Aid Other

[hammymchamham]

IF 2 charecters (or enemies) use the Aid Other action, can they both give a +2 to attack and do these bonuses stack? So 2 aid others give a +4 to attack, 3 +6 etc. ?

Also, does Aid Other have a miss chance due to blur or blinking or displacement?

 

[Piratecat]

I've always done it that way, Hammy. It lets those poor kobolds jump on the big bad high level adventures: one brave kobold, and eight cowards pushing him forward!

As for the blinking, I don't think so. I think it works by your friends interposing themselves between you and the enemy, hampering his defense. Since people are giving up an action for a mere +2 bonus, I'd probably let it work without worrying about a miss chance.

 

[Stalker0]

If I remember its a circumstance bonus, and most circumstance bonus stack just like dodge bonuses.

 

[hammymchamham]

Thanks, in the past had ruled they don't stack due to another DM doing that. So when my DM last night did the aid other, its when I learned they didn't. So was just making sure we didn't miss anything last night.

This falls under 'one of those things I was used to ruling one way, only to find out that was wrong.'

Thanks again

 

[Piratecat]

This falls under 'one of those things I was used to ruling one way, only to find out that was wrong.'

Yeah, I'm still finding those, too!

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

IIRC, the rule is "Circumstance bonusses stack as long as they are from different circumstances."

So, if two friends were using Aid Other to help you hit an iron golem (because you're the only character with a weapon powerful enough to hurt it), they would both stack (different friends=different circumstances) but if one of your friends were hasted, I do not believe he could be more helpful by aiding you twice. (Although there's an argument that he's now being helpful it two ways I suppose. . . .)

If I remember its a circumstance bonus, and most circumstance bonus stack just like dodge bonuses.

 

[BMF]

I've been using those 1st level warriors you get with leadership for that very thing. Give them tower shields and reach weapons, put them in tight formation (front rank providing cover for the second rank; roman style)and send them in. I prefer getting the attack bonus, rather than the AC bonus, so I see them sticking their weapons in the enemy's face and interfering with his ability to defend himself.

 

[Stalker0]

IIRC, the rule is "Circumstance bonusses stack as long as they are from different circumstances."

So, if two friends were using Aid Other to help you hit an iron golem (because you're the only character with a weapon powerful enough to hurt it), they would both stack (different friends=different circumstances) but if one of your friends were hasted, I do not believe he could be more helpful by aiding you twice. (Although there's an argument that he's now being helpful it two ways I suppose. . . .)

You brought up a point I wanted to make. The point of Aid Another is to be able to distract the target. Creatures that can't be distracted, like golems, I would rule are immune to aid another.

I use a house rule in my game that an intelligent opponent can choose to ignore targets, which would negate aid another's and flanking bonuses that character would give.

However, that means that the opponent your ignoring is now invisible to you, and gets all the normal bonuses.

 

[Greybar]

You brought up a point I wanted to make. The point of Aid Another is to be able to distract the target. Creatures that can't be distracted, like golems, I would rule are immune to aid another

I'll disagree with you on that. As SCA or boffer fighters will tell you, the Aid Another thing can have a different scenario. I'd not just that you're waving a sharp bit in his face.

Consider my friend and I fighting alongside one another against an enemy. My friend is better than I, and has a longer weapon. I want to help him. When our enemy swings or lunges, I intercept the blow with my own weapon, and try to push him off-balance or pin the weapon aside. This makes an opening for my friend to drive into.

I haven't really distracted him, I've used a bit of speed and a bit of force to make his fighting much less efficient.

I think this would fit some historial scenarios as well. I can't remember who it was who fielded their front-line with alternating swordmen and spearmen. The job of the swordmen was to either hack the heads off of the incoming enemy spears, or bury them into the ground. That opened up for the first and second row spear and pikemen to thrust into the now off-balance and defenseless enemy.

John

 

[Zaruthustran]

That's what I was going to say, John. When I fight with a comrade I'll knock our opponent's weapon aside, creating an opening for my pal. I don't just yell "Boo!" or whatever. It's not distraction; it's temporarily rapping the other guy's weapon.

Here's another question: does Aid Another provoke an AoO? As in, if I have a Hawk animal companion (or trained hawk) who knows the "Assist Attack" trick (from MotW), will that animal draw an AoO from the target since the animal has a reach of 0?

-z