Game Mechanics: Intimidation / Instill Doubt

[Sarkhan]

Instill doubt (& intimidation), received by Rogues, monks and bards (though basically useless since capped at 100). By both names, they are identical in how they work.
A lot of people claim it was almost useless on live, though if the skill was high enough and used properly, it was possible to keep things permanently feared almost as reliably as here.

Skill-ups P99: I've never gotten skill up from distance, always had to be up close to mob to receive skill up.. could just be my luck though. Also, the ability seems to skill-up quite fast and easily.

Skill-ups live: Could skill-up on nearly anything regardless of distance. Could skill-up on mobs across the zone, PCs pets, even corpses from what i've read. Although able to skill-up on nearly anything, it goes up unbelievably slow.

“I am a 44 rogue. I use ID frequently. The best way to train it is to take a boat ride.
You can target the boat by clicking on the deck wtih you mouse pointer. Then keep hitting the Instill Doubt (or Intimidation) key repeatedly. You cannot actually fear the boat but you will get skill ups. Below 30 pts and the skill ups will come hard. After that they are fairly regular until you get over 150ish. Then they are rare again. You can also practice on corpses - even PC corpses will do. My ID skill is 191 now.”
source: 2002 post (can’t find any changes to ID from classic to 2002 except ones I’ve listed), http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/skills.html?skill=55
This same post explains much of everthing else I am gonna post about, but I still like to use extra sources.

How it works P99: You press Intimidation, it either works and fears (assuming no resist) or it fails and you get "You are not scaring anyone." It works well on lower con mobs, lower Dark blue mobs you'll get it working often, higher dark blue mobs about 1/3 (i've tested, max skill 200) -> people claim this is unreasonable, but if you followed the correct way to use the skill on live, this is actually quite in line.

How it worked live:
You hit Intimidation/ID and you go through animations and roughly 5seconds after clicked, you would either get your failed “You are not scaring anyone” or on success you perform a kick. If kick misses, nothing, if it lands then it does the fear (assuming fear is not resisted). BUT for it to perform that “kick” your special attack button (kick, flying kick, tiger claw, backstab, etc.) needs to be up at time of “kick” check.

"A summary of the requirements for a successful ID:
1. Your 'special attack' button is not greyed out when ID 'kicks'.
2. The skillcheck for ID succeeds.
3. A further skillcheck on ID is done to attack the target. This is done as a 'kick' using the skill of ID rather than your kick skill. This kick must connect.
4. If the target can only be hurt by magical means, you must be wearing magical boots.
5. The target must not resist the fear spell."
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/200203221...uk/Instill.htm (archive snapshot from 2002, but google "EQ instill doubt" and set year from 1999-2001" and you'll see it was uploaded 23 Feb, 2000)
This checking for ‘special attack’ button is what cause a lot of confusion on live and why so many people thought the skill to be useless.

Patches:
1. June 27, 2001 “Instill Doubt/Intimidation can no longer be used while sitting, and sitting after starting it will cancel it.”
source: http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20010627.html
2. July 10, 2003 (not on our server) “Instill Doubt - Instill Doubt will now work if the Monk is using his other skills. Previously, use of other skills such as a kick would cause Instill Doubt to fail.”
source: http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20030710.html

PVP:
I’m not sure how it is working in duels/PvP currently, but all sources I’ve seen says it does indeed work on other players and most people actually found it quite funny to Instill Doubt on players
“The next "fun" "Instill Doubt" is that it can be used on other players (animation very funny to see)” Source: http://tonio.lagoule.free.fr/pc_ever...oine_guide.htm “
“Aye. This skill does work while dueling. As a matter of fact it’s the funniest thing you’ll ever see! Hehehe” Source: http://web.archive.org/web/200407070...p?Id=86&Page=4 “
“It’s funny to see the person you’re dueling running away in fear (they have ‘ID’ after their name, the same effect of getting mezzed by a mob). On our screen you see them running away but on their screen they don’t see themselves running.
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/200606140...ategory=Combat

Extra sources:
http://www.thesafehouse.org/forums/s...ead.php?t=2851
http://www.monkly-business.net/forum...hp/t-4682.html (from 2003 though)

[Nirgon]

Fear was removed from pvp with charm in vanilla

[maximum]

https://www.project1999.org/forums/s...ad.php?t=56004

[Sarkhan]

oops i must have missed that thread, thanks Maximum

[Infectious]

We used to have a guild level 60 druid on Tz. After we power leveled alts to 50 to sit in sebilis groups we would train all skills on pets. Here that doesnt work. I know for a fact we would train afk alts on the bb boat put auto attack on and train 1hb, 2hb and so on. Never tried IT. BUT I know all weapon skills worked.