Row Formation in Front-View Battle

[SoftCloud]

So, this has been bugging me here and there for a while. I have specialized in front-view battle systems, but, I struggle to see a reason why formation is used save for establishing the party leader.
Is there some other use I'm not finding through web searches?

Also, has anyone come up with creative things to do with Front-View battle system with Party Formation?
I like the idea of setting characters next to each-other unlocks unique paired abilities. I also fancy radiation elemental damage which would affect party members and enemies next to one another (I only have a vague idea of how to implement this through plugins.)

 

[grimf]

As far as I know in rpg maker it doesn't do anything. I also had the idea of interactions like that with adjacent party members, like a unique buff for being next to a certain unit, and being able to swap with adjacent units mid battle to avoid attacks, front and back positions changing damage received/put out final fantasy style. I think it would be cool, there's a yanfly plugin for row formations but not sure if it would be able to accomplish this.

 

[Pix3M]

I'm coding in my own features for making formations meaningful but I'm using side-view instead. My system will have everyone occupying their own row. I feel a simple row system which the front/back rows take and give different damages isn't dynamic enough

• Most of my melee abilities targets only the front-most battler. I find this a little more interesting than using a taunt skill if enemies are locked into always attacking the party leader.
• Took a bit of time adding skills that can change player AND enemy formations mid-battle. Wasn't easy but I finally pulled it off
• I recently coded in a grappling hook skill that forces any enemy to the front, and I will design troop formations that put pesky support enemies in the back.
• I have an ability called 'leadership' that's only useable if the battler is in front of the formation, boosts everyone's TP by a sizeable amount. I'll probably have other skills usable only by party leaders.
• I plan to add a "snipe" skill that hits harder the farther back the user and the target is within their formation.

 

[palatkorn]

Row Formation (YEP) - Yanfly.moe Wiki

www.yanfly.moe

 

[KakonComp]

I've always been into dungeon crawlers, which tend to have formations of the first three in the front, and the last three in the back. Weapons would include short which can only be used if you're in the front view, medium which can be used in both, but less accuracy in the back not hitting the enemy back row if the user isn't in the front row, and long which can be used on both rows without penalty.

Enemies that didn't use magic tended to only have short range weapons, so the three in front would be the ones who take the brunt of physical damage. While magic would target both rows, but most back row specialists would have a higher magic defense than their front row counterparts.

I do think it adds more to battles for being something so simple on paper.