Skill check question

[Mirdur]

Hi guys,

I have a question concerning the intimidate skill in combat. The rules say that it is an opposed check, intimidate vs will.

Let's say that the character that is intimidating is trained and has Cha 20. Let's also say that he is intimidating a kobold with will being 11.
The bobold attacked the character a battle started and the kobold just got bloodied. The test would be 10 against 11 without modifiers (the kobold would have a slight upper hand).
But with modifiers the kobold gains a boost of +10 for being hostile, bringing his modified will to 21 (if u add +5 for being unfriendly it goes to 26).

My player was pissed when I said that the kobold modified will was 21 (or 26 since I wasn't sure if I could stack unfriendly and hostile, but it seemed wrong at the time). He said that intimidate was useless and it would never work, since the kobold with a low will had a +11 advantage against a character trained and with a high cha. The players started then goofing arond saying that the only way intimidate would work was to use diplomacy before to make the enemy become peaceful and that was the reason cops used the tactics of a good and bad cop.

So my question is if every enemy that is engaged in a fight gets a +10 (or even a +15) to his will ckeck, or if the use of intimidate in combat is a pure waste of time,

 

[Drakhar]

A character with 20 cha (+5) trained in Intimidate (+5) Would only have to roll an 11 to beat a hostile Kobold with a will of 11 (21). If you factor in racial bonuses (+2) Heck even skill focus intimidate (+3) That's giving you a bonus of +15 to your roll. You'd need a 6. Trying to intimidate a non hostile character with 11 will? You don't even have to roll.

 

[Zsig]

Yes, remember that only the character is rolling the dice. He has +10 on the check and have to beat a DC of 21 (Kobold's modified Will defense)

 

[FitzTheRuke]

And Hostile is a step-up from Unfriendly, so they don't stack. They are two conditions on the same track.

Fitz

 

[Mirdur]

The kobold wouldn't get to roll the dice also? It says that intimidate is an opposed check (intimidate vs will), so I thought the kobold should also get a roll.

 

[Saeviomagy]

The kobold wouldn't get to roll the dice also? It says that intimidate is an opposed check (intimidate vs will), so I thought the kobold should also get a roll.

In 4e, X vs Y means "Roll a d20, add X and compare it with Y".

 

[Mirdur]

That seems strange because the book says:

"When you make an opposed check, both characters roll, and the higher check result wins."

That's why I was under the impression the Kobold should also roll his will.

 

[baberg]

"When you make an opposed check, both characters roll, and the higher check result wins."

That's true if it's a skill versus a skill (say, Stealth vs. Perception). But this is a skill versus a defense (Intimidate vs. Will).