Class: Investigator (5.5) ★

by SovereignLeaderLore

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Investigator


Investigators are experts at staying one step ahead of their foes, constantly factoring new information into their plots and plans to ensure that everything works out as they intend it to. A good investigator knows what's important to keep track of in the immediate, and what can be sidelined to be dealt with later. Many work for and follow the law, but not all are bound by it.

Investigator
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Strategy Dice
1st +2 Devise a Stratagem, Expertise
2nd +2 Pursue Leads, Strategic Strikes 1d4
3rd +2 Investigator Methodology, Persistent Lead 1d4
4th +2 Feat 1d4
5th +3 Sharp Senses 1d6
6th +3 Methodology Feature, Expertise 1d6
7th +3 Superior Stratagem 1d6
8th +3 Feat 1d6
9th +4 Strong Willed 1d6
10th +4 Methodology Feature 1d6
11th +4 Strategic Strikes Improvement 1d8
12th +4 Feat 1d8
13th +4 Aura of Vigilance 1d8
14th +5 Methodology Feature 1d8
15th +5 Leads Abound 1d8
16th +5 Feat 1d8
17th +5 Infallible Eyes 1d10
18th +6 Methodology Feature, Strategic Strikes Improvement 1d10
19th +6 Feat 1d10
20th +6 All the Time in the World 1d10

You must have a Strength or Dexterity of 15 or higher and Intelligence of 15 or higher to multiclass in or out of this class.

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Class Features

As an investigator, you gain the following class features

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per investigator level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light Armor
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
  • Tools: None

  • Saving Throws: Intelligence, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Religion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • Leather armor
  • (a) a longsword or (b) a rapier
  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) dungeoneer’s pack or (b) a priest’s pack

Devise a Stratagem

At 1st level, you can quickly formulate a plan of attack against an enemy. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see. You and other creatures you can see of your choice within 60ft have a bonus to attack rolls against that creature equal to your Intelligence modifier until the start of your next turn.


You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Proficiency bonus (minimum of 1), regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Expertise

At 1st level, choose two of your proficiencies in skills or with tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies to gain this benefit.

Pursue Leads

At 2nd level, you've learned to gather your suspicions into proper investigations. Once every 10 minutes, you can spend 1 minute examining the details of one potential clue, designating the subject related to that clue as the target of your active investigation. This subject is typically a single creature, item, or small location (such as a room or corridor), but the GM might allow a different scope for your investigation. You don't need to know the identity, purpose, or nature of the subject, but you do need to be aware of its existence. For instance, finding a footprint is enough to investigate the creature that left it, and seeing a hasty sketch of an item or location can be enough to start your investigation of that subject.

Whenever you attempt an ability check to investigate a designated subject, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). The exact checks this bonus applies to depend on the actions you use to investigate and are determined by the GM, but typically use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Additionally, when a creature you can see within 60ft attempts an ability check related to the subject of your investigation, you can use your reaction to grant that creature a bonus to the roll equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).


You can maintain two active investigations at a time. If you pursue another lead after that, the subject must be different from any of your current investigations (or rather, they must be different as far as you know), and you give up on a current subject of your choice. Once you've given up pursuit of a subject, you can't pursue that lead again until you finish a long rest.

Strategic Strikes

Also at 2nd level, you can quickly learn and exploit the weaknesses of your enemies. When you hit an attack against a creature marked by your Devise a Stratagem, you deal an additional 1d4 damage of the weapon's type. This die changes as you gain levels in this class, as shown on the Strategy Dice column of the Investigator table.

At 11th level, you roll two Stratgey dice, instead of one, when you hit an attack against a creature marked by your Devise a Stratagem. At 18th level, you roll three dice instead of one.

Investigator Methodology

At 3rd level, you choose a specific investigative methodology that you use to carry out your investigations. Your methodology choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.

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Persistent Lead

Also at 3rd level, you've learned to briefly shift your focus away from one the suspects of your pursued lead to focus on the task at hand. Once per long rest, when you would give up on the subject of a lead, you can choose to designate the lead you gave up on as your persistent lead. Your persistent lead does not grant you any bonuses, but you can choose to pursue it as one of your two leads again at another time (no action required).

Feat

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you gain a Feat.

Sharp Senses

At 5th level, you’ve honed your senses to catch even the slightest glint of a knife or flash of magic. When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to substitute your passive Wisdom (Perception) score for your AC until the start of your next turn, potentially causing the attack to miss. To do so, you must be able to see the attacker.

