I was playing around with the Neverwinter Nights computer game today (never played it before, and it's been sitting around for a couple of years--found it for cheap and stuck it in a pile) and I saw a neat skill while looking at character creation.
The skill is Taunt.
It's governed by CHA. Basically what you do when you make a check is provoke an enemy to drop his guard with all the cruel crap you're saying to him while fighting him.
It's a standard action to use the skill in battle, and it's an opposed roll vs. the Concentration skill. Success means that the defender is so frustrated at the
you're spillin' that he drops his guard a bit. That "bit" is a penalty to AC equal to the difference in throws.
Now, first off, I think that it's a neat thing for the Conan game. Especially for Cimmerians. Even in the Cimmeria sourcebook (where a Taunt Feat is included), it describes Cimmerians on the shield wall lifting their kilts and snakin' the enemy, taunting them to come out and play.
I don't think it should be a skill, though. It's too focussed in its use. I'm thinking it would fit the Conan RPG better if it were a use of, say, the Intimidate skill.
And, I'm not sure it should be an Opposed Roll vs. Concentration. I think the Level check used to defeat Intimidation is a better choice.
Other than that, I think the skill use will work the same (requires a standard actions to perform, the penalty is calculated the same way).
Another way to go about this would be to make it a Feat. The Feat allows Intimidate to be used that way. That's a fair way to go because the success benefit is pretty good.
Or...you coud make it a Perform skill, as in: Perform (Taunt). It seems a bit too specific and restrive this way (I like the Feat or Intimidate skill use option better)
Even another way to go would be to make Taunt a special ability, like the Cimmerian's Fearless, Crimison Mist, or Uncanny Dodge abilities.
And, even ANOTHER way to go would be to turn this into a combat maneuver. I'm not sure what the pre-requisites would be, if any.
What are your thoughts?
The skill is Taunt.
It's governed by CHA. Basically what you do when you make a check is provoke an enemy to drop his guard with all the cruel crap you're saying to him while fighting him.
It's a standard action to use the skill in battle, and it's an opposed roll vs. the Concentration skill. Success means that the defender is so frustrated at the
you're spillin' that he drops his guard a bit. That "bit" is a penalty to AC equal to the difference in throws. Now, first off, I think that it's a neat thing for the Conan game. Especially for Cimmerians. Even in the Cimmeria sourcebook (where a Taunt Feat is included), it describes Cimmerians on the shield wall lifting their kilts and snakin' the enemy, taunting them to come out and play.
I don't think it should be a skill, though. It's too focussed in its use. I'm thinking it would fit the Conan RPG better if it were a use of, say, the Intimidate skill.
And, I'm not sure it should be an Opposed Roll vs. Concentration. I think the Level check used to defeat Intimidation is a better choice.
Other than that, I think the skill use will work the same (requires a standard actions to perform, the penalty is calculated the same way).
Another way to go about this would be to make it a Feat. The Feat allows Intimidate to be used that way. That's a fair way to go because the success benefit is pretty good.
Or...you coud make it a Perform skill, as in: Perform (Taunt). It seems a bit too specific and restrive this way (I like the Feat or Intimidate skill use option better)
Even another way to go would be to make Taunt a special ability, like the Cimmerian's Fearless, Crimison Mist, or Uncanny Dodge abilities.
And, even ANOTHER way to go would be to turn this into a combat maneuver. I'm not sure what the pre-requisites would be, if any.
What are your thoughts?
