Intimidate

Key facts

Characteristic

Might

Overview

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 and playstyle

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