-- combat -- attacking and defending --
You still make your attack rolls the same way as normal. [Roll to see if you hit against the enemy AC. If you hit, you deal damage.] Where this is different is how I deal with enemy attacks. Or rather, how we deal with enemy attacks.
Each time that an enemy attacks, you will roll a defense check instead of me rolling to see if it hits, and asking for your AC, and then telling you the damage. We’ll basically see who has the higher number.
You will roll 1d20 + any of your AC modifiers (not the AC itself, just the pluses and minuses). I’ll figure out the enemies attack (insert magical DM formula here ^__^). Whoever is higher, in essence, wins. If your roll higher, the enemy has missed. If I have a higher number, they have hit. Pretty simple, no?
If you roll a natural 1 on you defense check it’s still a critical threat.
This system speeds up combat (especially combat with many, many enemies, which will occur pretty often), and keeps you involved to some extent. Heroics like blocking a companion will also be able to be done under this system a lot easier than it would have been before.