You guys haven't lived until...

[Sevitan]

...you see the Wild Hunt Monarch, and all his buddies, turn around and run away in fear from a Dazzling Display Thug.

Now that Thug and Demoralization interaction works properly, especially if anyone has issues with the Wild Hunt, I highly recommend it.

I set it up on my Val, who was 13 TSS and 4 Thug at the Houst at the Edge of Time. Intimidating Prowess, skill focus Persusaion and a Belt of Perfection +8 allowed me to reach a check in the mid 40's + d20 roll. This was enough to pretty much keep all Wild Hunt in permanent Frightened Status.

There is something really satisfying about slaughtering Wild Hunt Elves one by one as they cower in fear, just saying.

[Yaldabaoth]

I don't know. I feel pretty good since slaughtering the Wild Hunt as Ciri.
Oh wait, that was Witcher 3.

[kaymarciy]

Do they run away into other rooms? I have prejudice against Frighten status since after Wizardry 8...

[Sevitan]

They do, but that just means you can just frighten more people at once!

https://i.imgur.com/sWL6I5S.jpg

[Fendelphi]

Originally posted by Sevii:

They do, but that just means you can just frighten more people at once!

https://i.imgur.com/sWL6I5S.jpg

I know Valerie is going to hate me for saying this, but... That is beautiful!

[rakshasa72]

Does it work with Dreadful Carnage?

[Shadenuat]

Yes and with Carnage you don't even need to hold weapon you have Focus in.

[Sevitan]

Indeed, and it works with Cornugon Smash too since it triggers a free intimidate check.

[BrownChief]

That is amazing.

Slightly taking advantage of your topic, maybe you can help? I just picked up my multi-class thug again and levelled to 4 thug (+ 1 scaled fist), ... only I am trying to be a monk tank too so I need delay something. So what should I prioritise:
1. Power Attack (available now) + Cornugon Smash
2. Dazzling Display (available now) + Shattered Defences
3. Paladin (alternative is fighter for more feats). Currently my will save is AWFUL and I spent most of the last fight staring (wis 10 might have been a mistake, at least I didn't dump it!).
4. Crane Wings + Crane Riposte

Also is it overkill to do this on my main and Val? Val is pure tower shield right now but is ahead at getting the feats - I like to play the companions without changing their overall theme, but I am not averse to putting in the odd level (eg Amiri has vivi 1 for sneak & mutagen)

[Sevitan]

The reason why Dazzling builds work well with Val is the huge amount of feats she gets, and you seem to want to do a bit of everything!

Well if this your main tank, and you should probably focus on survivability first. The early parts of the game are probably the toughest. 2 Paladin levels will improve your saves and let you pick up any feat. You already have thug levels, so Dazzling Display will already let you use it as aoe fear as a fight opener. Then I'd probably get Shatter Defenses and the rest of the Crane Styles.

I'm slightly confused though, if this is a tank, is it str based? A tank would probably be dex based, I assume that's the reason why you picked up 4 thug early to get dex to damage (and the debuffs). Or are you treating Power Attack as a feat tax for Cornugon Smash? It only works, or is supposed to work, when Power Attack is active. In any case, Cornugon Smash I think can be left for later since you can just dazzle to cause shaken/frightened. Smash is just a good way ensure your debuffs stick in order to get the most out of Shatter Defenses, it's less of a tank and more of an offensive feat.

[PyroTokx *******]

xd

[Blackdragon]

Originally posted by BrownChief:

That is amazing.

Slightly taking advantage of your topic, maybe you can help? I just picked up my multi-class thug again and levelled to 4 thug (+ 1 scaled fist), ... only I am trying to be a monk tank too so I need delay something. So what should I prioritise:
1. Power Attack (available now) + Cornugon Smash
2. Dazzling Display (available now) + Shattered Defences
3. Paladin (alternative is fighter for more feats). Currently my will save is AWFUL and I spent most of the last fight staring (wis 10 might have been a mistake, at least I didn't dump it!).
4. Crane Wings + Crane Riposte

I assume you picked Muse-touched Aasimar as race, for +2 CHA/DEX and +2 Persuasion. By level 5 you have 3 feats + 2 from rogue's combat trick +1 from monk, so 6 total. My suggestion would be:

Weapon Focus
Dazzling Display (and Shattered Defenses later)
Accomplished Sneak Attacker
Precise Strike
Combat Reflexes (Monk)
+ maybe Exotic Weapon Prof (Elven Curved Blade) setting up for a Crit build later.

Your trouble with this build is low BAB (only +3 at level 5), no defensive spellcasting, no armor whatsoever, limited weapon choices. Also, in general a Dex build is a bit suboptimal for Intimidate, due to lack of STR bonus via Intimidating prowess.

Personally, if I were you and wanted a melee-oriented tanky intimidator who does not wear armor, I'd rather go Scaled Fist 1/Sorcerer 15/Dragon Disciple 4. You'd get Arcane spellcasting up to 9th level spells, great defensive spells, and great melee capability via Haste/Transformation/Dragonkind etc. Plus as a dragon you'll get a fear aura that's like a mass Intimidate.

If you want sneak attacks and a more traditional Intimidate build, instead go Scaled Fist 1/Thug 1/Sorcerer (Red/Gold or Blue/Brass Dragon) 4/Arcane Trickster 10/Sorcerer 4. This is the ultimative DPS build (via multiple sneak attacks on Scorching Ray/Hellfire Ray, and mass Sneak Attacks on AOE spells), and also a great tank due to Mirror Image/Blur/Greater Invisibility/Stoneskin etc.

[BrownChief]

These are great responses.

I am running with Val as the main tank. The idea is that we're still killing things if Amiri falls over like she usually does & we don't die the moment Val keels over. But I don't mind being a bit less tank than Val and well below optimum damage. So maybe 'offensive tank' is the right terminology? Yes I am dex based mused touch aasimar.

And yes this I am realising I am trying to do too much on one toon. (I always wished in games like this your main would have an extra level & a couple of bonus feats vs. your companions, or something). Power attack is indeed an annoying double tax on feats and str - which has to be 13 instead of 7 or 10. And yes I am jealous of all Valerie's feats.

Fine with no armour. Weapon choices are an acceptable compromise as I have sneak. Worried a bit about vav. I did originally put this toon down because I realised I wanted defensive spell-casting. I have a level 2 kensai but didn't think of DD. My battery is dying will post before I lose this.

[BrownChief]

Baby not vav

[BrownChief]

Aagh bab not baby or vav