Combat

Combat in Cosmic Odyssey is meant to be dangerous business. The battlefield should feel hectic, opponents dangerous and taking down an opponent heroic and awesome. 

Tactics and clever use of actions and RE-actions should be an important part of any combat situation both individually and as a group fighting together. 

Combat in Cosmic Odyssey is built around Action Points. The point of this system is to keep players engaged even when it is not their ‘turn’ as something can always happen that requires their attention and possibly a RE-action.  

We recommend using battlemaps or similar to get the best combat experience. 

“Every move must matter, like chess”.

Combat Tables

This first section gives you all the combat tables you’ll need. They’re designed for quick reference, so don’t worry if something looks brief or unclear at first glance. Further down the page, you’ll find full explanations for each entry. To make things easier, most subjects in the combat tables are clickable - just tap one to jump straight to its detailed description.

The Battle Round Script

1. Summary

Brief summary of the Combat situation by the Game Master.

The aim of this is to get a common understanding.

2. Roll for fatigue

3. Number of Action Phases

The round will have the same number of Action Phases - as the battle participant with the highest number of Action Points has. Usually 6.

The first declaration of an action starts the round. The players and the DM declares their action Action Phase for Action Phase - if you take an action with a cost of more than 1 AP (like your main attack) you declare it and "book" the necessary Action Phases before your action takes place.

This means that your Actions will be met with Reactions (like an opponent seeking cover from your gunfire) while you act.
Most battles will have 6 Action Phases (standard for Player Characters and humanoid NPCs, but this number can be affected by certain skills, spells and tech modules.

4. Resolve Action Phases

Resolve the battle round Action Phase by Action Phase. Friends and foes will move, use skills, cast spells and activate tech modules - and resolve attacks.

Please note that you can only use your Action Points in Action Phase slots - if you do nothing in a phase (a 6 phase round where you have 6 action points) you missed your chance to use that action point.

We recommend that you keep track of action phase on a sheet.

There is one important rule to observe. If you are targeted by an attack (spell, weapon or other) and move away while the attack is taking place - the attack will hit you and affect you normally. Even though you may have moved away from the attacker.

When the last Action Phase of the round has ended, a new round will start (remember to roll for fatigue).

And so on...
Combat Roll Modifiers
Effect
Category
Notes
Positioning
- varies
Range Penalty
Ranged and Thrown Weapons Only
+ 15
Flank Attack
Attacks from the side
+25
Rear Attack
Attacks from behind
+15
Unnoticed
Defender is prepared for attacks, but is unaware of the attacker
+25
Surprise Attack
Defender is not prepared for attacks
+20
Easy Target
Defender is an easy target - standing still, running straight at you etc.
- 10 - -45
Cover
25 percent: -15 (soft cover -5)
50 percent: -30 (soft cover -10)
75 percent: -45 (soft cover -20)
Full cover: -60 (soft cover -40)
-5 - -30
Concealment
Opponent hidden from sight but general direction is more or less known (fog/magic/shadows etc.)
-10 - -30
Ranged into melee
Standard is -20. -10 it target is closer to you, -30 if they are further (relative to those they are in melee with.)
Status
+/- 15
Stunned
Somewhat hindered, but still able to react.
+/- 25
Vulnerable
Prone or similar vulnerable position, but able to move. Unarmed in melee (includes ranged weapons), flying with no control and so on.
+/- 50
Helpless
Unable to move. Paralyzed, unconscious or similar
+/- 30
Blind
Or similar full loss of sight (full darkness)
+/- 5-25
Visually impaired
From foggy conditions to near full darkness
Actions
-/+ 25
Being obvious
Re-using spells, skills as Re-Actions or to trick the opponent in the same way 2 rounds in a row.
Varies
Use of actions or Re-actions
Used to enhance or hinder defense or attacks
Varies
Rule of Cool
If an action is especially creative, cinematic, or fun, it should be allowed - even if it bends or stretches the rules. Here the GM might say that they give a 1% chance for success or similar instead of giving a penalty (or bonus)
Please notice that in most cases, combat roll modifiers are accumulative. For example, if a defender knows he is about to be attacked from behind, there is only a +25 bonus to an attack against that defender, but if the defender does not know that he is about to be attacked from behind, there is a +40 bonus to the attack from Rear Attack and Unnoticed.

However, you cannot get a double bonus for attacking a helpless target from behind and so on.  

