Jaythal, the Undead Elf, is a standard Inquisitor, a divine caster class known for its versatility. This build will focus on keeping things simple and effective by maximizing Jaythal’s melee combat potential, utilizing her scythe to impersonate the Grim Reaper while leveraging her buffs and teamwork feats for optimal performance.

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Understanding Jaythal’s Undead Nature

Being Undead, Jaythal has a few unique mechanics that affect gameplay:

• Heals from negative energy (e.g., Inflict Wounds spells).
• Takes damage from positive energy (Cure Wounds and similar spells harm her).
• Immune to mind-affecting spells, disease, poison, and many conditions.

This makes her resilient but also limits traditional healing methods, meaning you must adjust your playstyle accordingly.

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Class Features & Abilities

Jaythal gains several powerful abilities as she levels up:

Key Abilities

• Stern Gaze – Bonus to Intimidation and Perception checks.
• Death Domain
  • Bleeding Touch (Lv. 1) – Melee attack that inflicts bleed damage.
  • Death Embrace (Lv. 8) – Heals from Channel Negative Energy and prevents damage from Positive Energy.
• Judgment – Temporary combat buffs that improve offense or defense.
  • At Lv. 8, can use two judgments simultaneously.
  • At Lv. 16, can use three judgments.
• Undying – Revives Jaythal after battle with a small portion of health.
• Cunning Initiative (Lv. 2) – Wisdom bonus added to initiative rolls.
• Solo Tactics (Lv. 3) – Gains the benefits of Teamwork Feats even if adjacent allies don’t have them.
• Bane (Lv. 5) – Adds +2 enchantment and deals extra 4-24 damage against selected enemies.
• Stalwart (Lv. 11) – Successful Fortitude or Will saves negate damage from spells instead of reducing it.
• True Judgment (Lv. 20) – Instantly kills an enemy if they fail a Fortitude save after being struck.

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Ability Scores & Progression

Jaythal has balanced stats, making her multi-class friendly, but for this build, we will focus on melee combat:

1. Strength – Primary attribute, increases damage and attack rolls.
2. Wisdom – Important for Judgment and True Judgment, but base +3 is sufficient.
3. Intelligence – Optional (+1 at Lv. 4 for extra skill points).
4. Constitution & Charisma – Not needed due to Undead status.

Skill Recommendations

• Persuasion – Useful for Dazzling Display and intimidating foes.
• Perception – Helps detect traps and hidden enemies.
• Mobility – Prevents Attacks of Opportunity while moving.
• Lore: Religion & Knowledge: Arcana – Jaythal starts with bonuses here, so they are worth leveling.

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Feats & Teamwork Perks

Essential Feats

1. Cleave & Great Cleave – Allows extra attacks against adjacent enemies.
2. Vital Strike & Improved Vital Strike (Bugged currently – may be patched in future)
3. Cleaving Finish & Improved Cleaving Finish – Grants an extra attack when killing an enemy.
4. Weapon Focus: Scythe – Adds +1 to attack rolls.
5. Improved Critical: Scythe – Expands crit range (19-20 x4 multiplier).
6. Power Attack – +2 bonus damage (-1 attack penalty); increased effectiveness with two-handed weapons.
7. Combat Reflexes – More Attacks of Opportunity.
8. Outflank – +4 to attack rolls when flanking.
9. Precise Strike – Adds 1d6 damage when attacking the same enemy as an ally.
10. Seize the Moment – Grants Attacks of Opportunity when an adjacent ally lands a critical hit.
11. Back-to-Back – +2 AC against flanking enemies.

Jaythal’s Solo Tactics allows her to benefit from Teamwork Feats even if her allies don’t have them, making her even deadlier in combat.

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Spell Selection

Although Inquisitors have access to spells, this build prioritizes melee combat. Therefore, we focus on buffing and utility spells:

Pre-Battle Buffs:

1. Freedom of Movement – Prevents movement impairing effects.
2. Spell Resistance – Reduces incoming magical damage.
3. Stoneskin – Absorbs physical damage (requires Diamond Dust from clerics in the capital).
4. Heroism – Grants attack and saving throw bonuses.
5. Divine Power – Boosts attack and damage rolls.
6. Righteous Might – Enhances size, strength, and DR.

Utility & Offensive Spells:

1. Dispel Magic – Removes buffs from enemies.
2. Harm – Deals massive damage even if the enemy succeeds in their saving throw.
3. Restoration – Removes negative effects and ability drain.

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Equipment & Armor

Weapon: Scythe (Preferred)

• Jaythal’s deity favors the scythe – granting automatic proficiency.
• High Crit Multiplier (x4) – One-shot potential.
• Critical Range (20, improved to 19-20 with feats).

If desired, she can switch to other two-handed weapons, but the scythe fits her Grim Reaper aesthetic and remains highly effective.

Best Equipment Choices:

• Belt of Giant Strength – Boosts Strength for extra damage.
• Wisdom-boosting items – Helps with Judgment and True Judgment.
• Best available Medium Armor – Offers protection without hindering movement.

Jaythal, being a Divine Caster, is not affected by Arcane Spell Failure, making medium armor ideal.

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Combat Strategy

1. Pre-Buff Before Fights: Cast Freedom of Movement, Spell Resistance, Stoneskin, Heroism, Divine Power, and Righteous Might.
2. Activate Judgments: Use Justice (attack bonus), Destruction (damage bonus), Smite, and Bane for maximum effectiveness.
3. Engage in Combat:
   • Use Cleave against grouped enemies.
   • Use Standard Attacks against single targets.
   • Position next to an ally to trigger Teamwork Feats.
4. Use Harm on Tough Enemies: Even if they succeed in their saving throw, they take half of max damage.
5. After Combat: Use Restoration and negative energy healing to recover.

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Final Thoughts

This Jaythal build makes her a formidable melee Inquisitor, leveraging buffs, teamwork feats, and high-damage critical hits to excel in combat.

She should always be positioned adjacent to an ally to benefit from her Solo Tactics, making her one of the best melee-focused companions in Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

More Pathfinder: Kingmaker build guides are coming soon, so stay tuned!