Intimidate during Combat

[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.

 

[Mort]

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.

Well yes, hence "a method" as opposed to "the method," But I suppose a more accurate satement would be unconscious or dead. Either way, there should be feasible way of resolving combat without reducing all enemies to 0 or less.

 

[cferejohn]

Its also a way for players to stop combat and start shaking down monsters for information. Could it be abused? Sure, but 4e seems to put a lot of faith in the DM to make rulings about what makes sense. This is a nice mechanic to have in a situation where PCs want to beat some people up and get information from them. When there are 1 or 2 bloodied guys left, the PCs can start attempting intimidate checks to end the combat and begin what for lack of a better word I will call "Diplomacy".