Pathfinder 2e Investigator Guide
Dive into the world of deduction and intrigue! This guide explores the Pathfinder 2e Investigator, focusing on builds, tactics, and maximizing wit over brute strength.
Uncover secrets, master stratagems, and utilize enchanting arrow techniques – all essential for a successful Investigator in the Pathfinder universe.
The Investigator class thrives on intellect and observation, a master of deduction who unravels mysteries through careful analysis and strategic planning. Unlike martial classes, Investigators defeat enemies with their wits, not just muscles, utilizing cunning and preparation.
They excel at uncovering hidden truths, employing skills like Perception and Investigation. Devise a Stratagem is central to their gameplay, allowing for tactical advantages. This guide will help you navigate the intricacies of this unique Pathfinder 2e class.
Core Class Features
Investigators distinguish themselves with unique abilities. Skill Expertise grants exceptional proficiency in chosen skills, vital for investigations. Investigation Focus provides specialized knowledge, enhancing deduction. Crucially, Devise a Stratagem allows pre-planning tactical advantages, setting Investigators apart.
These core features emphasize a playstyle centered around preparation, observation, and utilizing intellect to overcome challenges, rather than relying solely on direct combat prowess.
Skill Expertise
Skill Expertise is foundational to the Investigator’s identity. This feature grants a significant bonus to skill checks, making them exceptionally adept at tasks like Perception and Investigation. Prioritizing skills is key; Investigators excel at uncovering clues and analyzing situations.
Effective use of Skill Expertise allows Investigators to consistently succeed where others might falter, driving narrative and solving mysteries with remarkable efficiency.
Investigation Focus
Investigation Focus defines an Investigator’s specialization. Choosing a focus—like Alchemy or Lore—provides access to unique skills and abilities. This specialization enhances their investigative prowess, granting bonuses to specific types of checks.
Selecting a focus aligned with your character concept is crucial, shaping their approach to problem-solving and defining their role within the adventuring party.
Devise a Stratagem
Devise a Stratagem is the Investigator’s signature ability. It allows them to analyze a situation and create a plan, granting a bonus to a single check. This action requires focus and careful consideration of the environment.
Strategic planning is key; mastering this ability unlocks potent advantages, turning the Investigator into a tactical mastermind on the battlefield and beyond.
Investigator Ancestries
Ancestry choices significantly impact an Investigator’s build. Dwarves offer hardiness and constitution bonuses, while Elves provide dexterity advantages, crucial for skill-based Investigators.
Consider how racial traits complement the Investigator’s focus on intelligence and wit. Careful selection enhances investigative prowess and overall character effectiveness within the Pathfinder world.
Dwarf Investigator
Dwarves bring resilience to the Investigator’s role. Their hardy trait and constitution bonus bolster survivability, compensating for a potentially lower dexterity. While movement speed is a consideration, the added toughness proves valuable.
Dwarven Investigators excel in enduring investigations, weathering challenges with steadfast determination and unwavering focus, making them reliable problem-solvers.
Elf Investigator
Elves offer a natural dexterity bonus, perfectly complementing an Investigator focused on skill proficiency and precision. This racial gift enhances crucial skills like Stealth and Perception. However, a potential loss of constitution requires careful consideration during character building.
Elven Investigators excel at swift investigations, utilizing agility and keen senses to uncover clues with unmatched grace and efficiency.
Investigator Backgrounds
Choosing the right background shapes your Investigator’s narrative and skillset. The Detective background provides immediate access to underworld contacts and investigative expertise, ideal for urban campaigns. Alternatively, the Scholar background offers lore mastery and research capabilities, suiting academic or mystery-focused adventures.
Backgrounds grant crucial skill boosts and a starting edge, defining your Investigator’s initial approach to unraveling complex cases and uncovering hidden truths.
Detective Background
The Detective background excels in urban environments, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks to gather information from underworld contacts. This background provides proficiency in Society and a Lore skill related to local criminal networks, aiding investigations.
A Detective’s past often involves navigating shadowy alleys and interrogating dubious characters, making them adept at uncovering secrets hidden within city walls.
Scholar Background
The Scholar background provides a +2 circumstance bonus to Recall Knowledge checks about lore, history, or specific subjects of study. Proficiency in Lore (specifically a chosen academic field) and Occultism are key benefits, enhancing investigative research.
Scholars thrive in libraries and archives, meticulously piecing together clues from ancient texts and forgotten knowledge, making them invaluable for complex investigations.
