(3.5) Aid another - feat ideas and options

[Bobur]

Hi everyone

I am currently running a 3.5e Lv8 lock Dragonlance campaign. I DM for a wizard of the red robes, a cleric of Reorx and a monk, that I buffed so that he works more like a 5e monk.'
We play very core-heavy but other sources are optional though limited.

And for a feat option, I was looking for ways to improve "aid another".
The reason is that the wizard is a noble and likes to play him as this arrogant, commanding figure that tells everyone what to do. "Open the door, hold this, get that..." Which boild down to the aid of another mechanic. So far he only used it for out-of-combat options, perhaps he doesn't even know about the option there.

I am looking into ways how to improve this and was a bit surprised at how few options there are.

1) Compl. Adventurer: I don't have it, but from what I read I think it allows you to improve the aid-another option in combat with an attack roll against 10AC for an additional +2 if you are adj to the target. This is no feat from what I read, it's just an additional game option. Please correct me if I am wrong. Not sure if you needed a certain BAB for this or not.
2) Oriental Adventures was mentioned - there is a feat (I think) which gives +4 instead of +2 (only on attack/AC, though, not on skills). I dont know if there were any prereq for this .
3) The noble class in Dragonlance: Which has the following ability on Lv4:
Coordinate: A noble has a knack for getting people to work together. When the noble can aid others and give directions, he provides a bonus to the task at hand by making an aid another check. This bonus is in addition to the normal aid another bonus of +2, and it increases as the noble gains levels. Therefore, the noble provides a total of +3 bonus at 4th level (+2 aid another bonus, +1 cooperation bonus), a +4 bonus at 8th level, and so on.

This ability can't be used to assist in combat.
- I could just give him this and let him count all of his 8 wiz Lvs as for the noble class for this purpose. Do you think this would be fair for a feat - copying an entire class feature?

Finally:
4) Pathfinder: From what I know you can use most things from PF in 3.5e and there is a feat for aid another. The helpful feat, although it is limited to halflings. ^^

What would you do?
I am tending towards option 3) and perhaps keep the in-combat option from 1) as an addition if he ever gets to train with a skilled fighter.

Question 2:
This is more homebrew themed but I dont want to open a new thread for this:
I was thinking about a "ring of nobility" for this character to up his class status and standing with other nobles to something more prestigious.
But I dont really have much of an idea outside of +X diplomacy (of which he doesnt have much or Cha) when interacting with nobles.
I was also thinking about something like the favor option from the noble class in Dragonlance but limited to 1/week.
So he would count as a Lv8 noble and would still have to roll against DC10-25 depending on what he requests. Knowing my player he would just put this ring on for the request and would swap it for the rest of the week.
Any ideas? I dont know if the new 5e books for dragonlance hold any inspirational stuff. Is there a new noble class in there that could give me ideas?
What else comes to your mind when you hear "ring of nobility" ?

Perhaps something like the domain power from the nobility domain? Granted Power: The character has the spell-like ability to inspire allies, giving them a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. Allies must be able to hear the character speak for 1 round. Using this ability is a standard action. It lasts a number of rounds equal to the character’s Charisma bonus and can be used once per day. - Unless limited to a noble PC this might be better on the actual cleric than the wizard for Cha reasons.

Thanks

[Zarvistic]

Just to add an idea, the paladin sub level 3 of Vigilant eye of helm makes it a move action.

[Bobur]

A different idea:

I like the idea of giving him something similar to #4 the class feature of the noble class.
But I am not sure if thats ok for a single feat.

Maybe combining it into the version from complete adventurer to something like this:
Increase the aid another bonus by1 and an additional 1 if you beat the DC10 by 10 points. +3 if your roll a 20.

[King of Nowhere]

I say, give him the noble class feature.

I've very rarely seen the aid another action actually being used or being relevant. I would not worry about it being overpowered.
As for fairness, it's an npc class, and it's a background thing of the wizard. As a rule of thumb, i let pcs and npcs alike have cool extra things that align with the background, so long as they're not broken. It enhances customization

[daremetoidareyo]

Aid Another rules

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.

See also: Aid Another during a skill check. "

Improved Aid ( Oriental Adventures, p. 63) [Ancestor] You are descended from Hida Tadaka, the great Crab daimyo who gave his life to avert a war between his clan and the Lion. Clan: Crab. Prerequisite Benefit When using the Aid Another action in melee combat (see Aid Another in the Player's Handbook), your ally gains a +4 circumstance bonus on his attack roll or to his AC. Normal The Aid Another action normally gives a +2 circumstance bonus on your ally's attack roll or AC against a single opponent.


Hindering Opportunist ( Player's Handbook II, p. 79) [General] When you have a chance to strike a distracted foe, you instead use that opportunity to aid or protect an ally against him. Prerequisite Combat Reflexes (PH) , base attack bonus +3, Required for Stalwart Defense (PH2) , Benefit Whenever an opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you can choose to replace that attack with an aid another action targeting that opponent


"Clarion Commander
(Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords, p. 34)

[Tactical]

On the battlefield, you are a natural leader. You issue orders and coordinate your allies, but you also learn to take advantage of their actions and maximize the fruits of teamwork. When you attack a foe with your allies, the combined result of your efforts can be devastating.
Prerequisite: White Raven Defense (ToB) , Base attack bonus +6, two White Raven maneuvers,
Benefit

Pile On: To use this option, you must use the aid another action (PH 154) to grant an ally a bonus on his next attack roll against an opponent both of you threaten. If your ally attacks and hits that enemy, you can make an immediate attack of opportunity against that target. You gain this benefit it your ally hits the foe before the start of your next turn. You gain the attack of opportunity only on the first successful attack."

