[D&D 3.5] Special Forces Team

[kentma57]

I am currently working on a new campaign for my players, it is my intension that they will eventualy fight or join a major mercenary organization. While I do have some of the organizations major members build I am looking to see what peoples thoughts are on what a special forces team in the D&D world would look like.

If you are looking for some background on the organization.
-They have members ranging 5th to 21st level
-They are all of elven races(half-elves, drow, elves....)
-Any and all alignments are welcome(though chaotic stupid probably won't make it through enterence exam...)
-They are famous for using unexpected abilities to win the day(ex: shadow magic).

[Alex Star]

Sounds like someone is building GI Joe.

A spec ops team would be your ideal group for ToH. Batman Wizard, skill-monkey, crazy diplomatic bard....etc

[FinalJustice]

Some thoughts:

1- Massive Telepathic Bond Network: The teams would be constantly under effect of Telepathic Bond spells, probably including an operator in the base on the loop. A network among such operators could be formed on a higher hierarchic level, in order to coordinate all the agents.

2- Scrying and Intelligence Department: That's just obvious. Given the ammount of divination available in your average D&D world, plus the fact that they have some degree of unreliability, a team of Divination Specialists casting and then sharing, matching and decoding their divinations is probable, and as cool as heck. :P

3- Standard equipment: A set of cool mundane and magic itens, including loads of wands. It is expected from a spec-ops team that every member is able to handle magic itens, either by class features or UMD training.

4- Training grounds: I'm not talking about dummies here. Summonners would, work daily, summoning monsters to battle agents not deployed. This would probably not warrant XP, there's no challenge when the summonner is prepared to unsummon the beasties in case of bad luck. But, it means every agent and every team would have a pretty good idea of most monsters lurking around, as well as good tactics to employ. Combine this with #1 and you have highly coordinated badasses that know each other's fighting styles upside down and know how to act as a team like they know how to breath.

Edit: Yeah, I thought of #4 five seconds after hitting reply. Promise I won't be so trigger happy in the future. Plus, spelling mistakes. :P

[Zovc]

Some thoughts:

1- Massive Telepathic Bond Network: The teams would be constantly under effect of Telepathic Bond spells, probably including an operator in the base on the loop. A network among such operators could be formed on a higher hierarchic level, in order to coordinate all the agents.

2- Scrying and Intelligence Department: That's just obvious. Given the ammount of divination available in your average D&D world, plus the fact that they have some degree of unreliability, a team of Divination Specialists casting and then sharing, matching and decoding their divinations is probable, and as cool as heck. :P

3- Standard equipment: A set of cool mundane and magic itens, including loads of wands. It is expected from a spec-ops team that every member is able to handle magic itens, either by class features or UMD training.

This, definitely this.

I'd imagine there'd be an epic version of nearly every adventurer archetype, perhaps not one for each niche the players are capable of filling, thus providing reason for the organization to seek them out.

The average member of the organization would probably have levels of Factotum, if you ask me.

[kentma57]

This, definitely this.

I'd imagine there'd be an epic version of nearly every adventurer archetype, perhaps not one for each niche the players are capable of filling, thus providing reason for the organization to seek them out.

The average member of the organization would probably have levels of Factotum, if you ask me.

The level range I posted is probably off, the only epic level characters are the founding members(actualy an old party of mine) a shadow caster, a fighter and a cleric.
By the way Factorum is a good idea this is the sort of thing they excel at.

[Saph]

Every heard of Mongoose Publishing? They put out a book called Wraith Recon which was basically this, but for 4e. I took a glance at it once and it seemed decent. Might have some good material.

[kentma57]

Every heard of Mongoose Publishing? They put out a book called Wraith Recon which was basically this, but for 4e. I took a glance at it once and it seemed decent. Might have some good material.

Ok publisher but don't have their 4th ed. stuff.

[jiriku]

You could have some way-cool missions. For example, a low-level team might have the job of infiltrating a compound that's blocked against magical scrying and observing it carefully, so that a higher-level team could pick their brains for a careful understanding of the area to attempt a modified scry-and-die.

Characters might be able to call in cavalry for significant missions in the form of a teleporting necromancer with a team of controlled undead stored in a portable hole.

Elite characters would certainly be able to check out specific magic items from an armory if their commanding officer approved. ("No Johnson, you can't check out the rod of wonder again. May I remind you that this is a low-profile mission?")

[kentma57]

You could have some way-cool missions. For example, a low-level team might have the job of infiltrating a compound that's blocked against magical scrying and observing it carefully, so that a higher-level team could pick their brains for a careful understanding of the area to attempt a modified scry-and-die.

Characters might be able to call in cavalry for significant missions in the form of a teleporting necromancer with a team of controlled undead stored in a portable hole.

Elite characters would certainly be able to check out specific magic items from an armory if their commanding officer approved. ("No Johnson, you can't check out the rod of wonder again. May I remind you that this is a low-profile mission?")

This is the kind of campaign I have planned for them unless they screw it up... But if they do I will roll with it or they might just die.

[Zovc]

By the way Factorum is a good idea this is the sort of thing they excel at.

Combatants can multiclass into Warblade, Arcanists can be Wizards (d'oh), Artificers are a divine class that uses intelligence, Psions use Intelligence, too. That is, if you wanted to give everyone levels in factotum and have intelligence synergy.

(Warblade is in the Tome of Battle, I think Artificer is in the Tome of Horrors.)

[kentma57]

I think Artificer is in the Tome of Horrors.

My DM thinks that sometimes, but it's actualy from Eberron.

[Yukitsu]

Factotum, ranger, urban ranger, wizard gets my vote for an elven style group. Versatile guy who finds traps, two people who can find people in different settings, and of course, the swiss army knife of casters.

[Zovc]

My DM thinks that sometimes, but it's actualy from Eberron.

Ah, but I meant Archivist! XD

Hey, Artificers can join in on the fun, too, if they'd like.

[Ecalsneerg]

Artificiers churning out wands and potions for the field operatives?

[Human Paragon 3]

Archivist: Heroes of Horror


Look at Dread Commando from Heroes of battle. A great special forces class. Full BAB, full sudden strike progression, 6+int skillpoints from a great skill list, the ability to completely mitigiate armor check penalty (letting you use all your skills at no penalty in Mithral full plate), movement at full speed while hiding at no penalty and the ability to hide while running or charging at a -10.

Oh yeah, also +5 to you're entire party's initiative check spread out over the 5 levels of the class.

[kentma57]

Look at Dread Commando from Heroes of battle. A great special forces class.

Have a copy of that book around here somewhere, had a feeling someone would mention that class, I have always liked it.