Get all 13 subclasses in the Complete Investigator!
Investigator
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 Aberrations from beyond the stars—Investigators will be the first to locate them and banish their foul corruption from the mortal plane.
Paranormal Investigators
There are forces more ancient than time, foes more sinister than the foulest men, and beings more titanic than gods. Investigators risk their lives and psyches to protect the world from supernatural threats, unraveling the mysteries of one werewolf or demonic cult at a time. Their investigations are never ending, for victory only delays doomsday another night.
Exorcists and Occultists
To give themselves an edge against supernatural threats, Investigators dabble in forbidden magic themselves. Prepared Investigators keep a well-stocked grimoire of rituals, incantations, and notes on the powers and weaknesses of monsters—everything needed to level the playing field. Even so, an Investigator’s occupation is perilous. A grimoire might spell out a vampire’s fear of sunlight and aversion to silver, but it does little to hinder their fangs.
Core Investigator Traits
| Primary Ability | Dexterity and Intelligence |
| Hit Point Die | D8 per Investigator Level |
| Saving Throw Proficiencies | Wisdom and Charisma |
| Skill Proficiencies | Choose 3: Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Religion |
| Weapon Proficiencies | Simple and Martial weapons |
| Armor Training | Light armor |
| Starting Equipment | Choose A or B: (A) Leather Armor, 2 Daggers, Rapier, Heavy Crossbow, 20 Bolts, Crossbow Bolt Case, Dungeoneer’s Pack, and 17 GP; or (B) 120 GP |
Becoming an Investigator…
As a Level 1 Character
- Gain all the traits in the Core Investigator Traits table.
- Gain the Investigator’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Investigator Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
- Gain the following traits from the Core Investigator Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Investigator’s skill list, proficiency with Martial Weapons, and training with Light Armor.
- Gain the Investigator’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Investigator Features table
Investigator Features
| Level | Prof. Bonus |
Features | Ritual Level |
Rushed Incantation |
Finisher | Trinkets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Ritualist, Weapon Mastery | 1 | — | — | — |
| 2 | +2 | Expertise, Finisher, Rushed Incantation | 1 | 3 | 1d8 | — |
| 3 | +2 | Investigator Subclass, Trinkets | 2 | 4 | 1d8 | 2 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 1d8 | 2 |
| 5 | +3 | Exploit Weakness | 3 | 5 | 1d8 | 3 |
| 6 | +3 | Subclass feature | 3 | 5 | 1d8 | 3 |
| 7 | +3 | Holy Trinkets | 4 | 6 | 1d8 | 3 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 6 | 1d8 | 3 |
| 9 | +4 | Expertise | 5 | 7 | 1d8 | 4 |
| 10 | +4 | Subclass feature | 5 | 7 | 1d8 | 4 |
| 11 | +4 | Improved Finisher | 6 | 7 | 2d8 | 4 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 8 | 2d8 | 4 |
| 13 | +5 | Enigma Arcane | 6 | 8 | 2d8 | 5 |
| 14 | +5 | Subclass feature | 6 | 8 | 2d8 | 5 |
| 15 | +5 | Enigma Arcane | 6 | 9 | 2d8 | 5 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 9 | 2d8 | 5 |
| 17 | +6 | Enigma Arcane, Improved Finisher | 6 | 9 | 3d8 | 6 |
| 18 | +6 | Supernatural Resolve | 6 | 10 | 3d8 | 6 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 6 | 10 | 3d8 | 6 |
| 20 | +6 | Spellbinder | 6 | 10 | 3d8 | 6 |
Investigator Class Features
As an Investigator, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Investigator levels. These features are listed in the Investigator Features table.
Level 1: Ritualist
You have learned to cast Rituals to overcome supernatural threats.
Grimoire. Your Rituals are recorded in a grimoire, a Tiny object that weighs 3 pounds and contains 100 pages. You determine the grimoire’s appearance and materials. The grimoire starts with four level 1 Investigator spells of your choice. Detect Magic, Heroism, Memorize, and Transient Bulwark are recommended.
Whenever you gain an Investigator level, you can add two Investigator spells of your choice to your grimoire. The Ritual Level column on the Investigator Feature table shows the maximum level of a spell you can add to your grimoire.
Ritual Casting. You can cast any spell as a Ritual if that spell has the Ritual tag and the spell is in your grimoire. You must read from the book to cast a spell in this way. You can’t cast spells that are in your grimoire except as Rituals, unless you’ve learned them by other means.
Bonus Rituals. You can treat specific spells as if they have the Ritual tag, allowing you to add them to your grimoire and cast them as Rituals. These spells are marked in the Investigator Spells list.
Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Investigator spells.
Expanding and Replacing a Grimoire
The spells you add to your grimoire represent research into occult and supernatural threats, but you might find other spells during your adventures that you can add to your grimoire.
Copying a Spell into the Grimoire. When you find a level 1+ Investigator spell, you can copy it into your grimoire if it’s of an eligible level and if you have time to copy it. For each level of the spell, the transcription takes 2 hours and costs 50 GP.
