Split Up!

[Ranis]

This Friday's game my DM (3.5) has told me that we'll be splitting the party into 4 groups with the help from a high-level experienced adventuring party and the Black Rats, a group of NPCs that are basically Oceans Eleven meets the X-Men.

Each of the four groups will be led by one of the experienced NPC's; all of them are level 15-16, the actual PCs are 10, and all of the Black Rats are level 7.

Party consists of:
Bard (me)
Cleric
Two-Weapon Fighting Bastard Sword Chop-o-Matic Fighter
Druid
Wizard {Abjurer} (very new player)

The Black Rats:
Monk (Has some cheese in him that makes him very potent)
Warlock
Savant (Dragon Compendium)
Mounteblank (Dragon Compendium)
Shadowcaster (Dragon Compendium)
Warblade
Artificer
Hexblade
Psion
Spellthief

The Experienced Ones:
Wizard
Rogue-Werewolf-Fighter Cheese
SwordSage
Ranger



So my question is thus: How do you think we should split up? The DM said that we should make groups that play to the leader's forte. I'm open to any suggestions.

[xPANCAKEx]

fighter bastard should go with the wizard... even batman needs a meatshield occasionally

[Ranis]

I was thinking that the mounteblank should go with the werewolf due to the granting flat-footed goodness, and that the druid should go with the casters due to the whole "I can tank, heal myself and my raging panther of death in the process" thing. Anything else though I can't decide on.

Anyone else have suggestions?

[Ranis]

I also can't really decide where I (the bard) should go. I'd imagine the caster group would be a bad pick, but I also don't know too much about swordsages. Any thoughts?

[only1doug]

It really depends on what is intended for the teams to do after splitting up,

If you have 3 teams to scout and 1 reserve team to overwhelm at a chosen point then i'd go for

Spoiler

Show

Reserve team:
Wizard (experienced)
Wizard (party)
Artificer
Psion
Shadowcaster


team 1(stealth):
Rogue/werewolf/ftr (experienced)
stealthy party member (bard or druid?)
Monteblanc
Spellthief
Monk

Team 2 (Defense):
Ranger (experienced)
party buffer healer (cleric)
hexblade
Savant

Team 3 (offense):
Swordsage (experienced)
Party buffer/healer (druid or bard)
Warblade
Warlock