# Inquisitor
Grim and determined, the inquisitor roots out enemies of the faith, using trickery and guile when righteousness and purity are not enough. Although inquisitors are dedicated to a deity, they are above many of the normal rules and conventions of the church. They answer to their deity and their own sense of justice alone and are willing to take extreme measures to meet their goals.
Inquisitors tend to move from place to place, chasing down enemies and researching emerging threats. As a result, they often travel with others, if for no other reason than to mask their presence. Inquisitors work with members of their faith whenever possible, but even such allies are not above suspicion.
### Creating an Inquisitor
#### Quick Build
You can make an Inquisitor quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed close by either Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the acolyte background.
## Class Features
As an inquisitor, you gain the following class features
#### Hit Points
___
- **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per inquisitor
level
- **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier
- **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per inquisitor level after 1st
#### Proficiencies
___
- **Armor:** Light armor, Medium Armor, and Shields
- **Weapons:** Simple weapons, Martial weapons
- **Tools:** None
- **Saving Throws:** Wisdom, Charisma
- **Skills:** Three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Religion, Stealth, Survival
#### Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) any two simple weapons or (b) a longsword and shield or (c) any martial melee weapon
- (a) a Priest's pack or (b) an Explorer's pack
- (a) a hand crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a longbow and 20 arrows
- (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail
- a holy symbol
### Judgment
Starting at 1st level, you can pronounce judgment upon your foes as a bonus action.
Starting when the judgment is made, you receive a bonus based on the type of judgment made. At 1st level, you can use this ability once per short rest. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, you can use this ability one additional time per short rest. Once activated, this ability lasts for 1 minute.
You must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If you are frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until you can participate in the combat again.
When you use this ability, you must select one type of judgment to make. As a bonus action, you can change this judgment to another type.
**Destruction:** You are filled with divine wrath, granting a +1 bonus on all weapon damage rolls.
**Healing:** You are surrounded by a healing light. This causes you to heal 1 hit point each round as long as you are conscious and the judgment lasts.
**Justice:** This judgment spurs you to seek justice, granting a +1 bonus on weapon attack rolls.
**Protection:** You are surrounded by a protective aura, granting a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
**Purity:** You are protected from the vile taint of your foes, you gain a +1 bonus on saving throws.
**Resistance:** You are shielded by a flickering aura, granting resistance against one energy type (acid, cold, lightning, fire, or thunder) chosen when the judgment is declared. At 8th level, you may gain resistance to any one damage type of your choice. This judgment cannot be chosen until you reach 6th level as an inquisitor.
**Smiting:** This judgment bathes your weapons in a divine light. Your weapons count as magic for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. At 8th level, you may change the damage type dealt with radiant damage. This judgment cannot be chosen until you reach 6th level as an inquisitor.
### Inquisitor’s senses
The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity (the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich, for instance).
Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
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##### Inquisitor
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features|Judgments| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:
| 1st | +2 | Judgment | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Inquisitor's Senses, Spellcasting | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Expertise, Inquisition | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Beacon of Truth, Cunning Initiative, | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Inquisition Feature | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Second Judgment | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Divine Strike | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Stalwart | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Exploit Weakness | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Inquisition Feature, Lasting Judgment | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Third Judgment | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Blind Sense | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Inquisition Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
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### Spell Casting
By 2nd level, you have learned to draw on divine magic through meditation and prayer to cast spells as a cleric does. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this class's description for the inquisitor spell list.
#### Preparing and Casting Spells
The Inquisitor table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your inquisitor spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of inquisitor spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the inquisitor spell list. When you do so, choose a number of inquisitor spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your inquisitor level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level inquisitor, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of inquisitor spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
#### Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your inquisitor spells. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an inquisitor spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
#### Spellcasting Focus
You can use a holy symbol (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your inquisitor spells.
### Expertise
At 3rd 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.
### Inquisition
When you reach 3rd level, you join an inquisition that guides your actions as an inquisitor. Up to this time, you have been in a preparatory stage, committed to the path but not yet devoted to it. Now you choose the path of a Monster Hunter, Witch Hunter, Kinslayer, Reaper, or Nature's Guardian all detailed at the end of the class description.
Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.
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### Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
### Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
### Beacon of Truth
At 6th level, your fervor for truth and justice bends the world around in such a way that a permanent aura of truth extends from you in a 5-foot radius (like the spell Zone of Truth) with a Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier, it lasts for one minute. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
### Cunning Initiative
At 6th level, your instincts have sharpened to the point of granting you a warning of incoming danger allowing you to react faster than normal. You add your Wisdom modifier on initiative checks, in addition to your Dexterity modifier.
