Disney+ will soon release the next installment in the Star Wars saga: Obi-Wan Kenobi. The series is meant to detail Kenobi's life after his greatest failure at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Many fans are excited for the new series, as it means the return of Ewan McGregor's Kenobi and the reemergence of the Sith Inquisitors, a group of highly skilled fallen Jedi who hunted the survivors of the infamous Order 66. The skills and Dark Force abilities of the Sith Inquisitors are as interesting as they are fearsome.
These powerful abilities may inspire many Dungeons & Dragons players to create characters just as sinister and intimidating as the Inquisitors themselves. The Sith Inquisitors exist in the sci-fi world of Star Wars, so it's difficult to create an exact copy within the medieval fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons. Fortunately, it's still possible to create a D&D character that captures the essence of the Sith Inquisitors while working within the rules of the game.
Sith Inquisitor Build Summary
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Race |
Shadar-Kai |
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Class |
Paladin (Oathbreaker) |
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Background |
Acolyte |
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Ability Scores (in order of importance) |
Strength, Charisma, Constitution, Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom |
The Best D&D Race For a Sith Inquisitor
Star Wars is filled to the brim with all sorts of unique and strange alien races, any one of which could be called to the Dark Side and choose to join the Sith. The Sith Inquisitors that appear throughout Star Wars are varied in species, shape, and size. With the new rules regarding race in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, any of D&D's races can be customized to create the best Sith Inquisitor.
Even though any race or alien species can be a Sith, many of D&D's races share common features and aesthetics with the Sith. The Shadar-Kai elves introduced in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes match these traits best. The Shadar-Kai live in the Shadowfell, a plane of death and despair. Like the Sith Inquisitors, the Shadar-Kai know how to harness the power of Darkness for their own ends. They are resistant to necrotic damage and can manipulate the dark energy of the Shadowfell for their own purposes. A Shadar-Kai elf would make a perfect Sith Inquisitor.
The Best D&D Background For a Sith Inquisitor
It's important to remember the origins of the Sith Inquisitors when considering their D&D background. While they are soldiers for the Empire and investigators that track down surviving Jedi, Inquisitors were once Jedi. This means that they received the same training and upbringing as any other Jedi, like Kenobi or Anakin. Therefore, the Acolyte background is the best fit for an Inquisitor, as they could have grown up in the Jedi temples and studied the mysteries of the Force. The proficiency in Insight and Religion will help the Inquisitor recall Jedi traditions and discover Jedi in hiding.
The Best D&D Class For A Sith Inquisitor
One of the most defining traits of the Sith Inquisitors is their unique double-bladed lightsabers. These have the ability to spin chaotically and savagely, which often catches unsuspecting opponents by surprise. This aggressive fighting style pushes the Inquisitors toward a more melee-focused D&D class like Fighter or Barbarian. Despite their melee skill, the Inquisitors are also Force-sensitive and can use Force abilities, which might align them with a magic class like Wizard or Warlock.
The best class for a Sith Inquisitor is one that combines melee and magic while still leaning into their dark nature: the Oathbreaker Paladin. These Paladins have abandoned their sworn vows in a selfish pursuit of power, just like the Inquisitors. The martial abilities of the Paladin transfer well to skills with lightsabers, and the sinister magical abilities of the Oathbreaker subclass can mimic the powers that come from the Dark Side. A creative Dungeon Master might even flavor a player's use of Smite as activating their lightsaber.
Important Ability Scores For A Sith Inquisitor
A Sith Inquisitor will use two ability scores more than any others: Strength and Charisma. When Inquisitors fight, they don't typically try to outmaneuver their enemies; they try to overwhelm them with the fury of their attacks and unpredictable movements. The Sith respect power more than anything else, so a Sith Inquisitor needs to have a high Strength score.
A high Charisma is also a must for an Inquisitor. Not only will this help with any Charisma-based Paladin spells, but it will also help with the social component of being an Inquisitor. When the Sith can't get what they want through brute force and violence, they will resort to lies and manipulation. A high Charisma score will help with Deception checks to lie about motives and Intimidation checks to frighten those weaker than the Sith.
The Best D&D Feats For A Sith Inquisitor
There are numerous feats that can give a Sith Inquisitor that extra edge in battle. Sentinel will allow an Inquisitor to take advantage of every drop in their enemy's defenses. If an opponent tries to run, they can strike them in the back as they flee and halt them in their tracks. Telekinetic will give an Inquisitor the ability to move objects with their mind and mimic the iconic Force abilities of the Sith and Jedi.
The double-bladed lightsabers used by the Inquisitors are very specialized weapons, and standard options that exist in D&D don't quite match it. If an Inquisitor takes the Weapon Master feat, they can gain proficiency in this unique weapon while growing in power with the additional +1 in Strength or Dexterity that comes with the feat. These feats will turn an Inquisitor into a lightsaber-twirling master that would make any Sith Lord proud.