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  1. - Top - End - #31
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Composer99's Avatar

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    Sep 2013

    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by Merudo View Post
    One of my player is a Oath of the Ancients Paladin seeking to minimize bloodshed. They do so by intimidating the enemies they come across.

    Each time they met thieves, murderers, evil cultists, etc. the Paladin first tries to intimidate and threaten them out of the fight.

    Last session Mr. Paladin tried to intimidate a pair of Giant Crocodiles who wanted to eat the party for dinner. I ruled that the Giant Crocodiles could not speak and could therefore not understand the Paladin's threats. After the fight the Paladin said next time he'll cast Speak with Animals before intimidating wild beasts.

    I'm unsure how to deal with this constant spamming of intimidation. I'm fine with players resolving encounters without resorting to combat and talking themselves out of a violent fight. On the other hand if the party is ambushed by a numerically superior force or by well-prepared assailants, it seems a bit silly that the opposition would back down after a few generic threats, no matter how articulate they are.

    Maybe I just need to set the DC high enough for intimidation? I tend to give the Paladin DC 25 on the intimidation check if the enemy initiates the fight, but that might be too low: Bardic Inspiration + Guidance + Enhance Ability could make them beat the check reliably.
    I should like to echo suggestions that sometimes the DC is "nope", rather than trying to set a DC. If there is no reason for the monsters to be frightened off, at least at the point in time in which the paladin is attempting to intimidate them, the attempt fails without requiring a check.
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  2. - Top - End - #32
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Man_Over_Game's Avatar

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    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by Merudo View Post
    One of my player is a Oath of the Ancients Paladin seeking to minimize bloodshed. They do so by intimidating the enemies they come across.

    Each time they met thieves, murderers, evil cultists, etc. the Paladin first tries to intimidate and threaten them out of the fight.

    Last session Mr. Paladin tried to intimidate a pair of Giant Crocodiles who wanted to eat the party for dinner. I ruled that the Giant Crocodiles could not speak and could therefore not understand the Paladin's threats. After the fight the Paladin said next time he'll cast Speak with Animals before intimidating wild beasts.

    I'm unsure how to deal with this constant spamming of intimidation. I'm fine with players resolving encounters without resorting to combat and talking themselves out of a violent fight. On the other hand if the party is ambushed by a numerically superior force or by well-prepared assailants, it seems a bit silly that the opposition would back down after a few generic threats, no matter how articulate they are.

    Maybe I just need to set the DC high enough for intimidation? I tend to give the Paladin DC 25 on the intimidation check if the enemy initiates the fight, but that might be too low: Bardic Inspiration + Guidance + Enhance Ability could make them beat the check reliably.
    They don't always have to run. Maybe it acts as a challenge to the leader while the rest of the enemies avoid the Paladin.

    "Intimidate" doesn't have to equal fear. I've allowed Performance bonuses on Deception Checks, or Acrobatics when climbing. Intimidate is about presenting yourself as strong and dangerous, and that can be used for encouraging allies as much as demoralizing the opponent.

    You also don't have to make them run away right off the bat. Sure, the Paladin's scary, but so is running towards a group of heroes who are armed to the teeth! The enemy is already scared out of their minds, and has already decided on using violence. So maybe the Intimidate Check value is saved for when it's relevant (such as when the Paladin is about to finish off a target), to break the enemy's spirits at the point when it's most relevant.

    For example, Paladin makes an Intimidate Check at the start of the fight. You say it's not relevant right now, as they've already decided to fight you, but the roll is saved for when it could be relevant. When the Paladin lands a crit and uses Divine Smite, about to finish off the target, you pull that Intimidate Check roll back in, and say that the player's blessed hammer tore the opponent's weapon in half at the guard, just before bashing in the enemy's throat with the edge of your shield. Now that the Intimidate Check is relevant, all of the other enemies see how deftly you just manhandled their guy, and fall back.
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  3. - Top - End - #33
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    MonkGuy

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    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    I'd personally compare this to nonlethal damage and allow something like this:

    The paladin can spend his first action making an intimidation check. Then roll some die + Cha, x2 past level 5. Note both numbers.

    An enemy within 5' of the Paladin, if they have a "passive insight" below the paladin's ability check roll result, will attempt to flee if their HP drops below the "damage" the paladin rolled. Every time an enemy does so, reduce the amount of "damage" left by that enemy's current HP, to a minimum of 1.

  4. - Top - End - #34
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

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    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by Nhorianscum View Post
    TL:DR: Just describe a windmill in abstract.
    I think gazebo is more traditional....
    It's Eberron, not ebberon.
    It's not high magic, it's wide magic.
    And it's definitely not steampunk. The only time steam gets involved is when the fire and water elementals break loose.

  5. - Top - End - #35
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    ClericGuy

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    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanarii View Post
    Do the same as any other resolution:
    1) determine players intent and approach and possible resulting outcomes and consequences
    2) decide if it is automatically successful, automatically fails, or has a chance to succeed.
    2b) if chance to succeed set a DC
    3) determine time to execute
    +1 for this.

    Also note that you don't have to roll. If the character's actions have to chance or cost of failure, then just say "you succeed." Same for if there is no chance of success - "you fail."

    Make sure that is does succeed some of the time. The player came up with a cool idea (much better than "whack monster, roll to hit, repeat" :-). Make sure they get rewarded for this.

  6. - Top - End - #36
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Zhorn's Avatar

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    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by JackPhoenix View Post
    I think gazebo is more traditional....
    Windmills are for when you want a foe that the player cannot overcome/defeat.
    Gazebos are for when you want a foe that the player cannot survive.

  7. - Top - End - #37
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Nov 2018

    Default Re: Player is trying to intimidate every enemy they run across

    Quote Originally Posted by JackPhoenix View Post
    I think gazebo is more traditional....
    Sacrifices must be made for theming.

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