Okay so one of my players will begin playing an Inquisitor of the conversion domain. He has been boasting before he even starts the game how he can intimidate everyone on even a 1, into doing anything he needs and I'm worried how it will affect the game for the players if he does so.
In the past, social skills haven't been used that often in interparty conflict. Sure there's been a bluff check here, a diplomacy there, but typically a super-natural effect like charm person is easier for my players to wrap their heads around. However here, I'm worried about the player repeatedly intimidating players. Especially if the delivery isn't great. Or, if as time goes on, presuming he doesn't follow up with his threats, should I apply penalties on intimidating someone multiple times? Most of all I'm concerned about this detracting from player enjoyment, especially if they feel their being forced into situations. I know some of my players hate it when I tell them they feel a particular way.
Now I recognize that this is a class feature and that I will honor that, I certainly plan on letting him intimidate any NPC he succeeds on using his check on, I just don't want the player to use the feature as a means to boss everyone in the party around. And sure, the pc's could always just kill him after the first time, but that's sorta bad too. How do you typically handle these things?
Here's an idea: Since the player who loses the save vs. intimidation has to roleplay being intimidated, you should also have the inquisitor roleplay what he says to intimidate his fellow party members.
The key point here is that the "influence attitude" part of this skill requires the character to talk for a full minute. So, this player has to talk threateningly for a full minute each time he tries to intimidate. Then you make the roll to see if it works, or not. And then when it's over (or if it fails), tell the intimidated player that his or her character is free to act unfriendly to the inquisitor, and can even report them to the authorities, if applicable.
This isn't telling your player that they can't use their class ability, but it should hopefully discourage him from using it too often.
While I may be just a player I can inform you how my DM handles it. Generally the only social skills that he allows each of us to use on each other are Bluff and Sense Motive.
He has basically said that you can use Diplomacy, but it's up to the other player (who should be in character) reacts to the attempt, because they are in the end, in control of what their characters are thinking.
Magical spells can be used to force a social reaction, but he'd give us a bonus if it were something big that the character wouldn't do.
As for Intimidation I can see both sides of the argument, but personally I would leave it up to the ones being Intimidated on whether their character would in fact be intimidated and here's why. People can react to threats in different ways. If a man came up to me, shouting and getting in my face demanding something, I may be freaked out, especially if he is really intimidating, but even freaked out I'd probably crack a smile and wave him off as an idiot.
If you still want to give him a chance to intimidate the other players, perhaps you could give them a bonus against his intimidation as they know him and his tactics. Maybe even make that bonus escalate each time he doesn't follow up on his threats. Man who yelled, "I'm going to have my wolf eat your face if you don't do this!" too many times as it were.
Anyways, that's my 2 cents.
Using intimidate on party members is a terrible idea.
Besides the concerns you mentioned there's also the possibility of them just throwing him out of the party. I mean would you want to adventure with someone who's constantly threatening you?
And besides that, even if you play it strictly by the rules, treating the PCs like NPCs, the intimidate skill says this: "After the intimidate expires, the target treats you as unfriendly and may report you to local authorities." It's one thing to make the bartender mad at you. It's an entirely different thing to have a powerful wizard angry at you.
Bluff/sense motive? Sure
Intimidate? No
PCs decide their own character's thoughts and can't be intimidated into adjusting their "helpfulness" or what have you.
The only thing he can do is use intimidate to give them the "shaken" condition for a round. It takes him a standard action to do that.
I swear I posted this on Wednesday when you first asked. I can even find the post in my profile:
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Here's an idea: Since the player who loses the save vs. intimidation has to roleplay being intimidated, you should also have the inquisitor roleplay what he says to intimidate his fellow party members.
The key point here is that the "influence attitude" part of this skill requires the character to talk for a full minute. So, this player has to talk threateningly for a full minute each time he tries to intimidate. Then you make the roll to see if it works, or not. And then when it's over (or if it fails), tell the intimidated player that his or her character is free to act unfriendly to the inquisitor, and can even report them to the authorities, if applicable. These suggestions are taken straight from the skill description.
This isn't telling your player that they can't use their class ability, but it should hopefully discourage him from using it against fellow players too often.
Generally speaking it won't lead to player cohesiveness it will erode it badly. If there is a rogue in the group he should just give you a note explaining how he is using sneak attack and stealth as a class feature killing the inquisitor in his sleep and the inquisitors player makes a new character.
In short players in my experience react badly to his stuff and if they are not good guys ( if they are they shouldn't want to travel with him) and will move to solve the problem with in game violence.
As far as the rules go the impression I get is really you cannot force social events on other players. If he can rap a bully that's great if the players decide they are scared. But it will end poorly if the intimidate plan goes forward. Likely with non social pvp.