Investigator

Investigators range from the detectives and law-enforcement officers of the big cities, to country sheriffs and constables, to journalists scrounging scoops for news media.  An investigator might also be a spy working for king and country, or an agent for some sinister organization.  Whatever their profession, investigators are people who know how to put two and two together, either from physical evidence or the telltale behavior of a suspect.

Abilities: The physical ability scores can come in handy if the investigator expects to be in a lot of shoot-outs or fist-fights, but their class features rely almost exclusively on the metal stats: Intelligence to puzzle out the facts, Wisdom to spot clues and notice when people are lying, and Charisma to glean information or muscle someone into talking.

Hit Die: d8

Starting Cash: 4d4 × 100ƒ

Class Skills

The investigator's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Drive (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (behavioral sciences) (Int), Knowledge (civics) (Int), Knowledge (natural sciences) (Int), Knowledge (physical sciences) (Int), Knowledge (streetwise) (Int), Listen (Wis), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Research (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the investigator.

Starting Feats: Investigators start with Simple Weapons Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Light Armor Proficiency, Shield Proficiency, and Track.

Find Clues: Investigators have a sixth sense about spotting clues that pertain to whatever assignment they're currently working on (and sometimes, mysteries that they don't even know about yet). An investigator who merely passes within 5 feet of anything that the DM decides is a "clue" is entitled to a free Search check to notice it as if he were actively searching.

Also, Investigators are able to use the Track feat in an urban setting in conjunction with the Investigate skill, the same way an explorer would Track with the Survival skill.

Obscure Knowledge: Investigators pick up on random bits of information that they might not necessarily be looking for. An investigator may make a special obscure knowledge check with a bonus equal to his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, items, or places. (If the investigator has 5 or more ranks in a relevant Knowledge category, he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful obscure knowledge check will not reveal the location of a killer, but may give a hint as to his identity. An investigator may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.

Profile: By making a Gather Information check (DC 15) when talking to a witness, the investigator compiles a rough mental picture of the suspect. This mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing markings and visible mannerisms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by witnesses.

The investigator can expand the profile by making an Investigate check (DC 15) involving the crime scene (if there is one) or other evidence linked to the suspect being pursued. If successful, the investigator combines eyewitness accounts with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the suspect’s method of operation. This provides a +2 circumstance bonus on any skill checks made to uncover additional evidence or otherwise locate and capture the suspect.

Make Your Own Luck: Once per game session, a 2nd-level investigator may re-roll any failed d20 check.

Close Shot: A 3rd-level investigator no longer draws attacks of opportunity for attacking with a personal firearm inside a threatened area.

Call in a Favor: The investigator has the ability to call in favors from those he knows. By making a favor check, the investigator can call upon contacts to gain important information without going through the time and trouble of doing a lot of research. Favors can also be used to acquire the loan of equipment or documents from influential acquaintances.

To call in a favor, the investigator makes a favor check. Roll a d20 and add the character's favor bonus (+1 at 3rd level, +2 at 9th level, and so on). The DM sets the DC based on the scope of the favor being requested. The DC ranges from 10 for a simple favor to as high as 25 for highly dangerous, expensive, or illegal favors. The investigator can't take 10 or take 20 on this check, nor can he retry the check for the same (or virtually the same) favor. Note that favors should help advance the plot of an adventure. A favor that would enable a character to circumvent an adventure should always be unavailable to the character, regardless of the results of a favor check.

A investigator can try to call in a favor a number of times in a week of game time that's equal to one third his investigator levels, rounded down. The DM should carefully monitor the investigator's use of favors to ensure that this ability isn't abused. The success or failure of a mission shouldn't hinge on the use of a favor, and calling in favors shouldn't replace good roleplaying or the use of other skills. The DM may disallow any favor deemed to be disruptive to the game.

Bonus Feats: At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, the investigator gains a bonus feat from the following list: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Dodge, Double Tap, Educated, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Knockout Punch, Medium Armor Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, or Tower Shield Proficiency.

Contact: An investigator of 4th level or higher cultivates associates and informants. Each time the investigator gains a contact, the DM should develop an NPC to represent the contact. The player can suggest the type of contact his or her character wants to gain, but the contact must be an ordinary character, not a heroic character.

A contact will not accompany an investigator on missions or risk his or her life. A contact can, however, provide information or render a service (make a specific skill check on the investigator’s behalf).

At 4th level, the investigator gains a low-level contact; at 10th level, a mid-level contact; and at 16th level, a high-level contact.

The investigator can’t call on the same contact more than once in a week, and when he or she does call on a contact, compensation may be required for the assistance the contact renders. In general, a professional associate won’t be compensated monetarily, but instead will consider that the investigator owes him or her a favor. Contacts with underworld or street connections usually demand monetary compensation for the services they render, and experts in the use of skills normally want to be paid for the services they provide.

For underworld or street contacts, this expense is represented by a payoff of 60ƒ for the low-level contact, 250ƒ for the mid-level contact, or 1,000ƒ for the high-level contact. For skilled experts, the payoff is determined by the service being provided.

Adaptive Learning: At every 5th level, the investigator may choose any cross-class skill to become a class skill. The investigator immediately gains 4 bonus ranks in that skill, and it is now treated as an investigator class skill.

Nonlethal Force: At 7th level, an investigator becomes adept at using nonlethal force to subdue an opponent. From this point on, he can deal nonlethal damage with a weapon that normally deals lethal damage (if he so chooses) without taking the normal –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Heroic Surge: Investigators gain this feat as a bonus feat at 8th level.

Discern Lie: At 13th level, an investigator develops the ability to gauge whether another character is telling the truth by reading facial expressions and interpreting body language. The investigator must be able to see and hear (but not necessarily understand) the individual under scrutiny.
With a successful Sense Motive check opposed by the subject’s Bluff check result or against DC 10 (whichever is greater), the investigator can tell whether the subject is deliberately and knowingly speaking a lie. This ability doesn’t reveal the truth, uncover unintentional inaccuracies, or necessarily reveal omissions in information.

Sixth Sense: At 18th level, an Investigator becomes so attuned at solving mysteries that he finds a way to put two and two together and rarely misses a clue. The investigator is considered to have Skill Mastery (as per the thief and explorer abilities) for Gather Information, Investigate, Listen, Research, Search, and Spot.

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