The world’s dark and full of questions. Rogues that embody the Investigator archetype might be City Watch officers, P.I.’s, or just concerned citizens. No matter their background, these investigators rely on true wit and grit to make it one more day in the crucible that is this world.

Investigative Specialty

At 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, you gain proficiency in the Investigation skill. Additionally, you focus on one investigative specialty, choosing one of the options below. You choose another specialty at 9th level.

Arson

Fire burns away all but the darkest secrets. You’ve spent so long investigating arson, sometimes while it yet smolders, yet rages, that you have resistance to fire damage. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability checks you make to determine the nature, origin, or effects of a fire, such as how or when a house burned down.

Missing Persons

Folks go missing all the time. Sometimes of their own accord. You excel at tracking these individuals down. Whenever you’re in urban terrain, you cannot become lost except by magical means and you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track a creature.

Occultism

The world is rife with otherworldly danger, and sometimes there ain’t no one standing up for the little guy, so you’ll have to do. You learn a language of your choice from Abyssal, Infernal, Deep Speech, Primordial, or Sylvan. Additionally, you gain advantage on saving throws against madness and resistance to psychic damage.

Surveillance

You’re the eye in the dark; you see it all. You gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet; if you already had darkvision, its range is increased by 30 feet. Whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) or Wisdom (Perception) check, you can treat a roll of 7 or below as an 8. You also can accurately recall anything you’ve seen or heard in the last week.

Undercover Ops

There’s no identity you can’t pull off. You can wade through noble courts and ganginfested streets with ease. You gain proficiency with the disguise kit and whenever you make a Charisma check with either the Deception or Performance skill to pass yourself off as another person, you can treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8.

Vice

Everybody’s got a penchant for something they oughtn’t. Through sheer will, caution, or perhaps a few experimental tastes, you’ve steeled yourself against narcotics and harmful substances. You gain proficiency in alchemists’ supplies, resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against poison and other addictive substances, magical or otherwise.

Violence

You’re no stranger to death. You’ve seen it all: gore splattered wallpaper, faces reduced to ribbons… Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make to determine the nature of a wound or cause of death of a creature. Additionally, whenever you start your turn frightened, you can use your Cunning Action to end that effect on yourself

Hardboiled

The world’s a dark place. Every time you think you’ve seen it all, somehow it still surprises you. How have you made it this far? Well, that’s a good question. At 3rd level, you pick one quality from the following options, gaining its benefits. You pick another option at 9th level.

Cynical

Nothing matters and everything’s a joke just waiting to be cracked. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, as well as Charisma saving throws.

Evasive

They can’t ever seem to catch you. When you aren’t wearing any armor, your AC equals 10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Dexterity modifier.

Hopeful

The sun always rises. You can use your Cunning Action to gain temporary hit points equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier, which last until the end of your next turn. These hit points increase as you gain levels in this class: to 2d4 at 5th level, to 3d4 at 9th level and 4d4 at 11th level.

Paranoid

Your mind always searches for peril, well beyond what the eye can see. You add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative rolls and you can’t be surprised while you’re conscious

Skeptic

Nothing’s ever what it seems. If it’s too good to be true, it isn’t. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Investigation) to peer through an illusion, or a Wisdom (Insight) check to discern a lie, you have advantage on the check.

Tough

No part of you hasn’t got a scar. Your hit point maximum increases by a number of hit points equal to your rogue level when you choose this option and increases by 1 whenever you gain a level in this class.

Deductive Violence

Starting at 9th level, you can use your Cunning Action to deduce a creature’s tactics and weaknesses and visualize a scenario of wanton violence. Choose one creature you can see within 60 feet, contesting your Intelligence (Investigation) check against a creature’s Charisma (Deception) check. On a success, the creature is vulnerable to the next weapon attack you make against it before the end of your next turn, unless the creature was already resistant or immune to that attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once), regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Ain't No Grave

You’ve fished up far too many secrets, aired far too much dirty laundry. You’ve got foes for days, and each of them would like nothing better than to put you in the ground—but there’s no grave that can keep your body down. At 13th level, when you make a Death saving throw, a roll of 18 or 19 is considered a critical success and a roll of 1 is not considered a critical failure, but a normal one.

True Detective

Nothing can shake you from a case. Yours is a selfdestructive obsession that drives you ever onward despite all odds and all opportunities to leave this hard-knock life for greener pastures. It’s your chain, and one day you’ll wind up hanging yourself with it—but until then? Nothing can stop you. At 17th level, whenever you start your turn with less than half your hit points, you can use an action to regain hit points equal to 2d10 + your rogue level + your Intelligence modifier. Until the start of your next turn, you have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks and you don’t provoke opportunity attacks. Once you use this feature, you cannot until you finish a long rest.