Copying the Grimoire. You can copy a spell from your grimoire into another book. This is like copying a new spell into your grimoire but faster,
since you already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 GP for each level of the copied spell.
If you lose your grimoire, you can recall from memory a number of spells equal to your Investigator level and use the same procedure to transcribe the spells into a new grimoire. Filling out the remainder of the new book requires you to find new spells to do so. For this reason, many Investigators keep a backup grimoire.
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency, such as Rapiers and Heavy Crossbows.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose.
Level 2: Expertise
You gain Expertise in two of your skill proficiencies of your choice. Arcana and Investigation are recommended if you have proficiency in them.
At Investigator level 9, you gain Expertise in two more of your skill proficiencies of your choice.
Level 2: Finisher
Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature that is Bloodied, you can deal an extra 1d8 damage to the target. The damage is the same type as the damage dealt by the weapon.
This damage increases as you gain Investigator levels, as shown in the Finisher column of the Investigator Features table.
Level 2: Rushed Incantation
You can hastily perform any spell in your grimoire that has a casting time of an action or Bonus Action, casting the spell as a Bonus Action. You can cast it without Material components unless the components have a cost of 100+ GP specified by the spell.
You can use this feature three times. You regain one of its expended uses when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long
Rest. You gain additional uses when you reach certain Investigator levels, as shown in the Rushed Incantation column of the Investigator Features table.
Level 3: Investigator Subclass
You gain an Investigator subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Investigator levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Investigator level or lower.
Level 3: Trinkets
Your subclass grants you a number of supernatural trinkets to aid you in defeating supernatural threats and unraveling mysteries. You can use this feature twice, activating one of your trinket options each time you use it. You regain one of its expended uses when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You gain additional uses when you reach certain Investigator levels, as shown in the Trinkets column of the Investigator Features table.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Investigator levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 5: Exploit Weakness
Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature with an attack using a weapon, you can target the creature where it is most vulnerable to gain the following benefits.
Damage Vulnerability. Choose one damage type dealt by the attack. The target has Vulnerability to the chosen damage type for this attack. Vulnerability from
this feature doesn’t double extra damage from spells (such as Hunter’s Mark) or features from other classes (such as the Rogue’s Sneak Attack). The Vulnerability doesn’t apply to this attack if the target has Immunity to the chosen damage type.
Disrupt Resistance. If the target has Resistance to one or more damage types, it loses these Resistances until the start of your next turn, including against the damage of the triggering attack.
Level 7: Holy Trinkets
You keep a wide array of Holy Symbols and blessed items on your person, even if you aren’t particularly pious. You can use the following trinkets (expending a use of your Trinkets to do so).
Amulet of Warding. As a Bonus Action, you place a divine ward on a creature of your choice within 60 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, the warded creature gains a bonus to AC and saving throws equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
Restorative Ankh. As a Bonus Action, a creature of your choice within 60 feet of you regains Hit Points equal to your Investigator level plus your Intelligence modifier.
Rune of Banishment. As a Bonus Action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC or be banished to a harmless location in the Ethereal Plane. While banished, the target has the Incapacitated condition and its Speed is 0. At the start of your next turn, the creature reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
Level 11: Improved Finisher
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use your Finisher on a creature that isn’t Bloodied, dealing only an extra 1d8 damage to the target. At Investigator level 17, this damage increases to 2d8.
Level 13: Enigma Arcane
You learn a secret that unlocks potent arcane magic. You gain the ability to cast a level 7 spell, and discover additional secrets when you reach certain Investigator levels.
Level 7 Spell. You can cast one of the following spells without a spell slot and regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest: Mirage Arcane, Plane Shift, Reverse Gravity, Sequester, or Teleport.
Level 8 Spell. At Investigator level 15, you can also cast one of the following spells without a spell slot and regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest: Antimagic Field, Glibness, Maze, or Mind Blank.
Level 9 Spell. At Investigator level 17, you can also cast one of the following spells without a spell slot and regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest: Astral Projection, Gate, or Weird.
Level 18: Supernatural Resolve
You have Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects unless you have the Incapacitated condition.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.
Level 20: Spellbinder
Choose 5 Investigator spells in your grimoire of levels 1–3 that have a casting time of an action or Bonus Action. You can use Rushed Incantation to cast the chosen spells without expending a use of the feature, and you don’t need to read from your grimoire to cast them. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one of those spells with another spell in your grimoire.
Investigator Subclasses
An Investigator subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain levels, as specified in the subclass.
| Name | Description |
| Detective | Chases down clues and unravels crimes with their impressive intellect |
| Exterminator | Hunts down vampires, lycanthropes, and beasts that stalk the night |
| Occultist | A magician borrowing spells from wizards and warlocks |
Investigator Spells
Click here for the descriptions of spells that are new and available to the Investigator. The class spell lists detailed with each spell include other classes from Mage Hand Press, including the Necromancer, Martyr, and Witch.
