Meckerdrache wrote:
Hi,
one of my players wants to play a ranged character using "aid" as an option for his third action to support the melee martials in the group. He even took "cooperative nature" for this. His idea is to shoot an arrow between the feet of the enemy to distract them, rolling an attack against dc 20 to grant the bonus to his teammate.
The action Aid was never used in my group before, so i am happy to see that my players trying to use new tactics.
But the GMG says "... a character usually needs to be next to their ally or a foe to Aid the ally in attacking the foe. "
Normally, aiding an ally in combat is not always easy because you need to consider positioning for this. Im worried that aiding could be too powerful if i allow it through archery. He could be not moving at all in the whole combat and still supporting everyone he chooses on the battlefield.
On the other hand i dont want to get in the way of his character concept.
What do you think?
Aid wrote:
You try to help your ally with a task. 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 they determine whether you can Aid your ally.
The aid action itself does not stipulate what requirements exist and it's largely left up to the GM to decide if the actions taken by a player (1 action equivalent) is sufficient to create the desired outcome. The GMG guidance helps noting that they usually need to be adjacent, but it's not a requirement.
If you're worried about the potential power of this, I'd be up front with your player and let them try it out with the caveat you may need to tune it down later. You could even do things like apply MAP to the player's roll to aid if they're doing Strike, Strike, Prepare to Aid since taking a shot with an arrow almost certainly should be an attack action and "The GM can add any relevant traits to your preparatory action or to your Aid reaction depending on the situation"
Overall, I think it's great your player wants to do things to help others and I would generally err on the side of encouraging teamwork if it's not causing big problems at your table.
Aid wrote:
Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 2.0
Trigger An ally is about to use an action that requires a skill check or attack roll.
Requirements The ally is willing to accept your aid, and you have prepared to help (see below).You try to help your ally with a task. 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 they determine whether you can Aid your ally.
When you use your Aid reaction, attempt a skill check or attack roll of a type decided by the GM. The typical DC is 20, but the GM might adjust this DC for particularly hard or easy tasks. The GM can add any relevant traits to your preparatory action or to your Aid reaction depending on the situation, or even allow you to Aid checks other than skill checks and attack rolls.
Critical Success You grant your ally a +2 circumstance bonus to the triggering check. If you’re a master with the check you attempted, the bonus is +3, and if you’re legendary, it’s +4.
Success You grant your ally a +1 circumstance bonus to the triggering check.
Critical Failure Your ally takes a –1 circumstance penalty to the triggering check.
