Inquisitors are under no means for people who are inexperienced in Pathfinder. Roleplaying-wise, they are relatively simple as long as the players keep a “vigilante” mindset since they carry out justice in the name of their deity. Combat-wise, though, it is a lot more difficult because there’s almost an excessive amount of things to keep in mind.
Many people weren’t exactly excited, nor did they know much about the Inquisitor. People did say that they have the potential to be the primary healer, much like a Paladin or Cleric. However, the majority would say that the Inquisitor is more like a Bard than anything else (which I agree with).
Below you will find a bunch of lists to guide the Inquisitor in pathfinder and the best way to build one. They are in no specific order of anything and are simply formed into a list. We also made a necromancer build guide for pathfinder.
Best Spells for an inquisitor character in pathfinder
1. Ghost Whip
I was debating whether or not putting this spell on the list would be considered my own bias rather than it being an objectively good spell for all players other than myself. After a bit of thought, I concluded that the spell on Inquisitor would be helpful nonetheless.
An undead whip that hits ghosts and ignores cover. It can’t be disarmed, and it can still drag and reposition. It’s a great way to get the upper hand in combat for the Inquisitor.
2. Oath of Anonymity
If the Inquisitor at hand just loves to go for surprise attacks or sneak their way into enemy lines (which, in my opinion, is the best way to play it), this spell is probably the best way to go.
Not only does it not cost anything, but it adds a +10 bonus to disguises, meaning the spell is highly effective. Furthermore, since it also changes your mannerisms, voice, and gear, it makes it extremely difficult for enemies to know if the Inquisitor is fake.
3. Mortal Terror
A great way to get more hits into a target for their team. Sure, the duration is only one round, meaning that the Inquisitor may not be able to get any hits in, but it works if the Inquisitor isn’t in range or if they aren’t able to do anything else within their turn. This way, the Inquisitor’s turn isn’t wasted, and the team can get a bunch of hits on an enemy that won’t be able to do much.
4. Forced Mutation
Yet another spell that renders an enemy useless. It’s also the best to get the players back on their toes. DMs like to describe or have their players describe how the spell works since there’s so much potential to be had with such vivid detail.
As for the spell’s usefulness, it’s crazy how much can be done to the enemy with just a level 3 spell. The player can choose the enemy’s deformity and inflicts a -4 penalty to Charisma and Constitution. This spell is probably the best if the player likes to go all out in a fight without pulling any punches.
5. Unshakable Zeal
Sometimes, your teammates fall short in a lot of things. It’s a prevalent thing in pathfinder. Inquisitors can hold their own, but it’ll be complicated if the people they are with do not have it.
That said, why not have the Inquisitor give their party a little boost for an hour? If the supported ally fails a check and becomes feared, they can simply shake off the spell. If the ally fails any roll, whether it attacks, save, or skill check, they will also get a morale bonus of +4 on their next try. Sometimes, even the most influential person needs allies to do something. One person can’t just be left to do everything after all.
Best Feats for pathfinder inquisitor build
Note: as always, some feats are exclusive to certain races or, in this scenario, archetypes. For the sake of simplicity, though, I will only list accomplishments that are good for Inquisitors of all types.
1. Big Game Hunter
Extremely great for late game and higher levels. When the end-game starts rolling around, the monsters that the DM may lay out will likely be large or bigger ones. A +1 or +2 may not seem like a lot on paper, but a slight difference can determine whether a player may die the next turn as the AC for monsters gets higher.
2. Armor Proficiency, Heavy
It’s understandable why they didn’t give this class proficiency in armor for lore and balancing. However, with the feat, Inquisitors not only can hit hard, but they can also take quite a few hits while still being the support.
Especially with how aggressive Inquisitors can be, it would be nice to be able to do damage and tank everything.
3. Improved Initiative
This is a good feat all around unless you’re a support-heavy character. With the Inquisitor class, though, this feat lets you get off a lot of damage before the monster can even damage you. Who knows? The Inquisitor might even kill the mob before they even take damage.
4. Wanderer’s Fortune
The freedom of movement spell does come in handy, but many attack-heavy people prefer not to use it very often. With this feat, though, the Inquisitor can use it twice a day, depending on your rank in Knowledge. In addition, inquisitors often use this feat to play more aggressively and have a “get in, get out” type of playstyle.
5. Diverse Obedience
Boons are debatably one of the craziest things to obtain in Pathfinder. This feat only makes it worse in the best way possible and, therefore, is a great way to impress your DM or have them hate you altogether.
With this feat, the character is treated as if they have two hit dice. Then, they will be given a reward for obeying their deity. The only thing is- they will have to wait at later levels to gain a boon, so it’s more of a feat for later in the game.
Best Items for a pathfinder inquisitor build
1. Stole of Justice`Stole of Justice
This weapon was made to be used by an Inquisitor. So the weapon is already potent with all the bonuses it grants the user. However, if the user is an Inquisitor using their Judgment, it gives the Inquisitor a bonus in perception and CMD. Of course, this guarantees success since the Inquisitor’s major ability score is Wisdom.
2. Belt of Thunderous Charging
It is one of my favorite items in Pathfinder because of its name, design, and the fact that it boosts a charge like an actual rhino. After researching the Inquisitor, though, I have found that my favorite pathfinder item goes perfectly with them! In addition, it boasts some damage, and since the Inquisitor usually likes to go in guns-blazing, this item helps with that.
3. Bracers of Archery/Greater
Suppose the Inquisitor prefers to be dangerous at a range (which is viable). In that case, this item is honestly way too strong to the point where DMs often frown upon even having this option available to the party.
