Alternate Hit Rules: I SO got you!

[Gritmonger]

So, I was thinking - there are a lot of times players get just soooo close, that is right on the to-hit required, or just below...

And I'd seen others who had alternate rules for rolling a 1 - for instance, allowing another attack roll, with the stipulation that the weapon breaks.

So, I thought - is there another way to model close-but-not-quite-close-enough?

For instance, for melee:

• If I miss by one or two, could I take a penalty on my AC equal to how much I missed by until the start of my next turn to hit instead?
• If I miss by one or two, can I take a minus to my damage roll equal to the amount I missed by at the risk of doing no damage at all to hit instead?
• If I miss by one or two, can I give myself disadvantage on the next roll to take advantage (roll again) for this one?
• If I miss by one or two, could I straight up take HP damage equal to the 1 or 2 to hit instead?

Just some food for thought. I haven't tried any of these options yet, but I thought it might add some more options for fighters, as it might be too much for ranged attacks (it's not that much of a penalty to take a -1 or 2 to your AC if you're 100' from the main skirmish... and I'm not sure how you'd twist your body to make it a hit or somehow a strike instead of a miss...)

[Pramxnim]

If you want to reward your players for almost hitting the required AC, you could award them a "glancing hit", and have them deal damage to their target equal to the ability modifier they used to attack.

So, for example, a Fighter attacking a dragon with his greatsword and misses by 1 or 2 would instead deal damage to it equal to his STR modifier.
A Warlock would deal damage equal to his CHA modifier when missing by 1 or 2 when attacking with Eldritch Blast.

etc., etc.