I'm a big fan of the idea of the Inquisitive Rogue, but the performance of the subclass is... suboptimal. It just doesn't seem to do what its' supposed to do, and other Rogue subclasses seem to be able to do most of it and have their cool feature on top of it. Which leads me to this -
I'd really appreciate any constructive feedback.
Recently Updated based on feedback and some testing
As an archetypal Inquisitive, you excel at rooting out secrets and unraveling mysteries. You rely on your sharp eye for detail, but also on your finely honed ability to read the words and deeds of other creatures to determine their true intent. You excel at defeating creatures that hide among and prey upon ordinary folk, and your mastery of lore and your keen deductions make you well equipped to expose and end hidden evils.
Eye for Detail
Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action instead of an action to make a Search or Study check.
Whenever you make an ability check using those skills, you can make it as an Intelligence check, even if it normally uses a different ability. What you might lack in charisma, you can make up for with your knowledge of how creatures think or behave.
Insightful Fighting
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to decipher an opponent’s tactics and develop a counter to them. As a Bonus Action, you can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check against a creature you can see that isn’t incapacitated, contested by the target’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you have Advantage on Attack rolls against that creature. When attacked and hit by a creature affected by your Insightful Fighting feature, you may use a Reaction to add your Intelligence bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss. You gain this bonus to your AC against all attacks from that creature until the start of your next turn. If that creature's Attack instead forces a Saving Throw, you gain Advantage on that Saving Throw.
This benefit lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature against a different target.
Deductive Strikes
Starting at 9th level, while your Insightful Fighting feature applies to a target creature, the following effects are now among your Cunning Strike options:
Evaluate (Cost: 1-2 d6). You learn two of the following about the target creature for each d6 expended:
damage vulnerabilities
damage resistances
damage immunities
condition immunities
For example, if you forego 1d6, you learn two of the items above. If you forego 2d6, you learn all of the items.
Breach (Cost: 2d6).Your Sneak Attack damage bypasses any damage resistances the target creature might possess.
Eye for Detail
Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on your Eye for Detail checks if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.
Eye for Weakness
At 9th level, you learn to exploit a creature’s weaknesses by carefully studying its tactics and movement. While your Insightful Fighting feature applies to a creature, your Sneak Attack damage against that creature increases by an amount equal to your Proficiency Bonus. In addition, your focused attention helps you anticipate a foe’s retreat. When you hit a creature with an Opportunity Attack, you can reduce the creature’s Speed to 0 until the end of the current turn. You can then move up to half your Speed as part of the same Reaction. This movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
Your Insightful Fighting feature now lasts until you successfully use this feature against a different target.
Unerring Eye
Beginning at 13th level, your senses are almost impossible to foil. When using your Eye for Detail feature, you sense the presence of illusions, shapechangers not in their original form, and other magic designed to deceive the senses within 30 feet of you, provided you aren’t blinded or deafened. You sense that an effect is attempting to trick you, but you gain no insight into what is hidden or into its true nature.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest, and you regain one use of it when you finish a short rest.
Master of Deduction
At 17th level, you have become a master of investigation and deductive reasoning. Your attack rolls against targets of your Inciteful Fighting can score a Critical Hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. In addition, you gain Truesight to a range of 10' if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.
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I'm a big fan of the idea of the Inquisitive Rogue, but the performance of the subclass is... suboptimal. It just doesn't seem to do what its' supposed to do, and other Rogue subclasses seem to be able to do most of it and have their cool feature on top of it. Which leads me to this -
I'd really appreciate any constructive feedback.
Recently Updated based on feedback and some testing
As an archetypal Inquisitive, you excel at rooting out secrets and unraveling mysteries. You rely on your sharp eye for detail, but also on your finely honed ability to read the words and deeds of other creatures to determine their true intent. You excel at defeating creatures that hide among and prey upon ordinary folk, and your mastery of lore and your keen deductions make you well equipped to expose and end hidden evils.
Eye for Detail
Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action instead of an action to make a Search or Study check.
Focused Attention
Starting at 3rd level, you may choose two of the following Skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion.
Whenever you make an ability check using those skills, you can make it as an Intelligence check, even if it normally uses a different ability. What you might lack in charisma, you can make up for with your knowledge of how creatures think or behave.
Insightful Fighting
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to decipher an opponent’s tactics and develop a counter to them. As a Bonus Action, you can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check against a creature you can see that isn’t incapacitated, contested by the target’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you have Advantage on Attack rolls against that creature. When attacked and hit by a creature affected by your Insightful Fighting feature, you may use a Reaction to add your Intelligence bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss. You gain this bonus to your AC against all attacks from that creature until the start of your next turn. If that creature's Attack instead forces a Saving Throw, you gain Advantage on that Saving Throw.
This benefit lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature against a different target.
Deductive Strikes
Starting at 9th level, while your Insightful Fighting feature applies to a target creature, the following effects are now among your Cunning Strike options:
Evaluate (Cost: 1-2 d6). You learn two of the following about the target creature for each d6 expended:
For example, if you forego 1d6, you learn two of the items above. If you forego 2d6, you learn all of the items.
Breach (Cost: 2d6). Your Sneak Attack damage bypasses any damage resistances the target creature might possess.
Eye for Detail
Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on your Eye for Detail checks if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.
Eye for Weakness
At 9th level, you learn to exploit a creature’s weaknesses by carefully studying its tactics and movement. While your Insightful Fighting feature applies to a creature, your Sneak Attack damage against that creature increases by an amount equal to your Proficiency Bonus. In addition, your focused attention helps you anticipate a foe’s retreat. When you hit a creature with an Opportunity Attack, you can reduce the creature’s Speed to 0 until the end of the current turn. You can then move up to half your Speed as part of the same Reaction. This movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
Your Insightful Fighting feature now lasts until you successfully use this feature against a different target.
Unerring Eye
Beginning at 13th level, your senses are almost impossible to foil. When using your Eye for Detail feature, you sense the presence of illusions, shapechangers not in their original form, and other magic designed to deceive the senses within 30 feet of you, provided you aren’t blinded or deafened. You sense that an effect is attempting to trick you, but you gain no insight into what is hidden or into its true nature.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest, and you regain one use of it when you finish a short rest.
Master of Deduction
At 17th level, you have become a master of investigation and deductive reasoning. Your attack rolls against targets of your Inciteful Fighting can score a Critical Hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. In addition, you gain Truesight to a range of 10' if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.