Superior Stratagem

At 7th level, you have studied a variety of creatures and have learned to bypass certain resistances. When you hit a weapon attack against a creature designated by your Devise a Stratagem, you ignore any of its resistances to Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. If it is immune, you treat it as resistant instead.

Strong Willed

At 9th level, you’ve honed your mind to resist all manner of influences. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you are already proficient in Wisdom saving throws, you instead become proficient in another saving throw of your choice.

Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against being Charmed and Frightened.

Aura of Vigilance

At 13th level, your knack for staying alert for clues for your investigations begins to bleed into your fighting style. While you are Pursuing a Lead, you and creatures of your choice within 10ft of you gain a bonus to initiative rolls equal to the number of leads you are pursuing.

Leads Abound

By 15th level, you’ve learned to keep tabs on everyone and everything you encounter, even things that may seem innocuous at first. You can now Pursue a number of Leads equal to 2 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 2).

Additionally, whenever you’re pursuing the subject of a lead and you enter a new location that includes another clue toward solving the mystery, the GM informs you of the existence of the clue and its type: an object, person, spell effect, or the like, but not its location. 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.

Infallible Eyes

At 17th level, nothing can escape your watchful eye, not even under cover of magic. You gain Truesight out to a range of 60 feet.

All the Time in the World

By 20th level, your firsthand experience of the subjective nature of time and space has given you new observational insights. Your mind processes information so quickly that time appears to stop for all creatures but you. As an action, you enter this state of mental and physical quickness. For this turn and your next 2 turns, you can use actions and bonus actions interchangeably.


Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest to do so again.

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Methodology: Empiricist

Bonus Proficiency

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, you are a master of keeping and lending information between yourself and your allies. You gain proficiency in the History skill. If you were already proficient in this skill, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Expert Reasoning

At 3rd level, you are ever-watchful, able to make shrewd and insightful calculations about people and even inanimate objects. When you would make an ability check or saving throw using Charisma, you can choose to use Intelligence instead.

Unfailing Logic

At 6th level, your grasp of facts and data anchors you in reality, making you difficult to fool. You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) checks made to discover Illusions, Traps, and invisible creatures and objects.

Master Intellect

By 10th level, your powers of reason and deduction become almost superhuman. You can add your Intelligence modifier to any check you make using skills with which you aren’t proficient.


Additionally, you gain Expertise in two additional skills of your choice in which you are proficient.

Eyes for Weakness

At 14th level, the weaknesses of your enemies are obvious to your expert reasoning. As a bonus action, you can study and quickly discover a fatal flaw in a creature’s defenses. That creature becomes vulnerable to either Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage dealt by you make until the end of your next turn.


You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 use), regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Immortal Investigation

At 18th level, your will to complete your investigations drives you to overpower death itself. While you are pursuing at least two leads, if you succeed three Death saving throws, your third success is a critical success.

Art on this page: https://bruce-heard.blogspot.com/2019/07/Librarian.html

Methodology: Forensics

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, you use your extensive knowledge of the body not just for investigations, but also to keep others alive. You gain proficiency in the Medicine skill. If you were already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Check-Up

At 3rd level, your studies of cadavers and crime scenes have taught you a great deal about bodies and how to patch people up. Over the course of a short rest, you can attempt to treat a creature’s wounds. The creature must remain within your reach for the full duration, and cannot engage in anything beyond minimal physical activity during this time (reading, writing, stretching, etc.). At the end of the short rest, roll a Medicine check. The creature regains hit points based on the result of the check, determined by the following table:

Check-Up Hit Points
Medicine Check Hit Points regained
14 or less 1d8
15-19 2d8 + Investigator level
20-29 4d8 + Investigator level
30+ 6d8 + Investigator level

Alternatively, you can choose to use this ability as an action. You can do so a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Forensic Examination

At 6th level, you can study the corpses of creatures to prepare for the future. If you take at least 1 minute to examine a corpse, you can learn certain key pieces of information from it:

  • Any damage resistances, vulnerabilities, or immunities it had in life
  • Any condition immunities it had in life
  • Whether each of its ability scores was higher or lower than yours
  • How many hit points it had
  • What was used to kill it (ie. a certain kind of spell, a knife, a boulder, etc.)

Medicine Master

By 10th level, you are an expert at patching up wounds and curing others with medicine. You can treat two creatures at once with your Check-Up feature.


Additionally, when you roll a 15 or higher for your Check-Up feature, the target gains the benefits of the Lesser Restoration spell.

Reviving Tinctures

At 14th level, you learn to create potent tinctures capable of instilling life into even the most far gone creatures. You learn the Animate Dead and Revivify spells.


You can cast each of these spells a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier using this feature, after which you must complete a short or long rest to do so again.