### Second Judgment
At 8th level whenever you use your judgment ability, they select two different judgments, instead of one. Using a use of your judgment ability for each affect gained. As a bonus action, you can change one of these judgments to another type. In addition the bonus from the Destruction, Healing, Justice, Protection, and Purity judgments increases to 2.
### Divine Strike
At 10th 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 1d8 radiant damage to the target.
### Stalwart
At 11th level, you can use mental and physical resiliency to avoid certain attacks. You can innately cast Absorb Elements a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. The level at which you cast Absorb Elements is equal to half the level of the spell that triggered the reaction rounded up. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
### Exploit Weakness
At 14th level, you learn to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. For the next minute, you have Advantage on all attacks against one creature you designate within 30ft of you, and your attacks against that creature deal an additional weapon damage dice, which is treated as Radiant damage. You regain this ability every short rest.
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### Lasting Judgment
At 15th level, your deep connection to your deity and your drive to destroy heresy sharpens your focus in battle. Your Judgment lasts until the end of combat.
### Third Judgment
At 16th level, whenever you use your judgment ability, you select three different judgments, instead of just two. Using a use of your judgment ability for each affect gained. As a bonus action, you can change one of these judgments to another type. In addition, the bonus from the Destruction, Healing, Justice, Protection, and Purity increases to 3.
### Blind Sense
Starting at 18th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you.
## Inquisitions
Becoming an inquisitor involves taking a vow that commits the inquisitor to the cause of righteousness, an active path of fighting wickedness. The final oath, taken when he or she reaches 3rd level, is the culmination of all the inquisitor’s training. Some characters in this class don’t consider themselves true inquisitors until they have reached 3rd level and made this oath. For others, the actual swearing of the oath is a formality, an official stamp on what has always been true in the inquisitor’s heart.
### Heretic Hunter
An inquisitor who has dedicated their life to the destruction of heretics against their god. They pride themselves on their ability to strike fast and hard as they push their bodies beyond the normal limit with divine power.
#### Divine Speed
Beginning at 3rd Level you learn to channel some of the energy of your judgments to boost your body. You gain a bonus to your movement speed equal to 10 feet while you have a judgment active.
#### Anticipate Heresy
At 7th level, you have honed your senses and focus to the point that you have developed a sixth sense. You have advantage on initiative rolls. When you roll initiative you may activate your judgment ability.
The bonus to your movement speed from your Divine Speed increases to 15 feet.
#### Divine Wrath
At 15th Level, you have learned to channel divine energy to increase more than just your movement speed you have learned to accelerate your entire body. While you have a judgment active you can attack three times whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The bonus to your movement speed from Divine Speed increases to 20 feet.
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#### Divine Zeal
At 20th level, your desire to destroy heresy fuels you during combat allowing you to strike harder than would normally be possible as you focus your mind on destroying your target. When you take the Attack action if you use all of your attacks on the same creature you add 1D8 bonus damage for each consecutive hit you land on the creature this turn, the count resets at the start of your next turn.
The bonus to your movement speed from Divine Speed increases to 25 feet.
> ##### Divine Zeal Damage
> If you hit with your first attack, you would add 1D8 to the damage dealt by your second attack, and if you have Divine speed active you would add 2D8 to the damage dealt by your third attack, and if you made an Attack of opportunity against this same creature and hit you would add 3D8 to the damage dealt.
### Witch Hunter
Those that practice dark magic fear witch hunters. These inquisitors have dedicated themselves to destroying those that would use arcane magic to harm the innocent.
#### Spell Scent
Beginning at 3rd level, you learn how to sense unique spell signatures, and can follow the trail of a cast spell or spell effect cast back to its source. Once per day, when you come into contact with or are exposed to a spell effect or a magic item, you can spend 1 minute examining the spell effect or magic item, you then gain the effect of a *locate creature* spell. You can do this even if the spell effect was instantaneous, but you must start your examination within 1 round of experiencing the spell’s effect. Instead of locating a known creature, you locate the caster of the spell effect or magic item you examined. Doing so does not allow you to gain any intelligence about the spell caster other than its location.
#### Spell Sage
At 7th level, you have learned to use the weapons of your enemies against them. Choose two spells from the Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard spell list. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown in the Inquisitor table.
The chosen spells count as Inquisitor spells for you and are always considered to be prepared for you and do not count against the number of spells that you can prepare.
You learn two additional spells from the Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard spell list at 15th level and again at 20th level.
#### Witch's Bane Judgment
At 15th level, you gain the following judgment.
**Witch’s Bane**: When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration. In addition, you add your Wisdom modifier to damage rolls against any creature you see cast an arcane spell.
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#### Impervious
At 20th level, you are divinely protected from the magic that you seek to destroy. You gain advantage on all spell saving throws, and spell attack rolls have disadvantage against you.