Only in rare cases should a bonus or penalty in combat be more than 50 even if it accumulates to more.  An exception to this is spells and tech modules where some provide bonuses or penalties independetly from status and positioning.
Critical Hit Table
Roll d10 for placement
Arm
Leg
Other
"Other" is unavoidable. Leg and arm hits can avoid effect from armor
1 - 3
4-6
7-10
Roll
Piercing
Slashing
Crushing
Effect on Target
1-5
1
1
1
-5 to next action
6-10
1
1
2
-5 to Defense Bonus until end of round
11-15
2
2
2
-5 to Resilience until end of round
16-20
2
3
3
- 10 to next action
21-25
3
3
4
- 5 on next attack roll
26-30
3
4
5
- 10 on next attack roll
31-35
4
5
6
Next round: -5 on initiative roll
36-40
4
5
6
Next round: Lose 1 AP
41-45
5
6
7
Next round: Lose 1 AP +-5 Resilience
46-50
5
7
8
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -5 Defense Bonus
51-55
6
7
9
Until short rest: -5 to Resilience
56-60
6
8
10
Until short rest: -5 to Defense Bonus
61-65
7
9
10
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 Resilience
66-70
7
9
11
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 Defense Bonus
71-75
8
10
12
Until short rest: -5 to Resilience and Defense Bonus
76-80
8
11
13
Until short rest: -10 to Resilience and Defense Bonus
81-85
9
11
14
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 Resilience
86-90
9
12
14
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 Defense Bonus
91-95
10
13
15
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 on all rolls
96-99
10
13
15
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 on all rolls
100
11
14
16
Take double all damage from attack. Unavoidable.
101-105
11
14
16
Next round: Lose 2 AP
106-110
11
15
17
Next round: Lose 2 AP + -10 resilience
111-115
12
15
18
Next round: Lose 2 AP + -10 defense bonus
116-120
12
16
18
Lose 1 Fatigue AP
121-125
13
17
19
Lose 1 Injury AP
126-130
13
17
20
Lose 1 Fatigue AP + -10 resilience until short rest
131-135
14
18
21
Lose 1 Fatigue AP + -10 DB until short rest
136-140
14
19
22
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + -10 to all rolls
141-145
15
19
23
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + -20 to all rolls
146-149
15
20
24
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + Take damage again
150
16
21
25
Take triple all damage from attack. Unavoidable.
151-155
16
21
25
Until long rest: Lose 2  AP + -20 to Resilience
156-160
16
21
26
Until long rest: Lose 2  AP + -20 to DB
161-165
17
22
27
Lose 1 Injury AP + Double all damage from attack
166-170
17
23
28
Lose 2 Injury AP + Double all damage from attack
171-175
18
23
28
Double all damage + roll again on crit table.
176-180
18
24
29
Lose 1 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
181-185
19
25
30
Lose 2 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
186-190
19
25
31
Lose 3 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
191-195
20
26
32
3 x damage + roll again on crit table.
196-200
20
27
32
3 x damage + roll again on crit table with advantage
200+
20
27
32
Effect from 196-200 roll
Critical hits can be very severe. Especially if the target is not wearing armor when hit. Each damage type will have a specific critical hit table and it is noted on the specific type of weapon, spell and so on which type of damage it does. So if my short sword deals piercing damage, I must use the ‘Piercing Damage Critical Hit Table’. 

Critical hit tables range from 1-200 with the higher numbers being the most severe. The effect of critical hits is determined by rolling a 1D100 and adding the difference between the Attack and the Critical Hit Threshold which can be found on the weapon tables. This result is checked against the relevant critical hit table
Attack Rolls with Weapons
1d100 Roll
+ Weapon Attack Bonus
- Base Defense Bonus
+/- Combat Roll Modifiers
Attack Rolls with Physical Spells
1d100 Roll
+/- Enhancement Adjustment
+ Spell Bonus
- Base Defense Bonus
+/- Combat Roll Modifiers

Notes on Attack Rolls with Physical Spells

Resolving whether physical spells, or spells that try to inflict damage externally, will hit the target, follows the same pattern as attack with weapons. The only difference is, that spellcasters will often use adjustment to make their spells more powerful, thus adding the difficulty adjustment to the calculation. These 'enhancements' and their cost can be seen under each spell.
Attack Rolls with Internalist Spells and Tech Modules
1d100 Roll
+/- Enhancement Adjustment
+ Spell/Tech Bonus
- Resilience

Notes on Internalist Spells and Tech Modules

Some spells and technological skills and items work quite differently than weapons and ‘Physical’ spells. Just like a bullet, an arrow or a sword, a firebolt is something that you can try to avoid, and if it hits you, you might wear damage mitigating armor or items. Therefore, we use just about the same calculation for those attacks. Contrary to this, some spells and technological items affect the mind and the body internally, and for those, the calculation is different.

Resilience is used as passive defense instead of Base Defense Bonus. The Base Defense Bonus describes how well a character is at avoiding being hit, whereas the Resilience describes how resilient a character is in mind and body.

‍Positioning and Status are not relevant for Internalist attacks. 

