Other than reduced randomness, are there any other issues with the following variant for damage in 2d20?
- Damage isn't rolled. It is a static number applied to Vigor or Resolve.
- Soak isn't rolled either, and just reduces damage direct.
- For every 3 damage, you also get 1 Effect.
- For damage reroll talents, these grant +1 Effect instead.
It seems like Momentum would still provide some variation in terms of damage, which is the usual issue with making damage static. But this would remove the need for a second type of (special) dice and an entire step in combat, without drastically changing the results.
That's the problem with the 2D20 mechanic. It's a black box taking up role-playing time during use.
The damage dice take up roleplaying? Wouldn't that be true of any mechanic considered clunky? Or are you conflating your wider issues with 2d20 into your statement?
Oddly, this approach wouldn't have worked with the previous iterations of 2d20 as, in MC3 and CBI, the damage dice in those have the following results:
1=1
2=2
3-5=0
6=Effect
You could go instead with 2CD = 1 damage, I guess, but it wouldn't so smooth a change and Effects are a lot less reliable to model with static damage.