ObjectivePerspective
First Post
Intimidation is based on fear, but Paladins are immune to fear (at 3rd level). Would it be safe to say that a paladin can not be intimidated in order to get information out of him by an evil Bugbear for example?
Pathfinder 1E Can a Paladin be Intimidated?
- Thread starter ObjectivePerspective
- Start date
Unless Pathfinder completely changed things from 3.5 on this, social skills cannot make PCs do anything, so effectively PCs can't be intimidated no matter what class they are. But I'd probably rule an NPC paladin can't be initimidated either.
RangerWickett
Legend
Intimidated in the "ack, don't hurt me, I'm scared!" sense? No.
But the "Tell me what I want or I'll cut off this little girl's fingers one by one while you watch" sense? That might work.
The paladin might decide based on his concern for others that it's better to give in to the bad guy's demands, but he won't do it out of emotional fear for his own safety.
But the "Tell me what I want or I'll cut off this little girl's fingers one by one while you watch" sense? That might work.
The paladin might decide based on his concern for others that it's better to give in to the bad guy's demands, but he won't do it out of emotional fear for his own safety.
S
Sunseeker
Guest
Indeed, "intimidation" isn't always "fear", it's also a form of coercion. The Paladin is immune to irrational fear effects, either ones generated by magic or say, a phobia like a fear of spiders. Intimidation as coercion is a willing sort of "fear". The Paladin(or NPC or other character) chooses to give in to the demands of the intimidator if they have a successful intimidation roll.
However, this also reveals a pretty significant flaw in the game system and the Character/Player dichotomy. But that's for a different thread.
Remus Lupin
Adventurer
It was always my understanding that the Paladin is immune to *magical fear effects,* not simply capable of being afraid. Someone incapable of fear would be a crazy person. But magical fear effects cause you to be undone by an irrational and non-existent fear. That's very different from a legitimate fear that you can overcome through courage, or fear for another's well-being.
If you succeeded in an intimidation check vs. a Paladin (which uses the Wisdom modifier rather than the Will save, so it's not impossible), I would say that the Paladin simply experience a very human failure of nerve. Not out of the question, nor even necessarily something that would require Atonement. But perhaps something that the Paladin would have to reflect upon later. Perhaps the NPC Paladin could come back wiser and more seasoned later in the campaign.
If you succeeded in an intimidation check vs. a Paladin (which uses the Wisdom modifier rather than the Will save, so it's not impossible), I would say that the Paladin simply experience a very human failure of nerve. Not out of the question, nor even necessarily something that would require Atonement. But perhaps something that the Paladin would have to reflect upon later. Perhaps the NPC Paladin could come back wiser and more seasoned later in the campaign.
Starfox
Hero
At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise).
I don't disagree with Remus's assertion, but it is not by RAW.
I don't disagree with Remus's assertion, but it is not by RAW.
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Remus Lupin
Adventurer
OK, so I didn't remember the rules right. But I'd never want to PLAY a Paladin this way. It's inhuman. To say that the Paladin has a strong resistance to fear is one thing (that's courage), to say that he can't be unmanned by fear is another thing (That's strength of character), but to say he's immune to fear is to say that he's insane and has no capacity for judgement. He may not fear death, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't fear.
In a game mechanics sense, absolutely. But he can (and does) certainly have concern for others' safety, and threatening those instead can achieve the bad guy's goals.
Plus being "immune to fear" most definitely does not mean "there is nothing that the paladin does not want to happen". There are plenty of things a paladin does not want to happen, and will act to prevent them.
Otherwie you end up in the silly situation wher eosmebody goes "Hey, paladin, the dragon is attacking the town!" and he replies "Oh, I am not afraid that it will hurt anyone, so I don't need to do anything."
Plus being "immune to fear" most definitely does not mean "there is nothing that the paladin does not want to happen". There are plenty of things a paladin does not want to happen, and will act to prevent them.
Otherwie you end up in the silly situation wher eosmebody goes "Hey, paladin, the dragon is attacking the town!" and he replies "Oh, I am not afraid that it will hurt anyone, so I don't need to do anything."
Squire James
Explorer
In practice, I would place a penalty on those trying to extract information from a paladin, a huge penalty if revealing the information would obviously result in evil being done. The opposition mechanic to Intimidate is pretty broken to begin with... should level 10 inquisitors really have a chance to Intimidate a demon lord?
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