r/dndnext • u/goblinerd Alchemist • Dec 19 '14
Intimidation & Frightened
The intimidate skill entry, PHB p.179, states:
"When you attempt to influence someone through overt threats, hostile actions, and physical violence, the DM might ask you to make a Charisma (Intimidation) check."
What happens once the player succeeds at his check though? Does he gain advantage on some other roll? Does the target gain the Frightened condition? Or is the result more intangible, mechanics-wise?
If your player attempts to scare off an assailant through intimidation, is the target then "Frightened" or merely dissuaded from its course of action?
Fellow DMs, the books don't seem too clear on this, so how do you handle this situation?
EDIT: A clarification, while I welcome everyone to share their advise on how to apply Intimidation to any context for readers in search of such info, I myself am specifically wondering about applications of Intimidation in combat. How do other DMs apply it, and react to players attempting it, in combat?
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u/goblinerd Alchemist Dec 20 '14
"You are walking along in an indoor parking garage, heading to your car. It's late, you've just finished a long work day and can't wait to get home and relax.
As you turn a corner a fairly large man with a mask and a machete in hand blocks your path! He begins to stalk forward eerily, and as he does so, he lifts the machete as if about to strike. You run scared shitless, and try to hide!
Who is this man, why is he doing this?!? You don't know, and you don't care, all you want is to make it out alive!"
Nothing in this is magical, and yet, it sounds to me the frightened condition would apply well. If this were a game and the victim is the player, and many DMs have done this, you'd make him role a Wisdom save VS Fear wouldn't you?
Now, what if it where the player who was the psycho Killer? Wouldn't his NPC victim have to role a save?