However, since the Inquisitor is already proficient in almost any type of bow, the bracer will give a +2 on attack rolls and +1 on damage rolls. Especially in Pathfinder, where the monsters provided are very much limited, a +2 on attack rolls does make a significant difference in the eyes of the DM.
4. Mind Master’s Eyes
Why not have yet another spell at your disposal as an Inquisitor? There are already so many options to choose from, but with this item, you can get a spell for free and at will with unlimited use unless it’s to dominate a person.
Yet another spell to make sure you can support your team and get even more hits. This is especially useful since the Inquisitor often goes first in combat, so being able to charm a monster immediately would be extremely powerful.
5. Cloak of the Bat
Since I find that many Inquisitors like to roleplay like DC Comics Batman, I just thought this item would be an excellent fit.
It gives the Inquisitor the ability to fly, and as if that wasn’t cool enough, the user can choose to polymorph into a bat if it’s dark enough! This is yet another excellent way for an Inquisitor to infiltrate enemy territory or sneak their way into the backlines.
Tips and Tricks for an inquisitor build in pathfinder
I do not have enough experience to advise how to use the Inquisitor class. That being said, this section will be what I find in my research on how to use this class. Of course, for the sake of not plagiarizing, I will conduct research from multiple sources, then give my take on how to best utilize this class.
1. Plan AHEAD and Research!
Nothing hurts you and your session more than not being prepared. But, of course, this also applies to your character! As stated, the Inquisitor is not for the inexperienced because so many aspects are put into this class. If any player wishes to use the Inquisitor to its full potential, they must plan many things. First, they’ll need to determine what kind of fighting style they want.
The Inquisitor can be a full-on spellcaster, a ranger, or even a front line, but they can’t be all three- they have to choose one!
Then, of course, they should decide what spells will be at their disposal, their feat, and figure out what needs to be done as they level up. It may seem like something that should be done anyway, but the Inquisitor requires more research due to all the aspects the class has.
2. Use Judgements per Playstyle, not Situation
Judgment is the most important aspect of the Inquisitor and is what makes the Inquisitor so strong. It lasts the entire fight, and it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of feature.
However, when choosing the effect for Judgement, it’s best to use the one that would be best for how the player is playing the Inquisitor rather than making an impulsive choice.
When trying to make the Inquisitor as strong and useful as possible, the player surely looks at what skills they are best at and chooses which Judgement from there. For example, if the Inquisitor is focused on supporting the team since they are low on health, it would probably be best to choose the Healing Judgement. As the game goes on, Judgements can be used more than once per day, so why not?
3. Abuse the Banes!
Banes are a class feature that Inquisitors have at Level 5. To be able to make a weapon that you have even more powerful and have the power to choose what creature it can excel against is honestly super overpowered.
To top it all off, the creature type can be changed with just a swift (bonus) action meaning you can kill one creature and then change the bane type to the next one you decide to smite. So why shouldn’t Banes be abused?
Pros and Cons of pathfinder inquisitor builds
Pros
- Extremely versatile: The amount of ways that the Inquisitor can be played is nothing to scoff at. In most scenarios, when a person tries to think up a new character, they would have to think of a class and have a straight path in which they may play. However, with the Inquisitor, they can choose to be a full spellcaster, ranger, fighter, or anything in between.
- Changing it Up: In basically every scenario, once you have created your character, you are stuck as that character. You’ll have to stick to that specific playstyle for the rest of the one-shot or campaign. With the Inquisitor, you can easily change how you wish to play. It’s all a matter of what items/weapons you have and, of course, your ability scores. However, even then, the ability scores can be tampered with since there are many ways to make it so you can hit something, whether it be a spell that grants +1s, advantages, etc.
- Team Player and Solo Player: With Bane and Judgement being part of the Class Features for the Inquisitor, the player could easily hold their own. However, Judgement also gives access to effects that can aid their party members during a fight.
- Always Strong: Inquisitor is already extremely strong in the lower levels, but each time they level up, they gain a different ability to access or even an additional one. With Inquisitor, you never have to worry about falling off late game or coming short early game- you’re just always a super strong asset to have.
Cons
- Combat Reliant: Inquisitors always seem to be looking for a fight and therefore are the most useful in a fight. However, in other scenarios, such as non-combat encounters, they won’t be able to utilize much of their kit. Most Inquisitors only like to use spells that make them a formidable foe in combat, leaving nothing but the luck of the dice and their stat modifiers to determine whether or not they can find the missing needle in a haystack or persuade a guard to let them into the castle.
- Not Beginner Friendly: As stated before, Inquisitors should not be played by someone who does not have a lot of experience. There are way too many things to take into account, and things can be easily overlooked due to the overwhelming amount of things that the Inquisitor has.
- A Lot of Swift Actions: A lot of the features, spells, and sometimes even attacks that the Inquisitor can do requires swift action. However, per the rules in pathfinder, only one swift action can be used per turn. The Inquisitor can’t blow everything in one go unless it’s multiple attacks and will have to wait for their next turn to change Judgement, Bane, or any other swift action they may want to use.
- Pretty Useless Once Restrained: Since the Inquisitor will most likely not be maxing out their Strength or Dex (unless they are playing a ranged fighting style), there may come times when they are restrained or stunned. Once this hindrance comes, it could be difficult for them to get out of- then they’ll be a sitting duck for a while since there are not many things they could do to counter it, such as their Judgement class feature. If they cannot engage in combat by any means, the effects of Judgement wear off completely until they can get back in there.