Declassified: Inquisitor

This article will cover my personal design of the Inquisitor class for use in the 5th edition of D&D. The design may be found here. It is based on the Pathfinder version of the class, which can be found here.

WHAT IS AN INQUISITOR?

So what are the core features of the Inquisitor class? It is a spontaneous divine spellcasting class. It focuses on tracking down and killing enemies. It has the ability to augment itself with the Judgment feature. And it has a subtheme of Teamwork feats.

Spellcasting in 5th edition D&D is quite different from how it functioned in 3.5. However, the spontaneous/prepared dichotomy remains alive and well: some classes learn a limited list of spells, their "spells known", where other classes prepare from a large spell selection. As a spontaneous spellcasting class, Inquisitors fall into the former category, so it will have a list of spells known.

Several disparate features build to create the second category of Inquisitor abilities: tracking and killing. The class will need at least one feature that makes it better at hunting down enemies, at least one feature that makes it better at damaging its enemies, and at least one ability to recognize its enemies when they are hiding. We will keep this in mind continuing forward.

The Judgment feature is an interesting one. In the Pathfinder version of the class, It lasts until combat ends, and allows the Inquisitor to choose from, and change to, a variety of options. D&D 5 designs typically limit durations to either 1 minute, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, or 24 hours. Effectively, a duration of one encounter is now marked as "1 minute". Furthermore, many of the Judgment abilities no longer function well in 5th edition, which avoids excessive +1's in favor of keeping things simpler. We will have to heavily modify this ability, going forward.

Finally, the Pathfinder Inquisitor has a theme of Teamwork feats. Feats are drastically changed in 5th edition, but we can salvage the teamwork theme in other ways.

These four concepts will be the foundation of our Inquisitor class.

HIT POINTS AND PROFICIENCIES

It is easy to directly translate weapon and armor proficiencies from Pathfinder to D&D 5e. The same goes for hit points. We have a class with a d8 hit die, able to wear light and medium armor and wear shields, and use a variety of weapons.

For skills, Pathfinder grants the Inquisitor 6 skill points per level. This makes it a medium skilled class, so we translate this to a choice of three proficiencies. The list includes all of the investigation-based skills the Inquisitor needs: magical knowledges, social skills, stealth skills, and perception. We also select Wisdom and Charisma as the two saving throws: Inquisitors excel at foiling others' attempts to magically manipulate their minds.

SPELLCASTING

As the Inquisitor is a hybrid spellcasting class, with a list of spells known, it is similar to the core Ranger class. We start it out with two spells known at second level, and ramp it up to eleven by twentieth. The highest spell level our Inquisitor will learn to cast is fifth.

The Inquisitor in Pathfinder uses Wisdom as its spellcasting trait. However, as I see the Inquisitor as a replacement for the Paladin for certain styles of campaign, I change this to the Charisma attribute. Feel free to use Wisdom instead, if you wish.

The spell list, included at the end of the class description, draws heavily from the Paladin list. A decent amount of healing, plenty of weapon-combat enhancing spells, and the addition of a few tricks for the investigative side of the class. I also translate a spell from Pathfinder, Confess, to give the Inquisitor something wholly unique to the class.

HUNTING ENEMIES

We decided, early on, that our Inquisitor would need a feature that lets him track enemies, a feature that lets him pierce disguises, and a feature that lets him deal extra damage to enemies. We accomplish this with several abilities, scattered across all levels.

Monster Lore is a more-or-less direct translation from Pathfinder. Eschewing bonuses for Advantage, our Inquisitor is better-equipped to track and recognize creatures. However, for thematic purposes, I limit the feature to only work against fiends, undead, monstrosities, and fey. Otherwise, the Inquisitor would be an even better tracker than the Ranger, which seems inappropriate.

We replace Pathfinder's detect alignment, which doesn't exist in 5th edition, with Divine Sense, drawn from the Paladin class. It fills much the same role.

We replace Pathfinder's bane feature with Divine Smite, also drawn from the Paladin class in 5th edition. At 14th level, the Pathfinder Inquisitor also gets Exploit Weakness, which allows it to ignore resistances on a critical hit. In translating this, I have changed it from triggering on critical hits to triggering every time Divine Smite is used; this may prove to be too powerful, in which case it could be returned to a critical trigger.

Finally, as an Inquisitor will often have to question creatures or people with a habit of lying profusely, Pathfinder gave them the ability to cast the discern lies spell. I replace this with an aura, in keeping with a theme that I'll discuss later, that functions as zone of truth and has a duration of 1 minute.

JUDGMENT DAY

Perhaps the most interesting translation from Pathfinder to D&D 5e is the Judgment feature. The new edition has no real analogue for most of the aspects of the Judgment feature, and furthermore it tends to limit such features to prevent the bog-down in combat from having to decide exactly which feature is best used every round.

We select the Cleric's Channel Divinity feature as the base upon which to build our new Judgment feature. Rather than a selection of immediate effects, which doesn't fit the Judgments from Pathfinder, we make each Judgment an ongoing buff to the Inquisitor with a duration of 1 minute. Rather than growing more powerful as the Inquisitor levels, which is typically something D&D 5e avoids, we base the buffs our Judgment provides on the Inquisitor's Charisma attribute. There is one exception to this rule, Shelter, as resistance in 5e merely halves damage, rather than reduce it by a fixed amount.

In keeping with Channel Divinities, rather than throw every Judgment option at the player up front, we divide the options among the different class archetypes. Each Inquisitor has access to Purity, which provides a bonus to saving throws. All other Judgments are split among the three archetypes.

TEAM PLAYER

In place of Pathfinder's Teamwork Feats, our 5th edition Inquisitor utilizes the Paladin's auras, customized to better fit the theme. In addition to Discern Lies, the Inquisitor gets Stalwart Aura, to protect allies from fear and charms. The Oath of Valor archetype includes another aura as well.

Finally, mixing Judgment with Teamwork gives us the ultimate feature and aura of our Inquisitor, the level 20 ability, True Judgment. Whereas a Judgment effect normally only affects the Inquisitor herself, with True Judgment all allies within range gain the same benefits. Sharing is caring.

SACRED OATHS

The three Inquisitor archetypes map to the three main focuses of the Inquisitor: investigation, teamwork, and hunting. Each provides ten oath spells, which are added to the inquisitor spell list and may be learned whenever a new spell is learned. Additionally, at appropriate levels, the Inquisitor automatically learns one of the two oath spells for that level, without it counting against her spells known.

The Oath of Conversion provides new spells and abilities to protect the Inquisitor from harm while she is trying to sway enemies to her cause. She can magically influence or control enemies, rebuke those who do her harm, and gains new skill proficiencies to help her sway others to her cause.

The Oath of Valor focuses on teamwork, helping the Inquisitor to be an example to his allies. It brings features that keep the Inquisitor and his allies alive, from more healing spells to a new aura. Its Judgments provide healing, and make it easier to strike one's foes.

The Oath of Vengeance focuses on, you guessed it, vengeance. With Judgments focused on damaging enemies, an ability to pursue those who flee, and a chance to instantly kill an enemy once per day, those who follow the Oath of Vengeance excel at bringing the pain.

THE INQUISITOR DECLASSIFIED

So that is the Inquisitor class.

What do you think? Would you play this class? What changes do you suggest? Let me know in the comments.