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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThoughtBubble" data-source="post: 1439743" data-attributes="member: 9723">Which is why it can't be used from range and you can't know that it works.Synopsis: Adding a difficlty modifier based off of the task asked helps with the problem of ridiculous requests. More rambling about the results of quantifying a skill.Now, I agree that intimidating the loyal captian of the guard (loyal? Did we specify that anywhere? Maybe he's a dupicitious bastard) should be hard. I'd assign a +10 or so modifier to it (off the cuff) for being so against his character. If they're equal level, and have no modifiers to the roll, and the assassin has max ranks, that puts him down by seven (ranks vs level+10) for a 16 or better required to pull that off. If the guard captian has a positive will save, a wisdom bonus or other benifits against fear, it will go a bit better for him. Of course, it's also possible that there are some synergy or stat bonuses available to the assassin, so let's up the DC modifier up to a +15. Thus, with the assassin being aproximately equal in level to the guard captian, he'll need to roll (not get, just the D20 roll) a 21. Thus, without burning a feat, an item to help out, or a charisma bonus, the assassin can't make it happen. However, if the assassin is an intimidation specialist, Then he'll have a small chance (20-30%), assuming that the guard captian isn't specialized against that sort of thing. That feels about right to me. The assassin would be much better off killing the guard captian, and trying to scare the serving maid into giving him the same info.So, all in all, I agree with you Kahuna, when you say that there needs to be a modifier to the check for the difficulty of the intimidation. Otherwise it is too easy. What do you consider a good set of logical bounds for the skill, and what should be easy, difficult, and near impossible?One other question: Given the situaiton where the assassin has his sword to the Guard Captian's throat, and makes the same threat. From a logical/character standpoint, what do you see the guard doing? There's a wide array of options, everywhere from the righteous "Then kill me, dog, for I will never aid such as you." to the act of buying time,  to the cowering "Please sir, don't kill me, I just work here!" (though the last seems unlikely for the freaking captian). I'm asking because the way to get a set of options for the skill that works (venturing into house rules now, but oh well) is to consider the range taht we'd like, and then finding the best way to match that to the system.This whole thread reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend while we were playing second edition. The end line of consiquence was that a fighter will be able to sneak across a field better than a thief will, because the theif only has a 15% move silently skill. The fighter is bound by his actions and what the DM's thinking. The thief has this 15% chance of success holding him down. It's the same thing when you add the intimidate skill. Before that, you'd just do what felt right. Now that there's a skill involved, there are all these numbers to be responsible for. Sure the dwarf swinging the axe around is intimidating. But he doesn't have ranks in the appropriate skill. Sometimes I wonder if it's a gain or a loss.Anyway, looking forward to more responses, and thanks for helping me continue to figure out how I'd use the intimidate skill.</blockquote>

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