magic has HUGE combat synergy with Rogue, but doens't seem very...Inquisitive. (And the penalty for Arcane Deflection is a lot less of a penalty than it is for a pure wizard.) Divination is probably the best thematic fit. Oh, and familiars!

Sorcerer: again with the Cha issue, but Shadow Sorcery has some nice benefits at level 1 that seem appropriate.

Ranger: yeah, awesome combat synergy, but not very thematic.

Monk: Perfect alignment of stats, but honestly not a whole lot of goodies I care about with only 3 levels. If I went Monk I'd want to go 14/6 Shadow Monk, and then I miss out on some good Rogue stuff. Or at least 16/4 to get Slow Fall and one more Feat.

Bard: This seems like an obvious choice for an Inquisitive, largely because of getting yet more skills and Expertise (omg Expertise in six skills). But thematically...ugh. I think I just don't like Bards in general.

Fighter: nope

Cleric/Druid: Wisdom synergy, but...blech

Paladin/Barbarian: Ha!

Clearly what I really need is levels in a psionics class, but that's not a choice.

Thoughts?

 

[Lancelot]

So, some idle thoughts.

Why would the ranger not be thematic? You gain bonuses on monster knowledge and tracking, favored terrain, etc. Monster Slayer allows you to determine a creature's hidden weaknesses by glancing at it, Horizon Walker allows you to detect nearby portals, Gloom Stalker gives you additional darkvision and stealth vs same. All of these scream Inquisitive to me. I could see a Sherlock Holmes (or Rudolph van Richten) tracking or analysing monsters with these abilities. If you care about combat, you can't go wrong with hunter's mark, and some of the other low-level ranger spells are both on-theme and highly useful. They usually don't even require a deep dip into Wisdom. The 3rd level damage bonuses from the above sub-classes are also very helpful, plus the fighting style benefit.

You've quickly dismissed cleric, but are you maybe just thinking of the typical heal-bot? Knowledge Domain would give you identify, augury, suggestion, +2 more languages, +2 more expertise skills (!), + proficiency in any skill through Channel Divinity.

Frankly, either of the options above, with the correct spell/sub-class choices, are basically psionics classes already. What's the meaningful difference between a psion and the following class: extra languages, extra skills, skill "absorption" (be proficient in anything), telepathic control (command, calm emotions, hold person, suggestion), object reading (detect magic, identify, locate object), extra sensory powers (detect poison, detect evil, augury, zone of truth), and telekinetic attacks (guiding bolt, spiritual weapon)? Sure, the Knowledge cleric keys off Wisdom, but it's just a skin. There's nothing a 3rd level (3e/4e) psion gets that a 3rd level (5e) Knowledge cleric can't simulate, at least to a reasonable extent.

 

[Guest 6801328]

So, some idle thoughts.

Why would the ranger not be thematic? You gain bonuses on monster knowledge and tracking, favored terrain, etc. Monster Slayer allows you to determine a creature's hidden weaknesses by glancing at it, Horizon Walker allows you to detect nearby portals, Gloom Stalker gives you additional darkvision and stealth vs same. All of these scream Inquisitive to me. I could see a Sherlock Holmes (or Rudolph van Richten) tracking or analysing monsters with these abilities. If you care about combat, you can't go wrong with hunter's mark, and some of the other low-level ranger spells are both on-theme and highly useful. They usually don't even require a deep dip into Wisdom. The 3rd level damage bonuses from the above sub-classes are also very helpful, plus the fighting style benefit.

You've quickly dismissed cleric, but are you maybe just thinking of the typical heal-bot? Knowledge Domain would give you identify, augury, suggestion, +2 more languages, +2 more expertise skills (!), + proficiency in any skill through Channel Divinity.

Frankly, either of the options above, with the correct spell/sub-class choices, are basically psionics classes already. What's the meaningful difference between a psion and the following class: extra languages, extra skills, skill "absorption" (be proficient in anything), telepathic control (command, calm emotions, hold person, suggestion), object reading (detect magic, identify, locate object), extra sensory powers (detect poison, detect evil, augury, zone of truth), and telekinetic attacks (guiding bolt, spiritual weapon)? Sure, the Knowledge cleric keys off Wisdom, but it's just a skin. There's nothing a 3rd level (3e/4e) psion gets that a 3rd level (5e) Knowledge cleric can't simulate, at least to a reasonable extent.

Ah, I guess I didn't elaborate sufficiently (or, really, at all) about character concept.

