# Battle Formation Waves of orcs crash on your unit's shields, breaking like water on rock. In the brief instant where your shield wall has disrupted the enemy's focus and positioning, a spear lunges out from a gap in the wall to impale your foe. Battle Formation is a 5e group-fighting variant rule for parties that want to fight in an organized, disciplined shield wall, Roman-style. It's main mechanic is to give your party several buffs while the formation remains intact. ## Battle Formation Your party organizes itself into a wall of shields. At the beginning of each round, while 3 or more shield-carrying characters are "chained" -- i.e. each character is no more than 5 ft. away from at least one other non-incapacitated, non-prone character -- those characters can collectively declare that they are in "Battle Formation" for that round. For that round, while the chain remains intact the formation gains the following benefits and rules. ### Shield Wall Your formation is a disciplined fighting force that emphasizes teamwork and collective strength. Any character that has the the Protection or Interception fighting style can take a second reaction per round, but this second reaction can only be used to take either the Protection or Interception reaction. ### Intimidating Force The sight of a disciplined formation engenders feelings of hopelessness and futility in your enemies. Upon being hit by a melee weapon attack by a character in the formation, an enemy must succeed on a Wisdom save (DC 2 + # of characters in the chain) or else is Frightened until the end of their next turn. ### Formation Shapes While the formation is in any of the following shapes, it gains the corresponding benefit: #### Phalanx A phalanx is formed when the chained characters formed a point facing the enemy. While in a phalanx, the entire formation gets advantage on saving throws against AoE effects. #### "V" Formation A "V" is formed when the characters for a "V" that faces the enemy, surrounding any creature that is unlucky enough to find themselves in the middle of the V. While in "V" formation, the entire formation gets advantage on melee attack rolls against any target in the center of the V. \columnbreak #### Shield Line A shield line is formed when the characters form a simple line. While in a shield line, if any character in the formation is targeted by a melee weapon attack that misses, any character in the formation within 5 ft of the targeted character can take their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. ### Banner Carrier A single character in the formation can forgo a weapon, choosing instead to carry a banner in one hand. This banner can act as a holy symbol for spellcasting purposes. As an action on their turn, the banner carrier can choose to take a special "Hoist the Banner" action -- until the start of this character's next turn, the entire formation feels the benefit of the Heroism spell while the chain is intact. On the banner carrier's next turn, he can use his Bonus Action to continue the effects of Hoist the Banner for another turn. The effects of Hoist the Banner requires the concentration of the banner carrier, which can be broken just like normal. ### Formation Movement The formation moves as a unit, commanded and directed by characters in the formation on each individual's turn. #### General Movement The formation moves as a unit with a speed of 15 ft. per round. While the formation is intact, each member can move the formation on their turn, but the entire formation can only move up to 15 ft. per round. To carry out this movement, the character whose turn it is can direct the movement of each other character in the formation, but no member of the formation can be moved more than 15 ft. total during the round. This 15 ft. of movement can be broken up across the turns of any of the characters in the formation. For example, the first character in initiative order can choose to move the formation 5 ft, the second chooses 5 ft., the third 5 ft. All the normal rules for movement still apply to the formation. In addition to moving the formation, on their turn each character in formation can also move just themselves (not the entire formation) an additional 5 ft, even if that character has already been moved 15 ft. by formation movement. #### Formation Dash The formation takes off in full sprint, but their training and teamwork allows them to stay in a disciplined shape. Each round, any member of the formation can use their action to "dash" the formation, moving the formation up to an additional 15 ft. \pagebreak #### Formation Dash (Continued) However, if any member of the formation has already taken their turn this round and used their action, they are left behind. In this event, the character directing the Formation Dash must use the additional granted movement speed to reform a chain. Characters cannot use the "Formation Dash" action in any way that breaks the chain. Using the Formation Dash also takes away the action of each member of the formation who is moved as a result of this Formation Dash (i.e., it's as if each member of the formation took the Dash action on their turn), but it doesn't affect other members' ability to take Bonus Actions, Action Surge, Reactions, etc. #### Formation Regrouping At the end of each round, the formation can take a special re-positioning movement to return to or change formations. To do this, the formation chain must be intact before the characters re-position (so this couldn't be used to reform a broken chain). The party must end their "Formation Regrouping" in one of the above Formation Shapes. For this movement, each character in the formation can move no more than 10 ft, and all the normal rules for movement still apply (still provoke opportunity attacks, still use difficult terrain rules, etc.). #### Charge! At the end of each round, instead of doing a "Formation Regrouping," the formation can choose to break ranks and charge at their enemies. Next round, each member in the formation gains +5 to their initiative (potentially changing turn order), but any bonus from being in Battle Formation is immediately lost. <div class='footnote'>Part 2 | Your Introduction</div>