mob
    verb
        attack(mob/m as mob in oview(1))
            var/d //this just looks a lot better, and is what (I am guessing) 99% of BYOND coders are used to.
            if(equip_weapon)//this is all that is needed, it is either true or it isn't. The way I have it is the same as sayinbg if(equip_weapon==1)
                d = str + weapon.attack
                m.damage(d) //I am going to make one of my assumptions here and say that this is a proc that you made to hurt the target.

//              m.hp-=d  <-- This is probably easier than referencing another proc to do the same thing.

                usr<< "You did [d] damage!"
                oview()<< "[usr] did [d]damage to [m]!"
                m.deathcheck()
            else
                d = str + rand(1,4)
                m.damage(d)//same as above.
                usr<< "You did [d] damage to [m]"
                oview()<< "[usr] punches [m] for [d] damage!" //Just assuming that you want the surrounding people to know how much damage like before.
                m.deathcheck()

        proc 
            equip(e as obj)
                src.weapon = e //I am assuming that weapon is a variable that is pre-defined to all players mobs.
                src.attack = e.attack

obj
    var/attack

    zodbolt
        icon = 'fireball.dmi'

    var/value
    weapon
        //var attack
        var/hit
        var/damage_type

        sword

            damage_type = "slash"
            name = "Sword of ZOD"
            attack = 99

mob
    var
        stradded=0//this is used in my example.
    proc
        equip(var/obj/O)
            if(istype(O,/obj/weapon))
                src.weapon=O
                src.attack=O.attack
                //src.str+=O.attack //this is how I would do it so you do not need to add it at every use of your weapon.
                //src.stradded = O.attack //this is to keep track of what the players base strength was. src.str - src.stradded = src.originalstr
            if(istype(O,/obj/armor))
//... Other stuff here for armors and shields and any other thing you may want to add.

        unequip(var/obj/O)
            if(istype(O,/obj/weapon))
                if(src.weapon=O)//ensures you unequip the proper item.
                    src.weapon=new()
                    src.attack=new()
                    //src.str-=src.stradd
                    //src.stradd-=O.attack
            if(istype(O,/obj/armor))
//... Other stuff here for anything else you wanna add.