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We seem to really wanna discuss this here, but that's not really the place for it. So:

In a city with a mixed elven, dwarven, and human population (and some half-elves, if that's relevant), what is the maximum number of citizens that can pass through an emergency exit Teleportation Circle in a single round?

We assume that the creatures are trained and organized in performing whatever emergency evacuation maneuver is ideal, and begin in the ideal formation at the start of the round.

We assume that the creatures are all level 1, but otherwise may possess whatever classes, feats, and other character choices are ideal.

We assume the creatures have average stats for their race

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    \$\begingroup\$ Do you want an answer that is practical, or is this a Pun-Pun “code golf” question? \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Oct 28, 2015 at 20:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie I want an answer that is practical, though I would certainly not rule out Pun-Pun as impractical-- in fact, were this a Kobold city instead of the races listed, and were it in 3.5, rather than Pathfinder, I suspect that 'everyone is Pun-Pun' would be the most practical answer-- assuming the cause of the evacuation isn't Pazuzu. Unfortunately, our constraints eliminate such an answer as a possibility for this question. This is, however, most definitely not a 'code golf' question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Please stop being evil
    Oct 28, 2015 at 21:01
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    \$\begingroup\$ By practical, I mean something that could/would be used in a normal, real game — the kind of context where Pun-Pun would be impractical. “Code golf” questions can be sketchy here, and are more likely to survive contact with voters (and avoid answers that are useless except as curiosities) by including what problem they are supposed to solve in the question's context. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Oct 28, 2015 at 21:13

1 Answer 1

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A quick escape from Camel City

For the Camel City evacuation procedure to function, the GM must agree that a creature can take any number of free action mount or dismount actions in a turn.

In Camel City, every Medium inhabitant is given a 150-gp camel. Every inhabitant has Ride as a class skill and at least 1 rank in the skill Ride, so every inhabitant is trained. Every inhabitant has the feat Skill Focus (Ride) and the trait Dromedary Warrior. Every inhabitant's Ride skill bonus is +7 (+11 when using cover, fast mount or dismount, and spur mount on a camel).1

When the signal's given to evacuate, inhabitants take from their stables their camels and park them alongside their neighbors' camels, making a line of camels to the prearranged location of the teleportation circle.

At the start of each inhabitant's turn, each takes a free action to take 10 on a Ride check (DC 20) to fast mount a nearby camel followed by a free action to take 10 on a Ride check (DC 20) to fast dismount that camel except on the camel's opposite side, further down the camel line, and repeats this process as necessary until the circle is reached.2 Assuming the circle functions like a location trap, each inhabitant can exit the circle's designated arrival spot by taking a full-round action to run, clearing the way for future arrivals.

For their own safety and the safety of others, all inhabitants of Camel City must be size Medium. (Medium camels being typically unavailable.)

1 A Ride bonus of +10 can be achieved without the trait Dromedary Warrior by instead equipping each inhabitant with a masterwork tool for the skill Ride (50 gp; 1 lbs.) and an appropriately compatible trait like Beast Bond or Savannah Child (the former granting a +1 unnamed bonus on Ride skill checks and the latter a +1 trait bonus on Ride skill checks). Doing so allows the city to accept Small inhabitants but forces such inhabitant along their own exit routes, likely creating enclaves of exclusively Small folk. Further, this costs the city more money.
2 Free actions says that "there may be limits to the number of free actions [a creature] can perform in a turn," and the FAQ agrees (although it was once more specific as evidenced in this 2013 thread).

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    \$\begingroup\$ I think the issue here might be that “there may be limits to the number of free actions you can perform in a turn” depending on the “number of free actions your GM deems appropriate”. Camel-based mundane teleportation could be considered outside the bounds of “appropriate” at a number of tables where an answer to this question would otherwise be of interest. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Oct 28, 2015 at 20:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ I upvoted as this seems reasonable, but the 150 gp cost seems to indicate that inhabitants must also be NPCs in a heroic campaign or possess wealth boosting traits to be able to afford such a steed at level 1 (and even in a Heroic game only via the 'Protection' category, which is admittedly appropriate). \$\endgroup\$
    – Please stop being evil
    Oct 28, 2015 at 21:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ Even if the camel thing works, you still can't evacuate more than two thousand or so people per round, because the 120-foot circle around your destination endpoint will fill up. So the camel thing is buying you potentially a 16x speed increase (compared to just 30-foot-move into the circle, 30-foot-move out). Not worthless, but this may not be worth the effort you're putting into it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Dan B
    Oct 28, 2015 at 21:22
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    \$\begingroup\$ I'm going to petition my state senator to implement this procedure for all public transportation. +1 for revolutionizing travel. \$\endgroup\$
    – Liesmith
    Oct 28, 2015 at 22:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ @thedarkwanderer Technically, even a camel per four creatures is overly generous: Camel City could minimize the number of camels by putting a line of camels in the middle of each road and making sure no construction occurs farther than 60 ft. from a camel line. That way, at most, a double move and nigh-infinite free actions will be sufficient to reach the circle, which, if one-way, results in forced movement after reaching the arrival spot. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Oct 29, 2015 at 5:27

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