Intimidate skill for more than conversation

[Legacy_Terrorble]

               I am looking for ideas about how to use intimidate for purposes other than coercing NPCs to do things in conversations.  Specifically, it seems like weapon masters (for whom 4 points of intimidate is a requiement) and assassins could have some sort of added combat presence based on their intimidate skill.

I do this in my mod already for barbarians by granting some bonus damage in rage and increasing the DC of terrifying rage based on intimidate.  I'm looking for something along the lines of how others have used points in Craft Armor to increase AC of armor for fighters, or incorporated lore into spells to increase their effects.

Really, I'm looking to find a good reason for my assassins and weapon masters to consider spending points in intimidate.  Scripted player tool ability, alteration to current ability, etc.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               I suppose you could give them an aura that makes nearby enemies get lower AC or physical vulnerability based on the intimidation score or something.  Or as a passive benefit give them an AB/damage bonus (which is similar to making the aura except the benefits don't extend to a group).
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiZard]

               Weapon master: add a ruin armor item property for a short duration (change the DC to be based on intimidate though keep it at armor removal, as opposed to armor destruction).

Assassin & Blackguard: Rewrite the poison weapon script to have a duration based on the intimidate skill).
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_metatheurgist]

               In PnP, you can use Intimidate against an opponent to apply the shaken status for one round. Since everything is amped up in NWN2 it might cause fear and/or shaken for more than one round as an activated ability.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par metatheurgist, 09 janvier 2014 - 07:57 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_MrZork]

               Nice ideas, particularly WhiZard's.

Maybe a failed intimidate skill check (opposed by concentration, I would think) would cause something like one or two of the following:

1) Apply skill penalties to certain skills. I am thinking of the social skills, but maybe it's harder to be disciplined or to concentrate when intimidated, too. (However, an intimidated opponent probably should be immune to taunting...)

2) Lowered will save

3) Chance of spell failure based on the difference in skill rolls

Honestly, I would be very stingy with this sort of thing, particularly since it is a class skill for classes that already have extraordinary combat presence or ways to debuff opponents.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               What Ive done was to remove Taunt skill from a game (bioware's made up) and replaced it with intimidate. Of course its not exactly per PnP since as metatheurgist said it should only shaken a target. But its quite close and if you use NWNX you can rewrite the effects as well.

I also suggest to add/remove intimidate to classes based on DnD 3.5, that is: paladin not, fighter yes and i remember there were few more that have it while shouldnt.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               Minor Fear aura, or a penalty to Fear added for every 5 base ranks.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               

MrZork wrote...

Honestly, I would be very stingy with this sort of thing, particularly since it is a class skill for classes that already have extraordinary combat presence or ways to debuff opponents.

Definitely this, especially for Weapon Masters -- which basically give up like 10-15% HP (via 4 less Epic Toughness feats) in exchange for gaining like 125% more offense.

This may also have the effect of effectively making Intimidate mandatory like Tumble.  If we were imagining something like that, you could easily make Intimidate give a self-buff like...

1 AB at 5, 25, 45, etc (enemies are intimidated and easier to hit)
3% physical immunity at 10, 30, 50, etc (enemies are intimidated and deal less damage to you)
2 damage at 15, 35, 55, etc (your intimidation allows your strikes to do more damage)
1 AC at 20, 40, 60, etc (enemies are more scared of you and hit less
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Terrorble]

               These are great.  I can see a few possibilities forming here.

Add ruin armor temporarily and have it cause an opposed concentration check or cause spell failure.  Sort of like a taunt delivered via attack.

I like the idea of a dangerous assassin or weapon master focusing their intimidate skill to cause a weakened opponent to shake in their boots, thereby preventing them momentarily from running, healing and exposing them to be finished off.  I'll have to let these ideas simmer on the back burner for a while, and see if one has a place.

*edit*

Oh, that's a good one.  Intimidated targets deal less damage to you.  
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Terrorble, 09 janvier 2014 - 07:23 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               Intimidate could possibly allow a synergy bonus to Taunt, as well as reverse bonus.