I'm kicking around mechanics -- intentionally pretty lightweight -- for a game in sword & planet and/or sorcery vein with all warrior PCs (no "wizard" types). They start with heroic prowess, improving stats being at most a minor consideration.

The "wargame" aspect is pretty important, which may be one reason I'm so far sticking with D6.

Simple roll to hit:
A) If you're equal or inferior in Combat Factor, it's 1/6.
B) If you're superior, add +1 per point, up to a 5:1 advantage for +4.

Missile fire will probably use proportional mods (another roll) for range and cover and such.

Usual CFs: Green 0, Regular 1, Veteran 2, Elite 3, Hero 4. PCs are all CF 4, and it is intended that other character attributes should not alter basic combat effectiveness much (instead shaping selection of special tactics, so a Strong guy may have a different style than an Agile one).

Wounds: 2D + weapon - toughness/armor. A table will translate into degrees of wound severity. At least for the basic game, this is meant to indicate overall status rather than specific wounds, and minimize record keeping in fights with multiple figures. There may be a separate table for heroes.

Quick & Dirty Option: For multiple hits on the same figure, simply add +1 per additional hit to a single wound roll.

Attributes: Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, Perception, Will.

Heroes range from 0 (normal man) to 5 (outstanding) in each. There are three options for generating scores:
A) Rank the attributes 5 to 0.
B) Distribute 15 points (same range).
C) Roll 1D-1 for each.

Scores will often be added to a 2D roll, 10+ probably being usual for things that are very unlikely (1/6 success) for normals but fairly typical of heroic adventures.

For further character definition, players will be able to choose special abilities that are mainly qualitative (like most Talents in The Fantasy Trip or Skills in Lords of Creation). The attributes should serve well enough for being better at something any hero can do; these will indicate capabilities that really require some special training, or the influence of a distinctive background of experience. This should keep the paperwork down.

I might do something sort of like Traveller background experience, influenced also by Legendary Lives: what's often called a "life path" system.

Starting age might have range based on 1D:
1-2 = 2D+13 (avg. 20)
3-4 = 2D+18 (avg. 25)
5-6 = 2D+23 (avg. 30)

There could be tradeoffs to balance younger vs. older figures, or it could be just "color" (realism not being a high priority).

Hm, rolling d6 -1 seems like a bad choice in comparison to point distribution.

It looks workable. Offhand I would comment that:
*having attribute generation that rolls only 6 dice will give quite a lot of variation in characters.
*attack rolls look fast (being roll-under), but the table lookup for damage could then slow things down.
*there's something weird I can't quite put my finger on about having d6 stats and then 2d6 for skill rolls (linear roll for ability and then v-curve for performance). A character's ability to perform tasks is somewhat predictable, but varies extremely.

Maybe it needs advancement rules of some kind (I think getting bigger and badder is one of the things that makes, say, D&D so appealing - starting everyone at CF 4 maybe subtracts something).

Quote from: TristramEvansHm, rolling d6 -1 seems like a bad choice in comparison to point distribution.

You've got an equal chance of a high roll or a low one, averaging the same. Choosing this, either you feel lucky or you just want to be surprised. Whether it's an option is up to the GM.

Quote from: Bloody Stupid Johnson*having attribute generation that rolls only 6 dice will give quite a lot of variation in characters.

That's what it's for. I figure people who want less of a gamble are likely to prefer a points system, but one could always roll 2+ dice and make the curve as steep as one likes. Zenobia involves fewer rolls, of similar magnitude, and folks have found that fun.

For exactly 15 points, you could roll 15 dice and apply a point per dice to the corresponding attribute (Strength=1, Will=6). To correct any outliers higher than 5 would call for some reassignment (which again could be randomized).

Quote*attack rolls look fast (being roll-under), but the table lookup for damage could then slow things down.

Yes, but maybe no more than multiple dice tosses (as in games such as Warhammer). It's basically the system used in the Traveller miniatures rules set Striker. Big battles would call for more lumping (x figures out of action).

 I decided that the 2D roll was worth it for the range of probabilities plus clarity -- figuring in weapons and toughness and potential states of injury -- but I might change my mind back again!

Quote*there's something weird I can't quite put my finger on about having d6 stats and then 2d6 for skill rolls (linear roll for ability and then v-curve for performance). A character's ability to perform tasks is somewhat predictable, but varies extremely.

It varies with the target number, which is nothing novel, so I don't think that's really what you mean? Among multiple figures, with a base of 10+, the chance ranges from 1/6 to 5/6; average for heroes is 42% to 58%.  

QuoteMaybe it needs advancement rules of some kind (I think getting bigger and badder is one of the things that makes, say, D&D so appealing - starting everyone at CF 4 maybe subtracts something).

You can award points at whatever rate you like, but my intent is something different from D&D. The focus is not on what you've got but on what you do with it. Equipment likewise is not character defining in the source material, in which heroes are sometimes left with nothing but bare skin and wits and on other occasions wield a Great Gizmo of World Saving.

Fortunes can vary greatly, down as well as up, in the course of play. Keeping factors as dynamic elements of play (rather than entitlements) means the new player has the same chance as the old hand, rather than being "low level."

Quote from: Phillip;698973I decided that the 2D roll was worth it for the range of probabilities plus clarity -- figuring in weapons and toughness and potential states of injury -- but I might change my mind back again!

You're probably right. Generally seems like rolling 1 die gets a bit swingy when a result might take out a figure, and d6 would limit options for defining differences in weapon damage and the like, so I retract any objections

QuoteIt varies with the target number, which is nothing novel, so I don't think that's really what you mean? Among multiple figures, with a base of 10+, the chance ranges from 1/6 to 5/6; average for heroes is 42% to 58%.  

Ehh, I don't know. All I can think of at this stage is that with linear task resolution (d20+mods, for instance) it seems that modifier becomes less significant, so it softens the effect of rolling really badly for a stat. Your system just generates a lot more difference in character ability than I'm used to.

Quote from: Bloody Stupid Johnson;699032Your system just generates a lot more difference in character ability than I'm used to.

I'm guessing it does the same with either points system. If you're not accustomed to characters having one ability that's average for civilians and one that's world class, then it might seem very strange at first.

I think this makes for more interesting characters than does homogenization, but I'm open to considering the alternative. Whether it better represents the inspirational fiction genre is probably debatable.