Baldur’s Gate 3 players debate Intimidation versus Deception checks and their uses
Larian StudiosThe Baldur’s Gate 3 community has debated the merits of using Intimidation versus Deception after hearing one player’s experience.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is an absolutely massive RPG that lets players navigate the world in a variety of ways.
Most conversations with NPCs out in the world can have drastically different outcomes depending on how you approach them. Characters can use prior knowledge to sway NPCs, pass Intimidation, Persuasion, and Deception checks to get their way, or simply attack straight away.
However, some players have started to debate the uses of Initimidation versus Deception, after one player detailed their RP-breaking experience after they failed an Intimidation check against a prison guard.
Baldur’s Gate 3 fans debate Intimidation versus Deception
A post on the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit gained traction after one fan shared an unsatisfying conclusion to an interaction after failing an Intimidation check.
According to the OP, they were locked in prison and attempted to intimidate the prison guard into letting them out. However, upon failing the Intimidation check, they were “teleported back” into their cell with no consequences.
“In what galaxy does someone who just threatened to rip a person’s throat out for not letting them pass, and MEANT IT, respond to ‘Sure, buddy – now back in your cell.’ …Because they did mean it – otherwise it would have been a Deception check,” they explained.
They also argued that failing an Intimidation check should be more akin to failing to make a threat scare them, and should result in combat more often than not.
However, players were split on whether that specific outcome should become the norm. “I disagree that an empty threat should be Deception, tho. Obviously Intimidation and Deception overlap a little bit, but threatening someone into compliance relies in how scary you are/look while deception relies on sweet talking/fooling them,” one fan explained.
Others argued that the specific outcome shouldn’t really be that immersion breaking. “I mean, if you fail to intimidate someone and he thinks ‘Aw you’re cute trying to act tough,’ just him dumping you back in a cell thinking you’re an idiot is kind of a possibility.”
Considering Baldur’s Gate 3 allows for so much freedom of choice on the player’s part, it’s no wonder that some can feel let down when specific outcomes don’t go as expected.
Still, that’s all part of the game when the dice don’t exactly fall your way.
