A 1st level wizard with an 8 constitution is not killed by a single magic missile. They are knocked out. Getting knocked out of a fight, with the possibility of healing bringing you back in, is far different from getting killed and having to make a new character. Both 3rd and 4th edition had plenty of half damage effects, and I don't recall ever hearing complaints about their existence then. Of course, just cause I didn't hear them doesn't mean they weren't around. Personally, I don't like the idea of average joe beating the save DC of fireball by 1 and taking no damage. There are 2 main issues with that.
1) It doesn't make sense to me in my mind's eye. If joe adventurer has cover then I could see it. But in the middle of a room with no special abilities, he should really take some damage.
2) All or nothing mechanics promote feel bad moments. There was a reason so many of 4th's daily abilities dealt half damage on a miss. You spent your "point of awesome" and it stunk when it did nothing.
A flat bonus to attacks could work. Perhaps +1 to all attacks at 1st level and +1 more every five. Fighters get +2 more to weapon attacks at 1st level and it increase one more at 7th. Wizards get the same for magic attacks. Clerics get a +1 to each at 1st level to reflect a more traditional pinch hitter and support roll.
1) It doesn't make sense to me in my mind's eye. If joe adventurer has cover then I could see it. But in the middle of a room with no special abilities, he should really take some damage.
2) All or nothing mechanics promote feel bad moments. There was a reason so many of 4th's daily abilities dealt half damage on a miss. You spent your "point of awesome" and it stunk when it did nothing.
A flat bonus to attacks could work. Perhaps +1 to all attacks at 1st level and +1 more every five. Fighters get +2 more to weapon attacks at 1st level and it increase one more at 7th. Wizards get the same for magic attacks. Clerics get a +1 to each at 1st level to reflect a more traditional pinch hitter and support roll.