Yup!  Exactly right! Near is (obnoxiously) further than Reach. Don't worry too much about it, Ershin, you've got flexibility in it with your spells and for the rest we'll follow the fiction as makes sense! I'll pay close attention if you're fighting like... a duelist with a rapier or something and that makes a big difference! Or if you're dealing with someone with daggers and you can stab away without threat!