Intimidation
| Name | Intimidation |
|---|---|
| Ability | Charisma |
Intimidation measures your ability to influence someone through overt threats, hostile actions, and physical violence. It includes both verbal threats and menacing body language.
Common Uses
- Threaten: Coerce someone into complying through fear
- Extract Information: Force someone to reveal secrets through intimidation
- Demoralize: Shake an enemy's confidence in combat
- Command Respect: Assert dominance in a tense situation
- Hostile Interrogation: Question prisoners or suspects aggressively
Example DCs
| DC | Task |
|---|---|
| 10 | Intimidate a common peasant or cowardly person |
| 15 | Threaten a trained guard or soldier |
| 20 | Intimidate a hardened criminal or warrior |
| 25 | Cow a fearless or fanatical opponent |
Combat Uses
Some DMs allow Intimidation checks in combat to impose frightened condition or cause enemies to surrender, typically as an action.
Related Features
- Barbarians often excel at Intimidation due to their fearsome presence
- Some paladin oaths grant bonuses to Intimidation
- The Menacing feat (Goliath racial) enhances Intimidation
- Conquest paladins use fear as a weapon
Synergies
Characters proficient in Intimidation often benefit from:
- High Charisma or Strength scores
- Barbarian or paladin class levels
- Imposing physical presence or size
- Fear-inducing abilities
- Cause Fear or Wrathful Smite spells