Intimidate Change

[General_Gronker]

This is how Intimidate works according to the wiki:

Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Activating the Intimidate skill rolls an Intimidate check against all monsters within a short radius of you. There is a -4 penalty per size category by which the monster is larger than you. (Which becomes a bonus if the monster is smaller.) If your check beats a DC specific to that creature (supposedly 10+HD+Wisdom modifier.), the creature is intimidated and displays an orange skill icon.
A successful use of the intimidate skill sets your threat with a monster equal to the highest threat opponent, plus a small buffer based on your size-modified intimidate skill. Additionally, you gain a +50% threat multiplier to all attacks (melee, ranged, and spells) for 6 seconds after successful intimidation. If you have a shield equipped, you will instead gain a +100% threat multiplier for 12 seconds. These effects are applied as a buff to the character and are called Intimidating Presence and Intimidating Presence (Shield), respectively. Note that some rare monsters do not follow the normal threat mechanics.
Intimidate can be used on any creature that possesses any level of intelligence. Completely unintelligent monsters such as some constructs, some undead, and all vermin, are immune to social manipulation.
Class Skill for Barbarian, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Rogue

Which is fine, except for being completely wrong. I'd like to propose that you change Intimidate to work the way it is supposed to (within the limits of the game):

Check
You can change another’s behavior with a successful check. Your Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s modified level check (1d20 + character level or Hit Dice + target’s Wisdom bonus [if any] + target’s modifiers on saves against fear). If you beat your target’s check result, you may treat the target as friendly, but only for the purpose of actions taken while it remains intimidated. Said target will not attack you or your companions unless attacked. The effect lasts as long as the target remains in your presence, and for 1d6×10 minutes afterward. After this time, the target’s default attitude toward you shifts to unfriendly (or, if normally unfriendly, to hostile).

If you fail the check by 5 or more, the target will focus all attacks on you.

Demoralize Opponent
You can also use Intimidate to weaken an opponent’s resolve in combat. To do so, make an Intimidate check opposed by the target’s modified level check (see above). If you win, the target becomes shaken for 1 round. A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. You can intimidate only an opponent that you threaten in melee combat and that can see you.

Action
Changing another’s behavior requires has a 60-second cooldown. Demoralizing an opponent has a 6 second cooldown.

Special
You gain a +4 bonus on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are larger than your target. Conversely, you take a -4 penalty on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are smaller than your target.

A character immune to fear can’t be intimidated, nor can nonintelligent creatures.

If you have the Persuasive feat, you get a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.

Synergy
If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, you get a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.

Thanks.

[JOTMON]

Heres how Intimidate works now..
run to mob and hit it. when aggro resets.. keep hitting it..

ignore the intimidate button.. mobs reset faster than the cooldown... clicking intimidate=1 less swing of dps..
DPS=Hate=Aggro.


~
I like the proposal.. the shaken factor has merit.

[Daine]

In pen and paper D&D nothing stops a player from telling the DM they are trying to look more intimidating an effort to draw an attacker to themselves, or to say they want to look ineffective in the hopes the DM will decide a foe will attack the toughest looking player. Players of different role playing skill will go into varying detail in an attempt to change the DM's mind. There is simply no rule in D&D to say which party member a monster must attack.

In DDO for me, intimidate, diplomacy and bluff fill in the roleplaying gaps that exist when we have a computerised DM. D&D and DDO are the same in that you can ignore thoughts of threat management and let the DM, computerised or otherwise take care of it, but I like having the system and some of us still use it. Personally I think the spirit of D&D intimidate was translated quite well into the game.