Skill checks and Aid Another

[Dross]

Assuming that any conditions are met (has ranks in trained only skills, etc) which skills do you NOT allow the aid another action. By the SRD anyone can be aided with a skill check (see below).
Also are there skills where aiding depends on the situation, like spot for example?

Aid Another
You can help another character achieve success on his or her skill check by making the same kind of skill check in a cooperative effort. If you roll a 10 or higher on your check, the character you are helping gets a +2 bonus to his or her check, as per the rule for favorable conditions. (You can’t take 10 on a skill check to aid another.) In many cases, a character’s help won’t be beneficial, or only a limited number of characters can help at once.
In cases where the skill restricts who can achieve certain results you can’t aid another to grant a bonus to a task that your character couldn’t achieve alone.

Dross

 

[Peter Gibbons]

Assuming that any conditions are met (has ranks in trained only skills, etc) which skills do you NOT allow the aid another action. By the SRD anyone can be aided with a skill check (see below).

Depending on the circumstances, almost any skill can benefit from Aid Another. The ones that are IMO especially hard to justify, though, are: Concentration, Hide, Knowledge checks not made as part of research in a library or some similar act, Move Silently, and Ride.

Also are there skills where aiding depends on the situation, like spot for example?

Uh...just about all of them. The only ones that are so obvious I would never think to wonder how you might Aid Another are: Craft, Escape Artist (from a grapple, anyway), Perform, and Profession.

 

[darthkilmor]

Depending on the circumstances, almost any skill can benefit from Aid Another. The ones that are IMO especially hard to justify, though, are: Concentration, Hide, Knowledge checks not made as part of research in a library or some similar act, Move Silently, and Ride.

I would say Hide could benefit from Aid Another. Someone can help you hide, like putting a branch over your head, or saying "hey your foot is sticking out", etc.

Also, Why couldnt you aid another with crafting?

 

[KarinsDad]

Uh...just about all of them. The only ones that are so obvious I would never think to wonder how you might Aid Another are: Craft, Escape Artist (from a grapple, anyway), Perform, and Profession.

How do you help someone perform on a lute?

Either they play it well, or they do not.

 

[dshai527]

How do you help someone perform on a lute?

Either they play it well, or they do not.

Conducting comes to mind...helping them keep the beat.

 

[Storm Raven]

How do you help someone perform on a lute?

Either they play it well, or they do not.

The skill check isn't just playing the lute. It is the performance you give while playing the lute. Others could aid in your performance: other musicians could provide supporting music, a singer could sing, visuals could be provided, and so on, all with the effect of making your lute performance more pleasing.

In point of fact, in my games, if it comes up, I always assume that troupes of musicians, actors, or other performers are all using the "aid another" action to assist the showcase performer.

 

[JimAde]

The skill check isn't just playing the lute. It is the performance you give while playing the lute. Others could aid in your performance: other musicians could provide supporting music, a singer could sing, visuals could be provided, and so on, all with the effect of making your lute performance more pleasing.

In point of fact, in my games, if it comes up, I always assume that troupes of musicians, actors, or other performers are all using the "aid another" action to assist the showcase performer.

Ringers in the audience who laugh at your jokes or weep openly at a sentimental song are always popular.

 

[KarinsDad]

Conducting comes to mind...helping them keep the beat.

If you carefully watch an orchestra, the conductor does very little. The performers rarely look at him EXCEPT in the case of when they "enter into" the piece (i.e. all drums start a beat at the same time or all trumpets play at the same time).

Outside of those "entrances", the performers rarely even look at the conductor and tend to concentrate on their sheet music instead. He could moon them and many of them would not even notice.

In reality, the conductor's real work comes in during practice (where he can stop the performance and stress the way he wants the music played), not performances.

The skill check isn't just playing the lute. It is the performance you give while playing the lute. Others could aid in your performance: other musicians could provide supporting music, a singer could sing, visuals could be provided, and so on, all with the effect of making your lute performance more pleasing.

In point of fact, in my games, if it comes up, I always assume that troupes of musicians, actors, or other performers are all using the "aid another" action to assist the showcase performer.

I was talking about a solo performance, not a showcase of performers.

How would someone Aid Another for a solo performance on a lute? It's difficult to shout instructions and not interfer with the performance.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

If you carefully watch an orchestra, the conductor does very little.

And you're a professional musician?

How would someone Aid Another for a solo performance on a lute? It's difficult to shout instructions and not interfer with the performance.

Two suggestions:

"Freebird!"

and ...

Clapping along and dancing in the aisles a bit gets the crowd more into it, ya know.

 

[Storm Raven]

I was talking about a solo performance, not a showcase of performers.

Using the "aid another" action makes it not a solo performance, almost by definition. If someone else is "aiding" you, you aren't solo.