Tribalistic Human Trait

[Kevin Thompson 308]

I have a player who is insisting that they would gain a +2 bonus on all attack rolls. Also get +2 on Aid Another for skill checks. Can I get some clarification on the writing on this.
I currently read this as a +2 on aid another rolls, for attacks and skill checks.

Tribalistic: Many humans naturally form into cliques or tribes, and these humans work exceptionally well with those they view as fellow tribe members. Such humans gain a +2 racial bonus on attack rolls and skill checks to use the aid another action to aid humans of the same ethnicity. Humans with this racial trait must hail from an ethnicity that has its own language other than Common, and they only start with that language; if they have high Intelligence scores, they can select their bonus languages from among Common, Giant, Goblin, and Halfling. This racial trait alters starting and bonus languages. Source PCS:ISR

[Codanous]

I'll flag this for the rules forum however I agree with your reading. I read it as being a +2 on the Attack Roll to aid another, since when aiding another's attack you still have to hit an AC 10. This helps with that roll. Same with Aiding a skill check.

[Ragoz]

It is a:

+2 to attack rolls and skill checks

for the aid another action for humans of the same ethnicity

[waltero]

I see this as +2 on the attack rolls when you aid another in combat and +2 on skill check rolls when you aid another on their check.

It would be a bit of a stretch to expect a +2 to hit (equal to a +4 to your strength or dex) for just altering your starting languages.

[Alayern]

Your interpretation is correct. The bonus only applies to aid another checks when aiding another human of the same ethnicity. The two uses it applies to are 1. The attack roll vs ac 10 to grant the other player a +2 on their attack roll vs the same target. And 2. Skill checks.

[Preston Hudson]

I will concurr with everyone who has posted so far on this thread. The +2 bonus only applies to the use of the aid another action for skill checks and attack rolls provided that the aid is applied to another human of the same ethnicity.

[BigNorseWolf]

only to aid another

[Paz]

It's academic (unless the player has something special that allows this trait, like a boon) as according to Additional Resources, Tribalistic isn't PFS-legal.

[claudekennilol]

Since this was posted in the PFS forum I'm obligated to point out that Tribalistic isn't legal for PFS. (and for good reason, this could create a character that doesn't know Common which I personally have already had problems with (even though there's no legal way to not know Common)).

[Wei Ji the Learner]

claudekennilol wrote:

Since this was posted in the PFS forum I'm obligated to point out that Tribalistic isn't legal for PFS. (and for good reason, this could create a character that doesn't know Common which I personally have already had problems with (even though there's no legal way to not know Common)).

Didn't they modify the rules so that characters could start with a 'native' language that wasn't Common?

Or did I misunderstand that?

[Paz]

Wei Ji the Learner wrote:

Didn't they modify the rules so that characters could start with a 'native' language that wasn't Common?

Or did I misunderstand that?

Every Pathfinder speaks Taldane (common) to ensure that tables of PCs all speak the same language; those that don't get it normally get it as a free bonus language. That rule is on page 8 of the PFS Roleplaying Guild Guide v7.0.

[Michael Hallet]

I'm adding some parentheses and formatting to the text for illustration

The wording here is:

"+2 racial bonus on (attack rolls and skill checks to use the aid another action to aid humans of the same ethnicity.)"

If the wording were instead:

"+2 racial bonus on (attack rolls) and on (skill checks to use the aid another action to aid humans of the same ethnicity.)"

The first wording shows the bonus is on one category of things. The second shows the bonus is on two categories. A very subtle difference.

[SCPRedMage]

Alayern wrote:

1. The attack roll vs ac 10 to grant the other player a +2 on their attack roll vs the same target. And 2. Skill checks.

You missed the part where you can also use the Aid Another action to grant an ally a +2 to AC versus that enemy.