Master Healer

By 18th level, you have become so adept at patching others up that it takes little effort for great effect. When you roll to treat a creature using your Check-Up feature, you can treat the result as 5 higher than normal.


Additionally, if the result of your roll for your Check-Up feature is 40 or higher, the target regains hit points equal to 8d6 + your Investigator level.

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Methodology: Gambler

Bonus Proficiency

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, you utilize your natural luck and the manipulation of chance to achieve success. You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill. If you were already proficient in this skill, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Lucky Draw

At 3rd level, you have a deck of magically-infused cards which produce random effects. You can draw a card as a bonus action, causing one random effect on the Lucky Draw table.

You can draw a number of cards per day equal to your Intelligence modifier, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Coin Toss

At 6th level, your unnatural luck manifests inside a special coin, whose power can be either a great boon or a great detriment. When you make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can choose to flip this coin as a bonus action to reroll the check. Roll 1d6. If the result is 4-6, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. On a 1-3, you subtract an amount equal to your Charisma from the result.

You can flip your coin a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Proficiency Bonus, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Up My Sleeve

By 10th level, you have become so accustomed to your wild luck that you learn to manipulate your odds of a lucky draw. When you use your Lucky Draw ability, you can choose to take Psychic damage equal to twice your Proficiency bonus. If you do so, you can roll on the Lucky Draw table twice and take either result.

Rigged Hand

At 14th level, you learn a consistent way to stack your magical deck in a way that allows you guaranteed success. Once per long rest when you use your Lucky Draw feature, you can pick one effect of your choice from the table instead of rolling.

Dead Man’s Hand

At 18th level, you can draw a powerful yet risky hand of cards to directly manipulate your odds of success. As a bonus action, you can choose to draw this hand, gaining 1 special failed Death saving throw. If you do so, you automatically hit your next weapon attack.

This special death fail lasts until you complete a short or long rest.


Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest to do so again.

Table - Lucky Draw
d10 │ Effect
1 Ace. The next time you hit a creature within the next minute, it gains the effects of your Devise a Stratagem without expending a use of that feature.
2 Spades. You gain a bonus to the next attack roll you make equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1).
3 Clubs. The next time you deal damage, you deal an additional amount of damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1).
4 Hearts. You regain hit points equal to twice your Charisma modifier (minimum of 2). At 11th level, you regain hit points equal to three times your Charisma modifier.
5 Diamonds. You gain a second action until the end of your current turn. If you use this action, you can't move or take actions on your next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you.
6 Jack. The card explodes in your hand. You and all creatures within 10ft of you must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 Fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
7 Queen. You instantly teleport to a random unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.
8 King. You can’t move more than 5 feet during your turn until the start of your next turn.
9 Blank. You are Blinded and Deafened until the end of your next turn.
10 Joker. Roll twice on this table, gaining the effects of both results, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls.
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Methodology: Interviewer


People can't help but trust you, whether through your inherent likableness or your firm insistence on sticking to the truth. You have a way about you that gets others talking, and you've developed interrogative techniques to help you get to the truth of your investigations.

Bonus Proficiency

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, you specialize in prying secrets from the lips of the living, able to prod in just the right ways to get your subjects to talk. You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you were already proficient in this skill, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Pointed Question

At 3rd level, you know how to ask a question that charms or needles someone in just the right way. If you converse with a creature for at least a minute, you can ask pointed questions that are hard to answer with lies. Make a Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check contested by that creature's Charisma (Persuasion or Deception). A creature that is immune to being Charmed makes their check with advantage, and a creature can willingly let you succeed on this check.

If you succeed, the creature must answer your question truthfully, at least to their knowledge, but they don't necessarily need to tell you the entire truth. For instance, a man on the street might tell you which road they saw a thief run down the previous night, but not that they were said thief.

If you fail, the creature can answer your question however they wish, and you gain no other insight as to their response.


You are aware of whether you succeed or fail this ability check.


Once you have used this feature on a given creature, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it on that creature again.

Prepared Questions

At 6th level, your conversations are a game of strategy in and of themselves, and you plan your moves ahead of time. If you converse with a creature related to a Lead you are Pursuing for at least a minute (at least as far as you know), you can roll a d20 as a Prepared die. If you later make a Charisma ability check on that creature within the same hour, you can choose to replace the result with your Prepared die.

Once you use this feature, you must complete a long rest to do so again.

Silver Tongue

By 10th level, you are so adept at wordplay that it is difficult to convince you of falsehoods, and you can turn the power of lies back on liars. When you succeed a saving throw against being Charmed by a creature, you can attempt to turn that charm back on the charmer. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, where the DC equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. On a failed save, the target becomes Charmed by you until the end of your next turn.

