Originally Posted by The Red Queen
It’s not possible to specify a formation for our characters to arrange themselves into when they come to rest. I’m not sure how much this really matters given turn-based combat, but I still feel it as a lack. Plus it just looks a bit messy, with everyone just standing around looking in different directions, though that’s a small problem compared to the others.

Originally Posted by The Red Queen
And because it's turn-based so formation (and who the enemies see first) doesn't matter quite as much. And because one of the things that annoys me most when it comes to party movement is when squishy characters get ahead of my armoured ones and get killed as a result [...]

Interestingly, I feel the exact opposite about lack of formation/control over the party members' relative positions at all times, and the turn-based vs RTWP gameplay. gameplay.


In RTWP combat, like in BG1, if I come accross enemies on the map, and a squishy character is somehow ahead of my frontliners, that's not too much trouble.

Firstly, I use auto-pause when an enemy is detected, so I don't have to react fast in any way.

Secondly, while in paused-mode, I can move the misplaced squishy character backward and move the frontliners forward. Enemies may have initially aggro-ed a squishy character and start running for them. Then two things can happen. If the enemy (especially a melee enemy) keeps wanting to hit the squishy character, they'll have to go around the frontliners who'll be all too happy to hit without the enemy hitting back. We could in theory have a cartoonish situation where I keep running my squishy target around the frontliners, again and again, until the enemy dies most stupidly. But that ideally won't happen. On the other hand, and more likely, if the AI for the enemy wasn't done too poorly, the enemy will switch target to a frontliner, and then we're exactly in the type of situation frontliners are for.

In short, there really isn't any issue here, for me. Because of the real-timeness of movement of units on the battlefield.


In turn-based combat, like in BG3, if a fight breaks out and a squishy character is somehow ahead of my frontliners, I am potentially in trouble.

If the squishy character goes first in initiative order, then cool. No trouble. I'll just drop some spell or range attack and then retreat to the back on the fight, and certainly behind my frontliners.

But if 2-3 enemies go first, then I'm in trouble. Because they have all leisure to attack the squishy character, and possibly even kill that character, before I get to do anything. Not just moving the squishy character away, but also/alternatively (depending on the initiave roll) coming in with some Thunderwave or other technique to insert my frontliner between the enemies and the squishy, backline characters that they are supposed to cover.

In short, there really is a risk here. Because of the turn-based nature of movement of units on the battlefield.



In the end, the party's formation at the start of a fight is a lot more important with a turn-based system.

And BG3 has a turn-based system. But is crap at letting players control the formation.



Here are a couple of actual, negative examples that I experienced in BG3.
  • Combat starts. Wait ... Gale, what the hell are you doing this close to the enemies ?!
  • Combat starts. Wait ... why is my dual-wielding Ranger that far behind ?!
    In good cases, and especially if I'm Wood Elf and have a movement bonus, maybe the actual distance to melee attack the enemies is not an issue. What may be an issue, though, is that Larian decided that I can move across my allies' spaces (unlike in 5E). Or that jumping would cost a BA (unlike in 5E). And you know what I wanted my dual-scimitar wielder to do with a BA ? Yep, being effective in melee. Sure, there are poor choices about the rules of movement during combat, and not due to the general party controls. But those dubious rules wouldn't be such an issue if my party stayed in a decent formation.

In short, I have sometimes the bad surprise of discovering that I'm starting a fight with a random penalty. And that's not cool.

So, I feel it would be quite neat, and in fact necessary, to be able to choose a party formation, and have the party stick to it.

I'm fine with Larian's choice of not doing combat transitions like some some old school JRPGs. But then, make sure that my party stays in a formation that I have chosen.