Intimidate during Combat

[1of3]

Hi.

I wonder what Intimidate does during combat. In 3.x the target was Shaken for one round (rather crappy).

I'm not sure what an intimidated target is supposed to do in 4e.


thx

 

[Oompa]

Bloodied characters surrender if you succeed..

 

[Wolfwood2]

Hi.

I wonder what Intimidate does during combat. In 3.x the target was Shaken for one round (rather crappy).

I'm not sure what an intimidated target is supposed to do in 4e.


thx

It makes the bad guys surrender. If they're bloodied and if the DM feels that it's an appropriate result. Which is admittedly a lot of "ifs", but it can be a resource saver by allowing the PCs to end a fight that they've already won but that could cost them a few more resources if they have to play it out to the end.

 

[Family]

You can force a bloodied target to surrender, get a target to reveal secrets against its will or "cow" the target into taking some other action.

 

[1of3]

I didn't get the bloodied. Making any target surrender with a single skill check sounded wrong.

That way I like it.

 

[Derren]

I didn't get the bloodied. Making any target surrender with a single skill check sounded wrong.

And thats what Intimidate in 4E does. The target just needs to be bloodied.

Even more, it apparently isn't even limited to one target, but according to what I read in the first thread about it targets all creatures in the encounter at once and when it succeeds all bloodied creature surrender.

 

[Wolfwood2]

And thats what Intimidate in 4E does. The target just needs to be bloodied.

Even more, it apparently isn't even limited to one target, but according to what I read in the first thread about it targets all creatures in the encounter at once and when it succeeds all bloodied creature surrender.

Understand that "surrender" is literally treated with one word in the skill entry, in the context of a sentence listing several things an intimidated bloodied enemy might be made to do. There's not any discussion about when it might or might not be appropriate or exactly what surrender means or how long it lasts.

Since allowable skill use is always up to the DM, anybody expecting to make an Intimidate-monster that consistently wins fights under a RAW-umbrella is going to be in for a severe disappointment.

 

[Mort]

And thats what Intimidate in 4E does. The target just needs to be bloodied.

Even more, it apparently isn't even limited to one target, but according to what I read in the first thread about it targets all creatures in the encounter at once and when it succeeds all bloodied creature surrender.

What exactly is wrong with this?
It's a method (and mechanic) for PC's to possibly end a fight without having to kill all the enemies dead. It's not easy to do, in a fight you'd get a -10 to try and intimidate all enemies.
On top of that it's the DM's pervue (and job) to determine if surrender is a reasonable outcome - fanatical cultists fighting to the death do not surrender (for example making Irontooth a berserk frothing fanatic in KotS surrender by this method should not be an option), mercenaries fighting for money on the other hand- you might even get a bonus to the roll.

 

[Scarface6174]

Also, if the target is hostile to you, you take a -10 to the check.

edit: looks like someone already pointed this out.

 

[Green Knight]

It's a method (and mechanic) for PC's to possibly end a fight without having to kill all the enemies dead.

That's not the only way. On page 295, it says that when you reduce a target to 0 Hit Points, you can choose to either knock it unconscious or kill it. So Intimidate isn't the only way.