How Many Devas can you Fit through the Gate?

[Cheiromancer]

I think the heart of the problem is that the gate's relatively small size (max 20 foot diameter) makes it a bottleneck: the devas will get in each other's way if 1.8 million of them try to fit through in 2 minutes.

The rules on squeezing state that if a character doesn't have enough space, each square costs double as far as movement goes: effectively their speed is cut in half. I don't know if this applies to beings who are being crowded by their friends. I also don't know if devas need more personal space when they fly. You know, because of the wings.

I think some levels of marshal among each squad of devas would help- an extra move action would be very helpful to get past a bottleneck.

I think darthkilmor's analysis is the one I would use, except that I would base it on a 200 foot flying speed (the speed of a diving angel). But that's mostly because I couldn't find the place in the SRD that says that flying creatures can run to quadruple their speed. So 7,200 angels- about a legion's worth.

 

[darthkilmor]

I think darthkilmor's analysis is the one I would use, except that I would base it on a 200 foot flying speed (the speed of a diving angel). But that's mostly because I couldn't find the place in the SRD that says that flying creatures can run to quadruple their speed. So 7,200 angels- about a legion's worth.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#fly

A creature can use the run action while flying, provided it flies in a straight line.

Unfortunately thats as explicit as I could find. And run says you can move 4x your speed so.
And if you can convince all those deva's to take the Run feat instead of Alertness, then they could go 5x the speed.

 

[Jhaelen]

Say a solar casts a gate spell, and holds it open for 20 rounds. How many devas do you think could get through in that time?

Exactly as many as the DM would like to

 

[Cheiromancer]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#fly
Unfortunately thats as explicit as I could find. And run says you can move 4x your speed so.
And if you can convince all those deva's to take the Run feat instead of Alertness, then they could go 5x the speed.

That's what I was looking for! Angels who are diving and taking the run action will thus move at 800 feet per round- 90 miles an hour. Is that right?

The real problem, of course, is what happens at the gate- can that many angels get through that small a space without colliding? And how much of an empty space do they need at the other end in order to get themselves organized? It's like having a freeway end abruptly in a parking lot.

 

[domino]

I think the heart of the problem is that the gate's relatively small size (max 20 foot diameter) makes it a bottleneck: the devas will get in each other's way if 1.8 million of them try to fit through in 2 minutes.

I'll admit to not having the clearest understanding of initiative and such, but...

It seems to me that a bottle neck isn't going to be a problem, because as long as one deva can get through, they all can. Nobody goes at the same time, even if their initiative happens at the same time. So, assuming they plan things properly, and have each "wave" organized well enough, they can hop through, and still take turns, leaving a fully open path for each following deva, while still getting through in one round of combat.

Realistically, you're right, they'd all cram together at the gate, but it's an artifact of how initiative works that allows it to happen.

 

[darthkilmor]

That's what I was looking for! Angels who are diving and taking the run action will thus move at 800 feet per round- 90 miles an hour. Is that right?

The real problem, of course, is what happens at the gate- can that many angels get through that small a space without colliding? And how much of an empty space do they need at the other end in order to get themselves organized? It's like having a freeway end abruptly in a parking lot.

I guess you'd have to assume they exit the gate at the same speed they enter, then they can split off in different directions so they don't get rear-ended. A bit like the Stargate's on SG1.

 

[domino]

Also, using my calculations, it's not a single huge mass evenly distributed. The max density is in the first wave/round 1 group. Since they're the most you can fit through, the following waves will be around them, with more volume to use, but the same number of people.

Likewise, when they get through the gate, they'll be just as packed at the closest to the gate, but as they move out, they'll have even more room to spread out into.

 

[mvincent]

Exactly as many as the DM would like to

Agreed. Postulating just how many the rules mechanically allow doesn't seem like a worthwhile activity (since the rules are simplified and don't really take many limiting factors into account).