diff --git a/common/ruletypes.h b/common/ruletypes.h
index 91d3479be..83ef9aff3 100644
--- a/common/ruletypes.h
+++ b/common/ruletypes.h
@@ -459,6 +459,8 @@ RULE_BOOL(Combat, ProjectileDmgOnImpact, true) //If enabled, projectiles (ie arr
 RULE_BOOL(Combat, MeleePush, true) // enable melee push
 RULE_INT(Combat, MeleePushChance, 50) // (NPCs) chance the target will be pushed. Made up, 100 actually isn't that bad
 RULE_BOOL(Combat, UseLiveCombatRounds, true) // turn this false if you don't want to worry about fixing up combat rounds for NPCs
+RULE_INT(Combat, NPCAssistCap, 5) // Maxiumium number of NPCs that will assist another NPC at once
+RULE_INT(Combat, NPCAssistCapTimer, 6000) // Time in milliseconds a NPC will take to clear assist aggro cap space
 RULE_CATEGORY_END()
 
 RULE_CATEGORY(NPC)
@@ -494,6 +496,7 @@ RULE_INT(Aggro, PetSpellAggroMod, 10)
 RULE_REAL(Aggro, TunnelVisionAggroMod, 0.75) //people not currently the top hate generate this much hate on a Tunnel Vision mob
 RULE_INT(Aggro, MaxScalingProcAggro, 400) // Set to -1 for no limit. Maxmimum amount of aggro that HP scaling SPA effect in a proc will add.
 RULE_INT(Aggro, IntAggroThreshold, 75) // Int <= this will aggro regardless of level difference.
+RULE_BOOL(Aggro, AllowTickPulling, false) // tick pulling is an exploit in an NPC's call for help fixed sometime in 2006 on live
 RULE_CATEGORY_END()
 
 RULE_CATEGORY(TaskSystem)
diff --git a/zone/aggro.cpp b/zone/aggro.cpp
index 5febe5767..a2ee52357 100644
--- a/zone/aggro.cpp
+++ b/zone/aggro.cpp
@@ -431,11 +431,20 @@ void EntityList::AIYellForHelp(Mob* sender, Mob* attacker) {
 	if (sender->GetPrimaryFaction() == 0 )
 		return; // well, if we dont have a faction set, we're gonna be indiff to everybody
 
+	if (sender->HasAssistAggro())
+		return;
+
 	for (auto it = npc_list.begin(); it != npc_list.end(); ++it) {
 		NPC *mob = it->second;
 		if (!mob)
 			continue;
 
+		if (mob->CheckAggro(attacker))
+			continue;
+
+		if (sender->NPCAssistCap() >= RuleI(Combat, NPCAssistCap))
+			break;
+
 		float r = mob->GetAssistRange();
 		r = r * r;
 
@@ -477,6 +486,7 @@ void EntityList::AIYellForHelp(Mob* sender, Mob* attacker) {
 							sender->GetPosition()), fabs(sender->GetZ()+mob->GetZ()));
 #endif
 						mob->AddToHateList(attacker, 25, 0, false);
+						sender->AddAssistCap();
 					}
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/zone/attack.cpp b/zone/attack.cpp
index 2752752aa..6b2534a43 100644
--- a/zone/attack.cpp
+++ b/zone/attack.cpp
@@ -2422,6 +2422,11 @@ void Mob::AddToHateList(Mob* other, uint32 hate /*= 0*/, int32 damage /*= 0*/, b
 		hate = 1;
 	}
 
+	if (iYellForHelp)
+		SetPrimaryAggro(true);
+	else
+		SetAssistAggro(true);
+
 	bool wasengaged = IsEngaged();
 	Mob* owner = other->GetOwner();
 	Mob* mypet = this->GetPet();
diff --git a/zone/mob.cpp b/zone/mob.cpp
index eccf04a76..6e778f004 100644
--- a/zone/mob.cpp
+++ b/zone/mob.cpp
@@ -433,6 +433,9 @@ Mob::Mob(const char* in_name,
 
 	emoteid = 0;
 	endur_upkeep = false;
+	PrimaryAggro = false;
+	AssistAggro = false;
+	npc_assist_cap = 0;
 }
 
