Intimidate

[maggot]

My (2nd-level) party has taken to the following tactic: Shaken a bad guy with something like "Cause Fear", then intimidate the guy to shaken him again which equals frightened causing the bad guy to flee. Since someone in the party has like +16 initimidate, so no creature ever beats the intimidate check and combat against one guy is very boring: Cause Fear, Initimidate, mack on the poor sod.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[PallidPatience]

Using creatures who are susceptible to fear. Not equipping your NPCs to be protected against fear. If they've been doing this for a while, it should be known that they tend to do it, by now, if anyone's ever gotten away. Alternatively, use something with a high move speed.

 

[phindar]

On the whole, its not a bad tactic. Have they discovered Enlarge Person to get that sweet +4 size bonus to Intimidate checks (as well as increasing the area they threaten, and can therefore Intimidate in)?

Frightened characters will fight if they have to, taking the same -2 to almost everything that Shaken characters get. Its not the worst thing in the world to eat a -2.

If the party isn't challenged by one guy, send more guys. If the caster is firing off a Cause Fear every round, and the other character is burning an standard action on an Intimidate check every round, that's eating up a lot of actions and spells. Intimidate only lasts 1 round, and retries are listed as "Optional". (Personally, in a normal-sized group, I'd be thrilled if a PC gave up an action every round to keep giving an opponent a -2, but that's just me. If you think its disruptive, you could easily kibbosh retries.)

Also, Cause Fear only works on living creatures and creatures with minds, so its not like you are totally without options in that regard. (Undead, constructs, ooze, and vermin are the short list.) And it has a 6 CR cap, which the monsters they fight will outstrip in the next couple of levels. Then they'll be burning a 4th level spell to scare people, and thats few levels off.

 

[AngelBob]

First off, may I ask where you are getting the rule that 2 sources of Shaken = Frightened? The SRD simply states...

Shaken

A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Secondy, should this rule actually exist, remember the frightened state would only last for one round, as intimidate only "shakens" for one round, and would return to shaken only after.

Thirdly, unintelligent creatures and those immune to fear cannot be demoralized, thus there a re a VERY wide variety of creatures this does not work on.

 

[The Grackle]

First off, may I ask where you are getting the rule that 2 sources of Shaken = Frightened? The SRD simply states...

"Becoming Even More Fearful: Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened, and a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead."

 

[roguerouge]

If they're a second level party, how are they getting higher than a +8 on their intimidate check? 5 ranks plus ability modifier, right?

David

 

[1500run]

If they're a second level party, how are they getting higher than a +8 on their intimidate check? 5 ranks plus ability modifier, right?

David

an 18 cha gets you a +4 ability score bonus, so that's +9. the Persuasive feat is +2, so now that's a total of +11. Bluff synergy is another +2, and now we're up to +13. where that other +3 is coming from, though, i have no idea. it could be enlarge person (bringing it to +17 against a medium-sized foe), or they could be fighting small-sized creatures.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

One might be a half-orc paragon, for +4 to Intimidate.

 

[ValhallaGH]

where that other +3 is coming from, though, i have no idea.

Skill Focus (Intimidate) gives +3.

 

[1500run]

ahhhh

how'd i miss that??

bad joss, though, for a 2nd level character to be spending 2 feat slots (skill focus and persuasive) on one skill... maybe the OP-DM needs to exploit that just a bit...