Investigator Feats
Investigator feats are crucial for specialization. Early feats should focus on bolstering skills like Perception and Investigation, alongside options enhancing Devise a Stratagem. Later, consider feats improving combat effectiveness, such as those augmenting Enchanting Arrow.
Player Core 2 introduced new feats, refining the class and offering more build diversity. Careful feat selection is vital for maximizing the Investigator’s unique strengths.
Class Feats ⎯ Early Game
Early Investigator feats prioritize skill mastery. Quick Deduction swiftly analyzes clues, while Stratagem Adaptation broadens strategic options. Boosting Perception and Investigation is paramount, ensuring crucial information isn’t missed.
Consider feats enhancing bonus actions, allowing for more frequent skill checks or tactical maneuvers. These early choices lay the foundation for a potent, knowledge-based Investigator.
Class Feats ⎼ Mid to Late Game
Mid-to-late game feats refine the Investigator’s specialization. Advanced Stratagem unlocks potent new stratagem options, while feats boosting “Enchanting Arrow” maximize damage output. Invest in feats that enhance reaction usage, like Uncanny Dodge, for survivability.
Focus on feats that synergize with your chosen build, whether deduction-focused or alchemically inclined, solidifying your role within the party.
Investigator Skills
Skills are paramount for an Investigator! Perception and Investigation are core, fueling discoveries. Society skills (Diplomacy, Deception) aid information gathering. Arcana and Occultism unlock alchemical potential. Prioritize skills aligning with your chosen focus – deduction or alchemy.
Synergies between skills are vital; combining Investigation with Society skills reveals hidden truths.
Prioritizing Skills
Focus on Perception and Investigation first – these are foundational for an Investigator’s role. Next, bolster Society skills like Diplomacy and Deception for crucial information gathering. Arcana or Occultism are vital for alchemical builds.
Don’t neglect Athletics for mobility, and Insight to read people. Skill increases should reflect your chosen investigative path.
Skill Synergies
Perception and Investigation work hand-in-hand, uncovering clues and analyzing evidence. Combine Diplomacy with Deception to manipulate situations and extract information. Arcana/Occultism pairs well with Crafting for alchemical item creation.
Insight enhances Diplomacy, while Athletics aids in chases. Mastering these combinations unlocks powerful investigative potential.
Investigator Combat Role
Investigators excel at controlling the battlefield through wit and precision, rather than raw strength. Utilizing Wits is paramount, focusing on debuffs and tactical positioning. Enchanting Arrow provides a potent ranged option, rivaling even Megaton Strike in damage output.
Prioritize disabling foes and supporting allies, becoming a crucial strategic asset in any encounter.
Utilizing Wits over Strength
The Investigator’s core strength lies in their mental acuity, not physical prowess. Focus on maximizing Wisdom for crucial skills like Perception and Investigation. Defeat enemies with your wits, employing clever tactics and strategic maneuvers.
Embrace debuffs and control effects, turning the tide of battle through intellect, rather than relying on brute force or overwhelming damage.
Two-Action Strikes: Enchanting Arrow
Enchanting Arrow stands out as a premier two-action strike for Investigators, consistently delivering substantial damage. It often surpasses Megaton Strike in overall output, particularly at lower levels, and remains competitive throughout progression.
This ability allows for strategic battlefield control and efficient damage dealing, making it a cornerstone of many successful Investigator builds, emphasizing tactical prowess.
Investigator Gear and Equipment
Essential tools for the Investigator include magnifying glasses, journals, and alchemical supplies, aiding in meticulous examination and analysis. Weapon choices lean towards finesse options like rapiers or short swords, complementing their focus on wit rather than raw strength.
A cane sword offers a subtle yet effective defensive option, embodying the Investigator’s blend of intellect and preparedness.
Essential Tools
A magnifying glass is paramount, enhancing perception and investigation checks for crucial clue discovery. Detailed journals are vital for recording observations, deductions, and case notes, forming the backbone of any investigation. Alchemical supplies unlock potent concoctions, aiding analysis and providing tactical advantages.
Lockpicks and disguise kits offer versatility, while portable laboratories facilitate on-site examination.
Weapon Choices
Rapiers and swords offer finesse and precision, complementing the Investigator’s focus on skill over strength. Shortbows, particularly when combined with Enchanting Arrow, provide ranged tactical options and significant damage output. Consider a cane sword for a subtle, yet effective, concealed weapon.
Daggers are useful for utility and quick strikes, while slings offer a cost-effective ranged alternative.
Investigator Multiclass Options
Rogue multiclassing enhances skill expertise and provides cunning actions, bolstering the Investigator’s investigative prowess. Wizard multiclassing unlocks potent magical abilities, supplementing stratagems with direct spellcasting. These combinations offer versatility.
