Investigator

A collage of diagrams, maps, and small items litters the wall, pinned with nails and connected by a spiderweb of colorful strings. An elf stands nearby, contemplating the mystery splayed out in front of her and readying her crossbow for work.

A half-orc wearing a wide-brimmed hat leafs through a thick tome, double-checking the preparations: a sturdy net trap, holy symbols on the doors, cloves of garlic, and several dozen wooden stakes. The preparations made, the half-orc slinks into the shadows and readies himself for the bloodshed. Hastily tracing symbols in chalk, a human wearing a long coat whirls about in a wide arc, completing a rough magic circle in mere seconds. A monstrously fat demon, blood dripping with its drool, lunges at him, but instead impacts off an invisible magical barrier, a cylinder raised from the circle’s edge. The fiend howls with rage, and the inquisitor breathes a sigh of relief.

Supernatural detectives and monster slayers, investigators are always on the hunt for malevolent outsiders. Whenever evil seeps into the world—be it fiends, undead, or strange abominations from beyond the stars—investigators will be the first to locate them and banish their foul corruption from the mortal plane.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per investigator level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per investigator level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, heavy crossbows, longswords, nets, rapiers, shortswords
• Tools: Choose one type of gaming set
• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• Leather armor and a dagger
• (a) a spear or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a hand crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• An arcane manifesto and a material component pouch

Expertise

At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies; your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies to gain this benefit.

Ritualist

You maintain an arcane manifesto brimming with magical rituals, your most potent tools to defeat supernatural threats.

Artifact Historian

Starting when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, you add the spell identify to your arcane manifesto and never require material components to cast it.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.

Trinkets

By 3rd level, you’ve collected a number of magical trinkets to help you collect and unravel profound arcane secrets. You can use the following trinkets:

Hateful Arrowhead. You can cast the spell scorching ray or ray of enfeeblement once without using a spell slot or spell components.

Mirrored Prism. You can cast the spell blur or mirror image, targeting yourself only, once without using a spell slot or spell components.

Razortooth Bandages. As a bonus action, you can cast the spell cure wounds or inflict wounds once without using a spell slot or spell components.

You cast each of these spells at the level shown in the Ritual Level column of the Investigator table.

Once you use one of your trinkets, you can’t use another one until you finish a short or long rest. As you gain higher levels in this class, you can use your trinkets additional times. You can use them once more at 5th level (2 uses), 11th level (3 uses), and 17th level (4 uses).

Relics

By 6th level, you’ve secured a handful of priceless relics with rare and delicate enchantments. You can use the following relics:

Antediluvian Dynamo. You can cast the spell Melf's minute meteors or lightning bolt once without using a spell slot or spell components.

Lich’s Deathmask. You can cast the spell counterspell or dispel magic once without using a spell slot or spell components.

Mortal Coil. You can cast the spell animate dead or revivify once without using a spell slot or spell components. Casting animate dead using this trinket causes all undead servants created by previous castings of the spell to revert to lifeless corpses.

Once you use one of your relics, you can’t use another one until you finish a short or long rest. You can use them once more when you reach 11th level.

Magic Item Hunter

Starting at 10th level, your instincts are finely tuned when it comes to magic items. you can cast the detect magic spell at will, and when you cast identify on an item, you learn any curses affecting the item.

Additionally, you ignore alignment requirements on the use of magic items.

Antique

By 14th level, you’ve secured the crown jewel of your collection: an exceedingly rare item that you've hunted a long time to find. The item is always attuned to you and doesn't count against your total number of attuned magic items. No other creatures can attune to the magic item, due to its obscure, obtuse nature.

If you lose the item, as part of a long rest you can pull strings with your sources or scrounge around to get a replacement antique, or locate the lost one. If you break the item using the Alternative Facts property, you instead need to spend a cumulative 24 hours work instead, as your contacts are far more hesitant to trust you with their obscure finds, given your track record.

18th Level

Advanced Ritualism

Starting when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, your unending research has lent you a wealth of arcane insight. You can use your Rushed Incantation feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier + half of your Investigator level (rounded up; minimum of 1 use), unless that would be lower than using your Intelligence modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.

Additionally you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill and add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.

Thesis

Also at 3rd level, you choose in which fields you would like to specialise. Choose two of the following subject areas for your thesis: Corpus, Elementa, Illusio, Mortis, Protego, or Regis. For both of your choices, you gain a list of associated thesis spells. Once you gain access to a thesis spell, you learn the spell. It counts as an investigator spell for you, but cannot be added to your arcane manifesto unless you gain access to it through some other means. You can expend a use of your Rushed Incantation feature to cast one of your thesis spells, instead of using a spell slot.

Erudite Spell

By 6th level, you’ve mastered the difficult theory behind arcane propagation. When you cast a spell which forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.

You can use this feature twice, and regain all expended uses upon finishing a short or long rest.

