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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ristamar" data-source="post: 6737035" data-attributes="member: 1207">There are plenty of things in D&D that don't always apply both ways.  Monsters don't typically get death saves.  When they go down, they're usually dead.Also, I think there's a coupling of interaction and expected (forced?) results in your examples may be objectionable assuming the DM hasn't established the stakes before an attempt is made.  The possible results do not have to be binary.  For example, there are guards that may be visibly shaken by a PC's successful intimidation attempt yet still refuse them entry.  If the PC continues to press, they may nervously call for backup and/or preemptively attack out of fear.  The PC undoubtedly intimidated the guards, but he didn't necessarily get the result he was expecting.Unlike most spells, only a DM's subjective (but hopefully fair) judgement dictates who or to what degree someone is susceptible to a social ability check, and unlike most spells, the effects are not rigidly outlined within the rules.  As a DM, I'll often hint at probable outcomes based on what the character knows or intuits, but I'm not averse to throwing a few curve balls, especially if the situation is volatile, the players are reckless or overly aggressive, or there are factors in play unknown to the character(s).</blockquote>