Consider a dip into Alchemist for added utility and potion crafting, or Champion for improved combat capabilities, though it slightly deviates from the core concept.
Rogue Multiclass
A Rogue multiclass synergizes exceptionally well with the Investigator, amplifying skill proficiency and granting access to crucial rogue talents. Skillful maneuvers like Feint gain advantage, enhancing attack rolls, while bonus actions like Dash or Disengage offer tactical flexibility.
Uncanny Dodge provides a reactive defense, and the Rogue’s expertise further refines the Investigator’s investigative toolkit, creating a master of stealth and deduction.
Wizard Multiclass
Combining Investigator with Wizard unlocks potent magical utility, supplementing investigative skills with arcane power. Access to spells like detect magic or disguise self enhances deception and information gathering. Arcane spellcasting bolsters the Investigator’s versatility, offering solutions beyond deduction.
Wizard’s expanded spell list provides defensive options and offensive capabilities, complementing the Investigator’s strategic approach to encounters.
Investigator Build Examples
Explore specialized Investigator archetypes! The Deductionist excels at unraveling mysteries, prioritizing skill checks and stratagems for maximum information gain. Conversely, the Alchemist build focuses on crafting potent concoctions, blending investigation with tactical potion use.
These builds demonstrate how to optimize the Investigator’s strengths, showcasing diverse playstyles – from cerebral detectives to resourceful potion masters.
The Deductionist Build
This build prioritizes Investigation, Society, and Perception skills, maximizing the Investigator’s ability to gather clues and analyze situations. Devise a Stratagem becomes a core tactic, utilizing quick thinking to gain advantages. Focus on feats enhancing skill checks and reaction triggers.
The Deductionist thrives on uncovering truths, relying on intellect and observation rather than direct combat prowess, becoming a master of deduction.
The Alchemist Build
This build blends investigative skills with alchemical prowess, creating a versatile character capable of both deduction and potent concoctions. Focus on utilizing mutagens and elixirs to enhance abilities, while maintaining strong skill proficiencies in Lore and Crafting.
The Alchemist excels at preparing for any scenario, employing both intellect and chemical solutions to overcome obstacles and support the party.
Advanced Investigator Tactics
Mastering the Investigator requires strategic thinking beyond basic actions. Effectively utilize reactions, such as Uncanny Dodge, to mitigate damage and maintain positioning. Optimize bonus actions for Perception checks, insightful fighting, or swift maneuvers like dashing and hiding.
Prioritize resource management and anticipate enemy actions to maximize the impact of your stratagems and investigative abilities.
Using Reactions Effectively
Investigators thrive on reacting to situations, not initiating them. Employ reactions like Uncanny Dodge to lessen incoming attacks, preserving your health and maintaining tactical advantage. Brace can provide a defensive boost, while carefully timed reactions can disrupt enemy plans.
Conserve reactions for crucial moments, avoiding unnecessary expenditure to ensure you’re prepared for critical threats and opportunities.
Bonus Actions and Optimization
Investigators have several bonus action options, including dash, disengage, and hide for positioning. Prioritize Perception and Investigation checks to gather vital clues. Insightful Fighting, when available, enhances combat awareness. Manage these actions carefully, balancing information gathering with tactical maneuvers.
Optimize bonus actions based on the situation, ensuring you’re always maximizing your investigative or combat potential.
Understanding Devise a Stratagem
Devise a Stratagem is the Investigator’s signature ability, allowing for tactical planning. Stratagem types vary, offering benefits like increased critical hit chance or weakening foes. Maximize effects by carefully selecting the appropriate stratagem for each encounter, considering enemy weaknesses and party strengths.
Effective use of this ability is crucial for controlling the battlefield and achieving victory through intellect.
Stratagem Types
Investigators access diverse stratagem types, each altering combat dynamics. Disrupting Stratagems hinder foes, while Enhancing Stratagems bolster allies. Analytical Stratagems provide crucial information. Defensive Stratagems offer protection. Choosing the right stratagem depends on the situation.
Mastering these options is key to maximizing the Investigator’s tactical potential and controlling the flow of battle.
Maximizing Stratagem Effects
To truly excel, Investigators must optimize Devise a Stratagem. Feats like Quick Study reduce activation costs. Consider ancestry and background choices that complement stratagem use. Synergize with allies; a well-timed stratagem can amplify party effectiveness.
Careful planning and resource management are vital for consistently delivering impactful stratagem effects during encounters.
