Intimidation

[Clopin Silk]

I was just wondering about a couple of things regarding intimidation checks.
First off do your DMs give bonuses to intimidation checks for roleplaying, and if so, what sort of things do you do to capitalize on this? And two; if a well-worded threat is enough to give you an edge/you like to actually come up with the threats yourself, what's your best?

My best role-playing idea to boost an intimidation check requires a bag of tricks, and either that you're part of the sort of race or culture that eats meat raw, or that you can be confident that you'll pass a fortitude save (I'm guessing fortitude, please correct me if I'm wrong). Simply reach into the bag, pull out whatever fluffy little creature emerges and, maintaining eye contact with the person you're trying to intimidate, bite the fuzzy little critter's head right off.
As for my best threat, well, here goes.
"You will cooperate with us, or I swear upon all that I hold sacred, that I will erase you so thoroughly that even your dearest friends won't even be able to remember your name."

[Erit]

I play with DMs who are permissive of a little rule-bending in the face of good roleplaying. No bonuses on checks, but free-action intimidates and the like are not uncommon. It probably helps that when I play a character who can make use of intimidate, they're either extremely powerful Sorcerers or frickin' huge melee types.

My best Intimidate moment? Bit of a long story...

So the party's ascending a dungeon-tower made of ice. My character is a seven-foot-high Blackguard who wears midnight black fullplate and never, under any circumstances, removes it because he's a Half-Nymph who was raised by a Dragon, and thus can't control his Awesome Beauty (putting aside that Half-Nymph can normally only apply to females; it fit the character too well for the DM to pass it up). There were also: a Cleric of the same deity who had already died once, and whom the Blackguard had beedn assigned to protect thereafter; an Incarnate that the Cleric had converted to our faith; a Pyrokineticist who had become good friends with everyone; and a Sorceress who was romantically involved with the Blackguard.

Halfway up the tower we encounter a group of opposed adventurers, comprised of a BSF, a Paladin, and a Thri-Kreen Ranger. The BSF is immediately blown up by the Cleric and Sorceress while the Paladin is locked down by the Pyro, and the Ranger apparently had Favored Enemy (Us) because they were dealing disconcerting damage to the three central characters of this little retelling. The Sorceress is at half health, the Cleric's taken a bit of a beating, and the round prior my Blackguard had been wailed on for a significant chunk of their HP.

He's Lawful Evil, but the Lawful aspect here manifests as loyalty to his companions and strict adherence to his mission. Evil comes in as a ruthless lack of pity for anyone who gets in his way. The new round begins, and my turn comes up. DM asks what I'm going to do.

"I turn towards the Ranger and level my greatsword, uttering the brief invocation for my last casting of Blade of Blood. Coldly, I say... *Ahem* 'Your allies lie broken and your mission stands failed. Your arrows have pierced the flesh of those I have declared my charges. You shall know no forgiveness. There will be no quarter.' And then I charge, screaming 'I WILL STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR OWN SHATTERED SPINE!'

The Archer didn't die on that attack, since I missed. Which was saddening. But I did scare the bejeezus out of them before the rest of the party reduced them to a greasy stain on the floor.

Word of advice for Intimidate as a non-Good character? Always think of creative descriptions for how you'll mangle the enemy's body before granting them the sweet release of death.

[Extra Anchovies]

My best role-playing idea to boost an intimidation check requires a bag of tricks, and either that you're part of the sort of race or culture that eats meat raw, or that you can be confident that you'll pass a fortitude save (I'm guessing fortitude, please correct me if I'm wrong). Simply reach into the bag, pull out whatever fluffy little creature emerges and, maintaining eye contact with the person you're trying to intimidate, bite the fuzzy little critter's head right off.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2010/1001/360_br10q_0208.jpg

You (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-dove-bite-head/) rang? (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-bites-the-head-off-a-bat-gruesome-rock-legends/)

[Clopin Silk]

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2010/1001/360_br10q_0208.jpg

You (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-dove-bite-head/) rang? (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-bites-the-head-off-a-bat-gruesome-rock-legends/)

Actually, I based it off of a Victorian-era London Gang leader, who would bite rats in half during conversations with other gang leaders and similarly powerful figures in order to throw them off balance and establish his dominance.