Intimidate is a Charisma-based skill.
Make an Intimidate check to influence others through hostile actions, overt threats, and deadly persuasion. Intimidate can be used in combat encounters or as part of a Skill Challenge that requires a number of successes. Your Intimidate checks are made against a target’s Will defense or a level-appropriate DC set by the DM (usually moderate or Hard). The target’s general attitude toward you and other conditional modifiers (such as what you might be seeking to accomplish or what you’re asking for) might apply to the DC.
Monsters can't use the intimidate skill against adventurers.
- Intimidate: Standard action in combat or part of a skill challenge.
- Opposed Check: Intimidate vs. Will (see the table for modifiers to your target’s Defense). If you can’t speak a language your target understands, you take a −5 penalty to your check. If you attempt to intimidate multiple enemies at once, make a separate Intimidate check against each enemy’s Will defense. Each target must be able to see and hear you.
The check fails automatically against a monster is immune to fear. The GM might also decide that this check fails automatically against a monster that acts under some form of magical compulsion (such as a golem or skeleton.) - Success: You force a bloodied target to surrender, get a target to reveal secrets against its will, or cow a target into taking some other action. The skill is not mind control, so the monster is unlikely to take any action that would cause immediate harm to itself.
- Failure: In combat, you can’t try again against that target during the same encounter.
- Target Becomes Hostile: Using Intimidate usually makes a target hostile toward you, regardless of whether the check succeeds.
- Opposed Check: Intimidate vs. Will (see the table for modifiers to your target’s Defense). If you can’t speak a language your target understands, you take a −5 penalty to your check. If you attempt to intimidate multiple enemies at once, make a separate Intimidate check against each enemy’s Will defense. Each target must be able to see and hear you.
| Enemy is... | Will Defense Modifier |
|---|---|
| Hostile | +10 |
| Unfriendly | +5 |
Feats
| Feat | Requirement | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Bloodthirsty Mien | Charisma 15, Training in Intimidate | +5 bonus when you score a critical hit |
| Brutal Finish | Charisma 16 or training in Intimidate | Reduce enemy to 0 hp using an encounter or daily attack power to impose adjacent -2 Will to adjacent enemies. |
| Intimidation of the Dragon | Dragonborn, dragonfear, training in intimidate | +4 feat bonus to Intimidate checks |
| Sickening Finish | Training in Intimidate | +1 feat bonus to defenses after dropping enemy to 0 hp. |
| Skins of the Slain | Primal class, hide armor proficiency | Feat bonus to Intimidate checks equal to 1 + the hide armor's enhancement bonus. |
Intimidate utility powers
Characters trained in Intimidate may select a utility power in place of their class power (but not from a paragon path or epic destiny)
- Ominous Threat - Level 2[PH3:172]
- Demoralize Foe - Level 6[PH3:172]
- Everybody Move - Level 6[PH3:172]
- Try the Stick - Level 6[PH3:172]
- Scatter the Cowards - Level 6[DSH:71]
- Snap out of It - Level 10[PH3:172]
Other bonus sources
- Regalia gives a +2 bonus in situations where wealth and appearances matter.