I have a Bard character, is it possible to Aid my allies when they use the Intimidate action?
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I have a Bard character, is it possible to Aid my allies when they use the Intimidate action?
Yes, but the GM may add conditions. And I think you mean the Demoralize action, which requires an Intimidation check.
[[Reaction]] AID
Trigger An ally is about to use an action, activity, free action, or reaction that requires a skill check.
Requirements The ally is willing to accept your aid, and you have prepared to help (see below).
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You try to aid your ally’s check in some way. To use this reaction,you must first prepare to help, usually by using an action during
your turn. You must explain to the GM exactly how you’re trying to help, and she determines whether you can Aid your ally.
When you use your Aid reaction, attempt a skill check of a type decided by the GM. The typical DC for Aid is 15, but at the GM’s discretion this might change to DC 20 for particularly hard tasks or DC 10 for particularly easy tasks. The GM can add any relevant traits to your Aid reaction or to your preparatory action depending on the situation.
Success You grant your ally a +2 circumstance bonus to the triggering skill check.
Critical Success You grant your ally a +4 circumstance bonus to the triggering skill check.
Critical Failure Your ally takes a –2 circumstance penalty to the triggering skill check.
For example, suppose that a bard Flora Flutewhisper decides to aid barbarian Brutus the Brawny when he will attempts to Demoralize an orc opponent before taking two Strikes with his other actions. Flora's player tells the GM that she is going to support whatever Brutus says. Demoralize (page 150) requires that Brutus be within 30 feet of a target creature who can sense or see him, so the GM adds the same restriction to Flora. The GM declares that the relevant skill is Intimidate and the DC is 15.
Flora takes an action on her turn to prepare, but in this case, nothing happens during that action. Then on Brutus's turn, he attempts to Demoralize the orc. He hollers, "I am going to rip your heart out!" and rolls a d20 for his Intimidate check. Before success or failure is declared, Flora reacts with her Aid. "Oh no, Brutus, not another heart. The last one you wore as a necklace for a week." She rolls a d20, adds her Intimidate bonus, and compares it to DC 15. If she succeeds, Brutus's roll gains a +2 circumstance bonus before the result of his Demoralize is declared.
That was awesome.
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The details may vary by GM.
Imagine that the next game session, the GM is out of town, and he asked his brother to substitute.
Flora wants to Aid Brutus's Demoralize again, against Duke Nefarious' castle guard. But the GM's brother looks at the picture on her character sheet and says, "Flora does not look at all intimidating."
Flora's player points out that she is trying to support Brutus in being intimidating, not being intimidating herself. The brother decides that the Aid will be a Deception check with DC 20. He neglects to add any restrictions.
When Flora prepares, she speaks up immediately, "You face Brutus, slayer of 100 men. You will help him reach 200." Then on her Aid reaction during Brutus's Demoralize action, she rolls her d20, adds her Deception bonus, and compares it to DC 20.
The roll to Aid an Intimidate does not even have to be a Charisma-based check. If Brutus is going to Intimidate a fire elemental, then the wizard might Aid with an Arcana check, telling Brutus what fire elementals are afraid of.
A legend is too small a word to describe you.