Encyclopedic Expertise

Starting at 10th level, your diligent research lets you identify any arcane effect from memory. Whenever you witness a spell being cast, you can always identify the spell (no action required). However, this ability fails to identify spells which are utterly unique or are otherwise not recorded in arcane texts.

Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Always Prepared

Starting when you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you have advantage on initiative rolls.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Investigation skill and add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.

Trinkets

By 3rd level, you’ve collected a number of magical trinkets to help you uncover mysteries that They don’t want you to oust. You can use the following trinkets:

Cinnabar Compass. As a bonus action, you can cast the spell locate object once without using a spell slot or spell components.

Electro-Magic Field Sensor. Over the course of 1 minute, you can detect the presence of one creature type out of Abberations, Celestials, Fey, or Fiends within 5 miles of you. You learn whether the chosen creature type present within the radius, but not how many or where they are. You can exempt creatures that you are aware of from this detection, so as not to give false positives.

Three-Headed Coin. As a bonus action when you make an attack roll or ability check or as a reaction you can reroll a saving throw. You can choose to use this feature after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which result to take afterwards.

Once you use one of your trinkets, you can’t use another one until you finish a short or long rest. As you gain higher levels in this class, you can use your trinkets additional times: You can use them once more at 5th level (2 uses), 11th level (3 uses), and 17th level (4 uses).

Prepper

Starting at 6th level, your manic predictions of the future pay off in conventionally dangerous situations. Whenever you ready an attack, you have advantage on the attack roll.

Probably Aliens

Beginning at 10th level, you can predict never-before-witnessed phenomena. Any time the GM would disallow other characters to make an Intelligence check to understand something because the knowledge in question has no precedent, is too obscure, or is simply unsupported by the available information, they can allow you to make an Intelligence check to understand it anyway.

Paranoid Insight

At 10th level, you are always on the lookout for anything out of place amongst your peers. You can tell if a creature that you can hear speaking is charmed, possessed, or otherwise enchanted to speak against their will, and you have advantage on any ability check you make to determine if you hear a lie.

Off the Grid

By 14th level, you’re so adept at avoiding people that you can always keep them at arm’s length. Whenever a hostile creature enters your reach, you can use your reaction to move up to half your movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Additionally, your movement speed increases by 15 feet, and you are always under the effects of the nondetection spell. You can still be affected by divination spells if you are conscious of them and allow it.

18th Level

Exorcist’s Doctrines

Starting when you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, heavy armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Religion skill and add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.

Trinkets

By 3rd level, you’ve collected a number of magical trinkets to help you banish restless spirits and foul demonic forces. You can use the following trinkets:

Gilded Dragon Scale. As a bonus action, you gain resistance to one damage type of your choice for a minute.

Hallowed Chalice. As an action, you can cast the ceremony spell.

Reliquary of Doubt. As a bonus action, you can cast the detect thoughts spell once without using a spell slot or spell components. When casting the spell in this way, it can only detect thoughts which are associated with negative emotions, such as guilt, apprehension, regret, or melancholy.

Once you use one of your trinkets, you can’t use another one until you finish a short or long rest. As you gain higher levels in this class, you can use your trinkets additional times: You can use them once more at 5th level (2 uses), 11th level (3 uses), and 17th level (4 uses).

Zealous Strike

At 6th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target. The extra damage is necrotic or radiant; you choose the type of damage when you gain this feature.

When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d6.

Rote Piety

Starting at 10th level, you command a mastery of divine magic seldom seen among the clergy. You can use your Opportunistic Piety feature three times, and regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Excommunication

At 14th level, as an action, you can emblazon a creature you can see within 60 feet of you with a mark of religious condemnation. For 1 minute, the creature can't regain hit points and has disadvantage on attack rolls against you and your allies. Additionally, whenever the creature takes an action, it takes 2d6 radiant damage as the mark burns with radiant light.

At the end of its turn, an excommunicated creature can make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC at disadvantage, ending the effect on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

18th Level

Scoundrel's Friend

Starting when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, your benefactors snip your shadow from your body, allowing it to move independently. Once per round, on your turn, you can command your shadow (no action required) to perform one of the following: move up to your movement speed, return to you no matter the distance, or take the Use an Object action.

As a bonus action, you can command your shadow to take the help action, though your shadow can only aid you in attacking another creature, intimidating somebody, or remaining unseen by other creatures.

Due to its nature as a shadow, it must travel via a flat surface and can slip through small spaces. When interacting with objects, the shadow must share a space with the object, and can carry and manipulate objects up to 10 lbs in weight. This increases by 10 lbs when you reach 5th level (20 lbs), 11th level (30 lbs), and 17th level (40 lbs).

If you are within an area of light created by a spell of 3rd level or higher, you cannot command your shadow and it instantly returns to you.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Stealth skill and add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.

Trinkets

By 3rd level, you’ve assembled a collection of cursed and baneful trinkets to help you achieve your malevolent goals. You can use the following trinkets:

Book of Faces. As a bonus action, you can cast the disguise self spell.

