Sticking to an enemy

[Elric VIII]

I'm trying to put together a witch hunter inquisitor build. One of the thing I'd like to be able to do is stick to enemy casters. My plan is to use the Step Up (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/step-up-combat---final) and Stand Still (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/stand-still-combat---final) feats to ensure that I am always right in their faces. The main stumbling block I see with this is that I have a 3/4 BAB and only 16 Str, so I will not have a large CMB.

I have a few questions on this:

How does this stack up with Improved Trip? Which one is recommended for better BFC?

Are there ways I can increase my CMB beyond pumping up Str or size (aside from the buff spells I have)?

Is there a PF equivalent of the Mageslayer feat or something else that punishes enemies for casting spells near me?

[Elricaltovilla]

Hello person who shares my name!

The Step Up line of feats do indeed help make you "sticky" although you still end up falling behind enemies as you're much more limited in your movement range than they are. However, Stand Still is a feat with some issues as it technically only works against adjacent enemies, so even if you have a reach weapon you still can't control an area like you could in 3.5.

To answer your specific questions:

1. You're probably going to want the Improved and Greater Trip line of feats, since they'll give you a total +4 bonus to trip attempts and a free AoO, making them better for BFC gainst trippable enemies. The issue is that Pathfinder made tripping a lot harder to do, and there are lots of enemies that are essentially impossible to trip.
2. Certain weapon enchantments will allow you to add your enhancement bonus to your CMB for specific combat maneuvers, although I'm not sure which specifically.
3. The feats Disruptive (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/disruptive-combat---final) and Spellbreaker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/spellbreaker-combat---final) are like the mageslayer feat, but they are pretty much fighter only. As far as I know, the Inquisitor doesn't really have a way to access them.

If you want to be stickier though, you do have options in the form of spells. Compel Hostility (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/compel-hostility) is a 1st level spell for you that forces an enemy to target you with its attacks. You can also buff your attack rolls (and CMB) with Divine Power or debuff and damage enemies with Blistering Invective (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/blistering) (one of my favorite spells). And those are just a couple examples.

If you want to be sticky and threatening as an Inquisitor in PF, you're going to have to rely on your spells. That's about the only way to really accomplish anything in PF without going 3rd party.

[stack]

Spell killer inquisition grants disruptive.

[Psyren]

Are there ways I can increase my CMB beyond pumping up Str or size (aside from the buff spells I have)?

As an Inquisitor you have plenty. CMB is an attack roll, so anything that boosts your attack rolls will increase it, such as your Justice judgment. Furthermore, trip is a maneuver performed with your weapon, so your enhancement bonus will apply if you go that route, and anything that increases your weapon's to-hit or enhancement (such as your Bane ability) will also increase the CMB check.



3. The feats Disruptive (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/disruptive-combat---final) and Spellbreaker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/spellbreaker-combat---final) are like the mageslayer feat, but they are pretty much fighter only. As far as I know, the Inquisitor doesn't really have a way to access them.

Inquisitors get Litany of Sloth (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/litany-of-sloth), which is pretty much strictly better than these anyway.

[stack]

Persistence inquisition gives step-up as a bonus feat.

[Elric VIII]

Hello person who shares my name!

Greetings fellow Elric!


The Step Up line of feats do indeed help make you "sticky" although you still end up falling behind enemies as you're much more limited in your movement range than they are. However, Stand Still is a feat with some issues as it technically only works against adjacent enemies, so even if you have a reach weapon you still can't control an area like you could in 3.5.

Well, as an inquisitor, I don't have access to those nice reach tripping weapons without MWP or EWP. The reason I was going with step up and stand still was because if I'm next to an opponent their only option to get away is with a withdraw, since I can follow a 5 foot step and a normal move provokes an AoO in order to stand still. I did notice the adjacent part, which is a shame. I guess melee gets even less nice things in PF (because imp trip totally needed to be 2 feats that also eat an extra AoO use).


]To answer your specific questions:

1. You're probably going to want the Improved and Greater Trip line of feats, since they'll give you a total +4 bonus to trip attempts and a free AoO, making them better for BFC gainst trippable enemies. The issue is that Pathfinder made tripping a lot harder to do, and there are lots of enemies that are essentially impossible to trip.
2. Certain weapon enchantments will allow you to add your enhancement bonus to your CMB for specific combat maneuvers, although I'm not sure which specifically.
3. The feats Disruptive (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/disruptive-combat---final) and Spellbreaker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/spellbreaker-combat---final) are like the mageslayer feat, but they are pretty much fighter only. As far as I know, the Inquisitor doesn't really have a way to access them.

How useful is trip without access to a weapon that allows me to trip? I'm debating over whether is is worth the feat to get a guisarme.


If you want to be stickier though, you do have options in the form of spells. Compel Hostility (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/compel-hostility) is a 1st level spell for you that forces an enemy to target you with its attacks. You can also buff your attack rolls (and CMB) with Divine Power or debuff and damage enemies with Blistering Invective (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/blistering) (one of my favorite spells). And those are just a couple examples.

If you want to be sticky and threatening as an Inquisitor in PF, you're going to have to rely on your spells. That's about the only way to really accomplish anything in PF without going 3rd party.

I should look into my spell list more thoroughly. I've never actually played PF before and I figured I'd start with the build and fill in what gaps I could with spells. It is nice to see that there are some useful options for partial casters.


As an Inquisitor you have plenty. CMB is an attack roll, so anything that boosts your attack rolls will increase it, such as your Justice judgment. Furthermore, trip is a maneuver performed with your weapon, so your enhancement bonus will apply if you go that route, and anything that increases your weapon's to-hit or enhancement (such as your Bane ability) will also increase the CMB check.

Are there any simple weapons that have the trip option? If not, it may be worth the investment into MWP.





Inquisitors get Litany of Sloth (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/litany-of-sloth), which is pretty much strictly better than these anyway.

That is a cool spell. Swift action + no save is my favorite thing to see on a spell.


Spell killer inquisition grants disruptive.

Persistence inquisition gives step-up as a bonus feat.

Thanks. I think I'm going to stick with Law/Archon for my domain, though. Aura of Menace seems really great, especially because combining it with Blistering Invective makes me a great debuffer for any casters I might have in my party. A -4 to saves will be brutal.

Is there any feat that gives a bonus domain/inquisition, maybe?

[Psyren]

Are there any simple weapons that have the trip option? If not, it may be worth the investment into MWP.

Sickle has it, but note that the "trip" property just means you can drop the weapon quickly to avoid being tripped if you fail your attempt by 10 or more, which is unlikely to happen vs. casters. You can actually trip with any weapon.

[stack]

You don't need a try weapon to trip in PF, it just lets you drop it to prevent counter trips.

Ed-Psyren beat me to it.

[Elric VIII]

Oh, that's great. I should probably go over the combat rules for PF, then, since it seems my 3.5 knowledge could be very inaccurate. Thank you.

[Psyren]

If you have any quick questions about PF RAW, note the second Simple Q&A thread stickied at the top of this subforum :smallsmile: I am/we are happy to help!

[Elric VIII]

If you have any quick questions about PF RAW, note the second Simple Q&A thread stickied at the top of this subforum :smallsmile: I am/we are happy to help!

I appreciate it. You already did answer one of my questions last night or earlier today.