How do you use Intimidation in your game?

[ebertran]

[garhkal]

[MrNexx]

[shootingwomprats]

Giving this some more thought. Maybe use the damage table in this case. Granted its mental but damage no less.

[garhkal]

This is why i like how Sparks handled it.. For each grouping of 10 over the willpower (or Kno) roll the intimidator gets, the opponents suffer -1d to their actions...
So in the off chance someone faces off against an enemy with a high @$$ intimidate (say 10d), has a # of bonuses on his side (using the chart for bargaining and other Per skills), facing people with 3-4d ave willpower, he theoretically (without open ending on the wild die) could hit 40-50 over willpower on his intimidation roll.. Thus giving them a -4d or -5d penalty!
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[shootingwomprats]

[MrNexx]

[shootingwomprats]

[MrNexx]

Yes, but then there's the other side... someone who has been intimidated can't Persuade or Bargain with their opponent (they've got a big penalty to their skills), but they aren't any more likely to be persuaded... they just get a penalty to try to affect the person, and then only through social interaction. Someone who is intimidated has no problem just shooting their intimidator... they're only handicapped from acting on them socially.
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[Error]

[garhkal]

[ebertran]

Maybe the answer is bribing the characters to play along with the results, in exchange for character points, or even force points (in case of Intimidate: Torture).

There has to be some benefit to the player to make up for the loss of player's free will.

[ebertran]

How's this? It gives the PC's mechanical disadvantages, but balances out by giving them chances to remove the effects via Willpower checks, or by spending character points. Character points are interesting, because you need them to advance, so not using them to immediately remove an Intimidation can represent the NPC's ongoing psychological effect on the character.

NPC Intimidation vs. PC Willpower

NPC rolls higher than the character by:

1-5: -1D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator for the rest of this scene. If in combat, PCs can use use an Action to compose themselves and immediately remove the effect. Outside of combat, PCs can attempt one Easy Willpower roll to immediately remove the effect.

6-10: -2D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator for the rest of the scene. Outside of combat, PCs can spend one character point to immediately remove effect, or attempt one Moderate Willpower roll to immediately remove the effect.

11-15: -3D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator for the rest of the scene. Outside of combat, PCs can spend two character points to immediately remove effect, or attempt one Difficult Willpower roll to immediately remove the effect.

16-20: -4D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator for the rest of the scene. Outside of combat, PCs can spend three character points to immediately remove effect, or attempt one Very Difficult Willpower roll to immediately remove the effect.

21-25: -5D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator permanently. Outside of combat, PCs can spend four character points to immediately remove the effect, or attempt one Heroic Willpower roll to immediately remove the effect.

26+: -6D to all skill checks while in the presence of the intimidator permanently. Outside of combat, PCs can spend five character points to immediately remove the effect.

All effects of Intimidation automatically end if the Intimidator is Mortally Wounded or Killed.

I would probably apply the same system to PC vs. NPC, although some NPCs do not have Char Points.

Thoughts?

[garhkal]

[ebertran]

In my experience, players do not like being told that their character feels intimidated or scared. Nobody likes being told how to act.