Quite Distracted By: One-Roll Combat (Again)

Way back in April, I posted a thought for one-roll combat in Spellcraft & Swordplay; that is combining the attack roll and the damage roll.  This idea was based on the serendipity that my hack for combat in S&S made the combat roll succeed on an 11+, so that the 1's digit would tell you how much damage was inflicted.  I liked the idea and played with it a bit in a game, but didn't go much further.  I got stuck on how to handle Weapon Size.

I have no idea why, but last night the brilliant Mark Krawec's suggestion to look at Over the Edge suddenly penetrated my brain.  Seriously, why am I thinking about it all of the sudden?  I have super-hero stuff to write.  Hopefully, this is just a one-off "Quite Distracted By" and not a sign of my interest being redirected.

In any case, before I got out of bed, I came up with the following (which I have cast as part of Dying Sun rather than S&S proper)

COMBAT

Combat in Under the Dying Sun is slightly different than in the Spellcraft & Swordplay Revised Edition.  As with the changes to Ability generation, these changes make greater use of the central 2D mechanic. The key difference is that degree of success matters in combat, with a successful roll being one that results in 11+ as always. A roll of “11” is 1 degree of success, “12” is 2 degrees of success, and so on.

To resolve combat:

1. The attacker makes his Combat Roll by throwing 2D

2. The Combat Roll is modified by:

     a. Class-based modifier (see Advancement Tables for each Class)

     b. Modifier from Weapon Class vs. defender’s Armour Class (see Melee Attack 

          Table or Missile Attack Table)

     c. Defender’s Defense

3. Success results on 11+

    a. On a roll of boxcars, roll 2D again, adding this result to the degree of success.

4. Damage equals 1 Hit Point per degree of success.

5. Damage is modified by:

    a. First, multiply by Weapon Size multiplier (see Weapon Size)

    b. Second, modifiers from Strength (in melee combat or hurled missiles)

    c. Any other modifiers, such as from psychic weapons.

WEAPON SIZE

Each Weapon Size has a Damage Multiplier that is applied to the damage resulting from degree of success on the Combat Roll.

Tiny melee weapons would include stabbing someone with a paring knife or a stylus.  Damage Multiplier is x1/2.

Small melee weapons include daggers, cesti, and fists. A small weapon can be used in the off-hand to parry, while using a Medium (or smaller) weapon in the on-hand to attack. This grants a +1 Defense to incoming melee at-tacks, but no Defense to missile attacks. However, anytime such a character scores a critical hit (12+), the Damage Multiplier for his regular weapon is increased by 1 as the character has managed to hit with both weapons.  Damage Multiplier is x1.

Medium melee weapons include swords, hand axes, and maces.  Damage Multiplier is x2.

Large melee weapons include great-swords, battle axes, mauls, and lances. They are unwieldy and impose a -1 to the Combat Roll. A character using a Large weapon cannot also use a shield (even Scorpion Men, due to tangling of limbs and tools).  Damage Multiplier is x3.

Huge melee weapons cannot be used by player characters, but might be used by gigantic beings swinging tree trunks and the like. If used by a gigantic being, they are no more unwieldy than a normal man using a normal club.  Damage Multiplier is x4.

Thoughts?  Two things I am not at all decided upon

1. Should bonuses from STR and whatnot be added before the multiplier instead of after?
2. Should a boxcars result in adding just 1 more die of damage instead of 2?