Formation
Formation, also known as rows, is a mechanic in Magical Vacation and Magical Starsign.
Gameplay
Magical Vacation
There are six spaces that party members can occupy; three in the front, three in the back. Combatants in the front row are more likely to get hit with attacks, while those in the back row are less likely. As such, party members with higher physical stats (HP, power, defense) are better in the front row, and magic-based characters (MP, agility, spirit) work best in the back row. When a combatant in the front row faints, they swap positions with the character standing directly behind them, even if they are revived. The party's formation goes back to normal once combat is over.
Magical Starsign
In Magical Starsign, rows play a more significant role in combat. Up to four party members can occupy the front or back row at a time, and characters can be placed in the back row without automatically moving up to the front. During battles, characters can be repositioned individually using the move command on their turn, or all at once with the clockwhistle or antiwhistle.
When a combatant is standing in the front row, the range of magic becomes single-target and will reach enemies in either row. However, physical attacking skills will not reach enemies in the back row if there are enemies in front of them. Physical skills cannot be used in the back row whatsoever.
In the back row, the range of a combatant's magic will be expanded to one of four ranges:
| Range | Damage distribution | Damage calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed (固定) | The same regardless of how many targets there are | base damage × 0.4 |
| Shared (等分) | Varies depending on the number of targets | (base damage × 0.8) ÷ no. of targets |
| Front focus (前優先) | Differs between the front and back rows, with the front row taking priority | front row damage = base damage × 0.6 back row damage = base damage × 0.2 |
| Random (ランダム) | Determined by the number of hits | (base damage × 0.8) ÷ no. of hits |
Nomenclature
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
フォーメーション Fōmēshon たいれつ Tairetsu |
Formation Formation |
 English |
Rows | |