Bonded Investigator (Investigator Archetype)
Whether it’s included to give children something to be entertained by, or something that sets a detective apart from others in the genre, there is a long-standing offshoot of detectives in stories that have animal companions of some kind.
Such animals are almost universally much smarter than they should be, and assist the investigator in surprising ways, ranging from sniffing out clues, delivering messages, spying on suspects, or even occasionally rescuing their master from harm.
Though normally such an animal is hardly the only one they rely on, this archetype is nevertheless an homage to that trope which I imagine quite a few folks have enjoyed.
Essentially, the animal of the investigator is a familiar, their intellect being a product of magical ritual much like any familiar, though they can also benefit from the investigator’s extracts.
What really sets them apart, however, is their ability to make brilliant leaps of reasoning just like their master, drawing from the same pool of inspiration, though only in the most basic ways.
Part of the cost for this bond is spending less time developing the ability to strike deadly blows after studying their prey for a while.
They do, however, eventually learn the techniques to gain an improved familiar, either replacing or augmenting their previous one.
This archetype also is associated with a handful of talents, such as those that enhance their ability to work with others and notice things.
A fairly simple archetype that gives the investigator a useful ally that can go where they cannot, and benefit from the investigator’s inspiration ability, which is often quite useful for providing an edge while on their own. Just keep in mind that your average bonus damage from studied combat is going to go down a bit.
Typically, the animal or creature that the investigator chooses as their companion is native to the local region, the better to blend in with the ordinary denizens and not stand out. That being said, there is something to be said about having an iconic pet, just remember that in such a case they’ll have to rely more on actual stealth and not just blending into the background.
Rumor has it that an infernal mechanism, literally a fragment of a war machine of Hell, has been smuggled into the city for some nefarious purpose. Detective Aman has a personal interest in finding the device, one tied to his clockwork familiar Ibi.
The raven familiar of an investigator goes missing, only to turn up later having trouble remembering that it even had a master in the first place. It turns out caulborns are involved in the current case, and they are not afraid of devouring memories to keep their secret.
Wyvarans prize familiars that resemble them, so they tend to favor reptiles that glide or fly, as well as small dragons like pseudodragons, nycars, and pseudowyverns. The serve many a spellcaster faithfully, as well as others who make use of the ritual, such as the investigator Vekun Softwalker.
