Uses of Aid Another in Combat

[Exocrat]

Aid Another wrote:

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.

Does the bolded section have any relevance in PFS? If so, how would that work?

[Pirate Rob]

PFS has no campaign specific rules regarding Aid Another.

Meaning that it works identically in PFS as the rules say it do.

If you want to know what that statement about spells mean, I suggest the Rules Forum.

[MillerHero]

I believe the spell will call it out specifically if there is an applicable use of aid another to thwart the spell. See sleep

[BigNorseWolf]

Shake the paralyzed person for a +2 to the ongoing save.

"I know you're in there Groznak! Don't let him control you!" for the +2 will save vs dominate.

[Jokon Yew]

Aid Another does have some specificity that you have to be mindful of. In general, the mechanics of Aid Another require that you hit a target number of 10 using the same type of check that you're attempting to affect. For example, if you want to improve an ally's attack roll, you must also make an attack roll. However, if you're aiding a skill check, you must aid the skill check instead. My table rule has then been that if you want to aid an ally's save, you must be able to affect them in a meaningful fashion (typically this means adjacent, but clever uses of spells, feats, and features are encouraged) and then make your own save against a DC of 10. This all breaks down based on different types of checks too - here's a big example.

Example:

Helpsy the 5th level halfling bard is attempting to make herself useful in combat. She has the Helpful racial trait, which gives her a +2 bonus to her aid another checks. She also has Gloves of Arcane Striking, which gives her additional bonuses as described in the item's text.

Helpsy is also in a particularly nasty combat with a hezrou. Her tank is taking the demon head on while the rogue flanks. The wizard has taken a fortified position at range, but the cleric has succumbed to the demon's stench. The hezrou is attempting to cast some spell or spell-like ability.

- She can aid another on the tank, which will improve his AC by 6.
- She can aid another the rogue, which will improve his attack roll by 4, and add 2 damage to the attack if it hits.
- She can aid another the wizard on his Spellcraft check, which will improve the result by 4 - the gloves bonus does not apply here. She can't aid his attack roll for his spell as the wizard is out of melee with the target.
- She could also attempt to aid the cleric overcome the stench of the demon. Helpsie would need to be adjacent (cover the cleric's nose) or have some kind of scent-related item/spell (halfling pipeweed?) that could fit the bill. This would allow the cleric to recheck the save with +4.

There will be some table variation, as you might expect.

[CRobledo]

There is a bit of a precedent established to using the Aid Other on saves as per the Cavalier Order of the Dragon's 2nd level ability. I also agree that it would have to be a save the person can influence as per BNW and Jokon.

[Majuba]

Jokon Yew wrote:

She could also attempt to aid the cleric overcome .... This would allow the cleric to recheck the save with +4.

This would allow the cleric a +4 on the next saving throw, not an extra save (just to be clear).

I fully support the creative use of aid another in unusual situations in PFS.

[Exocrat]

Thanks all, this is exactly what I was looking for.