Was looking stuff up on web when i ran across Dungeon Squad game. Though it was a cool idea, but wanted something simpler. Came up with this idea below
(PS=I call this Version = "THE ALL MIGHT D4, and how it has fallen")
Non-Combat: Just role-play stuff out. If you need a skill check, just roll your "Movement/Skill" number vs a "Skill check AC number". For the most part skills can not be used in combat. If skills are used in combat, the person doing the skill needs 5 rounds of un-interrupted use. If anyone forces the person doing the skill to make a "AC check" or "movement" then the skill fails and needs to be started over.
Combat or Movement = ((Not both)): Player can move or make an attack but not do both during the same round.
Hit Points = 10 points to start with.
Initiative = 1d20 = High roll goes first. If their is a tie, those who are tied re-roll again to see which of them goes first.
Defense/Skill check AC = 1d12 = This is your AC, Dodge, Defense, Luck, and everything else rolled into one. Roll this once per combat round, for your AC score. Any damage score must must beat this score, and the difference between the two is how much damage that is inflicted. (example: You role 1d12 and get a 6 score. The gnoll roll 1d10 and gets a 8 score. AC 6 - 8 damage = 2 damage to HP. So you take 2 hp damage to your hp).
Next player get 1d10, 1d8, 1d6 : The player then assigns each of these to one of these : Melee, Range, Movement/skill, . (example: A fighter might choose 1d10 melee, 1d6 range, 1d8 movement).
Melee: Melee is physical combat. It will effect everyone; that the player choses; within one 5' (or one 10' based on GM floor map), square that is next to the player at the time of the melee attack.
Range: Range is range combat. The player picks one target to effect, that is within range, (roll the "Movement" die, that is how far you can shoot this round). ===GM option: Depending on how range is roll-played out, and purely at GM option, 1d4 target might get effected by range. All target must be next to the previous target; like in a circle, line, square, etc. The player only get to select the first target, while the GM gets to select all remaining targets=== Note: This is assuming Bows, Sling, Handguns, laser pistols, etc. If you let the player use long range riffles, laster riffles, bazooka, missal launcher, etc then multiple movement roll by a factor of 10. On the other hand, if your dog fighting in space with spaceships.. just assume the movement score rolled is in Parsecs, Miles, Baseball fields, the length of a battle Cruiser, etc. Distance is Relative; to what ever the GM says it is.
Movement/Skills:
(Non-Combat) This is how good you are at skills. If you want to be the smart person who can work the computers, the thief picking the lock, the tracker following footprints, etc, etc, then choose this as your 1d10. The GM will roll a opposition check 1d12 AC, to see if you succeed. Luckily since skill are usually done outside of combat, a failed rolled can sometimes be re-rolled again. (example: Your car is broken. You would keep working on it till you succeed a skill check. How long each check takes is up to your GM, so five fails might be any where from 50 minutes to 5 days based on what your GM says. Ya Time is Relative; to what ever the GM says it is. Note: Sometime you only get to do a skill once, like disarming a trap, disarming a bomb, jumping throw a window, climbing a tree, etc.
(Combat-Range): See above about Range. How far you can shoot.
(Movement): This is how far you can move during a combat turn on your own ability to walk/run/flap your wings/swim/etc. Movement is Relative; to what ever the GM says it is. In other words, if everyone if diving a car or piloting a fighter ship, then the distance moved would be relative to that distance the GM say it is.
Creature Level: Everyone start off a level Zero normal. Your level is added to your starting Hit Points. Your level is added to any roll you make. (example: a 3rd level character would roll Initiative +3, roll their AC +3, roll any damage or movement +3, etc).
Then you add Magic: (player get to choose a magic item or to be a spell caster)
(Magic Item): 1d4 = Player at start of game gets to add a 1d4 to one thing: Initiative 1d20, AC 1d12, Melee, Range, or Movement/Skill. This 1d4 is added to any roll the player makes, but the roll can not exceed its max number + character level. (example: A 4th Fighter with 1d10 Melee with 1d4 magic flaming sword. Can roll 1d10 = 5, 1d4 = 3, and get a 8 score + 4 for level to end up with 12 score. On the other hand if he rolled a 1d10 = 10, 1d4 = 3, he would max out at 10 (max number) plus 4 for level to = 14 max damage score.)
