D&D 2024 Backgrounds - Investigator
An investigator is such a broad term, there are several ways you can play this background. What all good investigators have in common is the ability to gather clues and evidence. Once an investigator has the relevant information, they can present their findings to whomever they work for. Not all investigators are good though, as facts can sometimes be twisted to fit whatever narrative beneficial to their client.
Investigator
Ability Scores: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Master of Deduction
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation and Insight
Tool Proficiencies: Thieves’ Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Thieves’ Tools, ink, ink pen, paper (10 sheets), set of traveler’s clothes, 12 gp or (B) 50 gp
You’ve always loved a good mystery. While others may have found it tedious, searching for clues was something you loved to do. But finding clues wasn’t enough for you. The challenge of solving a puzzle or mystery motivated you to put the pieces - clues - together. Once all the pieces were in place, you had the complete picture of the unsolved problem you’ve been trying to figure out. You have developed the resources to do this - nobles with influence, everyday folk who trust you to be discrete, and criminal elements who know what illegal activity occurs in the area. These connections were essential in assisting your investigations. Whether operating as a private detective, a law enforcement officer, or a rogue scholar, you excelled at gathering information through keen observation, interrogation, and deduction.
You may become an investigator for many reasons. Your sense of justice drives you to uncover the truth and uphold the law. You could be a detective for hire, digging into the lives of people to find something for well-paying clients could use against them. Or maybe your expertise made you a trusted advisor to kings and nobles, working to unravel conspiracies and thwart criminal plots. Becoming an adventurer brings you new and exciting mysteries to solve, from finding a lost child to uncovering a dark cult’s schemes.
Background Story Ideas
An ancient artifact is missing and you must unravel the mystery of the item’s whereabouts.
You've been tasked with discovering who killed a powerful noble with a dark past.
You were hired to track down someone for a client. Is it to save them or for more nefarious purposes?
Origin Feat
Master of Deduction
You've honed your skills in deduction, observation, and reading between the lines. You gain the following benefits:
Follow the Trail: When tracking a creature, you can use Investigation instead of Survival, allowing you to analyze physical evidence such as footprints, disturbances, and subtle environmental clues.|
Insightful Inquiry. When questioning someone, you have advantage on Insight checks to determine whether the person is withholding information or being deceptive.
Quick Deduction. Once per long rest, you can ask the DM one yes-or-no question about a mystery or puzzle you are investigating. The DM must answer truthfully but may be cryptic.
