Aid another, multiple actions, and how bonuses stack

[Enkindu594]

I am currently running a Rise of the Runelords Anniversary edition game and my party is nearing the completion of the first book. I have quite an interesting party within this game, and one player in particular is planning his character in advance. In his planning stage we have come to a discrepancy on the interpretation of the rules. I would much rather head this off at the pass and attempt to resolve the difference in interpretation before this character hits the table with his feat/class combination.

The argument revolves around the aid another action to add to AC. The specific build in questions is fighter 3/honor guard cavalier 3 (order of the dragon.

The breakdown for the character, the feats/traits/class abilities, and a brief discussion of how this will work is linked here

https://sites.google.com/site/joshzillariseoftherunelords/Home/group-journa l/howhalthurwillshieldyou

The key difference in opinion comes down to allowing a character to "aid another" a character multiple times. The PC is asserting that if he were to use a swift action using "swift aid" to aid a character , a standard action to aid another the same character, and then that character is attacked he would be able to use his body guard feat to aid another the same character a third time. This would allow him to triple dip his bonus from helpful, order of the dragon, benevolent armor, etc.

I am the DM in this game and understand that my decision is final. I would prefer however to play within the rules as written AND the rules as intended whenever possible. It is my current ruling that the aid another action, specifically with it's clause detailing "Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack." specifically means multiple characters. The "similar bonuses stack" line is referring to if for example there were multiple halflings with the helpful trait, etc, rather than the same character can aid another one character multiple times.

So there you have it fellow Paizo board members. I have come here seeking your expertise and collective knowledge. If further information or clarification is needed please ask and I will respond as soon as possible.

Thank you all for your attention, thoughts, and expertise.

[Remy Balster]

He cannot aid the same target for the same bonus multiple times for a larger bonus. While aid another bonus do stack, they stack only because hey say they do, and this is 'how' they say it;

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

So, it says that multiple characters can all aid a single ally, and that would stack.

So, unless he is an ettin, he is limited to only the one bonus.

He could aid their attack AND aid their AC. But he couldn't aid their AC more than once per attack. He could only aid it once per attack. So...

He could aid them on his turn, and then when they get attacked they get his bonus (once) and then if they get attacked again he could use bodyguard to give them the bonus again, (against the second attack).

But never twice against the same attack.