Intimidate (Draw Steel)
Skills
Definition
Intimidate is coercion through fear: looming over a guard, snapping a chair leg to make a point, staring down a bandit chief, promising what happens if the prisoner stays silent. It is a Might skill because the threat must look deliverable. It surfaces in soured negotiations, interrogations, and standoffs where a fight is the alternative. It is faster than Persuade but costs goodwill: frightened people remember, and some answer a threat by fighting.
How it works
**Characteristic**: Might. **Skill group**: Might skills. **Test**: 2d10 + Might; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. **How it is used**: Tier 3 makes the target comply and stay cowed. Tier 2 gets grudging or partial compliance. Tier 1 hardens the target or starts the fight. **Edges and banes**: Outnumbering the target, a visible weapon, or a known reputation grants an edge (+2). Threatening someone protected, fanatical, or clearly stronger imposes a bane (-2).
Tips
**Best for**: Heroes who end confrontations before the first blow, and parties without a smooth talker. **Character concepts**: Gladiator career enforcer, orc warband veteran, underworld debt collector. **Synergies**: Brag to build a reputation that works before you speak, Read Person to know when a threat will land, Lead to keep frightened followers moving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I intimidate someone I cannot hurt?
You can try, usually with a bane if the target sees the bluff. Deceive or Brag may fit better.
Does Intimidate work on monsters?
Against creatures that understand you and fear for themselves, yes. Mindless or fanatical enemies are usually immune.