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GoblinGuy
2017-08-09, 09:42 PM
Im thinking bard ir rougue for expertise. The high charisma with bard goes with the whole "talking your way out of sticky situations" mojo that detectives have. I'm taking inspiration from Fallout 4's Nick Valentine.

Specter
2017-08-09, 10:30 PM
Lore Bard/Arcane Trickster is a good choice. Mage Hand will be kinda like your CSI non-fingerprint glove.

JamesT
2017-08-09, 10:37 PM
Inquisitive Rogue archetype from Gothic Heroes UA

Naanomi
2017-08-09, 10:37 PM
Lore Bard is my first choice but...

Knowledge Cleric had a lot of divination tools at hand to solve mysteries

A Druid could be a literal bloodhound

8wGremlin
2017-08-09, 11:43 PM
If you're allowed UA/ or Dungeon Guild stuff Mystic
https://drive.google.com/uc?id=0Bxi_8r8IS2dNOXFkUFZKR29BSG8




## Stats
| Stat | Value | Mod |
|:----:|:-----:|:----:|
| Str | 8 | -1 |
| Dex | 14 | +2 |
| Con | 14 | +2 |
| Int | 16 | +3 |
| Wis | 12 | +1 |
| Cha | 10 | +0 |




## Race


As a Deep Gnome, or Svifneblin, You have all the normal great gnome racial abilities and the following:


* You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic
* Darkvision 120 feet
* Advantage on dexterity (stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain
* Extra language - undercommon.


## Feats


### Svirfneblin magic
At 4th level take Svirfneblin Magic this ability allows you to cast ***non-detection*** on yourself at will, without needing a material component.




You can also cast each of the following spells once with this ability: ***blindness/deafness***, ***blur***, and ***disguise self***. you regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a long rest. intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.






#### Non-detection


really helps here it lasts 8 hours and for the duration, you can hide a target that you touch from divination magic. the target can be a willing creature (yourself) or a place or an object no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. the target can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors.




## Background


### City Watch - Investigator


Skill Proficiencies: Investigate, Insight


Languages: Two of your choice


Equipment: A uniform in the style of your unit and
indicative of your rank, a horn with which to summon help, a set of manacles, and a pouch containing 10 gp




#### FEATURE: WATCHER'S EYE
Your experience in enforcing the law, and dealing with lawbreakers, gives you a feel for local laws and crimi- nals. You can easily find the local outpost of the watch or a similar organization, and just as easily pick out
the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you're more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter.




## OR if allowed -


### the Inquisitor Background from Plane shift: Innistrad


Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Religion


Tool Proficiencies: Thieves’ tools, one set of artisan’s tools of your choice


Equipment: A holy symbol, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp


### Feature: Legal Authority
As an inquisitor of the church, you have the authority to arrest criminals. In the absence of other authorities, you are authorized to pass judgment and even carry out sentencing. If you abuse this power, however, your superiors in the church might strip it from you.




# Build




## Mystic Order of the Awakened


Mystic - level 8, 44 psi points (6 psi limit)


### Class abilities




#### Awakened Talent
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, and Persuasion.


#### Mystical Recovery
Starting at 2nd level, you can draw vigor from the psi energy you use to power your psionic disciplines.
Immediately after you spend psi points on a psionic discipline, you can take a bonus action to regain hit points equal to the number of psi points you spent.


#### Telepathy
At 2nd level, your mind awakens to the ability to communicate via telepathy. You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 120 feet of you in this manner. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself.


#### Psionic Investigation
Starting at 3rd level, you can focus your mind to read the psionic imprint left on an object. If you hold an object and concentrate on it for 10 minutes (as if concentrating on a psionic discipline), you learn a few basic facts about it. You gain a mental image from the object’s point of view, showing the last creature to hold the object within the past 24 hours.


You also learn of any events that have occurred within 20 feet of the object within the past hour. The events you perceive unfold from the object’s perspective. You see and hear such events as if you were there, but can’t use other senses.


Additionally, you can embed an intangible psionic sensor within the object. For the next 24 hours, you can use an action to learn the object’s location relative to you (its distance and direction) and to look at the object’s surroundings from its point of view as if you were there. This perception lasts until the start of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.




#### Strength of Mind
Even the simplest psionic technique requires a deep understanding of how psionic energy can augment mind and body. This understanding allows you to alter your defenses to better deal with threats.


Starting at 4th level, you can replace your proficiency in Wisdom saving throws whenever you finish a short or long rest. To do so, choose Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma. You gain proficiency in saves using that ability, instead of Wisdom. This change lasts until you finish your next short or long rest.


#### Psionic Surge
Starting at 6th level, you can overload your psychic focus to batter down an opponent’s defenses. You can impose disadvantage on a target’s saving throw against a discipline or talent you use, but at the cost of using your psychic focus. Your psychic focus immediately ends if it’s active, and you can’t use it until you finish a short or long rest.
You can’t use this feature if you can’t use your psychic focus.