‍Actions against internalist attacks will often be different than those against physical spells and attacks. For example, you cannot dodge an internalist attack, but you can use a module or a defensive spell as a Re-action to bolster your resilience against it for example.
Fatigue Threshold Roll Table
Roll 1d100
Roll must be below current Fatigue Threshold

Fatigue Threshold

The Fatigue Threshold represents the limit of a character’s endurance in Cosmic Odyssey. Every action in battle - whether striking, casting, or activating technology - demands focus and energy. As the fight drags on, the body and mind begin to tire. The Fatigue Threshold measures how much strain a character can withstand before exhaustion sets in.Crossing this threshold does not immediately stop a character from acting, but each step beyond it increases the risk of mistakes, slower reactions, and eventual collapse. Managing fatigue is as important as dealing damage - pushing too far can turn strength into weakness.

Your Fatigue Threshold can be found on your Character sheet.

It is calculated by this formula: (Constitution + Self Discipline + Boldness) / 3

Fatigue Threshold Roll

At the beginning of each Combat Round, the combatants roll for initiative but they also roll an Action Point Fatigue Roll. This is done quite simply by rolling a 1d100 below the Fatigue Threshold. If the Action Point Fatigue Roll is successful, nothing happens, but if it fails, then the combatant loses 1 Action Point for the remainder of the battle.
Combat Stances Table
Stance
Effect
Defensive Stance
+20 Defensive Bonus
-20 Attack Bonus
Standard
No change
Offensive Stance
-20 Defensive Bonus
+20 Attack Bonus

Notes on Combat Stances

An important part of any combat situation is the aggressiveness of the combatants. Are they defensive or offensive? This is partly managed in the use of Action Points and the choice of skills, but as anyone who has ever participated or witnessed a dueling bout, a boxing match, chess or really any kind of sports can testify, then the stance of the combatants is extremely important. 

In Cosmic Odyssey this aspect is called stances. To avoid making it extremely complex, we operate with 3 stances. This gives great, initial tactical options in a simple way whereas further tactical considerations come from skills and spending Action Points as the combat round develops. 

Stances must always be stated before the combat starts. If nothing else is stated, the Standard Stance will be used. 

To avoid long calculations and considerations, the effect from stances is always the same +/- 20. 

Changing stance always cost 1 Action Point.

Please notice that a few skills can be used to change or affect stances during the Combat Round.
Action Cost Table
Action
Action Point Cost
Description
Attack with weapons or similar
2
All attacks cost 2 Action Points unless specifically stated. This includes off-hand attacks, extra attacks with main hand, unarmed attacks, shield bashes and so on.  
Move
1
It is determined by your Combat Movement, how many meters you can move per Action Point.
Activate/Use Object
1
Unless specifically stated in the description. This includes objects like Jet packs, Healing Stems, Healing Potions, Magic Items and so on.
Meaningful sentences
1
Any communication beyond a few words (tactics). You can shout 'Duck', but you cannot describe a tactical maneauver with out spending an Action Point.
Swap Stance
1
Swapping between defensive, standard and offensive stance.
Switch/draw Weapon
1
-
Attack of Opportunity
2
Attacking a vulnerable or helpless opponent in your weapon range counts as an attack in terms of cost but can always be done as a Re-Action. For example if an opponent turn their back on you and start running, you can Re-Act by attacking (with a large bonus).
Skills
1
Most skills have a cost of 1 Action Point.
Tech Modules
1-2
Most tech modules have a cost of 1 Action Point.
Spells
1-3
Most spells cost 2 Action Points, but they can also cost all of your remaining Action Points
Orient yourself
1
Most spells cost 2 Action Points, but they can also cost all of your remaining Action Points
Other Actions
1-> DM Discretion
Every single, meaningful action have a cost of at least 1 Action Point, but some can have a cost of multiple Battle Rounds - running a long distance  for example.  

Combat Tables

This first section gives you all the combat tables you’ll need. They’re designed for quick reference, so don’t worry if something looks brief or unclear at first glance. Further down the page, you’ll find full explanations for each entry. To make things easier, most subjects in the combat tables are clickable - just tap one to jump straight to its detailed description.

The Battle Round Script

1. Summary

Brief summary of the Combat situation by the Game Master.

The aim of this is to get a common understanding.

Game Master determines who has the most Action Points in the upcoming battle round. This dictates how many phases are in the upcoming battle round.

2. Rolls

Roll for Action Point Fatigue - Roll d100 versus Fatigue Threshold (you must roll lower or lose 1 Action Point to fatigue).

This is not done on the first round but every round thereafter.

3. First Action Phase

Highest initiative starts their Action Phase - if 2 or more combatants have the same initiative, their Action Phases will occur simultaneously.

In your action phase, you can spend as many Action Points as you like.

More Importantly:

- In principle, it is only in your Action Phase that you can attack!

However:

- You can hold your attack and later use it as a Re-Action. A lot of skills, spell and tech modules are awesome for this.

