A sleuth is an investigator who relies on good fortune and guile rather than alchemy. Having no intrinsic mystical energy, she must forgo the more magical aspects of alchemy to solve her mysteries with wits, gumption, and the fickle consideration of luck.
At 1st level, a sleuth gains a pool of luck, measuring her ability to get out of scrapes. At the start of each day, a sleuth has a number of luck points equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Her luck goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Charisma modifier (minimum 1), though feats, magic items, and spells that grant either grit points or panache points can also grant a sleuth an equal number of luck points. A sleuth spends luck to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains luck in the following ways.
Rolling a Natural 20 on a Knowledge or Sense Motive Check
While on an investigation, a sleuth regains luck by uncovering secrets. Rolling a natural 20 on these skill checks while actively investigating causes the sleuth to regain 1 luck point. Such skill checks made for more mundane reasons (such as normal research or using Sense Motive to gain information during normal bargaining or while gambling) do not cause the sleuth to regain luck. Determining which skill checks qualify is up to the GM.
Rolling a 6 or Higher on an Inspiration Die
When a sleuth rolls an inspiration die while on an investigation and the result is 6 or higher, she regains 1 luck point. (If she rolls multiple inspiration dice at a time, she regains 1 luck point if the total is 6 or higher.) Like regaining luck via a natural 20 on a qualifying skill check, uses of inspiration for more mundane reasons don't qualify for regaining luck. The GM is the final arbitrator for what rolls qualify. It's possible for an investigator to regain 2 luck points on the same skill check if the qualifying skill check is a natural 20 and any inspiration die roll made results in a 6 or higher.
This ability and the 1st-level deeds described below replace alchemy. A sleuth cannot take the alchemist discovery talent or any investigator talent that affects alchemy.
Deeds
Sleuths spend luck points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant a sleuth some momentary bonus or effect, but some provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as a sleuth has at least 1 luck point.
At 1st level, a sleuth gains the following deeds.
A sleuth can spend 1 luck point when he makes an Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, or Swim check to roll d6 and add the result to the check. He can choose to add this die after he attempts the check, but must to do before the result is revealed. If the d6 roll is a natural 6, he rolls another d6 and adds it to the result. He can continue to do this as long as he rolls natural 6s, up to a number of times equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).
Opportunistic Evasion
When a sleuth succeeds at a Reflex saving throw against an effect that still deals damage on a successful save, he can spend 1 luck point as an immediate action to instead take no damage from that effect.
Sleuth's Initiative
As long as the sleuth has at least 1 luck point, he gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. Furthermore, if he has the Quick Draw feat, his hands are free and unrestrained, and the weapon is not hidden, then he can draw a single light or one-handed melee weapon as part of the initiative check. (Unlike with swashbuckler deeds, this does not have to be a piercing weapon.)
At 4th level, a sleuth gains the following deeds. These abilities replace swift alchemy.
Make It Count
When a sleuth uses studied strike, he can spend 1 luck point to apply an investigator talent that he doesn't already know and that affects studied strike to his studied strike. He must be able to meet that talent's prerequisites.
Run Like Hell
A sleuth can spend 1 luck point to gain a +20-foot bonus to his base speed for 1 minute. Furthermore, while under the effect of this bonus, if he moves more than his normal speed in a round, he gains a +4 bonus to AC until the start of his next turn.
When a sleuth rolls an inspiration die or uses the daring deed (see above), he can spend 1 luck point to reroll either the inspiration die or the daring deed die. If he rolls a 6 or higher on this reroll, he does not regain a luck point, and he must keep the result of the reroll, even if it is lower.
Investigator Talents
The following investigator talents complement the sleuth archetype: amazing inspiration, combat inspiration, device talent, effortless aid, expanded inspiration, hidden agendas, inspirational expertise, inspired alertness, inspired intimidator, perceptive tracking, quick study, rogue talent, tenacious inspiration, and underworld inspiration.