#### Potent Psionics
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon attacks with psychic energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon, you can deal an extra 1d8 psychic damage to that target. When you reach 14th level, this extra damage increases to 2d8.


In addition, you add your Intelligence modifier to any damage roll you make for a psionic talent.




### Talents


You get 3 talents:


#### Mind Thrust
***Psionic Talent***


As an action, you target one creature you can see within 120 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d10 psychic damage.
The talent’s damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).


#### Mystic Charm
***Psionic Talent***


As an action, you beguile one humanoid you can see within 120 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be charmed by you until the end of your next turn.




#### Blind Spot
***Psionic Talent***


As an action, you erase your image from the mind of one creature you can see within 120 feet of you; the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or you are invisible to it until the end of your next turn.




### Disciplines


You get 6 Disciplines 2 of which have to be Awakened disciplines


#### Awakened disciplines:
1. Psychic assult
2. Telepathic contact




#### general disciplines:
1. Mastery of light and darkness (for shadow beasts)
2. Bestial form for utility, ac bonus and close combat if needed
3. Mantle of Command, for your team game
4. Giant Growth - pure combat and large size shenanigans


## Bestial Form
***Immortal Discipline***


You transform your body, gaining traits of different beasts.


### Psychic Focus.
While focused on this discipline, you have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks.

#### Bestial Claws (1–7 psi).
You manifest long claws for an instant and make a melee weapon attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, this attack deals 1d10 slashing damage per psi point spent.

#### Bestial Transformation.
As a bonus action, you alter your physical form to gain different characteristics. When you use this ability, you can choose one or more of the following effects. Each effect has its own psi point cost. Add them together to determine the total cost. This transformation lasts for 1 hour, until you die, or until you end it as a bonus action.


***Amphibious (2 psi).*** You gain gills; you can breathe air and water.


***Climbing (2 psi).*** You grow tiny hooked claws that give you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.


***Flight (5 psi).*** Wings sprout from your back. You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.


***Keen Senses (2 psi).*** Your eyes and ears become more sensitive. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.


***Perfect Senses (3 psi).*** You gain a keen sense of smell and an instinct to detect prey. You can see invisible creatures and objects within 10 feet of you, even if you are blinded.


***Swimming (2 psi).*** You gain fins and webbing between your fingers and toes; you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.


***Tough Hide (2 psi).*** Your skin becomes as tough as leather; you gain a +2 bonus to AC.




## Giant Growth
***Immortal Discipline***
You infuse yourself with psionic energy to grow to tremendous size, bolstering your strength and durability.


### Psychic Focus.


While focused on this discipline, your reach increases by 5 feet.

#### Ogre Form (2 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As a bonus action, you gain 10 temporary hit points. In addition, until your concentration ends, your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and your reach increases by 5 feet. If you’re smaller than Large, you also become Large for the duration.

#### Giant Form (7 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As a bonus action, you gain 30 temporary hit points. In addition, until your concentration ends, your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and your reach increases by 10 feet. If you’re smaller than Huge, you also become Huge for the duration.




## Mantle of Command
***Avatar Discipline***
You exert an aura of trust and authority, enhancing the coordination among your allies.


### Psychic Focus.
While focused on this discipline, when you end your turn and didn’t move during it, you can use your reaction to allow one ally you can see within 30 feet of you to move up to half their speed, following a path of your choice. To move in this way, the ally mustn’t be incapacitated.

#### Coordinated Movement (2 psi).
As a bonus action, choose up to five allies you can see within 60 feet of you. Each of those allies can use their reaction to move up to half their speed, following a path of your choice.

#### Commander’s Sight (2 psi; conc., 1 rnd.).
As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, your allies have advantage on attack rolls against that target.

#### Command to Strike (3 psi).
As an action, choose one ally you can see within 60 feet of you. That ally can use their reaction to immediately take the Attack action. You choose the targets.

#### Strategic Mind (5 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, you exert an aura of trust and command that unites your allies into a cohesive unit. Until your concentration ends, any ally within 60 feet of you on their turn can, as a bonus action, take the Dash or Disengage action or roll a d4 and add the number rolled to each attack roll they make that turn.


## Mastery of Light and Darkness
***Wu Jen Discipline***
You claim dominion over light and darkness with your mind.

### Psychic Focus.
While focused on this discipline, natural and magical darkness within 30 feet of you has no effect on your vision.

#### Darkness (1–7 psi).
As an action, you create an area of magical darkness, which foils darkvision. Choose a spot you can see within 60 feet of you. Magical darkness radiates from that point in a sphere with a 10-foot radius per psi point spent on this ability. The light produced by spells of 2nd level or less is suppressed in this area.

#### Light (2 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, an object you touch radiates light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. The light lasts until your concentration ends. Alternatively, a creature you touch radiates light in the same manner if it fails a Dexterity saving throw. While lit in this manner, it can’t hide, and attack rolls against it gain advantage.

