You can use this skill to frighten your opponents or to get them to act in a way that benefits you. This skill includes verbal threats and displays of prowess. Since intimidation is based on fear, creatures immune to fear are also generally immune to attempts to use Intimidate against them (but see Explaining Negative Consequences, below).
You get a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks if you are larger than your target and a –4 penalty on Intimidate checks if you are smaller than your target.
If you Intimidate an opponent, you can attempt to Intimidate them again, but each additional check increases the DC by +5. This increase resets after 1 hour has passed.
When you’re attempting an Intimidate check against a giant, if your target believes that you’re clearly controlling or have recently defeated a creature larger than yourself, you can use that creature’s size in place of your own when determining your size bonus or penalty on the Intimidate check. Even if this is not true, you may be able to convince a creature you have such power with a successful Bluff check.
| Intimidate task | Requires | Time | Retry | DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force friendliness | — | 1 minute | Yes, at +5 DC | 10 + opponent’s HD + opponent’s Wis |
| Demoralize opponent | — | Standard action | Yes, at +5 DC | 10 + opponent’s HD + opponent’s Wis |
Force Friendliness: With 1 minute of conversation, You can use Intimidate to force an opponent to act friendly toward you for 1d6 × 10 minutes with a successful check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier. This is similar to improving someone’s attitude to friendly with Diplomacy and then making a request, but it doesn’t require multiple rolls. If successful, the target gives you the information you desire, takes actions that do not endanger it, or otherwise offers limited assistance. This means that an intimidated creature doesn’t necessarily do what the intimidating character wants if it would be dangerous. If you fail this check by 5 or more, the target attempts to deceive you or otherwise hinder your activities.
After the Intimidate expires, the target treats you as unfriendly and may report you to local authorities. Thus, Diplomacy is often more likely to be successful in the long term in campaigns with interweaving plot lines and recurring characters.
Posturing and Bluster: The rules for the Intimidate skill specify that a check’s DC is based on the target’s HD and Wisdom modifier. That generally works when one person is attempting to Intimidate the other, but sometimes both parties are actively participating in acts of posturing and bluster. Since this DC is usually low, the two characters would end up intimidating each other, which isn’t quite realistic. Instead, consider opposed Intimidate checks, or if the situation warrants it, a full-fledged verbal duel.
Explaining Negative Consequences: Sometimes a character wants to calmly explain negative consequences to someone in a way that merely relies on logic, not fear. This is particularly important when attempting to convince someone immune to fear, such as a paladin or vampire, to back down in the face of negative consequences. This is different than improving a creature’s attitude or making a request (particularly since a character might try it with an unfriendly creature), so it doesn’t fall under Diplomacy. One good way to handle this is to use the rules for influence or verbal duels instead, since those both allow for logic and knowledge to help impact the situation. If only a skill check is possible, consider allowing an Intimidate check that doesn’t apply any modifiers tied to frightening the target (such as the Intimidating Prowess feat, size modifiers, an inquisitor’s stern gaze, and so on) and then having the result not be a fear effect.
Demoralize Opponent: As a standard action, you can use this skill to cause an opponent to become shaken for a number of rounds. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier. If you are successful, the target is shaken for 1 round. This duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat the DC. You can only threaten an opponent in this way if it is within 30 feet and can clearly see and hear you. Using demoralize on the same creature only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition.
If you have the Signature Skill feat, the rogue’s edge ability, or another ability that grants you the skill unlocks for this skill, you gain access to the following abilities when you have sufficient ranks.
5 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 10, it is frightened for 1 round and shaken thereafter. The total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the frightened condition, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
10 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 10, it is panicked for 1 round or frightened for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and shaken thereafter. The total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the frightened or panicked condition, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
15 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1 round or panicked for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and frightened thereafter. The total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering, panicked, and frightened conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
20 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1d4 rounds and panicked thereafter. The total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering and panicked conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
The text on this page is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
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SECTION 15