Broken Ankh. When you hit a celestial, elemental, or fiend with a melee weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to activate this trinket, dealing an additional 2d6 necrotic or radiant damage (your choice) to the creature.

This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (3d6), 11th level (4d6), and 17th level (5d6).

Glass Devil’s Eye. You can use your bonus action to activate this trinket, allowing you to see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet for the next minute.

Once you use one of your trinkets, you can’t use another one until you finish a short or long rest. As you gain higher levels in this class, you can use your trinkets additional times: You can use them once more at 5th level (2 uses), 11th level (3 uses), and 17th level (4 uses).

Kick ‘em While They’re Down

Starting at 6th level, you can capitalize on your foes’ setbacks. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 2d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll.

When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 4d6.

A Simple Trick

Starting at 10th level, when a creature hits you with a melee a attack, you can use your reaction to cause your shadow to harry the attacker. They must reroll the attack, and use the new result. You cannot use this reaction if you are within an area of light created by a spell of 3rd level or higher.

You can use this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, and regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.

Hide the Body

By 10th level, you can flawlessly conceal the evidence of your misdeeds. Whenever you commit a murder, robbery, vandalism, or similar crime, you can spend 10 minutes hiding evidence at the scene. You can choose to remove all evidence connecting you to the crime, attempt to conceal the crime itself, or compose the crime scene to imply a specific conclusion.

Master Plan

By 14th level, you can set up the perfect crime by planning out its every detail. You must spend four days and 50 gp to formulate a plan and acquire any necessary materials. If you enact your crime within the next four days after your preparation is complete, you and your allies have advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks that further the completion of your plan for the duration of the crime.

If, during the crime's enaction, anything should go so terribly wrong as to invalidate your plan, you lose these benefits.

By 14th level, you can set up the perfect crime by planning out its every detail. On your turn, you can choose a creature or object you can see within 60 feet and use your action to plan. The next attack roll or ability check you make to enact this plan has advantage. If you spend 1 minute planning a course of action, you have advantage on the next three attack rolls or ability checks you make enacting your plan.

18th Level

Investigator Spells

After Image

3rd-level illusion

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a silver hand mirror worth 50 gp)
• Duration: 10 minutes

You create an illusory duplicate of yourself in your space which follows your every movement and lasts for the duration of the spell. When you are hit by an attack while your duplicate is present, roll any die. On an odd roll, the attack targets and hits the duplicate instead of you. The duplicate vanishes, reappearing after you move 10 feet or more or take the Dodge action. On an even roll, the attack targets you as normal.

Benign Dismemberment

3rd-level necromancy (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 hour

For the duration, a willing target’s body parts (fingers, legs, tail, and even its head) can be harmlessly severed from its body. It takes no damage from such dismemberment, as long as the cut removing the body part is swift and leaves a clean cut. The target’s head remains alive and conscious, and parts connected to it also remain alive. All severed body parts become inanimate, but do not begin decomposition for the spell’s duration. Any of the target’s severed body parts that are removed during this spell’s duration can be held back to the stump, which instantly causes the part to knit to the stump, restoring the body part.

At the end of the duration, severed body parts become permanent, and the target dies if vital organs have not been reattached to its head.

Blood Print

1st-level necromancy (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (an ounce or more of blood)
• Duration: Instantaneous

At your touch, wet blood on a surface shifts and reforms into a pattern of crimson blotches. This blood print is unique to the particular creature to whom the blood belongs, but you can determine the creature’s kind (such as human, gnoll, deer, or fire giant) by examining the general shape. A print can be preserved by pressing a sheet of paper against the it. If this spell is cast twice, it is possible to match samples of blood originating from the same creature by comparing the prints.

Clue

1st-level divination (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (a magnifying glass and pipe)
• Duration: 10 minutes

When you cast this spell, all footprints and fingerprints within a 45-foot radius of a point you touch become highlighted and glow faintly for the duration. At the time of casting, choose any period of time up to the last 10 days to the present; only footprints and fingerprints left within that time will be highlighted. Each creature whose footprints or fingerprints are detected by the spell is assigned a unique color, but are not otherwise identified. Any creature that moves or touches objects in the area will also leave colorful footprints and fingerprints, which might reveal invisible creatures in the area.

Distort Gravity

2nd-level transmutation (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (a gyroscope)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours

This spell changes the direction of gravity within a 60-foot square area on surface you touch. The affected area can wrap around a surface, if its geometry permits. For the duration, creatures and objects within 15 feet of the surface fall toward it as if it were the ground. A creature can walk on this surface as if it were level ground, even if the surface is perpendicular to the ground or upside down.

When the duration ends, all creatures and objects fall from the surface.

Memorize

1st-level enchantment (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (a page of written text and a length of silver string worth 10 gp, tied in a knot, which the spell consumes)
• Duration: Instantaneous

While casting this spell, your eyes pass over the words on the page, which are committed to your memory. For the next year, you exactly remember the details of all information on this page. After that time, you have advantage on all Intelligence checks you make to recall this information.

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