Intimidation

This is a talent for bending people to your will by scaring the living daylights out of them. NPCs who are intimidated are quite likely to do what they're told, out of fear. On the negative side, they are also very likely to harbor much resentment against the character that intimidates them. The NPCs will keep their resentment hidden—until the first chance to avenge their pride arises.

Intimidation may be attempted with one of two abilities: Strength or Charisma. If Strength is used, the thief is threatening immediate, personal bodily harm. If Charisma is used, the intimidation consists of more subtle threats, which need not be physical. If successful, the NPC is convinced that the thief is ready and capable of making his life miserable—if not immediately, then in the near future.

Player characters are never forced to submit to intimidation, as this would detract from the players' freedom to role-play.

Dwarven Intimidation Proficiency

This proficiency allows a character to intimidate others to do as he wishes. It involves an implicit threat of violence. Threatened NPCs will do as they are told, but will harbor resentments against him. If an opportunity arises for intimidated NPCs to revenge themselves they will do so.

Intimidation may be attempted with one of two abilities, Strength or Charisma. If intimidating by Strength, the character is threatening immediate, personal, bodily harm. If by Charisma, the intimidation consists of subtle threats, which need not be physical. No matter which ability is used, the intimidation attempt is always modified by the difference between the experience level of the intimidating character and the experience level or Hit Dice of the victim(s). Creatures with less than one Hit Die are considered to have a level of 0.

A 6th-level warrior attempting to intimidate an HD1-1 goblin would gain a +6 bonus to his intimidation ability. Against a 10th-level human warrior, our 6th-level dwarf's intimidation proficiency would be reduced by -4. Higher level characters are less likely to be intimidated.

When a character is attempting to intimidate more than one character, and all are within 1-4 experience levels of each other, the level is the average of them. If one or more characters are over five experience levels above the others, the highest experience level is used, the other characters gaining confidence from the presence of a powerful individual.

When attempting to intimidate more than one, the number of characters is used as a negative modifier. If a dwarf is attempting to intimidate five goblins, his intimidate proficiency is reduced by -5.

Intimidation may only be used against intelligent creatures; slimes and shambling mounds are too stupid to notice that someone is trying to intimidate them.

Player characters are never forced to submit to intimidation, and may choose how they are going to react to an attempt.

[Complete Thief's Handbook]
[Complete Book of Dwarves]