How to use Intimidate

[Aar Khalim]

You can always use intimidating lies (it would require bluff skill)
you can provoke extortion acts
you can provoke sacrilege acts

i can think of many things

you only need inspiration to your gameplaying

 

[Water Bob]

Something I'm planning on using next game session: You see a Grath standing above your downed clansmen. He has her stapled to the ground, using a javelin that is shoved through her hand into the earth. You can see that she's bleeding, unconscious, probably dying.

He stares at you with hate in his eyes. Both of his hands grip a hunting spear, the point biting into Stenna's neck. You know if you move, he'll shove the spear down, through her neck, into the ground before he does anything else.

This one is feral. Consumed with...something evil. You can feel it. "One night soon," he says, in a low voice, almost a whisper, "Ollam-Onga will visit your women, and when he does, he will leave his mark."



I figure this crypitic and scary enough to get the NPC a Demoralize Other throw, under the Intimidate skill, against the PCs in range.

Plus, I plan on making his threat come true. This Ollam-Onga will wreak havoc among the villager women in the coming days--a demon set loose to play.

 

[kitcik]

Something I'm planning on using next game session: You see a Grath standing above your downed clansmen. He has her stapled to the ground, using a javelin that is shoved through her hand into the earth. You can see that she's bleeding, unconscious, probably dying.

He stares at you with hate in his eyes. Both of his hands grip a hunting spear, the point biting into Stenna's neck. You know if you move, he'll shove the spear down, through her neck, into the ground before he does anything else.

This one is feral. Consumed with...something evil. You can feel it. "One night soon," he says, in a low voice, almost a whisper, "Ollam-Onga will visit your women, and when he does, he will leave his mark."



I figure this crypitic and scary enough to get the NPC a Demoralize Other throw, under the Intimidate skill, against the PCs in range.

Plus, I plan on making his threat come true. This Ollam-Onga will wreak havoc among the villager women in the coming days--a demon set loose to play.

Ollam Onga?

http://paizo.com/image/product/catalog/KEN/KEN175_500.jpeg

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I wish it still existed and/or I could find it. Way back when, when 3.0 was still going strong, there was a Munchkin's guide to playing D&D, I think possibly by the Munchkin writer himself. The part online advised to be a Barbarian because it's the best class, and had a review of all the skills in the game. A whole chunck were deemed, "Intimidate does that already." Like Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Escape Artist, Sense Motive... I don't know, I found it hilarious.

 

[Water Bob]

Ollam Onga?

Demon of the Hyborian Age.

 

[Theone0581]

You know, I kind of always used intimated along the lines of maybe of a scenario that would imply making a diplomacy check, but as a second resort.

 

[Water Bob]

The problem, I think, with the Demoralize Other option of Intimidate, is that it's a standard action (giving up an attack to use it), and it lasts for the next round only. I'm not sure the benefit is there to give up the attack.

And, since it is a standard action, you can't use Total Defense, right? You can Fight Defensively, I think, and never make an attack, using the Intimiadte skill as your attack--but, would you take a penalty on your Demoralize Other attempt?

It seems like the effect would last 3 rounds or so. That would make it more worth it. Maybe make it last as long as the character's INT modifier in rounds? (Those mages do tend to brow beat the unwashed masses of fighters, don't they?).

This would be closer to worth giving up an attack in order to reap the benefit.



Also, it seems if you come upon a hulking giant that starts telling you what he's going to do with your skin once he peels it off your bones--that might sit with you a bit, a few rounds, at least.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

And, since it is a standard action, you can't use Total Defense, right?

Right.

You can Fight Defensively, I think, and never make an attack, using the Intimiadte skill as your attack--but, would you take a penalty on your Demoralize Other attempt?

Well ...

[size=+1]Attack[/size]
[...]
Fighting Defensively as a Standard Action

You can choose to fight defensively when attacking.

Intimidating an opponent in combat is a standard action.

Presumably, since the "Fighting Defensively as a Standard Action" section is part of the "Attack" section of the rules, it only applies when you take that action.

The "Attack" action is not the "Demoralize Opponent" action, ergo you cannot combine them.

EDIT:

Oh, I forgot to mention, the real benefit of "Demoralize Opponent" is that applies the Shaken condition. There are other ways of inducing fear in your opponents, and they generally stack. Two shakens = frightened; frightened + shaken = panicked; panicked = "run away!"

Otherwise, though, it's not a particularly good use of a standard action. A feat similar to ... uh ... Improved Feint? ... dropping the action cost would make it more worthwhile, but it's still not very good.

 

[Water Bob]

Otherwise, though, it's not a particularly good use of a standard action.

But, it should be. Maybe in a game edition or two (is it better utilized in 4e? I have no idea.).

When I first saw it among the 3.5 rules, I felt like, "OK! We're getting a little mind-funk action groovin' here. It's neat that they're bringing that aspect of combat into the game."

I may have to house rule Demoralize Opponent later on, once I've gotten a better grasp of the 3.5 rules as a whole.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

But, it should be.

Yep.

PF adds some stuff like:

Dazzling Display (Combat)

Your skill with your favored weapon can frighten enemies.

Prerequisite: Weapon Focus, proficiency with the selected weapon.

Benefit: While wielding the weapon in which you have Weapon Focus, you can perform a bewildering show of prowess as a full-round action. Make an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet who can see your display.