Courses / CM / Demoralize
Demoralize
Code:
CM 124
Qualifies For:
The Great Tragedies, Charm, Crippling Doubt (Partially)
Level:
1
Study DC:
9
Demoralize
Ability
Time:
Action (upgrades to have triggers)
Trigger:
When you defeat an enemy, cheat death, or an enemy becomes or starts their turn adjacent to you
Target:
Ranged: sight
Defense:
Social save negates, social save at end of turn or spending an action ends
Duration:
Until the target saves or spends an action to end
To set the DC for this ability,
roll a test of intimidation with a penalty equal to your current level of diminish.
Roll = d20 + priority + skill - diminish.
You can use any priority and skill befitting a test of intimidation to perform this ability, which can include making threats (ex: social + Intrigue), making yourself appear threatening (ex: social + Presence), a show of force (ex: health + Strength), or the intimidation specific bonuses from this course (ex: social + intimidation).
The save DC to negate or end this effect becomes whatever you rolled, up to a maximum of 16
(ex: if you roll a 30 to intimidate an enemy, the save DC is 16).
The limit on the save DC only applies to converting the test of skill into a DC. Apply any DC modifiers afterwards, as normal.
If you roll a critical on your test of intimidation,
the target will also be terrified if it fails its save.
Then, the target gets a social save against this DC.
Fail:
The target becomes afraid of you,
and you diminish 2.
(If the target fails, note the save DC. They may need to roll against it again.)
Pass:
The target is unaffected.
Critical Fail:
The target is also terrified.
At the end of each of its turns, an affected target gets a social save against this effect’s save DC. If it passes, this effect ends.
The affected target may also end this effect by spending an action to steel themselves.
(However, if they are terrified, they must spend their action to dash.)
Afraid:
You have disadvantage on rolls to hit,
you have disadvantage on tests of skill,
and you cannot move closer to things you are afraid of.
An enemy that is afraid of you is not required to flee in terror from you (as it would if it was terrified of you), but it may.
roll a test of intimidation with a penalty equal to your current level of diminish.
Roll = d20 + priority + skill - diminish.
You can use any priority and skill befitting a test of intimidation to perform this ability, which can include making threats (ex: social + Intrigue), making yourself appear threatening (ex: social + Presence), a show of force (ex: health + Strength), or the intimidation specific bonuses from this course (ex: social + intimidation).
The save DC to negate or end this effect becomes whatever you rolled, up to a maximum of 16
(ex: if you roll a 30 to intimidate an enemy, the save DC is 16).
The limit on the save DC only applies to converting the test of skill into a DC. Apply any DC modifiers afterwards, as normal.
If you roll a critical on your test of intimidation,
the target will also be terrified if it fails its save.
Then, the target gets a social save against this DC.
Fail:
The target becomes afraid of you,
and you diminish 2.
(If the target fails, note the save DC. They may need to roll against it again.)
Pass:
The target is unaffected.
Critical Fail:
The target is also terrified.
At the end of each of its turns, an affected target gets a social save against this effect’s save DC. If it passes, this effect ends.
The affected target may also end this effect by spending an action to steel themselves.
(However, if they are terrified, they must spend their action to dash.)
Afraid:
You have disadvantage on rolls to hit,
you have disadvantage on tests of skill,
and you cannot move closer to things you are afraid of.
An enemy that is afraid of you is not required to flee in terror from you (as it would if it was terrified of you), but it may.
Fearsome
Passive
You are good at intimidation and inspiring fear.
You have advantage on tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +2 training bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +1 adept bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +1 expertise bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
(You may only use one training bonus on each test of skill).
(You may only use one adept bonus on each test of skill).
(You may only use one expertise bonus on each test of skill).
You have advantage on tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +2 training bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +1 adept bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
You have a +1 expertise bonus to tests of skill to intimidate or inspire fear.
(You may only use one training bonus on each test of skill).
(You may only use one adept bonus on each test of skill).
(You may only use one expertise bonus on each test of skill).
“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.” - Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
| Name | Effort | Requires | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlock | 5 | You can use Demoralize Max DC 16 |
|
| Advantage | 10 | Unlock | Advantage on tests of skill to intimidate |
| Trained 1 | 5 | Unlock | +1 training bonus to tests of skill to intimidate |
| Trained 2 | 5 | Trained 1 | +2 training bonus to tests of skill to intimidate (This replaces the +1 training bonus) |
| Adept | 5 | Trained 2 | +1 adept bonus to tests of skill to intimidate |
| Expert | 5 | Adept | +1 expertise bonus to tests of skill to intimidate |
| Dread Display | 0 | Unlock | When you defeat an enemy, you may use Demoralize, even if it is not your turn. Limit once per turn. |
| You Should Be Dead | 0 | Unlock | When you survive something that would have normally defeated you, you may use Demoralize, even if it is not your turn. (ex: If you reduce lethal damage so it becomes non-lethal, or use an ability which causes you to remain at 1 HP instead of being reduced to 0.) |
Extra Credit
Rout
Effort: 5
Requires: Unlock
If you roll at least a 30 on your test of skill to Demoralize, if the target fails its save it is also terrified.
Rising Panic
Effort: 5
Requires: Mastery
Shatter Spirit
Effort: 15
Requires: Mastery
While creatures are Demoralized by you, they are broken, and cannot receive Inspiration, and do not benefit from bardic magic buffs.
When you Demoralize a creature, you dispel all Theology buffs on them.
When you Demoralize a creature, you dispel all Theology buffs on them.
Fear Unending
Effort: 5
Requires: Unlock
Instead of rolling to set the DC for Demoralize, you may use Demoralize with a save DC of only 9.
(You still diminish if the target fails.)
(You must take 9 before you roll. If you decide to roll and roll below a 9, this ability does not help.)
(You still diminish if the target fails.)
(You must take 9 before you roll. If you decide to roll and roll below a 9, this ability does not help.)
Fear Eternal
Effort: 8
Requires: Fear Unending
Regardless of your roll to set the DC, your Demoralize has a minimum save DC of 9.
Fear Aura 5
Effort: 25
Requires: Dread Display
When an enemy becomes adjacent to you,
or starts their turn adjacent to you,
you may use Demoralize on them, and only them, if you are not incapacitated.
Hidden enemies can be affected by this.
This occurs immediately after moving, before the enemy gets a chance to act.
Limit once per enemy per turn.
(This ability triggers passively when a creature stands in your menacing presence.)
or starts their turn adjacent to you,
you may use Demoralize on them, and only them, if you are not incapacitated.
Hidden enemies can be affected by this.
This occurs immediately after moving, before the enemy gets a chance to act.
Limit once per enemy per turn.
(This ability triggers passively when a creature stands in your menacing presence.)
Center of Attention
Effort: 15
Requires: Unlock
You may Demoralize all enemies in range.
When you do, if any target fails its save diminish 3 instead of paying the normal diminish cost for Demoralize.
When you do, if any target fails its save diminish 3 instead of paying the normal diminish cost for Demoralize.