B&S v2

OK, so I'm seldom completely satisfied.  B&S started out as a mod of D100 Dungeon, but I really want skill to play a more important role.  So here is version 2, which is almost but not quite completely different.  I'm pleased (for now) with how its going.  Hit points are very low, but most hits only do one point of damage.  I'm really liking how Boosts work in this version.  Decisions are what makes a game.

This is a very rough draft, after about an hour of working on it.  (Edited early the next morning.)

Bash & Slash v2

Attribute or Skill Level:
0: Unskilled:  Roll with Disadvantage.
1: d2:  Novice
2: d4:  Layman
3: d6:  Apprentice
4: d8:  Journeyman
5: d10:  Craftsman
6: d12:  Master

Attributes begin with 2(d4), 2(d6), and 1(d8).  For a greater challenge, start with 3(d4) and 2(d6).  For grimdark, start with 1(d2), 3(d4), and 1(d6).  When referred to as the first letter or name#, use the number value.  When referred to by name, use the die type. 

Skills begin with four at 0, three at 1(d2), two at 2(d4), and one at 3(d6).  Skills can’t be raised higher than two levels above their associated attribute.  An unskilled attempt rolls Attribute with disadvantage (roll twice and take the lowest).

Attribute (hit on):  Skills:
Agility (1):  Fight, Dodge
Brawn (2-3):  Throw, Strong
Cunning (4):  Shoot, Mana
Deviousness (5):  Fiddle, Sneak
Endurance (6):  Grit, Will

Stamina:  B+E+Grit+Will

Carry Capacity is by stones.  Your carry capacity is B+E+Strong.  Every stone more that you carry increases your Burden by one, which effectively decreases your Stamina by one.

Sweat is how much effort you can make (or how many hits you can avoid) before you start taking real injuries.  When sweat equals (Stamina-Burden), you are exhausted.  Each hit while exhausted is applied randomly to your attributes with a d6 roll.

Test:  Roll Attribute and Skill, take higher, opposed by difficulty (a target number, or the highest result of a die roll).  If player rolls equal to or higher than the difficulty, the test succeeds.  If you beat it with both dice, it is a double success.  If you beat the difficulty by 4, it is an extra success.  If you beat it by 8, it is three extra successes.

Combat applies successes (hits) to Sweat, or an Attribute if exhausted.  Each time an attribute is reduced, roll the attribute’s new (lower) die – on a one, you forfeit the next round (take no action and make all rolls at Disadvantage).  When an attribute reaches zero, you forfeit your next d3 rounds, and thereafter all its rolls are made with Disadvantage.  When any attribute goes below zero, roll Grit & Luck against a difficulty of 4.  If both succeed, character stays on his feet, forfeits the next d6 rounds, and all rolls are at disadvantage until healed.  If one succeeds, character passes out for d6 hours.  If a passed out character receives further injury or is not medically treated by the end of the time, he dies. If both die rolls fail, character dies.

Melee Weapon:  Agility & Fight vs/ Fight & Shield, then weapon & Strong vs/ armor
Thrown Weapon:  Brawn & Throw vs/ Dodge & Shield, then weapon vs/ armor
Missile Weapon:  Cunning & Shoot vs/ Shield & Shield, then weapon vs/ armor
Brawl:  Brawn & Strong vs/ Brawn & Strong
Magic:  Cunning & Mana vs/ Mana & Grit, then check spell effect

Enemies(Stamina):  Minions(B), Champions(B+E), drop when out of stamina.  Bosses are treated as characters, but cannot use boosts.  Villains are treated as characters with boosts.

Boosts:  When you really need to succeed, you can sacrifice one level of an attribute or skill to replace its die roll (after the fact) with the roll of a d20.  The level loss remains until the character takes a full rest.  (Only in the room after winning a Boss fight.  Everywhere else is subject to wandering monsters.)  You can also voluntarily damage your weapon, armor, or shield to replace their roll with a d20.  Different items have different damage thresholds before they break and become useless.  (When they are on their final point before breaking, they roll with Disadvantage.)