Question about Intimidate

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

My players keep wanting to use the intimidate skill as a way of scaring off monsters. This seems like a perfectly good use for the skill, but as far as I can tell, there is no provision for doing so in the rules. Can anyone tell me if there are rules for using intimidate to scare enemies or anything?

Also, if there aren't, what do you think of this idea :

Roll an intimidate skill check, opposed by a will save for each enemy within 30 feet. If they fail, they are shaken. If they fail by more than 10, they run away.
Each round they are out of line of sight with you, they can make another will save against the original intimidate check result in order to shake off the effects. Also, if they witness you falling to 0 hp or less or being disabled by a spell or trap (such as being caught in a web spell) they automatically shake off the effects.

THoughts?

 

[Crothian]

I'd make it oppossed by will save + HD since the intimidate skill is based off of HD/ level. Also, skills are easier to improve then will saves so a character that maxes out Intimidate will easily always win an opposed roll against only a will save.

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

Agreed. So we have...

Roll an intimidate skill check. Each enemy within 30 feet makes a will save, with a bonus equal to their Hit Dice/Level, trying to beat your Intimidate check result. If they fail, they are shaken. If they fail by more than 10, they run away.
Each round they are out of line of sight with you, they can make another will save with the same bonus against the original intimidate check result in order to shake off the effects. The effects automatically end after 1 minute. Also, if they witness you falling to 0 hp or less or being disabled by a spell or trap (such as being caught in a web spell) they automatically shake off the effects.

 

[Crothian]

I like that. Good work.

 

[Dragonjester]

If you're going to let your players use it against multiple opponents, I'd add +1 for each extra opponent beyond the first. It's much easier to intimidate a single opponent than it is a mob.

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

Also a good idea. Now we have...

Intimidate in Combat:
You can use the intimidate skill while facing enemies, to attempt to put them at a disadvantage, or even run away. You do not necessarily have to be in combat to use the intimidate skill in this fashion, although that is where it will usually be used.

To do this, make an opposed check. You roll an intimidate skill check, with a bonus equal to the number of creatures allied to you within the area of effect, and any enemies within 30 feet roll a will save, with a bonus equal to their hit dice/level plus the number of creatures allied to them within the area of effect. Characters in a rage (such as the barbarian ability) get +4 to their roll.

If the creature fails the opposed check, they are shaken. If they fail by more than 10, they run away.

Each round they are out of line of sight with you, they can make another will save with the same bonus against the original intimidate check result in order to shake off the effects. The effects automatically end after 1 minute. Also, if they witness you falling to 0 hp or less or being disabled by a spell or trap (such as being caught in a web spell) they automatically shake off the effects.

Example :
Bob the barbarian (Intimidate skill +5) rages and tries to scare off the orcs. There are 4 normal orcs (will save +0) and one 4th level orc boss (will save +2). Bob has three companions with him.

Bob rolls 1d20 + 5 (intimidate) + 4 (rage) + 3 (companions).
The Orcs roll 1d20 + 0 (will save) + 1 (hit dice) + 4 (allies).
The Orc boll rolls 1d20 + 2 (will save) + 4 (hit dice) + 4 (allies).

Bob rolls a 17.
The Orcs roll 5, 8, 10 and 21.
The Orc boss rolls 20.

One orc runs away and two other cower in fear, but the last orc and the boss laugh off the humans puny attempts to scare them and attack.

 

[Cross]

We had a simliar discussion over on Monte's boards and it was brought up that some additional RP stuff might come into play when using Intimidate. One thing to consider: are the puny orcs more scared of you or their boss? A suggestion I sort of liked was to give a bonus to the saves of the underlings based on the Intimidate score of the boss. Another was to give bonus based on what happens with the boss's save.

Picture, a human 6th level fighter is leading a small group or orcs on a raid when they encounter your group of 3rd level PCs. Your PC attempts to Intimidate the group, failing miserably against the 6th level fighter who shouts at his men to attack. The orcs then make their saves against Intimidate (with a bonus from their leaders success) and rally to fight off the PCs.

Just a thought. Only trouble with this idea is that it works both ways, and I don't know how you'd deal with giving PCs bonuses.

-Cross

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

How about :

When rolling for multiple enemies with different save bonuses, roll for the creature with the highest total bonus (will save + hit dice) first. If this creature succeeds, all other creatures get a +2 circumstance bonus to their roll. If the first creature fails, all others get a -2 circumstance penatly to their roll, and if the first creature runs away, the penalty increases to -4.

 

[TheFlamingRheo]

I like that it, but what about if just went and killed one of thier comrades or the leader? What if you did that in one hit? I believe that you should still do it your way, but allow players a free intimidate check if they just went and raveged an oppponent. But of course no one cares about my ideas.

 

[tburdett]

One small change...

I think that the Barbarian (and any class or PrC that has the rage ability) should be immune to Intimidation while Raging.