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Call to Arms: Inquisitor $1.75
Average Rating:4.7 / 5
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Call to Arms: Inquisitor
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Call to Arms: Inquisitor
Publisher: Crafty Games
by Megan R. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 01/30/2013 04:28:22

Suitable for a campaign where at least one deity demands worship and has an organised and influential organisation to meet that deity's needs, the Inquisitor character class is based around the role of an agent charged with keeping devotees on the straight and narrow, and stamping out heresies and dissent wherever they raise their head.

An Inquisitor needs to be wise as well as forceful, and it is a suitable role for lovers of intrigue. Whilst they can use violence to further their ends they are not generally front-rank combatants when it comes to a brawl although they can be potent in a supportive role, particularly when they can be theatening and intimidating against those of an alignment (or faith) different to their own. Many say Humans make the best Inquisitors but both Elves and Orcs have proven successful in their own way too. Whilst religious fervour and an unbending nature are common, some Inquisitors hone their investigative skills to become effective dectectives rooting out malcontent and dissent even when it is well-hidden. It is a role full of possibilities both for the player and for the GM seeking to embed this strand within the overall plotline or even weaving adventures around this approach to religious purity.

A series of style feats based around persecution provides an added advantage when dealing with those of a different alignment and gives scope for non-combat activities. Overall this is a role suitable for both players and NPCs alike, one full of story potential (and one that's causing me to reach for the plotbook even as I finish writing the review!).



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Call to Arms: Inquisitor
Publisher: Crafty Games
by Jay S. A. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 01/29/2013 23:26:12

The Inquisitor is the newest Expert Class to be released in the 4th wave of Fantasy Craft’s excellent Call to Arms series of supplements. As always, the Class is not a specific thing, but covers a wide variety of interesting character concepts ranging from the classical Church agent that hunts down heretics to cruel enforcers that protect the powerful from popular disapproval.

It’s an interesting class that is essentially a Religiously motivated Spy. If the Crusader is a warrior with zeal, the Inquisitor’s methods don’t always involve combat, but are more focused towards ferreting out secrets by both social and covert means.

I love that the Core Ability of the Inquisitor’s core ability is Disconcerting. It’s a great way to make an entrance or a dramatic reveal, as the character may declare their affiliation with the Inquisition to spend and roll an action die. They may then choose a number of characters equal to the roll’s result that become shaken until the end of the scene or until the start of the next combat, whichever is first.

Yes, there’s an opening right there for a Monty Python reference.

Hammer of Heretics bestows ranks of Noble Renown and bonuses to Intimidate and Investigate checks equal to the character’s Noble Renown. This ability increases with levels, allowing the Inquisitor to gain the Menacing Threat quality as well as a passive ability to counter attempts to lie or conceal the truth from you.

Condemn allows for the Inquisitor to levy a pronouncement with such force that you can make the target suffer a morale penalty with Charisma-based skills equal to the Inquisitor’s Wisdom Modifier. Higher versions of this power inflict Stress damage equal to the Inquisitor’s Class Level. While this doesn’t seem like much at the moment, given the context of Fantasy Craft’s system, this is as harsh an attack as you can make in a social setting. The penalty to Charisma-based skills equal to the Inquisitor’s Wisdom is pretty crippling for all but the most suave of characters, and could very well lead to a spiral of doom as their attempts to assert themselves in the scene only result to further ruin.

Phoenix Wright fans will definitely enjoy using that power.

Incorruptible is a nice touch as it grants Damage Resistance against an Alignment of choice. However, I was wondering if it would break in any way if I allowed the Inquisitor to change their choice of Alignment where Incorruptible would apply if they ever complete a Subplot that invalidates their choice.

Path of the Devoted allows the Inquisitor to proceed along the Steps of the Alignment they serve.

Agent of the Church is a nice touch, as the Inquisitor suddenly gets extra Reputation that they can spend to get Noble Favors. This represents how the Inquisitor’s patrons pave the way for the character to get whatever they might need to pursue their investigations.

And finally, one of the most amusingly named game-breaking abilities for the Inquisitor: Torches and Pitchforks. I don’t think I need to go into that much detail, but this allows the Inquisitor to whip up a frenzied mob hostile towards characters of your chosen Alignment and immune to negative Morale effects.

The Inquisitor is a prime example of just how Fantasy Craft is more than just a game of combat (even if it does that really well.) Having a Church Spy works for a lot of interesting concepts, and brings me happy memories of a character I once played that served in this regard.

While it might not seem so powerful outright, the Inquisitor’s abilities focus on information gathering and control, as well as the use of said information to gain necessary leverage. While it might not be an optimal class choice for a dungeon delve, many of the more political games can benefit greatly from having the Inquisitor in play.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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