Yes, a monster-hunter inquisitive (e.g. van Richten) would be an appropriately thematic Inquisitive. However, I'm envisioning somebody interested in secrets: objects, knowledge, books...or just poking his nose into places where he shouldn't be. He's a rich (noble background) dilettante who spent his inheritance on this pursuit, and he just gets a high from finding out what he's not supposed to know. ("So that's what an Elder Brain looks like. Cool. Ok, what's next on the list?")

I did look at Knowledge Domain, but it's the whole relationship with a god, or being a representative of a god, that seems off. He's cerebral, not religious. So, yes, the abilities are thematic but not so much the class concept.

Refluffing a Cleric as Psion does make sense, somewhat. I suppose it would depend on somebody's boundaries of how far they are willing to re-fluff.

(Picky, aren't I?)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The seeker of secrets fits the ranger really well, especially the HOrizon Walker (who is perhaps changed by the secrets he has found).

That said, Drunken Master Monk is a fun choice, Inquisitives use Insight, so good Wisdom is nice, and it gives you some punch first and run type options, some get around obstacles options, and some general stuff that just fleshes out the indiana jones of it all.

Fey Pact Warlock could work very well, especially with Tome. Abandoned Fey strongholds make interesting ruins where one might meet someone or something interested in making a bargain, or the book itself could be your source of arcane power, or you could have been granted boons by a powerful fey in exchange for returning something to them that was lost to them for centuries.

Hexblade is a fun option that lets you have the source of power be a secret you found, rather than something you met. I'd make whatever you choose as your Pact Boon be the thing you found, and it is the source of your power, even at warlock 1. If you are going to take Chain, then whatever you found is still waking up, still a baby of some kind (or even still an egg if it's a psuedodragon) or still recovering from whatever you (accidentally?) saved it from.

Sorcerer is fun, because it can be unrelated to the rest of your background. You just...find out by manifesting power that your bloodline is touched by powerful magic, dragons, giants, the shadowfell, celestial power, etc.

Bladesinger Wizard is a very good multiclass for rogues, gives you an extra skill (performance), and the second best ritual casting in the game (Tome Warlock with the ritual invocation is the best). It also boosts your combat in fun ways, including granting you a speed boost and advantage on acrobatics for sweet parkours with Blade Song.

Alternatively, you could be a bit more Last Crusade, and go Paladin (I recomend Ancients). You found a holy relic, and were overcome with a vision of it's source and purpose. Your mind couldn't hold on to the details, but now you are trying to grapple with what it means to be blessed by a god(s), and dealing with the struggle between a mission from god, and keeping yourself. Preferably a god of secrets, like The Raven Queen (4e style), or Odin, or Sehanine, etc. Maybe Mask, although he's such an ass.
Also, Paladin and Rogue multiclass very well. You don't bother with heavy armor (unless it isn't out of your way, somehow. rolled stats, maybe? Still, you're a tough rogue with some divine juice), take Defensive or Dueling Fighting Style, Ancients fits your theme but Vengeance kills stuff better, and you've got Divine Sense, and access to Detect Magic and Detect Evil and Good.

The magical monks are a great way to gain some supernatural widgets without adding the complexity of actual casters, too. just food for thought. Monk is definitely like Rogue in that I hate to miss out on the mid to late level features, though.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Good thoughts! Thanks.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yeah, with the secrets angle, Horizon Walker is a pretty good fit both mechanically and flavorfully. Warlock is potentially the best thematic fit. Great Old one is the most obvious choice of patron, but another fun choice (and still AL legal if you use SCAG instead of XGTE as your +1, since it also has Inquisitive) might be The Undying, with the specific entity being Vecna.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Yeah, with the secrets angle, Horizon Walker is a pretty good fit both mechanically and flavorfully. Warlock is potentially the best thematic fit. Great Old one is the most obvious choice of patron, but another fun choice (and still AL legal if you use SCAG instead of XGTE as your +1, since it also has Inquisitive) might be The Undying, with the specific entity being Vecna.

Oh, I hadn't considered the Undying. That 1st level ability is really pretty good for creeping around old tombs. I like that.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

What about a College of Whispers Bard?

 

[Guest 6801328]

What about a College of Whispers Bard?

Say more?

Stacking yet another 2d6 onto what's already a +12d6 sneak attack is always handy, of course, but "Words of Terror" doesn't seem to be especially thematic.

(I could see Assassin/Whispers as a fun combination...)

 

[Yardiff]

Inquisitive 18, 19, 20.


Just being annoying ;-p.