Difference between revisions of "Intimidate"

Revision as of 22:37, 7 July 2019

Typically used with: Presence.

In short: compel through fear. Street thugs and interrogators have one thing in common: an ability to cow others to do things. Using Intimidate puts the ball in your court (whether or not you've actually got game or not). This check doesn't necessarily mean a growl, scream, or overt display of power. Sometimes a meaningful glance at the bloody weapon at your side is enough. Those who you successfully cow are much, much more likely to do what you ask.

Scaring

You can use Intimidate during combat to instill a sense of fear into a single opponent. Make an Intimidate check opposed by the creature's Guts check. If your check is higher, the creature takes a −2 penalty on all rolls during the encounter. If the creature's check is a Critical Failure, they flee the fight immediately. If you fail the check, you can retry at a cumulative −2 penalty each time.

Intimidating another combatant takes 4 AP. A single opponent can only be intimidated in this manner once per encounter. You may intimidate any bestial, elemental, humanoid, or legendary creature. Most bestial creatures will attempt to run from you regardless of a Critical Failure, but if they're backed into a corner or otherwise incapable of fleeing, the claws come out and they defend themselves at all costs.

Taunt and Intimidate are incompatible: you're either scaring someone, or you're provoking them, so the penalties do not stack.

Coercing

Whether it's torture, armed robbery, or law enforcement, you can make an Intimidate check to force an unwilling character to follow your instructions. There's no point in coercing allies into obeying your commands — anyone whose Disposition is benign or better will help you anyway. Make an Intimidate check opposed by their Guts check. If your check is higher, the creature gives into your demands out of fear. This effect lasts as long as you're in their presence for up to an hour. As soon as you leave, their Disposition toward you falls one level.

Typically, you need to present tangible consequences for their refusal to comply, like threats of punishment, violence, retribution, or sabotage, and you need to be capable of "making good" on those threats. You can't use this Skill to force a creature to endanger itself. Be careful when you bully others into submission. It's possible you'll attract the attention of the authorities or garner resentment and vengeance from dangerous people.