3.5 Special Forces Squad

[Zipding]

I just started running a game with a group of my friends and I wanted them to meet a special forces squad of sorts to help them in the next stage because of the latest encounter where they had to defend a village from a small army and many conscripts and guards were killed. I've been thinking of the layout for this squad and this is the best I can think of.
They are all level 5, so they won't overshadow the level 2 PCs, and there are 5 of them.
1 of them is either a warblade/swordsage, probably swordsage for Shadow Hand
1 of them is a wizard, probably specializing in illusion magic.
1 of them is most likely a healer from Miniatures Handbook, or possibly a cleric
1 of them is a scout who specializes in archery.
And the last is a marshal.
All of them are wearing light armour and specialize in sneaking around and quietly infiltrating bases to take out the leader before leaving.

The PCs are a Dwarven Fighter, Elven Cleric, Elven Rogue, Elven Wizard (Diviner) and Elven Monk. I am just wondering if the special forces aside from being higher levelled, would severely outclass the PCs.

Any feedback with regards to this would be great.

[Eloel]

Someone will come advice in a more detailed manner in a couple minutes, but "elite forces" (or DMPCs) usually have a very high chance of going in the wrong direction.

[deuxhero]

Pity they aren't high enough level for Dread Commando

[Mikeavelli]

The PC's are the Special Forces Squad

Whatever you're planning to have the NPC's do, Make the PC's do it

A single 5th level NPC will overshadow an entire party of 2nd level PC's. An entire party of 5th level NPC's will make them think, "Why are we even here? What are we accomplishing that these guys can't do in their sleep?"

[Tvtyrant]

If you want to run something like this, you should run it the opposite. The party and a large group of militia with spears and crossbows are defending the city against moderate numbers of CR 1 creatures. Then if you can make the party feel connected to the villagers/militia, they will be running around like headless chickens trying to save the militia from being killed. Throw a few bigger things in that concentrate on the party itself and you have an actual challenge to save the town.

[NikitaDarkstar]

Sorry but you got it the wrong way around. The PC's should not need help from a "Special Forces" group, the "Special Forces" group should need help from the PC's. And yes a party of 5 lvl 5 NPC's with classes like that will overshadow your lvl 2 party.

If you have to go through with this idea, make the Special Forces group lvl 1 or at the most lvl 2, give them an elite npc stat array and DON'T TOUCH THE DARN TOME OF BATTLE! No seriously, it's fine for players, but your players have picked core classes, that means you pretty much can't touch tome of battle without overshadowing them. Which is okay for a Big Bad, but for allies? Don't go there. Really, don't. (Heck most classes available for players aren't meant for npc's to being with.)

[Zipding]

If you want to run something like this, you should run it the opposite. The party and a large group of militia with spears and crossbows are defending the city against moderate numbers of CR 1 creatures. Then if you can make the party feel connected to the villagers/militia, they will be running around like headless chickens trying to save the militia from being killed. Throw a few bigger things in that concentrate on the party itself and you have an actual challenge to save the town.

I've already done the first part of what you've suggested. The PCs went to the town with 5 guards (level 1 warriors) to help out with the defences. They were able to get enough men to sign up and help the defence and succeed in pushing back a small army of orcs and goblins.

What I want to do next, is have the PCs be sent out to eliminate the remaining orcs and goblins, which includes a warboss or tribal leader of sorts. Now, during the assault, about 2/3 of the conscripts were killed and about 1/2 of the guards were killed. However, I just thought of this right now, but there are elite guards (level 2 warriors) that survived the entire fight that might come in handy with this.

The thought for the other special forces squad was because the PCs were asking about reinforcements from other towns that didn't arrive before the assault. These 5 soldiers would be the reinforcements from another town nearby that couldn't send them out in time.

[Slipperychicken]

The PC's are the Special Forces Squad

Whatever you're planning to have the NPC's do, Make the PC's do it

A single 5th level NPC will overshadow an entire party of 2nd level PC's. An entire party of 5th level NPC's will make them think, "Why are we even here? What are we accomplishing that these guys can't do in their sleep?"

This. This. So much this. If someone else is doing the PCs job 3 levels and a mountain of optimization higher, they're the real heroes of the tale, not the PCs.

[Glimbur]

The thought for the other special forces squad was because the PCs were asking about reinforcements from other towns that didn't arrive before the assault. These 5 soldiers would be the reinforcements from another town nearby that couldn't send them out in time.

You could have more, lower level and NPC classed people show up as reinforcements instead. Then it makes more sense for them to play defense as the PCs go save the day on offense.

[Zipding]

You could have more, lower level and NPC classed people show up as reinforcements instead. Then it makes more sense for them to play defense as the PCs go save the day on offense.

That could work, I haven't statted any of them out yet, so there still is that flexibility. One of the larger cities in the country is right nearby and where the PCs are currently based out of, they could send more guards to bolster the city while the PCs take on the goblins and orcs. Maybe some lower level demons, primarily manes, maybe dretches and quasits although unlikely.