Stalwart Defense ( Player's Handbook II, p. 83) [General] You excel at aiding your allies in battle. When an opponent attempts to strike one of them, you make a quick, distracting motion to ruin the foe's efforts. Prerequisite Combat Reflexes (PH) , Hindering Opportunist (PH2) , base attack bonus +9, Benefit When an opponent you threaten attempts a melee attack against one of your allies, you can give up one of your attacks of opportunity to attempt an aid another action. You target the attacking opponent with the aid another. The target of your foe's attack gains the benefit of your action in the form of a +2 bonus to AC against the attempted attack. You cannot use this feat against the same opponent more than once per round.




"Vigilant Aid (Su): Starting at 3rd level, when a Vigilant Eye uses the aid another special attack in melee combat to give an ally a bonus to his AC, she only has to spend a move action rather than a standard action. She can use more than one aid another special attack in a single round, but no ally can be aided more than once per round in this fashion.

This benefit replaces the standard paladin's divine health class feature."

Outcast champion 4: Teamwork (Ex): You are skilled at creating a strong bond of teamwork between yourself and your allies. Starting at 4th level, whenever you or any ally within 30 feet who can see or hear you uses the aid another action, the bonus provided on attack rolls, AC, or skill checks improves by 2 (from +2 to +4).
Heroic Shield (Ex): A Purple Dragon knight at first level can use the aid another action to give an ally a +4 circumstance bonus to Armor Class instead of the normal +2.



"TEAM MELEE TACTICS
Because your group fi ghts as an effective team in melee, its members can use the aid another action with greater than normal efficiency.

Training: Your team studies each member’s tactics, fighting-style, and tendencies. These hours of focused observation allow each member to understand how best to help the rest of the team.
Task Leader Prerequisite: Combat Expertise and
Dodge.
Team Member Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Whenever a team member uses the aid another
action to grant another member a bonus on attack rolls, that bonus increases by 1.


The great captain feat also adds more to this.

I just made this build the other night. It’s wierd that you requested help.

1 Vigilant eye of Helm Paladin Improved Aid, combat expertise
2 Paladin
3 Warblade White raven Defense
4 Vigilant eye of Helm Paladin Team Melee Tactics
5 Fighter combat reflexes
6 Warblade Clarion commander
7 Outcast champion 1
8 Outcast champion 2
9 Outcast champion 3 Leadership
10 Outcast champion 4
11 Legendary captain 1
12 Legendary captain 2 hindering opportunist
13 Legendary captain 3
14 Legendary captain 4
15 Legendary captain 5 Stalwart Defense
16 Legendary captain 6
17 Legendary captain 7
18 Legendary captain 8
19 Legendary captain 9
20 Legendary captain 10

[ShurikVch]

Aid Giver (Dragon #343) - aid another works not for a single character, but for all adjacent allies at once

Improved Aid Another (Dragon ##323/339) - extra +1 bonus from aid another

Stalwart Defense (Player's Handbook II) - +2 to ally's AC against a single attack

Wolfpack (Races of the Wild) - Drive Back, Gang Dodge

PrC:
Outcast Champion 4 - Teamwork (extra +2 bonus from aid another)
Purple Dragon Knight 1 - Heroic Shield (+4 circumstance to ally's AC)

[Vizzerdrix]

Don't kenku grant +3 when they aid other?

[Halrax]

This is clearly homebrew, but based on existing rules from somewhere official (can’t remember where, maybe Cadv?). Instead of just +2 for at least 10, aid another gives a bonus of +2/3/4/5/6/etc. for 10/20/30/40/50/etc.

Treat that as a base rule that doesn’t come up for normals (since they have small bonuses and are taking 10 for the most part) but allows highly skilled PCs and NPCs to give a greater bonus.

Then, a feat [Improved Aid Another: When aiding another the bonus is instead +2/3/4/5/6/etc. for a result of 10/15/20/25/30/etc.] allows for a character (esp. apprentices) to provide a high result even at low levels (assuming using limits to number of people who can aid on a check).

Means a woodworking shop or whatever can specialize in group high quality work rather than individual mass-produced work, and for PCs can give substantial bonuses for their allies in the things that they’re good at on the occasions that they can’t just do it themselves. I’m imagining something like a Sherpa character who aids the other PCs’ Climb checks, or a fighter who helps a wizard use a ray spell vs a foe with a high touch AC.

Also, I have a ruleset with all combat maneuvers replacing an attack and the corresponding feats being buffed to match Improved Trip (part of a comprehensive overhaul that will never see actual play, don’t judge me) but along those lines I recommend allowing aid another in combat to
1. Replace any melee attack (incl. an iterative, off-hand, AoO, etc.)
2. Affect both attacks and AC
3. Still only be for one ally vs one opponent that are both in melee range
4. Last for one round rather than one attack
These buffs are needed for it to ever see play in even a mildly optimized game, since otherwise it’s just one of those rules everyone forgets about because of how minor it is except in very specific circumstances.