What's the point of being a hero if you can't treat everyone else like an object?
Don't look at me like that. It's a perfectly reasonable question. This article is devoted to the bullies of the world; the people who get what they want by making everyone else feel like shit; battering egos into a pulp and throwing their weight around like confetti.
So you want to be a Bully?
The good news is that intimidation is used in all walks of life. Want to convince a peasant to part with his coppers? Intimidate him. Negotiating an important business deal or peace treaty? Make sure it's all done on your terms by making the other party so scared of you that they'll go along with anything you say. Are your curates not going along with the latest edict you've issued for the temple? Apprentices not willing to stir the cauldron so you can work on your spell research? I think you get the idea.
It happens all the time. Anyone can do it. Granted, not everyone's trained at intimidation, but anyone with an ounce of Charisma can do it.
Alignment
Intimidating someone isn't a very nice act. It usually involves insults, the threat of physical violence or simply making another's life hell. Surprisingly enough, few people who train in this art are lawful or good. However, there are occasional instances in which intimidation is the way for a paladin to go. Treat it like violence; it's a last-resort weapon, or rather a second-to-last resort weapon; a means of getting an enemy to give up without a fight.
Where it all gets a bit awkward is in whom you intimidate and how often you do it. Consider the following situation and try to pin an alignment to the guy's behaviour. There's no prize, of course. Just a bit of fun.
Grobble the Barbarian stomps into the tavern, elbows his way up to the bar.
A pint of best,he demands,or I'll smash yer face in.The barman draws Grobble a pint of bitter and charges him two copper pieces.
Two coppers?!?explodes Grobble.Bugger that! It's on the house.A dubious look from the barman follows. Grobble follows that look with one that suggests that the last man to deny him a free drink ended up with his skull caved in. He gets his beer on the house.
A tall, dark stranger approaches Grobble and offers him a thousand gold coins to put a stop to a wicked kobold that's been menacing the orphans.
I think I'm going deaf,; says Grobble, resting his hand on his axe-haft.Two thousand, half of that up front or you leave this room without your head.
With a thousand shiny gold coins in his pocket (it's a big pocket, okay?) he heads up to the weaponsmith.
Gimme a new +2 greataxe or I'll kick yer teef out…