 Mob::~Mob()
@@ -2693,6 +2696,8 @@ bool Mob::RemoveFromHateList(Mob* mob)
 		{
 			AI_Event_NoLongerEngaged();
 			zone->DelAggroMob();
+			if (IsNPC() && !RuleB(Aggro, AllowTickPulling))
+				ResetAssistCap();
 		}
 	}
 	if(GetTarget() == mob)
diff --git a/zone/mob.h b/zone/mob.h
index 2ca027023..d02e0f089 100644
--- a/zone/mob.h
+++ b/zone/mob.h
@@ -504,6 +504,10 @@ public:
 	Mob* GetHateRandom() { return hate_list.GetRandomEntOnHateList();}
 	Mob* GetHateMost() { return hate_list.GetEntWithMostHateOnList();}
 	bool IsEngaged() { return(!hate_list.IsHateListEmpty()); }
+	bool HasPrimaryAggro() { return PrimaryAggro; }
+	bool HasAssistAggro() { return AssistAggro; }
+	void SetPrimaryAggro(bool value) { PrimaryAggro = value; if (value) AssistAggro = false; }
+	void SetAssistAggro(bool value) { AssistAggro = value; if (PrimaryAggro) AssistAggro = false; }
 	bool HateSummon();
 	void FaceTarget(Mob* MobToFace = 0);
 	void SetHeading(float iHeading) { if(m_Position.w != iHeading) { pLastChange = Timer::GetCurrentTime();
@@ -993,6 +997,11 @@ public:
 	void ApplyAABonuses(const AA::Rank &rank, StatBonuses* newbon);
 	bool CheckAATimer(int timer);
 
+	int NPCAssistCap() { return npc_assist_cap; }
+	void AddAssistCap() { ++npc_assist_cap; }
+	void DelAssistCap() { --npc_assist_cap; }
+	void ResetAssistCap() { npc_assist_cap = 0; }
+
 protected:
 	void CommonDamage(Mob* other, int32 &damage, const uint16 spell_id, const SkillUseTypes attack_skill, bool &avoidable, const int8 buffslot, const bool iBuffTic, int special = 0);
 	static uint16 GetProcID(uint16 spell_id, uint8 effect_index);
@@ -1293,6 +1302,11 @@ protected:
 	glm::vec4 m_CurrentWayPoint;
 	int cur_wp_pause;
 
+	bool PrimaryAggro;
+	bool AssistAggro;
+	int npc_assist_cap;
+	Timer assist_cap_timer; // clear assist cap so more nearby mobs can be called for help
+
 
 	int patrol;
 	glm::vec3 m_FearWalkTarget;
diff --git a/zone/mob_ai.cpp b/zone/mob_ai.cpp
index 25ed72441..79c4493ea 100644
--- a/zone/mob_ai.cpp
+++ b/zone/mob_ai.cpp
@@ -1735,8 +1735,10 @@ void Mob::AI_Event_Engaged(Mob* attacker, bool iYellForHelp) {
 	if (iYellForHelp) {
 		if(IsPet()) {
 			GetOwner()->AI_Event_Engaged(attacker, iYellForHelp);
-		} else {
+		} else if (!HasAssistAggro() && NPCAssistCap() < RuleI(Combat, NPCAssistCap)) {
 			entity_list.AIYellForHelp(this, attacker);
+			if (NPCAssistCap() > 0 && !assist_cap_timer.Enabled())
+				assist_cap_timer.Start(RuleI(Combat, NPCAssistCapTimer));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1787,6 +1789,8 @@ void Mob::AI_Event_NoLongerEngaged() {
 
 	if(IsNPC())
 	{
+		SetPrimaryAggro(false);
+		SetAssistAggro(false);
 		if(CastToNPC()->GetCombatEvent() && GetHP() > 0)
 		{
 			if(entity_list.GetNPCByID(this->GetID()))
diff --git a/zone/npc.cpp b/zone/npc.cpp
index ebdd8a79d..fd7f6880c 100644
--- a/zone/npc.cpp
+++ b/zone/npc.cpp
@@ -712,8 +712,18 @@ bool NPC::Process()
 	}
 
 	//Handle assists...
-	if(assist_timer.Check() && IsEngaged() && !Charmed()) {
+	if (assist_cap_timer.Check()) {
+		if (NPCAssistCap() > 0)
+			DelAssistCap();
+		else
+			assist_cap_timer.Disable();
+	}
+
+	if (assist_timer.Check() && IsEngaged() && !Charmed() && !HasAssistAggro() &&
+	    NPCAssistCap() < RuleI(Combat, NPCAssistCap)) {
 		entity_list.AIYellForHelp(this, GetTarget());
+		if (NPCAssistCap() > 0 && !assist_cap_timer.Enabled())
+			assist_cap_timer.Start(RuleI(Combat, NPCAssistCapTimer));
 	}
 
 	if(qGlobals)