Pathfinder question

[captain_slinky]

For all my RPG-playing (specifically "Pathfinder") friends, a question.

SO here's my idea for my highly Charismatic Paladin ("cute but stupid").

Using the skills of "Intimidate" and "Diplomacy" in battle in order to force my opponents in to helping me in battle. Story-wise, the way it would go down is this: I point at an opponent and I yell "YOU! SURRENDER OR DIE!" If they don't surrender, I kill 'em. If they DO say the surrender, then I tell them "WELL MET! Now PROVE YOUR SINCERITY! Help me kill these brigands!" If the opponent turns and starts helping me kill his friends, GREAT! If he doesn't I then call him a liar and a heretic and I kill 'em. Either way, I then turn to a new opponent and say "How about YOU? Do YOU surrender?" and repeat the process over and over again till everybody is either a minion or dead.

Numbers-wise, I think it would go down like this: Using my Intimidate to Demoralize an opponent is a standard action and makes them "Shaken" (character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks), which leaves him just a bit more open to my very diplomatic request that he join my righteous side in battle (I just have to get my opponent from "Hostile" to "Indifferent" before I make a request of them such as this).

If this seems doable, then I'm going to start putting skill ranks in to "Persuasive". Because that will give me ANOTHER +2 to my Diplomacy roll :)

Whadaya think?

Comments

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of brow-beating the mindless fools into doing your work for you. I don't know the rules of Pathfinder, but is Diplomacy used for negotiation or for mind control? Just saying "Your scared of me so turn on the boss who's paying you" seems more the latter.

However, there is a scene in Firefly when Mal first meets Jayne. Jayne is a mook working for the guys pointing guns at Mal and Zoe. Mal uses his Diplomacy skill to convince Jayne that getting 7% and sleeping in the same bunk as a hairy smelly thug is a bad idea. He offers Jayne a better deal and Jayne switches sides. That seems a more plausible way to use diplomacy in combat.

Of course your rules could allow anything, I don't know.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Diplomacy is *meant* to be used in negotiations, sure... but I'm looking for creative alternatives. Also, as a Paladin I am Lawful-Good; I can't attack unless I have a darned good reason to. My characters M.O. so far has been to plead with his enemies to PLEASE surrender quietly or else I'll have to kill them. I'm extremely charismatic, dressed entirely in the shiniest shiny armor ever, and I wield a weapon that fells most creatures in a single blow.

So here's the scenario: You're a lowly Goblin turd-farmer who's been told to trade in your slop bucket for a poorly made sword and a wooden shield covered in the intestines of somebody who was probably your next door neighbor yesterday. "Go kill the intruders!" your ugly, fat leader commands. So there you go, trudging through the dungeon with the rest of your little Goblin turd farmer buddies and you hear the sounds of battle ahead. You rush forward towards the battle and you see...

A group of adventurers, lead by what appears to be a bright and shining GOD ON EARTH surrounded by bits and pieces of folks you had just been sharing food with as early as this morning. You hear this shining God as he speaks to another friend of yours, "This is foolishness! No one has to die! Do you surrender?" and your friend, he says "DEATH TO THE INTRUDERS!!!" The shining God then says "Then I am indeed sorry..." before slicing your buddy's shield and torso in half. The shining God takes a moment to look on the fallen Goblin with a glance of pity before turning to you and saying "And you? Will YOU surrender, my friend? I do not wish to spill a single drop more than is necessary this day..."

What do you do?

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

I would surrender. And as the lawful-good paladin of glowiness you would be obligated to accept my surrender.

Now suppose (going back to the first post) you accept my surrender and tell me to prove my sincerity by attacking my comrades. I have another choice to make now. I agree and fight on or I refuse.

If I attack on, what do you do after the battle is over. I not only surrendered but helped you out. Do you let me live? If you don't than you aren't really following your alignment, are you? If you do let me live, your buddies of less sparkly alignments might try to kill me. Would you then be obligated to protect me from them since you accepted my surrender?

If I surrender, give you my weapon, but refuse to attack my wife and snotlings who will be in the next wave of attack, will you kill me? I am surrendering in a clearly honorable fashion. If you do kill me, does that tarnish your halo? If you do not kill me, do you have to protect me from the chaotic neutral thief in your group who thinks I might have a copper in my pocket (and who paints my whole species with an "evil" brush)?

And why are you, oh paragon of virtue, wandering around with a thief in your party anyway? Aren't you honor bound to see him meet justice? I've never understood that.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

There are all sorts of different Paladins out there, each bound by their own Code of Honor. It's a religious thing; Rabbis don't eat Bacon, Monks take vows of silence, Priests remain celibate, etc.

My Paladin gets his powers from The Goddess of Dawn. I am bound by protecting and spreading the Glass Half Full optimistic aspects of The Universe. I am Lawful Good not as a limitation, but as a lifestyle; I truly believe that Laws are what make the world a good a just place. I uphold thoe laws and obey them so that I may make the world an even better place than it already is, and attempt to redeem those who do not.

So now, back to the Turd Farmer. If he surrenders but will not fight, that's okay; he's out of the battle, He's no longer attacking me, and I will do what I can to protect him, causing much confusion in his fellow Goblin warriors. At the end of the battle, all those who surrendered to me will be allowed to leave after an encouraging speech from me about maybe starting over and turning over a new leaf and literally trying to make them at ease and even consider me as a friend.

I'm extremely charismatic, I think they just might fall for it :)

As far as dealing with those members of my party who have less-than-sparkly alignment? I have an EXTREMELY low intelligence and wisdom, it's very easy for them to trick me in to looking the other way while they do less-than-lawfull things. They are also very charismatic and have many skill-ranks in the skill of Bluffing :)

Anyone can pick up some dice and keep hacking till their opponent is dead... it takes a Role Player to defeat their villains without killing them :)