Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Why is Intimidation a charisma skill?

So you're telling me my blood soaked savage barbarian will be less intimidating because they lack charisma? Seems like a huge oversight to class fanatsy.

I believe they get advantage on intimidation rolls.

Because he looks disgusting, not terrifying.
Also, he's fat and eww ...

Charisma is just "charm", it is force of personality.

As an eexample there are plenty of great performers that couldn't charm their way out of a paper bag al la Axl Rose. There are great liars that couldn't intimidate a fly.

Standing around with muscles isn't intimidating by default. Another example: You have to know how to carry yourself to be a good bouncer. You can tell a meathead from someone with experience in the way they hold themselves and communicate.

Either that or Proficiency in Intimidation as a Class Skill

There was already a thread like this and we had Niara perfectly explaining why charisma determines Intimidation. Don't have time to look for it right now, but I'll leave a link if I stumble upon it eventually.

I wouldnt say so.
Charisma is one of Ability Scores that have really unfortunate name ...
Since while it is perfectly corect, it gives people wrong ideas ... it should have ben named something like "personality power" or "presence" or something simmilar.
(Yes, i know that IS charisma.)

So its not exactly oversight ... the idea there is that if you wish to intimidate someone, you need to support it by your presentation.

BIG but stupid Barbarian who barely complete a sentence, can certainly make people affraid ...
And in tabletop they can, since you can use alternative stats with your Ability Checks (BTW something i was advocating for BG-3 aswell), if your DM allows it.
BUT! (And this is big butt.)
There should be important difference. This depends on how good DM you have, but being generaly affraid dont necessarily make you cooperative, if you understand what i mean.

On one side there is blood soaked savage Barbarian with foam at the mouth ... demanding that you will show him where is the gold, or he will massacre you ... you are affraid, understandably, but your fear owerwhelms you, bcs you see from his presence, that he may massacre you no matter if you comply or not.

On the other side tho, there is a little smaller, not so blood soaked Barbarian, but still big since they just are ... with sharp eyes and clearly determined to his goal ... demanding the same ... here you see that he have a goal, and if that goal dont involves your death and suffering, you MAY survive.

Or at least ... that is how i read the rules.

By Tabletop rules they should only get proficiency ...

In BG-3 EA, Berserker Barbarian gets "situational" (really, that is the only description you get) Advantage in almost every Intimidation roll ...
Wich is kinda dissapointing really, since it makes all other sources of Advantage feel quite meaningless.

I remember i was once creating Zariel Tiefling Barbarian, and i felt really clever since Taumaturgy gives you Advantage ... and it sounded powerfull ...
It felt like a bummer, that it had no meaning in the end, since you get it just like that. :-/

Charisma is force of personality... so while your blood soaked barbarian might be big and strong, still keeps the gaze in a subserviant manner and the voice is that of a squeky teen, if you have a low charisma...

It should be STR. Being able to beat the shit out of people is intimidating in my experience and it would go a long ways towards solving the problem they have created by not adding party based skill checks.

I think you’re looking at it all the wrong way. Intimidation isn’t simply about being able to beat someone up, it’s about making sure they believe it deep in their bones.

Because in D&D it is.

There is however an optional rule for using different skill modifiers for different skills. Strength for intimidation is the specific suggestion made for this. This rule suggests DMs do this at their discretion.

Its kind of hard to implement it in baldurs gate 3.

Its appearently on page 175 of the players handbook? Its pretty rare.

Is it tho?

I mean ...
Having special [Barbarian] dialogue option shouldnt be much harder than having special [Barbarian - Intimidation] option, that would take Strength rather than Charisma.
Its just different number.

I've asked myself that exact question multiple times when playing different pen&paper games.
Shadowrun being an example. The 3m tall Troll is less intimidating then the skinny elf because of charisma.
At least in pen&papers there should be rules for: you can intimidate by brute force (lifting a person or an object = strength), imposing physique (constitution) or subtle threats (charisma).

I doubt that this would be a feasible say to do it in a computer game though and that's sadly why we have to use charisma.

Half-Orcs are proficient with it by default in 5e, so that is covered there.

Regarding strength being intimidating by default, that is just silly. If I walked into a fight between a 20th level barbarian with a 24 strength and a 20th level wizard with 20 intelligence, I would be much more intimidated by the wizard.

Giving situational advantage when Strength would actually make a difference makes more sense. Like if your barbarian was raging in front of a handful of goblins.

Another example from real life:
I would be far more intimidated by the soldier pointing an assault rifle in my face and shouting instructions than a giant weight lifter grunting menacingly.

Intimidation [Charisma]: Slaps hand on wall, Sup, girl,

this Intimidation move is call a Kabedon and it's more effective with the more your charisma you have, it's useful for making people date you, as long you're above average looking.

I'd argue your pickup move falls under persuasion.I hope you'll agree, becasue if not - you're a creep.

Fair enough,

Another example of a charisma based intimidation is to go in a dark alley, lower your voice and say "I'm Batman!" If they still not intimidated just beat up one of their friends

As you can tell from my comments, I'm not actually taking this thread seriously,

Also that move is from a bunch of romance anime, I didn't think anyone would think it was a real thing.

It wouldn't surprise me, and I don't watch romance anime.