Baldur's Gate 3: How To Increase Intimidation

Intimidation in Baldur's Gate 3 is a handy skill that players can use in order to avoid or steer towards certain outcomes throughout a campaign. As a Charisma skill, Intimidation allows you to influence various characters, from humble merchants to organized bandits. What differs it from Persuasion or Deception is that it's favored more by characters (and companions) who prefer a more heavy-handed approach.

A high Intimidation skill could be the difference between convincing a gang of goblins not to look your way, or strong-arming a regular civilian into coughing up a reward for helping them out. It's all about the character you play, and how you want your adventure to unfold. So, can you increase your Intimidation skill throughout your game?

Can You Increase Your Intimidation Skill In Baldur's Gate 3?

While there aren't a huge amount of ways to increase your Intimidation skill, there are a few methods to boost it slightly. Certain classes will already be proficient in Intimidation thanks to their Charisma proficiency, such as Warlocks or Bards, but you might want to boost them up a little more, or improve the skill on another character.

Intimidation Increasing Feats

The best way to increase the Intimidation skill, permanently, is through Feats, which are granted to characters every four levels. For single-class characters, that's a Feat at Level 4, 8, and 12. The best Feats to select if you're looking to raise Intimidation, specifically, are:

• Actor: Your Charisma increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. Your Proficiency Bonus is also doubled for Deception and Performance Checks. Grants Deception Proficiency and Performance Proficiency.
• Performer: You gain Musical Instrument Proficiency, and your Charisma increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Magic Initiate - Bard: You learn 2 Cantrips and a Level 1 spell from the bard spell list. You can cast the Level 1 spell once per Long Rest. Your Spellcasting Ability for all 3 spells is Charisma. 
• Magic Initiate - Sorcerer: You learn 2 Cantrips and a Level 1 spell from the sorcerer spell list. You can cast the Level 1 spell once per Long Rest. Your Spellcasting Ability for all 3 spells is Charisma. 
• Magic Initiate - Warlock: You learn 2 Cantrips and a Level 1 spell from the warlock spell list. You can cast the Level 1 spell once per Long Rest. Your Spellcasting Ability for all 3 spells is Charisma. 
• Resilient - Charisma: You increase an Ability by 1, to a maximum of 20, and gain Proficiency in that Ability's Saving Throws.
• Skilled: You gain Proficiency in 3 Skills of your choice.

Intimidation Increasing Items

Throughout Faerun, there are a huge number of special and magical items that provide various perks. Some are even able to increase your skills and profiencies. These items will increasure your Intimidation skill:

• Seemingly Gleaming Ring: Grants Charisma Saving Throws +1, Wisdom Saving Throws -1
• Fey Semblance Amulet: Includes Semblance of Fey, which grants Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma Saving Throws.
• Cloth of Authority: Grants Dauntless where you can't be Frightened, and cannot be afflicted with other emotion-altering conditions. Also grants Authority, which gives you Advantage on Intimidation Checks and Insight Checks.
• Cerebral Citadel Armor: Frightened Immunity. Also grants Illithid Protection - if the wearer is infested by a mind flayer tadpole, they gain a +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Saving Throws. 
• Scroll of Charm Person: Magically charm a humanoid that you can see. A Charmed creature can't harm the charmer, and the charmer has advantage on Charisma checks against the creature.

Intimidation Increasing Spells

There are also certain spells that help with temporarily increasing skills and abilities. Ones that should help with Intimidation (and Charisma in general) include:

• Thaumaturgy: Cantrip — Manifest a sign of supernatural power that grants you advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks.
• Friends: Cantrip — Gain Advantage on Charisma Checks against a non-hostile creature. Once the spell ends, the creature knows it was Charmed and might accuse the spellcaster.
• Charm Person: Level 1 Enchantment Spell — Charm a humanoid to prevent it from attacking you. You gain Advantage on Charisma Checks in dialogue. Enemies have Advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed.
• Enhance Ability: Level 2 Transmutation Spell — Bestow a magical enhancement upon an ally. They gain Advantage on Ability Checks with a chosen Ability.

Permanent Bonuses

Finally, there are some certain permanent bonuses up for grabs that'll help increase Intimidation:

• Auntie Ethel's Hair: Gain +1 to an Ability Score of choice.
• Mirror of Loss: Gain +2 to an Ability Score of choice.

And that's all you need to know about increasing your Intimidation skill. Naturally, the choices you make during your Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough are often difficult to rectify, but there's rarely only ever one clear solution to any problem. So, if you find yourself lacking in the Intimidation department, don't worry. There's plenty of other ways to achieve your goal.