#### Shadow Beasts (3 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, you cause two shadows to appear in unoccupied spaces you can see within 60 feet of you. The shadows last until your concentration ends, and they obey your verbal commands. In combat, roll for their initiative, and choose their behavior during their turns. When this effect ends, the shadows disappear. See the Monster Manual for their stat block.

#### Radiant Beam (5 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, you project a beam of light at one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6d6 radiant damage and is blinded until your concentration ends. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. A blinded target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
You can increase this effect’s damage by 1d6 per each additional psi point spent on it.


## Psychic Assault
*** Awakened Discipline ***
You wield your mind like a weapon, unleashing salvos of psionic energy.
### Psychic Focus.
While focused on this discipline, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with psionic talents that deal psychic damage.


#### Psionic Blast (1–7 psi).
As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target takes 1d8 psychic damage per psi point spent on this ability.

#### Ego Whip (3 psi).
As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 psychic damage, and it is filled with self-doubt, leaving it able to use its action on its next turn only to take the Dodge, Disengage, or Hide action. On a successful saving throw, it takes half as much damage.

#### Id Insinuation (5 psi).
As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5d8 psychic damage, and it goes into a fury, as its id runs rampant. On its next turn, it can use its action only to take the Dodge or Attack action. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage.

#### Psychic Blast (6 psi).
As an action, you unleash devastating psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make an Intelligence saving throw, taking 8d8 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You can increase the damage by 2d8 if you spend 1 more psi point on this ability.

#### Psychic Crush (7 psi).
As an action, you create a 20-foot cube of psychic energy within 120 feet of you. Each creature in that area must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 8d8 psychic damage and is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage.


## Telepathic Contact
*** Awakened Discipline***
By channeling psionic power, you gain the ability to control other creatures by substituting your will for their own.


### Psychic Focus.
While focused on this discipline, you gain the ability to use your Telepathy class feature with up to six creatures at once. If you don’t have that feature from the mystic class, you instead gain it while focused on this discipline.


#### Exacting Query (2 psi).
As an action, you target one creature you can communicate with via telepathy. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target truthfully answers one question you ask it via telepathy. On a successful save, the target is unaffected, and you can’t use this ability on it again until you finish a long rest. A creature is immune to this ability if it is immune to being charmed.


#### Occluded Mind (2 psi).
As an action, you target one creature you can communicate with via telepathy. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target believes one statement of your choice for the next 5 minutes that you communicate to it via telepathy. The statement can be up to ten words long, and it must describe you or a creature or an object the target can see. On a successful save, the target is unaffected, and you can’t use this ability on it again until you finish a long rest. A creature is immune to this ability if it is immune to being charmed.


#### Broken Will (5 psi).
As an action, you target one creature you can communicate with via telepathy. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, you choose the target’s movement and action on its next turn. On a successful save, the target is unaffected, and you can’t use this ability on it again until you finish a long rest. A creature is immune to this ability if it is immune to being charmed.

#### Psychic Grip (6 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, you target one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw, or it is paralyzed until your concentration ends. At the end of each of its turns, it can repeat the saving throw. On a success, this effect ends. On a failure, you can use your reaction to force the target to move up to half its speed, even though it’s paralyzed.

#### Psychic Domination (7 psi; conc., 1 min.).
As an action, you target one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw, or you choose the creature’s actions and movement on its turns until your concentration ends. At the end of each of its turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature is immune to this ability if it is immune to being charmed.

Moobysnaxx
2017-08-10, 01:01 AM
Both will be good but bard will have a spell advantage. Rogue will be a better choice of you want to role play someone who relies more on wits and intellect than have the divination spell crutch.

Malifice
2017-08-10, 01:12 AM
Inquisitive Rogue archetype from Gothic Heroes UA

This.

Maybe splash some Lore Bard in there as well.

Quoxis
2017-08-10, 04:49 AM
Total Party Thrill - a D&D podcast ("http://www.totalpartythrillcast.com/page/11)

TPT#8 has the "private investigator" build which might be what you're looking for, and while you're at it you'll find it's addictive to listen to.

Renvir
2017-08-10, 04:49 AM
A few other ideas you could go with besides Rogue and Bard:
-Knowledge Cleric for extra languages, skills, and mind reading. Also, it doesn't hurt to throw out an Augury spell every once in a while when you're really stumped.
-GOOlock for extra divination spells and Invocations like Mask of Many Faces, Eldritch Sight, Eyes of the Rune Keeper, etc. Pact of the Tome or Chain can give you help in the form of rituals or pets for extra detecting.
-Diviner Wizard will give you the brains and foresight to solve any case. It works for Dresden (mostly) though I think he's closer to an Evoker than Diviner.
-Anything with proficiency in Investigation and Perception with the Investigator and/or Observant Feat would probably work as well.