### Kinslayer
Those inquisitors that take this path, but they carry the taint of Vampirism within them. Whether they were bitten at one point, or if they were born from a vampire and mortal, it no longer matters for them, they have learned to control their vampiric urges, and have dedicated themselves to the destruction of their kin that threatens the innocent.
#### Vampiric Blood
At 3rd Level your vampiric blood grants, you Darkvision out to 60 feet, if you already had darkvision increase its range by 30 feet. You have advantage on Perceptions checks that rely on sight in darkness, or for smelling blood, resistance to necrotic damage, and a bite attack explained below these benefits replace the normal benefits of vampirism explained in the monster manual.
Bite: Melee Unarmed Strike: one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by you, incapacitated, or restrained. Deals 1d6 piercing plus 1D6 Necrotic damage. The targets hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and you regain hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.
#### Slayer's Brand Judgment:
At 7th level, you gain the following judgment.
**Slayer’s Brand:** When using this judgment, you gain the ability to brand undead creatures with positive energy. To do so, you must make a successful melee spell attack against the undead creature, when you activate your judgment ability. This attack deals an amount of radiant damage equal to 1d6 + Wisdom Modifier and burns your personal symbol into the undead creature’s flesh, bone, or even its incorporeal form. As long as this judgement remains active you deal an extra 1d6 of radiant damage whenever you deal damage to the branded target. In addition, from that point onward, you can sense the existence of the branded creature as if it were the target of a locate creature spell. A slayer’s brand lasts until the undead creature is destroyed or until you use this ability on another creature.
#### Greater Brand
At 15th level, you may add a number of the following modifiers equal to half your proficiency modifier rounded down to your Slayers Brand Judgment, and you can brand two creatures at a time.
**Branding Ray:** The slayer’s brand judgment can be used as a ranged spell attack with a range of 20 feet. You can take this modification more than once. Whenever you do, you increase the range of your brand by 20 feet.
**Debilitating Brand:** A creature currently affected by the slayer’s brand judgment takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls against you.
**Devastating Brand:** When you attack a creature that you have branded with your slayer’s brand, you score a critical hit on a roll of 19–20.
**Holy Brand:** You can use your brand on creatures Demons, and Fey as well.
**Silver Brand:** You can use your brand on lycanthropes and creatures with vulnerability to silver as well as undead.
#### Vampiric Heritage
At 20th level, you have learned to safely tap into your vampiric heritage. For 1 minute you transform into your true vampiric form. You take on the stats of the Vampire as detailed in the Monster Manual on page 297, with the following changes.
You keep your mental stats, and alignment, you do not gain the legendary resistances or actions, and beyond the regeneration affect your health is unaffected by this transformation, use whichever AC is higher, between your normal AC and the Vampires
### Reaper
Few inquisitors follow this path, most that do worship dark gods, or demons. Many other inquisitors and paladins look at the followers of this path as cultists that need to be eradicated, but they view their path as the one true path.
The followers of this path use their connection with death to bolster their combat prowess and the masters of this path are said to truly pass over the barrier between life and death.
#### Reaper Judgment
At 3rd level, you gain the following judgment.
**Reaper:** When you activate this judgment darkness swirls around you taking the shape of long flowing robes with a hood that covers your face. You form a bone scythe in your open hands. If you let go of the scythe, it disappears, but you can form the scythe again as a bonus action.
You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the bone scythe. On a hit, the target takes 1d12+ Wisdom modifier Necrotic damage. The bone scythe has the two-handed, and reach weapon properties.
#### Reaper of Souls
At 7th Level when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with your bone scythe you heal an amount equal to half the damage of the killing blow. This ability does not activate if the creature is an undead or construct.
#### Death's Touch
At 15th Level while under the effect of Reaper Judgment, you gain the ability to cast Finger of Death without the need for material components or spending a spell slot. This Ability can only be used once per Long Rest.
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#### One With Death
At 20th level, your connection to death transforms you into a being of undeath. Your flesh withers, and become stretched tight across your bones, making you appear gaunt and skeletal. Your eyes rapidly decay away leaving nothing but points of light burning in your empty sockets. You are continually sheathed in the robes of shadow that come with your reaper's judgment. Your type becomes undead, as such you gain the undead nature property, as well as resistance to Necrotic damage, and immunity to poison damage, you also gain the undead fortitude property. The damage from your Bone Scythe becomes 2d12+Wisdom Necrotic, you must still activate the reaper judgment to gain access to your Bone Scythe.
### Nature's Guardian
For those who threaten nature, these inquisitors are their worst nightmare. They channel their deep connection with their god into a fearsome predatory form.
