I’ve never been enamored of the rules offered up for when one PC is attempting something and other PCs want to help with it.The first PC getting a general bonus from the added body (or bodies) just because has always thrown me out of the fantasy because it strains credulity. This feels odd because I’m all for players trying to figure out ways to make actions easier to succeed with.

Those ways to increase success, though, have to fit diagetically for me to enjoy their use. It’s not just somebody saying “Oh, I’ll help” and an instant bonus appears. There has to be an explanation that shows the helper can, you know, actually help.

I’m also not sold on such help providing a bonus to success. I think in many instances, help can only happen in such ways that would speed an effort, not necessarily make it more likely to succeed. Or perhaps it would help in generating extra effect, such as in a larger pile of material moved/made/whatever in the effort.

I reckon it would behoove designers to lay out standards for PCs assiting each other that require diagetic description of the aid and how that actually works in effect, whether as a bonus to success odds or time required or so on. There’s likely a concise way to discuss all this, and when I figure it out, I’ll revisit this post.