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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 685806" data-attributes="member: 4937">Well, don't you think it odd though?  I mean, we both know why the rule is written that way.  You don't want neophyte DM's running the PC's.  You don't want neophyte players feeling the DM is running their players.   But I personally think it really odd that the PC is allowed to enspell or intimidate the NPC, but the PC is immune only to the intimidation.   How is it that you can fail a will save versus the spell, and not possibly lose your nerve when the Hill Giant looks your way and snarls, "Git back, runt.  Dis ain't none of yur business."?  Aren't they essentially the same thing?  If we are willing to tell PC's from time to time, 'Ok, you suddenly realize that the sorcerer has been your life long friend.', then why aren't we willing to occasionally say, 'You really want to do something, but your legs just won't move.  You are frozen in horror looking at the blood dripping off the giant's club.'  Why _does_ magic really make a difference?  Just because it would be useless if it didn't?Granted, we might not want to overuse such a mechanic, but it is realistic.  Heroes become afraid to.  Even in heroic fantasy stories, heroes have moments of doubt and hesitation.  Maybe heroes don't become afraid as often as ordinary folks, and just like my NPC's I'm going to give them a big bonus on thier opposed roll if the NPC tries to intimidate them into doing something that goes against thier basic nature.   If the lawful good ranger has Giants as a favored enemy, and his background says he's a heroic champion of the helpless, and the giant is beating up a friend of his - then the odds of him being intimidatable go down to nothing and I won't bother rolling.  But if the character is a CN rogue whose background says he looks out for #1, then a head long charge at the giant is going to be overruled if he can't resist the Giants intimidation.And it seems to me that this could become a powerful tool.   Times when the DM wants to introduce a threat that the PC's just can't handle yet, well, he can draw on the intimidation skill to keep the PC's observers when they are supposed to be.  Latter, when they face the giant on even terms, it will be just that sweeter of a victory.Moreover, there is a de facto exception to the rule that NPC social skills do not decide the PC's course of action.  NPC's can still bluff the PC's, and since I roll the PC's sense motive checks they are often left with little alternative than to trust I'm feeding them good information and act accordingly.  Afterall, _I_ am a good liar.</blockquote>

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