Feats
The thing about Intimidate is that it can come in handy during combat — if an opponent is intimidated he ends up shaken for a round — with a -2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks and saving throws. Ideal for softening someone up before the spellcaster zaps them!
- Combat Expertise
- We know that Combat Expertise is a prerequisite to Improved Feint (see Pants on Fire!) but it's also needed for Improved Disarm and Improved Trip. Since intimidation's more about scaring the enemy than simply slicing him up, you may want to consider this sort of path of feat acquisition as the means of developing a flashy combat style with the emphasis on making the opponent feel worthless by comparison.
- Improved Disarm
- If your DM is fond of using DM's fiat and assigning on-the-spot circumstance bonuses to checks and attack rolls, then he might rule that disarmed opponent might well be more easy to scare, warranting a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.
- Improved Sunder
- If a successful disarm is a good way to scare your opponent, then smashing their sword to bits is just as good, if not better. If you don't have the brains to take Combat Expertise but have muscle to spare, go for Power Attack and this feat instead.
- Improved Trip
- Taking this feat might not directly affect the Intimidate skill, but see Combat Expertise and Improved Disarm for reasons to take it.
- Power Attack
- If you're a barbarian then chances are that you've taken this feat already in order to capitalise on your main asset — muscle. If you succeed in rendering someone shaken with an Intimidate check you may feel confident enough to sacrifice some accuracy and use this feat to finish them off. In addition you'll need this feat if you want to take Improved Sunder (qv).
- Persuasive
- Worth considering because of the +2 bonus it gives to Bluff and Intimidate checks — see Pants on Fire! if you're planning to be a bully and a liar. The two often go hand in hand. If you're a human, max out Intimidate and take this feat and Skill Focus (Intimidate); your initial Intimidate check is at least +9 (or +7 if cross-class). That's without Charisma modifiers.
- Skill Focus
- Oh, look, it's our old friend Skill Focus again. Surprised? Of course not. Since Intimidate is handled by comparing your skill check to the victim's level check, you need every edge you can get.
New Feat: Improved Intimidation [General]
Your battle-cries and murderous expressions terrify your opponents into lowering their guard.
Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise.
Benefit: You can make an Intimidate check in combat as a move action.
Normal: Intimidating in combat is a standard action.
A fighter may select Improved Intimidation as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Magic
Admittedly none of the spellcasting classes have Intimidate as a class skill, but they can cast other spells to improve their chances of making their skill check, or supplant the need for the Intimidate skill in the first place. Here are a few tips for making yourself a bit more fearsome with magical aid.
Get yourself noticed.
The key ability involved in intimidation is Charisma. Make sure you have access to eagle's splendour in some form or other. If you are unable to cast it yourself, and don't have an ally who's prepared to cast it for you, then it's worth splashing out on potions of eagle's splendour or, better still, a cloak of Charisma.
Scare 'em.
Sometimes you don't even have to make an Intimidate check. Wizards and sorcerers who wish to inspire dread would do well to have plenty of illusion and necromancy spells. They can start at 1st-level with cause fear, picking up scare as a 2nd-level spell, then fear and phantasmal killer, symbol of fear and finally weird.
Grow up!
They say that size doesn't matter — and they're wrong. It matters. If you want to use Intimidate successfully, pick on people smaller than you. If you're a halfling, you've got problems. Get hold of an enlarge person, mass enlarge person or righteous might. Polymorph or shape change can also transform you into a bigger creature, helping you to get the edge or at least even the odds somewhat.
Get help.
Cantrips and orisons are easily overlooked, but in a tight corner, they can come in handy; an extra +1 bonus isn't to be sniffed at. If your low-level cleric friend has nothing better to do, ask him to cast guidance.