One-Roll Combat Table

I post this table simply because I was inspired and I had to create it to get it out of my mind.

Anybody else ever have that happen?

Anyway, over at B/X Blackrazor, JB has a cool post about an alternate combat system where you cross reference your character's level with the target's AC and then just roll damage.  No to-hit rolls required.

I like his idea a lot and I plan to use it next time I run a game.

It occurred to me that many gamers likey their d20's.  So why not try to make up a table where you ONLY roll a d20 and you generate a hit and damage from that roll?  

Below you see the rough beginnings of that idea.  You would roll a d20, add any applicable "+" from weapon or high strength and subtract your target's armor bonus.  Thus, you would get an amount of damage between 0 and 6.

I figure that there's a chance that a normal human won't cause any damage when attacking an armored target (or even if their target is unarmored -- they are not good in combat).  Same for monsters less than 1 HD.

I also figure that there comes a time when a character of sufficient level will be able to generate a minimum damage higher than 1.  JB has a different rationale and it makes a lot of sense too.

So, here's the chart for your consideration.  

(Edits 6/3/10)

Additional thoughts -- I would probably have a "natural 1" be a fumble.  The 1 on the chart would be a modified score due to AC or other penalties.  A "natural 20" would probably do 6 points of damage regardless.  Magic weapons might even do more.

I haven't figured out what to do with 2-handed weapons (perhaps a flat damage bonus?)

Weapons in two hands seem like they'd shift the roll according to the penalty but maybe generate a damage bonus as well (smaller than 2h, I'd say)

Just thinking...