Grand Inquisitor

Most inquisitors are grim martial hunters of the heretics, some however forgo the usual training in weapons and tracking, focusing instead on their spellcasting and overwhelming presence to impart judgment and strike divine fear upon the unworthy.

Standing above the laws or using them as a stool to exert authority, grand inquisitors are regal servants of their deities, vessels of incredible devotion whose divine decisions shake even the most courageous heretics.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A grand inquisitor is proficient with all simple weapons, the favored weapon of her deity, and light armors.

Judgment (Su)

A grand inquisitor’s list of judgments is limited. She can only select her available judgments from the following list: Healing, Piercing, Protection, Purity, and Resilience.

This ability modifies judgment.

Inquisition Domain

All grand inquisitors start their path with one domain. Unlike common inquisitors, this domain grants grand inquisitors the bonus spells listed, plus a bonus spell slot of each spell level. The grand inquisitor may not select an inquisition.

This ability modifies domain.

God’s Blessing (Su)

At 3rd level, a grand inquisitor may add the effects of a single guidance, resistance, stabilize or virtue orison onto any spell or spell-like ability she uses upon willing creatures; providing them with a sacred bonus instead of the normal bonus type.

All creatures affected by the spell are also affected by the orison. A grand inquisitor can only apply one kind of orison on each spell cast.

This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 3rd level.

God’s Branding (Su)

At 3rd level, a grand inquisitor may add the effects of a single acid splash, bleed, brand or light (in which case she targets an item on the creature, if any) orison onto any spell or spell-like ability she uses upon an enemy. All creatures affected by the spell are also affected by the orison as an additional effect to the spell used; the orison has no effect on a successful saving throw against the spell’s effects. A grand inquisitor can only apply one kind of orison on each spell cast.

Determination (Ex)

At 3rd level, the grand inquisitor is a person of few words on the battlefield, but those words hold great power and authority. Once per day, the inquisitor can use this ability to create one of the following effects.

Each is a free action to use.

Aggression: The grand inquisitor may reroll an attack roll that she just made before the results of the roll are revealed. She must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll.

Defense: When the inquisitor would be hit by a melee or ranged attack, as an immediate action she may add a +4 insight bonus to her Armor Class against that attack, and if this makes the inquisitor’s AC higher than the opponent’s attack roll, the attack misses.

Warning: When a grand inquisitor’s ally within line of sight would be hit by a melee or ranged attack, she may call out a warning to that ally, and the attacker must reroll the attack and use the results of the second roll.

The ally must be able to hear the preacher and must not be helpless for this ability to have any effect.

In addition to the normal single use per day, at 3rd level, a grand inquisitor can use this ability once more per day, plus once more every three levels later (at 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level); up to seven times per day at 18th level.

This ability replaces solo tactics and the bonus teamwork feats gained at 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th level.

Bane Terror (Su)

At 5th level, a grand inquisitor gains the Spell Bane feat. As a swift action, she can imbue her magic with the capacity to overcome the defenses of a creature; she must select one creature type when she uses this ability (and a subtype if the creature type selected is humanoid or outsider). Once selected, the type can be changed as a swift action. This ability lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to the inquisitor’s level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

As long as this ability is activated, the grand inquisitor is treated as using the bane class feature against the chosen creature type only for the purposes of the spell bane feat; and once per round, whenever she casts a spell onto such creature, the grand inquisitor may add one of the following effects to her spell as an additional effect suffered upon a failed saving throw. A successful saving throw against the spell also reduces or negates these effects as written; if the spell allows no saving throw, use the indicated save to determine how to reduce them. In such cases, the DC is equal to 10 + the spell level of the base spell + the grand inquisitor’s Wisdom modifier.

  • A wave of pain strikes the creature. It suffers 1d4 damage per two inquisitor levels + the grand inquisitor’s Wisdom modifier (Fortitude half), up to 2d4 per level of the spell used. This is a [pain] effect.
  • The creature is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level (Will negates).
  • Demonic; faceless pale grey or angelic-looking silhouettes attempt to hinder the creature, who is entangled for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level (Reflex negates).

This ability replaces the bane and greater bane class features.

Word of Wrath (Ex)

At 14th level, the grand inquisitor gains the Intimidating Bane and the Dazzling Display feats. The grand inquisitor treats casting a spell as wielding her favored weapon, and may as a full-round action cast a spell with a casting time no longer than a standard action and make an Intimidate check to demoralize all enemies within 30 feet. The bane terror class feature is treated as the bane class feature for the purposes of the Intimidating Bane feat; as such, any creature the grand inquisitor’s bane terror class feature currently affects remains shaken as long as it is still active and effective against their creature type.

This ability replaces exploit weakness.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Secrets of Tactical Archetypes © 2012 Steven D. Russell; Authors: Will McCardell and Benjamin Rombeaut

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