How about some "beat by 10" and "beat by 20" effects added to Intimidate? (and LOSE by 10 or 20!)
When compared to Diplomacy, with its many degrees of success, Intimidate is pretty bland/weak.
Also, why not consolidate it with BLUFF?
The Feat that allows STR as the Intimidate Ability Modifier would use BAB instead of Skill Ranks, meaning that "Powerful Intimidaters" would not also have a high Bluff skill by association, since their actual Intimidate/Bluff SKILL (as opposed to the STR/BAB-linked ABILITY granted by the Feat) would still be low.
|
I would like to see intimdate improve with level as well. I think at low levels the use of intimidate in combat to cause the shaken effect is fine. However shaken at high level play is nothing.
I'm thinking that a high enough roll should make the critter feared or stack the shaken penalty. Increase the negative modifier, maybe force the opponent to go full defensive or use the fall back option.
I believe Barbarians get something like this in their rage powers, so maybe a feat to perform this for other classes could be useful.
I was also going to suggest a way to use intimidate like an aggro tag option but many people have spoken their discontentment at this idea, so guess I'll let that rest :)
|
I would like to see intimdate improve with level as well. I think at low levels the use of intimidate in combat to cause the shaken effect is fine. However shaken at high level play is nothing.
I'm thinking that a high enough roll should make the critter feared or stack the shaken penalty. Increase the negative modifier, maybe force the opponent to go full defensive or use the fall back option.
I believe Barbarians get something like this in their rage powers, so maybe a feat to perform this for other classes could be useful.
I was also going to suggest a way to use intimidate like an aggro tag option but many people have spoken their discontentment at this idea, so guess I'll let that rest :)
I think intimidate is just fine. Especially for barbarians, but I'm pretty sure the wording is 1 round / beaten by 5 (barbarians get +1d4 if using the rage ability.) Intimidate effects also stack, if you intimidate an enemy one round and they are shaken, if you intimidate on a second round they become feared, and then panicked. So if you make two successful rolls you remove a foe from combat... Plenty good, my DM might argue too good.
|
I see Intimidate as Diplomacy's evil twin. I think you ought to be able to pull off most of the same effects - especially gathering information - that you can with Diplomacy with Intimidate as well. Two paths to the same goal. Where Intimidate differs is in the after effects and consequences of failure.
One problem with this is they are both keyed to the same stat - Charisma. Most classes have one as a class skill and not the other, and maybe that's enough, but with just a +3 difference between the two, the choice between investing in ranks in Diplomacy vs. ranks in Intimidate has a lot to do with the flavor the player is going for. I don't know because I haven't seen people use a lot of Intimidate in games I've played, but I'd guess most folks will favor Diplomacy over Intimidate because of the long-term negatives associated with Intimidate. Given that, I wouldn't mind seeing Intimidate sweetened a little, making it the quick and easy route to better results in the short run, but with possible dire consequences in the long run. Maybe let them add their BAB or a second stat - Str or Int - to the intimidation check.