trying to make an attack interesting
This is going to sound like a trolling sort of question but please believe it isn't meant that way:
In what way does adding dice make an attack more interesting?
If you're already in a freeform environment, it seems like that on the character/narrative vs. mechanics/combat scale of what virtues to emphasize in a game, you're coming down strongly on the side of the former. Maybe I'm mistaken on that? But if not, then it seems like the outcome of situations like this should be decided based on what's the most interesting thing to happen, or the thing that best serves the story, or the thing that's supported by the best roleplay, or some concern like that. Adding dice doesn't do any of those things. It doesn't make an attack more interesting, it just makes it more random, and therefore -less- interesting (in a freeform format).