Can you intimidate a...

[LastRose]

Well can you intimidate an intelligent item? Or are they immune to mind altering effects?

[Lord Vukodlak]

Well can you intimidate an intelligent item? Or are they immune to mind altering effects?

Intelligent magic items are objects and thus immune to mind-affecting. However I'm not certain that intimidate is mind-affecting. I would say you certainly can't intimidate a intelligent item if you can't overcome its ego.

[Thurbane]

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

Traits
A construct possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).


Fear
Spells, magic items, and monsters can cause fear. In most cases, a Will saving throw is required to resist the effect. Fear attacks can have various consequences, but all of them are mind-affecting fear effects.
Intelligent magic items are Constructs; Constructs are immune to all mind-affecting effects; all fear attacks (including Intimidate) are mind-affecting.

So no, by RAW I don't believe you can Intimidate an intelligent magic item.

[LastRose]

Can you use awaken construct on them then?

[CRtwenty]

Can you use awaken construct on them then?

Only if it's a humanoid shaped intelligent item.

[CaladanMoonblad]

Intelligent items are not constructs. We treat them like constructs. But Intelligent Items are literally, "intelligent items." It's its own classification according to the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/intelligentItems.htm).


Magic items sometimes have intelligence of their own. Magically imbued with sentience, these items think and feel the same way characters do and should be treated as NPCs. Intelligent items have extra abilities and sometimes extraordinary powers and special purposes. Only permanent magic items (as opposed to single-use items or those with charges) can be intelligent. (This means that potions, scrolls, and wands, among other items, are never intelligent.) In general, less than 1% of magic items have intelligence.

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

Unlike most magic items, intelligent items can activate their own powers without waiting for a command word from their owner. Intelligent items act during their owner’s turn in the initiative order.

The original question was whether a person can socially interact with an intelligent item using the Intimidate skill. Of course!

However, because the item is treated as both a construct and a character, the Intimidate will need to be narrowly defined. If the intelligent item is a +5 Greatsword... only another +5 weapon can sunder it. So physical threats are pretty much silly. However, if the +5 Greatsword is protective of its possesser (and their children), threatening the kids might bend the item to the villain's will.

[CRtwenty]

Intelligent items are not constructs. We treat them like constructs. But Intelligent Items are literally, "intelligent items." It's its own classification according to the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/intelligentItems.htm).



The original question was whether a person can socially interact with an intelligent item using the Intimidate skill. Of course!

However, because the item is treated as both a construct and a character, the Intimidate will need to be narrowly defined. If the intelligent item is a +5 Greatsword... only another +5 weapon can sunder it. So physical threats are pretty much silly. However, if the +5 Greatsword is protective of its possesser (and their children), threatening the kids might bend the item to the villain's will.

Threatening to put it in a box and drop it into the ocean would probably work too. :smallwink:

[CaladanMoonblad]

Threatening to put it in a box and drop it into the ocean would probably work too. :smallwink:

For most items sure; but what about a magic belt of giant strength that is depressed and horrified at the prospect of war? Certainly such a threat would be seen as a godsend to keep it from ever having to help hurt anyone else again...

intelligent items are strange; a person has to know its personality to properly interact with it and "push its buttons." The reason physical threats work against most creatures is because we're wired to self preserve. Even suicidal people who jump off a bridge into the river below will often swim for their life after hitting the cold wet water.

But let's go back to your box idea. Make sure to find a trench bereft of Locathah or any other underwater sapient species : / otherwise, you're just giving a gift to the locals.

[CRtwenty]

For most items sure; but what about a magic belt of giant strength that is depressed and horrified at the prospect of war? Certainly such a threat would be seen as a godsend to keep it from ever having to help hurt anyone else again...

intelligent items are strange; a person has to know its personality to properly interact with it and "push its buttons." The reason physical threats work against most creatures is because we're wired to self preserve. Even suicidal people who jump off a bridge into the river below will often swim for their life after hitting the cold wet water.

But let's go back to your box idea. Make sure to find a trench bereft of Locathah or any other underwater sapient species : / otherwise, you're just giving a gift to the locals.

We could figure out where the Leviathan's mouth is and drop it in there. Seems like the type of thing that could be used to destroy a Major Artifact, let alone something weaker like an Intelligent Item.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Most GMs would allow it, and the rules are somewhat fuzzy on this matter. Intelligent magic items have their own motives and personalities, and any player who can exploit that should be rewarded.

Of course, by the RAW Intimidate is only a temporary change to the target's personality. An intelligent magic item that has a grudge against you or is afraid of you can be very dangerous. If the item thinks that you're going to damage it, destroy it, or use it for something it doesn't like, it's going to make ego rolls against you or use all abilities at its disposal to get itself into the hands of someone it likes better. A person skilled in Intimidate might be able to scare the intelligent item into inaction for a little while, but eventually it's going to do something.

[TuggyNE]

If the intelligent item is a +5 Greatsword... only another +5 weapon can sunder it.

This is no longer the case; rather, enhancement bonuses add to hardness and HP, making them more difficult to sunder.