How would you like this as a player...

[Doug McCrae]

This is the beginning of the final session of this campagin...

Then you can do anything you want.

And so can the players.

Playing allies for a while is a good idea, a nice switch. I award you one DM point.

 

[Nikroecyst]

I think this is an awsome game closer to a campaign. If I was a player I would be totally excited.

I don't think this would deter the players from using astral projection in the future cause they are being given an opportunity to defend themselfs. Planning ahead of time ensured that "if" something did happen they would have a chance to defend themselfs. If they didn't think something was going to happen then they wouldn't have established guards. I think this all makes sense and has a really good "real world" feal to it.

 

[jmucchiello]

Besides, as long as one defender survives, the players are fine...

Not how assassins would think.... If they realize their targets are helpless in front of them they should make it someone's job to deliver coups while the other assassins defend that assassin. I assume the assassins know the players are astral and need to keep them from reaching some astral target. Well if they can kill even 2 of the party on the prime it becomes that much easier for their astral allies to defeat the remaining party members. If it comes down to one lone defender and more than one assassin, one of the assassins (or even both of them) should step 5 feet away from the defender and start coups.

Assuming the assassins are fanatically aligned with the astral target.

 

[Darklone]

Not how assassins would think.... If they realize their targets are helpless in front of them they should make it someone's job to deliver coups while the other assassins defend that assassin. I assume the assassins know the players are astral and need to keep them from reaching some astral target. Well if they can kill even 2 of the party on the prime it becomes that much easier for their astral allies to defeat the remaining party members. If it comes down to one lone defender and more than one assassin, one of the assassins (or even both of them) should step 5 feet away from the defender and start coups.

Assuming the assassins are fanatically aligned with the astral target.

Usually bodyguards use the occuring AoO for a CdG for disarms.

I'd rather use a full attack action with full sneak attack damage on the helpless person.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I usually don't like playing an alternate character, but: Usually this means my real character is trapped or dead (waiting to be raised) and I might not see him for a while. But your scenario is different:
- My real character is actually in danger (not just trapped or waiting in limbo)
- The scenario is short.

Be sure to make the scenario not too hard. Keep in mind that the players might not be aware of the allies abilities and make suboptimal choices - if the encounter is too hard, this might cost some lifes on the wrong side...

 

[Jdvn1]

If you can, try to keep the characters simple.

In a one-shot with pre-gens last week, I saw a lot of players going, "... Wait, I didn't realize I had (ability/item/etc)... that really would have changed the flow of the battle."

 

[just__al]

I usually don't like playing an alternate character, but: Usually this means my real character is trapped or dead (waiting to be raised) and I might not see him for a while. But your scenario is different:
- My real character is actually in danger (not just trapped or waiting in limbo)
- The scenario is short.

Be sure to make the scenario not too hard. Keep in mind that the players might not be aware of the allies abilities and make suboptimal choices - if the encounter is too hard, this might cost some lifes on the wrong side...

If you can, try to keep the characters simple.

In a one-shot with pre-gens last week, I saw a lot of players going, "... Wait, I didn't realize I had (ability/item/etc)... that really would have changed the flow of the battle."

There are 5 players, the "guards" are a fighter focused on archery, a TWF ranger, a favored soul, a sorceror, and a rogue.

I've been careful to make feat choices that aren't off the wall and familiar to the players, same thing for spells of the spell casters. Also this is maybe a cr -1 or CR encounter for the "guards" and it would be a cr -5 encounter for the real party.

 

[moritheil]

After wading through all those arguments, all I have to say is this: Just run it and tell us how it goes.