Variable Multiple Attacks rule idea for Attack Bonus systems

After reading a post by Talysman over at Nine and Thirty Kingdoms, I started to think about ways to do multiple attacks.

I go to mentally toying with a way to do variable multiple attacks in an "Attack Bonus" based system, like Swords & Wizardry.

Cleave rules let some characters - usually fighter-based classes - continue to hit foes if they slay the previous target.

These rules attempt to just give multiple attacks even if you don't have multiple, weak foes you can slay with single blows.

Variable Multiple Attacks

If your net, modified roll to hit is equal to or exceeds 20, you can attack again - either the same target, or an adjacent target. If your second (and subsequent) attack rolls are also equal to or exceed 20, you can continue to attack. This ends immediately if your net roll is 19 or less, even if it hits, or if you are incapacitated or disarmed (for example, if your first hit is against a gas spore, which explodes and kills you, or you hit a rust monster with your sword, you do not get a chance at subsequent attacks.)

Optional limits:

- limited to fighters and fighter sub classes (barbarians, paladins, rangers, etc.)

- limited to one extra hit per level, minimum 1 extra (so 2 at levels 1-2, 3 at level 3, etc.)

- limited to melee

- limited to one total hit per level (so 1 at level 1, 2 at level 2, etc.)



What I like about this kind of approach is what I like about Cleave - it's something you can just drop in without changing stat lines, changing damage rolls, checking a table to see if you get an extra attack or not. You've always got them coming, potentially, if your bonuses are high and you roll well. You can even get a cascade of attacks against the same foe.

I have no idea how this would work, but it would make 20s more fun.