#### Predatory Judgment
Beginning at 3rd level you gain the following judgment.
**Predatory:** When you activate this judgment you channel nature's power to turn yourself into a hybrid beast form. Your weapons and armor merge into your body, and you grow claws, which are treated as unarmed strikes and deal 1d6 slashing damage.
While in this form you can use Dexterity or Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes, and your Armor Class is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
#### Predatory Instinct
At 7th level, your deep connection to the natural energy begins to enhance your senses gain scent and darkvision out to 60 feet, if you already had darkvision increase the range you can see by 30 feet.
While your predatory judgment is active your claw damage dice increases to 1d8.
#### Predator's Ferocity
At 15th Level, your connection to natures power makes you more ferocious in your hybrid form. While your Predatory Judgment is active you may use a bonus action to move your movement speed towards a hostile creature, if this movement brings you into your melee attack range you may make a single claw attack as part of this bonus action.
When you make a successful claw attack you may use your bonus action to make another claw attack against the same creature.
While your predatory judgment is active your claw damage dice increases to 1d10.
#### Nature's Wrath
At 20th level your connection to nature's power has transformed you into a manifestation of its wrath. This causes your hybrid form to take on elemental properties. When you activate you Predatory Judgment you choose between Air, Earth, Fire, or Water, once chosen you can not change your choice until you use your predatory judgment again.
While your predatory judgment is active your claw damage dice increases to 1d12.
No matter which element you choose you gain immunity to poison damage, exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned. You gain additional benefits specific to which element you chose.
**Air:** You gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed and Air Form feature and the Whirlwind action as described in the Air Elemental entry of the Monster Manual on page 124
**Earth:** You gain a burrow speed equal to your movement speed, tremorsense for 60 feet, and the Earth Glide and Siege Monster Features as described in the Earth Elemental entry of the Monster Manual on page 124.
**Fire**: You gain immunity to fire damage, your unarmed strikes deal fire damage and the fire form and illumination features as described in the Fire Elemental entry of the Monster Manual on page 125.
**Water:** You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed, and the Water Form feature and Whelm action as described in the Water Elemental entry of the Monster Manual on page 125.
Any actions that have a DC use your Spell Save DC.
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#### Inquisitor Spells
##### 1st level
- Alarm
- Absorb Elements (XGtE)
- Bane
- Beast Bond (XGtE)
- Bless
- Ceremony (XGtE)
- Command
- Compelled Duel
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Evil and Good
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison and Disease
- Disguise Self
- Divine Favor
- Ensnaring Strike
- Hail of Thorns
- Healing Word
- Heroism
- Hunter's Mark
- Inflict Wounds
- Protection from Evil and Good
- Purify Food and Drink
- Sanctuary
- Searing Smite
- Shield of Faith
- Snare (XGtE)
- Thunderous Smite
- Wrathful Smite
- Zephyr Strike (XGtE)
##### 2nd Level
- Aid
- Branding Smite
- Calm Emotions
- Continual Flame
- Cordon of Arrows
- Darkvision
- Detect Thoughts
- Enhance Ability
- Find Steed
- Find Traps
- Lesser Restoration
- Locate Object
- Magic Weapon
- Moon Beam
- Pass without Trace
- Protection from Poison
- Silence
- Spiritual Weapon
- Zone of Truth
##### 3rd Level
- Aura of Vitality
- Blinding Smite
- Conjure Barrage
- Create Food and Water
- Crusader's Mantle
- Daylight
- Dispel Magic
- Elemental Weapon
- Flame Arrows (XGtE)
- Glyph of Warding
- Lightning Arrow
- Magic Circle
- Nondetection
- Protection from Energy
- Remove Curse
- Revivify
- Tongues
##### 4th Level
- Aura of Life
- Aura of Purity
- Banishment
- Death Ward
- Find Greater Steed (XGtE)
- Freedom of Movement
- Locate Creature
- Staggering Smite
##### 5th Level
- Banishing Smite
- Commune
- Circle of Power
- Conjure Volley
- Destructive Smite
- Dispel Evil and Good
- Flame Strike
- Geas
- Greater Restoration
- Hallow
- Holy Weapon (XGtE)
- Legend Lore
- Mass Cure Wounds
- Raise Dead
- Steel Wind Strike (XGtE)
- Stoneskin
- Swift Quiver
#### Inquisitor Multiclassing
Should you wish to multiclass into inquisitor the prerequisites and proficiencies are listed below.
##### Inquisitor Multiclassing Prerequisites
##### Ability Score Minimum
|
|:----:|
| Wisdom 13 |
##### Inquisitor Multiclassing Proficiencies
|
|:----:|
| Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields, Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, and one skill from the class's skill list|