Narrative Horizontal Combat for 5e-derived games

	All players are arrayed in a linear chain. The furthest to the right is the first rank. Players begin in the ranks they want. Enemies are arrayed to the right of the players, with the left most being their first rank. No more than an equal number of enemy individuals may be in a rank further away from the middle than are present in the previous rank. Player ranks cannot be higher than one unless all four rows are occupied. Players may then increase a rank so long as it is closest available to the front rank.

	Depending on range or type, attacks can attack enemies a set number of ranks away. Likewise, each character can only be attacked a set number of times before they are overwhelmed and are no longer considered the first rank for the purposes of declaring attacks. Gear, Feats, Fighting Styles, and Magic all can change how a character or enemy will interact.

	Flight may change how your positioning is interpreted. Using Fly or Levitate will allow a character to be out of range of melee attacks while being able to drop down into melee range themselves, while flying manually will allow one to “swoop down” during attacks. This likewise means that none can be blocked, and the flying individual can be bypassed by all but other flying individuals. For basic mental well-being, if a creature is flying, consider them in an absolute whirlwind melee where there is almost no structure.

	Mounted creatures allow the rider to remain in Ranks 2, while counting as Rank 1 for attacking purposes. No creatures can be behind a rider if there is no creature in Rank 1. While mounted, the creature being rode has an optional bonus action where it may add its strength modifier to its riders first attack. A rider may not be targeted while riding, and all attacks are directed to the mount. The mount contributes no attack defensive bonus' to the rider. If the mount takes damage, it must make a concentration save or buck its rider from the saddle. If the rider has the mounted combat feat, they may make an animal handling check to either redirect the attack to themselves, or in place of the concentration save.

	Shoving or Displacing (Forced Movement) counts as an attack made for the purposes of overwhelming, allowing a successful shove to count as two attacks made, where as an attack or failed shove counts as one attack made.

	Attack Range:
Melee Weapons: Must be used from Rank 1 or 2, can attack Rank 1.
Reach: Must be used from Rank 1 or 2, can attack Rank 1, and if in Rank 1, may attack Rank 2.
Thrown: Must be used from Ranks 1, 2, or 3, can attack Rank 1, and if in Rank 1 or 2, may attack Rank 2.
Range: Can be used at any Rank, and can attack any Rank. If used in Rank 1, you have disadvantage on the attack. Attacks at Ranks behind Rank 1 have increasing steps of cover, starting at half cover at Rank 2, against ranged attacks.
Line: Spells which attack in a line will hit one target from all Ranks in front of the caster up to X/5ths of the spells range in Ranks, where X is the spell's range in feet.
Cone: Spells which attack in a cone will hit up to X/5ths of the spell's range in targets in either the closest Rank, where X is the spell's range.
Cube: Spells which attack in a cube will hit up to X/5ths of the spell's effective area in targets in the target Rank that is within range.
Sphere: Spells which attack in a sphere will hit creatures in the targeted Rank in range, as well as creatures in the Ranks previous and subsequent the chosen Rank. The number of creatures that can be targeted this way are equal to X/5, with the radius of the sphere being X. An equal number of creatures from both the previous and subsequent Ranks must be selected, and must be the highest value possible without exceeding the number of targets selected from the chosen Rank.

DURING BOSS FIGHT: All melee, non-reach attacks can be made from any row, however if they are in ranks further back than normal, are made at disadvantage.

	Defense Bonuses:
A creature can be attacked twice before it can no longer stop melee attacks from being directed to a Rank after to it. Some effects, such as Shields, the spell Shield of Faith, the Tunnel Fighter Fighting Style, or the Defensive Duelist feat, allow this to be increased.

Shields: +1
Protection: +1
Fencing: +1 if no weapon in off hand
Reach: +1
Sentinal: +1
Heavy Armor Master: +1
Defensive Duelist: +1 when activated.
Dragon Hide: +1
Shield Master: +1
Gift of the Metallic Dragon: +1 so long as you have activated it.
Shield of Faith: +1 so long as it is active.
Compelled Duel: No attacks from the compelled creature count.
Sanctuary: You cannot stop attacks from bypassing you while under this effect.
Mirror Image: Attacks which hit an image do not count against your attacks per round.