Intimidation measures your ability to influence others through fear, threat, and force of presence. This is not simple shouting—it’s about timing, tone, and creating pressure. Some intimidators use brute strength and the promise of violence, while others rely on psychological dominance, cold menace, or the weight of reputation.
When You Use It:
Intimidation applies when:
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Forcing a prisoner to talk, surrender, or back down
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Pressuring a guard to turn a blind eye or walk away
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Commanding a crowd to step aside or disperse
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Staring down an enemy in a contest of wills
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Delivering an unspoken threat through posture, tone, or expression
Stat Choice:
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Use Strength when relying on physical power, presence, or overt threat.
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Use Mind when applying psychological pressure, veiled menace, or controlled verbal intimidation.
Mechanical Effects:
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Success:
Causes the target to hesitate, retreat, reveal information, or otherwise act in your favor (exact outcome at GM discretion). -
Failure:
May escalate tension or harden the target’s resolve. -
Critical Success (01):
Forces immediate surrender, retreat, confession, or collapse of resistance. -
Critical Failure (00):
Provokes defiance, aggression, or strengthens the target’s resolve.
Opposed Rolls:
Intimidation is often contested. The target resists using a relevant skill based on the situation (GM discretion). Common defenses include:
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Mind × 5 (raw willpower and resolve)
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Command (trained leadership and discipline)
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Insight (to read and resist psychological manipulation)
As usual, the higher margin of success wins the exchange.
Situational Modifiers:
Apply the Difficulty Ladder based on leverage, target morale, and the environment:
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+50%: Target is terrified, helpless, or already breaking
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+40%: Shaken opponent, low morale, or isolated
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+30%: Clear leverage (e.g., hostage, obvious power imbalance)
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+20%: Outmatching the target in strength or status
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+10%: Tense situation with minor advantage
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0%: Standard pressure or verbal threats
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–10%: Target has support or strong confidence
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–20%: Trained, disciplined, or deeply motivated target
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–30%: Public setting where you are outnumbered or socially constrained
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–40%: Fanatical or duty-bound target, immune to conventional threats
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–50%: Target faces death calmly or is magically/mentally protected
Untrained Use:
Anyone may attempt basic Intimidation using Strength or Mind, but without training they suffer a –10% penalty. Untrained attempts tend to be crude and less effective, especially against seasoned or resistant targets.
Narrative Examples:
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A grizzled veteran growls a threat and forces a gang of bandits to drop their weapons.
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A warlord locks eyes with a rival, who lowers his gaze and backs down without a word.
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A sorcerer quietly lists the fates of others who crossed her, causing her target to yield.
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A rogue corners a terrified guard, softly suggesting the smart move is to “forget” what they saw.
Intimidation applies pressure, but does not compel automatic compliance. Success means the target is affected—they may hesitate, yield, or change their approach—but they still retain agency. Brave, fanatical, or deeply motivated targets may resist or find alternative responses. Use Intimidation to shift power dynamics and control the pace of interaction, not to override choices entirely.
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File Created: 05/01/2025 Last Modified: 05/01/2025