(3.0) aid another does it stack?

[Winternight]

Does aid another stack?
If five attackers attack one other, can one of them get +4 to hit and +4 to AC. (presuming the other 4 hit AC 10).

 

[mikebr99]

Yes it does stack.




Mike

 

[Zad]

No it doesn't.

From the SRD:

Aid another [Standard][AoO: No]
Description: If a character threatens an opponent with whom an ally is engaged in melee combat, the character can attempt to aid the ally as a standard action. The character makes an attack roll against AC 10. If the character succeeds, the character's ally gains either a +2 circumstance bonus to attack that opponent or a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against that opponent (the character's choice).

Emphasis mine.

It's a circumstance bonus. And as we all know, with rare exceptions, multiple bonuses of the same type do not stack. Therefore it doesn't stack. You can have one person aid another for the attack bonus while another aids for the AC - that works fine. But by the way this is written, you can't get multiple attack bonuses. I understand this is changing in 3.5 but the question was in 3.0

 

[Artoomis]

Well, yes and no, I suppose.

Circumstance bonuses are special. They stack if not from the same circumstance.

If one person "aids" you it's +2.

If another "aids" you is it a different circumstance or not? We've always allowed that it was - the circumstance was now that TWO characters were aiding.

I think it's fine to allow it to stack - it's justifiable and costs other character's their actions, so it comes at a cost.

 

[Elvinis75]

Think it stacks

I wouldn't think that it has to be two different people rather just two different attacks. A person making one distraction blow isn't the same as a whirling dervish making 4 different attacks. The opponent is so busy he can't effectively dodge or attack the person if really busy with the dervish guy.

 

[Artoomis]

Re: Think it stacks

I wouldn't think that it has to be two different people rather just two different attacks. A person making one distraction blow isn't the same as a whirling dervish making 4 different attacks. The opponent is so busy he can't effectively dodge or attack the person if really busy with the dervish guy.

No, it must be two people. Otherwise, it's the same circumstance bonus - besides, it uses up an action anyway, so, except in unusual circumstanes, you could only do this once in a round. It's not an "attack," it's a standard action.

 

[Tellerve]

I think you should be able to be aided from multiple people in combat, and the bonuses stacking. It'll help that one person land the blow but takes the attacks from all the other people that are helping which makes it perfectly fine in my mind.

Tellerve

 

[Cheiromancer]

When the question came up, I ruled that while you could get a +2 to attack and/or a +2 to AC, you could not get a +4 to either one.

 

[Plane Sailing]

3.5 PHB p154, Aid Another

"...Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack"

Thus the answer to the initial question is Yes. The four friends can all help "Aid" and the two +2 bonuses to attack stack, as do the bonuses to AC.

Cheers

 

[Darklone]

I think that was clarified somewhere for 3.0... The explanation went along the line that circumstance bonuses stack...