Prepared Script

By 14th level, you know the typical words and phrases people use, and have become resistant to their power. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects that include a verbal component.

Infallible Interviewer

By 18th level, your ability to trick and guide the mind gives you a greater understanding of tricks and attacks attempted against your own. You gain resistance to Psychic damage, and you can’t be controlled by spells or other magical effects against your will.

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Methodology: Otherworldly Sleuth

Bonus Proficiency

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, your extensive knowledge of the paranormal gives you greater knowledge of the strange and mystical. You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you were already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Otherworldly Grimoire

At 3rd level, your paranormal studies have taught you a variety of magical rituals, which you hold in a Grimoire of otherworldly power. You learn two 1st level spells with the ritual tag from any class' spell list (the spells needn't be from the same list). You can cast each of these spells once per day as a ritual, requiring no spell slot or material components. You can't cast the spells except as rituals, unless you've learned them by some other means.


On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Otherworldly Grimoire. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell's level is equal to or less than half your investigator level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

Psychic Medium

At 6th level, you are an expert at communicating with the otherworldly to forward your investigations, learning secret rituals and forbidden knowledge.

  • You learn the Detect Thoughts and Speak with Dead spells, which you can cast as rituals, requiring no spell slot or material components. You can't cast these spells except as rituals, unless you've learned them by some other means. Once you cast a spell in this way, you must complete a short or long rest to cast it again.
  • You learn to speak, read, and write Deep Speech.

Arcane Connections

By 10th level, you gain access to higher magic, allowing you to forward your investigations with ease. While a creature you have conversed with for at least 1 minute is designated as the subject of your Pursue a Lead or your Persistent Lead, you can innately cast Sending or Scrying on that creature without expending a spell slot or material components.

Otherworldly Armor

At 14th level, your encounters with the otherworldly have earned you favor from the beyond, which has manifested as a minor shield emanating from your Otherworldly Grimoire. While you are Pursuing at least one Lead and have your Otherworldly Grimoire on your person, you have a bonus to saving throws against spells and other magical effects equal to the number of Leads you are Pursuing.

Eyes Everywhere

At 18th level, you have learned to manifest yourself to where you are needed, even outside your normal places of business. You gain the following traits:

  • You learn the Misty Step spell, which you can cast without expending a spell slot.
  • You learn the Teleport and Plane Shift spells, which you can cast as rituals, requiring no spell slot. You can't cast these spells except as rituals, unless you've learned them by some other means.

Once you cast one of these spells in this way, you must complete a short or long rest to cast that spell again.

Art on this page: https://www.deviantart.com/henning/art/Field-researcher-124140527

Methodology: Vigilantism

Bonus Proficiency

At 3rd level when you choose this methodology, you utilize fear to pry information from your subjects. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you were already proficient in this skill, you gain proficiency in one other skill or tool of your choice.

Frightful Strikes

By 3rd level, your focus is your enemy's fear. When you deal damage to a creature marked by your Devise a Stratagem with a weapon attack, you can attempt to frighten it (no action required). When you do so, the target must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Vigilante’s Might

At 6th level, you are strongest against those who fear you the most. When you deal damage to a creature that is Frightened of you, you deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Strategy die.

Combat Ready

By 10th level, you are always prepared for a fight, even in the most unassuming of scenarios. You can’t be surprised, and you have advantage on initiative checks.

In the Face of Fear

At 14th level, you are a master of fear, able to both inspire it and face it. You can’t be Frightened, and creatures have disadvantage on saving throws made against your Frightful Strikes. 9

Vigilante’s Sidekicks

By 18th level, you have incorporated your allies into your tactics, who have become known by your enemies- even if only in spirit. When creatures of your choice deal damage to a creature Frightened of you with a weapon attack, they deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Strategy die.

Art on this page: https://www.deviantart.com/akeiron/art/Chapter-1-Opener-625050013

Credits

This class is an adaptation of the Investigator class from Pathfinder 2nd Edition. All credit for the concept of the class goes to Paizo and everyone else involved in the making of that system.

Many of the wordings of the base class features, as well as inspiration for several subclass features were taken from 5e Investigator by SpaceWestern.

None of this art is my own, and I do not claim credit for any of it. The original source of the art as I found it is linked on the page the art is located in this document. If I used your art and found it posted by someone else who may have posted it without your consent, I apologize.

Collaborators and Creators on this Project
  • Evan | Discord: @esteban_7581
  • Sofia | Discord: @guitarrongamer
 

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