New to 3.5, 6 cha, Require intimidate.

[kablump]

So yeah, I'm new to 3.5 but i've done PF

this is my DM's first 3.5 campaign and he's got a list of books (Long but not indefinite), he is not allowing pathfinder material.

But i'm playing as a Gnoll, which has an amazing -2 charisma and will be experiencing regional hatred towards his race. I was looking to use Intimidate to pacify people who would try to do me harm, as neither bluff nor diplomacy will really fit his character.

Any advice? my first four or so levels will include Spell caster1, fighter2, and barbarian 1. which will give me three bonus feats, two I will need for prestige ranger PRC (switch hitter build with a better than average animal companion)
I'm looking for something that will outweigh skill focus.


Stats are

18 str
16 dex
14 con
12 wis
10 int
6 cha

I may wind up dropping some dex for wisdom before I finalize the character for spells.


so again, anyone have any ideas that a first level character can use in order to gain a bit of intimidate?

[Krobar]

Take a look at Dreadful Wrath.

When you charge, make a full attack, or cast a spell that either targets an enemy or includes an enemy in its area, you gain the frightful presence ability for that round. Each enemy within a 20-foot radius of you must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. Regardless of its success or failure on the saving throw, any creature exposed to this effect is immune to your frightful presence for the next 24 hours. This is an extraordinary morale effect.


This has to be taken at 1st level. However, with your CHA modifier, you might suck at it for a little while.

Fear effects just about always stack, so later, you can add imperious command and make your enemies cower for that solid minute. You can also add intimidate checks to it to make enemies frightened.

I had a bard for a while for which intimidate and fear was his main schtick. He'd pick somebody out, scare the bejesus out of them, and chase them around the battlefield. "COME BACK HERE, COWARD! STAND AND FIGHT! I SEE YOU'VE HEARD OF ME! I AM SO GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN I CATCH YOU!" etc. etc. That character was a lot of fun.

Also, talk to your DM about using Strength instead of Charisma on your intimidate checks. That would be a reasonable house rule, and I would allow it in my game for that character.

[DarkEternal]

Most of the groups that I played with had DM's that had no problem giving the melee or fighting characters(variations of fighters and/or barbarians) the ability to use strength instead of charisma on intimidate. So that would be my suggestion, to ask your DM to give you that.

[Alleran]

IIRC, there are a couple of ways to add STR to Intimidate checks. Dread Tyranny from Races of Destiny can do it (although you need cleric levels), there's a variant rule that allows you to do it with Barbarian (if they accompany it with a feat of strength), and I think Orcs and orc-blood creatures might have a feat that will do it as well, unless I misremember.

[rexreg]

I'll throw my voice in w/ DarkEternal and agree that Strength can be used as a substitute for Charisma when making Intimidate checks.

[Evard]

I now would love to see a Gnoll character with boosted Cha and go diplomacy/bluff Bard...

Give him a top hat and a monocule and call it a day.

[angry_bear]

A house rule my group has used in the past is to make your charisma penalty into a positive if you're playing a savage kin trying to intimidate other races. So a -4 becomes a +4, but only works on other races. Always worked alright I thought. Note, it only applied to intimidate. So for diplomacy, bluff, etc, you still suffered the normal penalty of a low charisma modifier.

[JusticeZero]

That rule makes no sense at all. Strong people aren't intimidating per se.

That's like substituting Charisma for a Running check: "Well, you've seen joggers, right? The younger ones look hot, right? OBVIOUSLY my Charisma will help me to run farther."

If your charisma is low, you just aren't intimidating. A bit pathetic maybe, but not intimidating.

[(Un)Inspired]

I think it's fine if you find a feat or class feature to switch intimidate over to another ability score but taking moving intimidate off of charisma just gives every BSF character further cause to dump charisma into the ground.

Also if you really think of how charisma is used str doesn't make much sense. You might want to avoid that beefy dude with a big axe but the guy who knows exactly the right horrible creepy thing to say (i.e. Hannibal lecter) is the one that makes you cower in fear

[DarkEternal]

I don't know. To me, it makes sense I guess. The charisma style intimidate is more of a Hannibal Lecter, or Garrick of DS9 kind of intimidate.

The strength one is more of a "I'll tear off your head and take a -expletive deleted- down your open neck, graaah" kind of intimidation. Especially coupled when it's said by a 7 foot tall barbarian just about to enter rage.