(Magic Spell): Well this idea is not fully developed yet :). The idea is that as you gain more levels, more spell effects become open to you. Spell effects very in what they can do. ((See your GM for Spells))
Direct effects = like damage, slow, stun, that effect a target or target creature has to beat there "AC" roll; which mean that most even or high level creatures will not normal be effected. This is magic weak spot. The difference in the d4 roll vs target AC is duration effect lasts. (example: 8th level Mage cast slow 1d4 = 3 +8 caster level for 11 score. 2nd level troll rolls a 1d12 = 4 + 2nd level for 6 score. 11 - 6 = 5 rounds the troll is slowed.)
Indirect Effects = Like area effects such as fog, slowing vines, wall spells, etc. There effect lasts 1d4 + caster level. The effect will effect everyone; both friend and foe; in the area of the effect. (example: 5th level wizard casts Wall of stone inside a cave to buy time for rogue to pick a lock, the wall prevents movement or combat from either side. The wall of stone lasts 1d4+5 rounds).
Buffing Other only: Same as Magic Items, for their next round (or 2 if they used up that ability this round). Again, other only for balance reasons.
Healing is a Direct effect & can not be done in combat = So you have to beat the target "AC score" even if that target is a friend. (example a 5th level caster rolls 1d4 = 3 +5 for level = 8 and the 3rd level target rolls 1d12 = 2 +3 for level = 5. The heal works, but only heals 3 damage. === GM might put a time limit on how often or how much time between healing spell has to pass before another one will work; Based on how the GM wants healing to be done in his game world.===
Note=Any spell that effects a target AC directly needs to be rare, high level 15-20, and only effect it by 1d4 max.
((spell examples: Like said before work in progress.... just making these up off the top of my head as examples))
Note = any spell effect that uses a d roll, if effect by target level. So a 1st level Slow (area) cast by an 8th level mage would have 1d4 + 8 range and effect 1d4 +8 squares.
1st level spells
Slow (target) = Range: 1d4 range = Target is slowed down, and takes a -1 to Initiative and movement. Duration is based on difference to spell vs AC.
Slow (area) = Range: 1d4 range = Area is 1d4 squares (what is a square, ask your GM, could be 5' or 10' depending on his battle matt)=(Player shapes the square as he likes, as long as they all touch each other). Target is slowed down, and takes a -1 to Initiative, movement or skills. Duration is 1 round.
3rd level spells
Slow (target) = Range: 1d4 range = Target is slowed down, and takes a -3 to Initiative and movement. Duration is based on difference to spell vs AC.
Slow (area) = Range: 1d4 range = Area is 1d4 squares (what is a square, ask your GM, could be 5' or 10' depending on his battle matt)=(Player shapes the square as he likes, as long as they all touch each other). Target is slowed down, and takes a -3 to Initiative, movement or skills. Duration is 3 round.
Held/Petrified (area) = Range: 1d4 range = Area is 1d4 squares. Target is frozen in place for 1 round Duration. (Note: If they say Petrified, GM might make duration 1d4 rounds, but add +1d4 to petrified targets AC while petrified), depending on how player and GM want to role-play it out.
Fog (area) = Range 1d4 = Area is 1d4 squares. Target suffers 1d4 penalty to Initiative, Movement, Skills, and range attacks.
5th level spells
Wall of Stone (area) = Range 1d4 = Area is 1d4 squares. Wall is placed that blocks attacks or movement between wall. Duration is 1d4+caster level vs "AC opposition roll by GM", and yes this might mean the spell just down right fails.
Last= What level of acceptable reality do you want:
(Comedy): Anything goes, like it does in cartoons.
(Simple)-Most liked version: If it is even remotely possible, it is allowed (example: goblin surgeon coming at you with 2 tiny surgeon blades, and doing 1d10 melee damage, due to his skill.)
(Ordinary): Melee 1d10 is long sword, 1d8 is short sword, 1d6 is dagger, 1d10 range is long bow, 1d8 is short bow, 1d6 is sling, etc, etc,etc, GM can make a list of what can do what.
(Realistic): Ok forget everything listed above, good luck with writing your own 1000 page book or books.
So what is a 1d10, 1d8, 1d6 melee look like. Anything the player wants it to be. From a Battle axe barbarian to a Robot with green LED eyes, to a Kung-Fu Un-Armed Fighter, to a Squirrels waking you with its tail. As i said before check with you GM for "Level of acceptable reality do you want".
So what is a 1d10, 1d8, 1d6 Range attack look like. Again, Anything the player want it to be. From a Bow and Arrow, to Bazooka, Rail gun, missile launcher, Heat-Ray Vision, or anything else ranged. As i said before check with you GM for "Level of acceptable reality do you want".