Common Investigator Pitfalls
Investigators can fall prey to MAD (Multiple Attribute Dependency), requiring high Intelligence, Dexterity, and Wisdom. Careful planning is crucial to avoid spreading stats too thin. Resource management is also key; overuse of Devise a Stratagem can leave you vulnerable.
Avoid neglecting combat skills, and remember that relying solely on wits without a backup plan can be detrimental.
Avoiding MAD (Multiple Attribute Dependency)
The Investigator’s strength lies in several key attributes – Intelligence for skills, Dexterity for reflexes, and Wisdom for Perception. Mitigating MAD requires careful ancestry and background choices. Consider ancestries offering boosts to multiple needed stats, like Elves.
Feats can also help shore up weaknesses, and prioritize essential skills to lessen the impact of lower stats in less crucial areas.
Managing Resources
Investigators rely heavily on Focus Points to fuel their Devise a Stratagem ability, a core class feature. Efficiently utilizing these points is crucial for success. Conserve Focus Points for critical moments, and consider feats that enhance recovery or reduce cost.
Monitor spell slots if multiclassing, and remember that potions and scrolls can supplement limited resources during extended investigations.
Player Core 2 Changes & Updates
Player Core 2 significantly revamped the Investigator, addressing previous criticisms and enhancing its viability. Updates include adjustments to core features, new ancestry options, and a host of new feats specifically tailored for the class. These changes aim to make the Investigator a more competitive and engaging option.
New feats in PC2 empower strategic play, bolstering both investigative prowess and combat effectiveness.
Impact of PC2 on Investigator
Player Core 2’s impact is substantial, shifting the Investigator from a niche pick to a genuinely strong contender. Previously hampered by perceived weaknesses, the class now benefits from streamlined mechanics and improved scaling. The changes address attribute dependency concerns, offering greater build flexibility.
PC2 empowers Investigators to truly excel at utilizing wits, making them formidable opponents despite lacking raw physical strength.
New Investigator Feats in PC2
Player Core 2 introduces several impactful feats for the Investigator, enhancing their investigative prowess and combat capabilities. These include options that bolster Devise a Stratagem, refine skill usage, and improve action economy. Notably, feats now better support enchanting arrow strategies, maximizing single-strike damage.
New choices allow Investigators to specialize further, solidifying their role as masters of deduction and tactical combat.
Investigator and Team Synergy
Investigators excel at supporting allies through careful observation and strategic planning. Their ability to uncover enemy weaknesses and devise stratagems provides a significant advantage in combat. Effective communication with the party is crucial for coordinating investigations and maximizing team efficiency.
Working alongside companions allows the Investigator to gather information and exploit vulnerabilities, turning the tide of battle.
Supporting Allies
Investigators shine as team players, offering unique support beyond direct damage. Utilizing “Devise a Stratagem” can grant allies crucial advantages, like increased accuracy or debilitating enemy conditions. Sharing gathered intelligence about enemy weaknesses empowers the party to focus attacks effectively.
Providing insightful observations and tactical guidance elevates the entire group’s performance, making the Investigator an invaluable asset.
Investigating with the Party
Effective investigation thrives on collaboration. Share your “Investigation Focus” insights, coordinating with allies to cover more ground and gather diverse clues. Leverage party skills – a rogue’s Stealth complements an Investigator’s Perception, uncovering hidden details.
Combine knowledge and perspectives to piece together complex narratives, ensuring no vital information is overlooked during crucial investigations.
Resources for Investigators
Expand your investigative toolkit with online communities like Reddit’s r/ChillPathfinder2e, offering build guides and tactical discussions. Explore EN World for RPG news and reviews, enhancing your understanding of the class.
Utilize YouTube channels like Origami Goblin and Pathfinder 2e content creators for sample builds and analysis, refining your Investigator’s potential.
Online Communities
Connect with fellow Investigators on Reddit’s r/ChillPathfinder2e, a hub for sharing builds, discussing tactics, and seeking advice. Engage with the broader Pathfinder community on EN World, accessing news, reviews, and forums dedicated to tabletop RPGs.
Find dedicated discussion threads and build showcases, fostering collaborative learning and enhancing your investigative prowess within these vibrant online spaces.
Useful Tools and Websites
Leverage online Pathfinder 2e character builders to optimize your Investigator’s build, ensuring effective skill allocation and feat selection. Explore YouTube channels like Pathfinder 2 ⎼ YouTube for visual guides and build analysis, including pre-Player Core 2 updates.
Utilize Origami Goblin for creative build ideas and stay updated with the latest resources for mastering the Investigator class.