Aiding someone to hit, their AC, etc...

[Scrogz]

I was playing a PFS game at Gencon and one of the players stated "I will aid the fighter to hit", made a D20 roll and added +4 to the fighter's chance to hit.

I tried to ask him about the mechanic but he was not the most social person and no one else was sure how that worked. The GM left before I could ask him abotu the mechanic.

In our home game we only use the base book. Is this mechanic something out of a different book? How does it work?

[Edgar Lamoureux]

Aiding another

Basically, you make the same type of check whoever you are aiding is making, albeit at DC/AC 10, depending on whether you are aiding with skills/ability checks or attack rolls/AC.

[Are]

"Aid another" is in the Core Rulebook, in the "Combat" section.

PRD, aid another wrote:

Aid Another

In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent's next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.

You can also use this standard action to help a friend in other ways, such as when he is affected by a spell, or to assist another character's skill check.

Since the player added +4 instead of +2, he may have had some ability that granted a bonus to aid another checks.

[Seraphimpunk]

typically its a +2 bonus, its aid another in the combat section. there are certain class features in archetypes or feats that increase the amount of the bonus, but i don't remember them by name.

[wraithstrike]

I think there is a feat or class ability that allows you to add +4 instead of +2 to aid another attacks. IIRC I saw it in Ultimate Combat.

edit: This is all I could find so my Ultimate Combat reference may have been wrong.

Quote:

Improved Aid (Ex): Pathfinder chroniclers frequently serve as the companions of great heroes, standing by their sides and recording their deeds, but often lending a crucial helping hand. Starting at 3rd level, a Pathfinder chronicler using the aid another action grants a +4 bonus, rather than the normal +2.

It is from the Pathfinder Chronicler PrC which is in the core rulebook.

[Skylancer4]

There are feats and such that increase "aid another" as well as the possibility of flanking the opponent at the same time, which would give +4.

[Edgar Lamoureux]

He could have been a Halfling Opportunist of at least 3rd level as well.

That, or he just took the Helpful Race Trait.

[Derwalt]

The Helpful trait really is QUITE good, for the right build :)

[Hakken]

actually if the OP is just using the base book (I assume core book) then they would not even have traits.

[Edgar Lamoureux]

It is indeed. It can be quite useful with particular party compositions. :)

[Edgar Lamoureux]

He only uses the core book in his home game, but he was playing PFS at Gencon, Hakken, where the core book isn't the only one.

[Scrogz]

I'll add this to the list of things we have simply missed in the Core Book. When he started doing that and claiming to add +4 to hit I was trying to figure out what the heck he was doing.

Something that may be fairly useful in some special situation.

Thanks

[Gauss]

Aid Another is VERY useful.

If you are unable to reasonably hit&damage the bad guy but your ally can, use aid another. Make an attack against an AC of 10, if you succeed your ally's next attack gains a +2attack bonus.

If your buddy needs a higher AC, Aid Another helps there too. Make an attack against an AC of 10, if you succeed your ally's AC gains a +2bonus against a specific enemy's first attack.

Note: in both cases you must be able to attack the enemy you are aiding your ally against.

Aid Another can also be used for skill checks. Quite helpful there too.

- Gauss

[Scrogz]

If I were a Wizard with a reach weapon standing behind the Fighter, could I still aid him?

[Edgar Lamoureux]

Yes, yes you could. Although if you're that close to the front line, you may be in trouble.

[Gauss]

Edgar Lamoureux:

A wizard that close isnt necessarily going to be in trouble and here is why:
Behind the fighter he has cover (+4AC).
A Wizard at early levels can out AC a fighter and early levels do not have the problem with ACs that later levels do (ie: attack bonuses outpaces AC bonuses).
A Wizard at later levels wouldnt need to help out like this because he has a lot of spells that he would rather be doing something with. Also, at that point the fighter would rarely ever need help to hit a creature.

- Gauss

[Edgar Lamoureux]

I suppose you've got a few points. Behind the fighter, he does indeed have cover. Early levels, I suppose they can out AC a fighter. If an opponent wanted to, though, he could, in most situations, 5 foot step and try hitting the wizard, and the wizard has far fewer HP than a fighter.

[Mordo the Spaz - Forum Troll]

Wizard familiars get to use "aid another" on many skill checks.

I once knew a Troll Alchemist who enjoyed ripping off his third arm and beating his enemies with it like a club. (Long, serrated dagger in his other hand.) That arm would grab and grapple while he swung it, or help him disarm or trip his opponent. Basically an "aid another" attempt from his weapon. Very nice! He regrew that third arm in a few minutes, of course.

[Mergy]

Keeping in mind that the monster you're attacking also has cover. -4 to your aid attempt might cause it to fail.