When you intimidate an NPC into backing off or giving in, roll with Passion. On a hit, they choose one. On a 10+, first, you pick one they cannot choose.
- They run to escape or get backup.
- They back down but keep watch.
- They give in with a few stipulations.
- They attack you, but off-balance; the GM marks a condition on them.
Demanding surrender from a daofei society leader at spearpoint after taking out their minions, using your family’s dangerous reputation to pressure a smuggler into giving you a stolen item, threatening a bouncer to let you into an exclusive gambling house—any time you threaten an NPC into retreat or surrender with words or fists, you are intimidating them. You might intimidate an NPC with physical threats and harsh words but you can just as easily intimidate them with displays of power, blackmail, or other more subtle tactics. As long as you’re trying to scare them off or pressuring them to give up/in, you make the move.
If you roll a hit to intimidate, your target (not you) chooses one of the four options based on their goals and the fiction. If you roll a 10+, you limit the NPC’s actions by removing one option before they choose, pushing them further in the direction you want. If you want to force an NPC to surrender without fleeing, remove their option to “run to escape or get backup.” If you don’t care if they flee but you don’t want to come to blows (again), say they can’t “attack you off-balance.”
Note that you can only target NPCs with this move—if you want to push your companions to do (or not do) something, you need to try a different tactic (like
). Although you might argue with each other about the right thing to do at the moment, PCs in Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game find other ways to resolve differences and have more agency than NPCs.Options for Intimidating
When you roll a hit to intimidate an NPC, remember that the GM chooses how your target responds. This depends on their goals, feelings (and marked conditions), and the fiction of the game, but they might just give you what you want even if you don’t roll a 10+.
If “they run to escape or get backup,” they immediately try to flee the scene. If you want to stop the NPC, you need to try something fast or even drop into a combat exchange to keep them here. Once they leave, they either stay gone if they’re trying to escape or alert others and escalate the situation.
If “they back down but keep watch,” they give in to you for now but they’re still on their guard. They won’t make a move against you just yet but if you give them a reason or push them further, the situation gets worse. Hostile NPCs give you leeway but with hands on their weapons, while others keep a stern eye on any potential troublemaking.
If “they give in with a few stipulations,” they do what you want (back off or give in) but they’ve demands of their own. If you go back on these, things are likely to get messy. They might only back off if you promise to back off as well or want something from you in exchange.
If “they attack you, but off-balance,” they lash out (and likely trigger a combat exchange) but they’re struck by your words in some way—the GM also marks an appropriate condition on them. This reflects you getting under their skin, which gives you a slight advantage as the interaction comes to blows.
Quartz the Guardian wants to get into the Spirit Shrine, but it’s guarded by Fire Nation soldiers. Quinn, Quartz’s player, describes Quartz stomping up to the guards. “I’m getting close and telling them I’m an undercover Fire Nation operative—I’m doing my best to look all impressive and cow them into letting me through. Is that an intimidate?”
“No, I don’t think so,” says the GM. “It’s more of a
—it depends upon them believing you’re an undercover Fire Nation operative, right?”“Ah, I get it,” says Quinn. “Okay, well, I still want to say that, but it’s pure pretense—I don’t care if they buy it or not. I just stand there, glaring at them, flexing my muscles, picking at scars.”
The GM considers—in another situation, it might not be quite enough to be intimidating just to stare and flex, but here, these are only regular guards. “Perfect, that’s an intimidate. Roll!”
Quinn rolls and gets a 12! “I kind of want to say that they can’t run and get backup…but I think I’m more worried about them attacking me and slowing me down, so I pick that. They can’t attack me.”
“Great!” says the GM. “They look at each other, and it’s clear they both don’t want a fight. ‘Ah, yes, uh, sir,’ says one. ‘Feel free to make your way inside.’ As soon as you do, you look behind and you see they’ve run off, presumably to go get help. What do you do?”
Teru Jinno the Successor has just been apprehended by Republic City’s police force. He’s wrapped up in metal wire as they’re carting him off. “One officer sneers at you,” says the GM. “‘Anything to say for yourself?’ she asks.”
“I look back up at her and sneer right back,” says Tyrelle, Teru’s player. “‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘Wait until my mother hears about this. Aiko Jinno isn’t known to be kind to those who interfere with her plans…or her family.’”
“Is that an intimidate? Invoking the name of your great and terrible mother?” asks the GM.
“Oh for sure,” says Tyrelle, and he rolls. He gets a 7.
The GM considers what the guards will do—the GM could pick any option off the list, but in this case they think it’d be better if the guards just give in. “Well, immediately as soon as they hear your mother’s name, the officers all share a glance, and then they begin to rapidly unwind you from the metal wire. ‘Apologies, sir,’ says one through gritted teeth. ‘We had no idea who you were. Please give the Lady Jinno our best wishes.’ They clearly are angry with you, Teru, but there’s no way they want to cross Aiko Jinno.”