Further:

- When you do an action - even an attack - everyone who is in a position to Re-Act can do so.

(Much more on Attacks, Actions and Re-Actions below)

4. Following Action Phases

Once the player or opponent with the first action phase have done all the actions they wish to do, and all Re-Actions to those actions have been resolved, the second highest initiative will start their Action Phase.

And so on...
Combat Roll Modifiers
Effect
Category
Notes
Positioning
- varies
Range Penalty
Ranged and Thrown Weapons Only
+ 15
Flank Attack
Attacks from the side
+25
Rear Attack
Attacks from behind
+15
Unnoticed
Defender is prepared for attacks, but is unaware of the attacker
+25
Surprise Attack
Defender is not prepared for attacks
+20
Easy Target
Defender is an easy target - standing still, running straight at you etc.
- 10 - -45
Cover
25 percent: -15 (soft cover -5)
50 percent: -30 (soft cover -10)
75 percent: -45 (soft cover -20)
Full cover: -60 (soft cover -40)
-5 - -30
Concealment
Opponent hidden from sight but general direction is more or less known (fog/magic/shadows etc.)
-10 - -30
Ranged into melee
Standard is -20. -10 it target is closer to you, -30 if they are further (relative to those they are in melee with.)
Status
+/- 15
Stunned
Somewhat hindered, but still able to react.
+/- 25
Vulnerable
Prone or similar vulnerable position, but able to move. Unarmed in melee (includes ranged weapons), flying with no control and so on.
+/- 50
Helpless
Unable to move. Paralyzed, unconscious or similar
+/- 30
Blind
Or similar full loss of sight (full darkness)
+/- 5-25
Visually impaired
From foggy conditions to near full darkness
Actions
-/+ 25
Being obvious
Re-using spells, skills as Re-Actions or to trick the opponent in the same way 2 rounds in a row.
Varies
Use of actions or Re-actions
Used to enhance or hinder defense or attacks
Varies
Rule of Cool
If an action is especially creative, cinematic, or fun, it should be allowed - even if it bends or stretches the rules. Here the GM might say that they give a 1% chance for success or similar instead of giving a penalty (or bonus)
Please notice that in most cases, combat roll modifiers are accumulative. For example, if a defender knows he is about to be attacked from behind, there is only a +25 bonus to an attack against that defender, but if the defender does not know that he is about to be attacked from behind, there is a +40 bonus to the attack from Rear Attack and Unnoticed.

However, you cannot get a double bonus for attacking a helpless target from behind and so on.  

Only in rare cases should a bonus or penalty in combat be more than 50 even if it accumulates to more.  An exception to this is spells and tech modules where some provide bonuses or penalties independetly from status and positioning.
Critical Hit Table
Roll d10 for placement
Arm
Leg
Other
"Other" is unavoidable. Leg and arm hits can avoid effect from armor
1 - 3
4-6
7-10
Roll
Piercing
Slashing
Crushing
Effect on Target
1-5
1
1
1
-5 to next action
6-10
1
1
2
-5 to Defense Bonus until end of round
11-15
2
2
2
-5 to Resilience until end of round
16-20
2
3
3
- 10 to next action
21-25
3
3
4
- 5 on next attack roll
26-30
3
4
5
- 10 on next attack roll
31-35
4
5
6
Next round: -5 on initiative roll
36-40
4
5
6
Next round: Lose 1 AP
41-45
5
6
7
Next round: Lose 1 AP +-5 Resilience
46-50
5
7
8
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -5 Defense Bonus
51-55
6
7
9
Until short rest: -5 to Resilience
56-60
6
8
10
Until short rest: -5 to Defense Bonus
61-65
7
9
10
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 Resilience
66-70
7
9
11
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 Defense Bonus
71-75
8
10
12
Until short rest: -5 to Resilience and Defense Bonus
76-80
8
11
13
Until short rest: -10 to Resilience and Defense Bonus
81-85
9
11
14
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 Resilience
86-90
9
12
14
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 Defense Bonus
91-95
10
13
15
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -10 on all rolls
96-99
10
13
15
Next round: Lose 1 AP + -15 on all rolls
100
11
14
16
Take double all damage from attack. Unavoidable.
101-105
11
14
16
Next round: Lose 2 AP
106-110
11
15
17
Next round: Lose 2 AP + -10 resilience
111-115
12
15
18
Next round: Lose 2 AP + -10 defense bonus
116-120
12
16
18
Lose 1 Fatigue AP
121-125
13
17
19
Lose 1 Injury AP
126-130
13
17
20
Lose 1 Fatigue AP + -10 resilience until short rest
131-135
14
18
21
Lose 1 Fatigue AP + -10 DB until short rest
136-140
14
19
22
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + -10 to all rolls
141-145
15
19
23
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + -20 to all rolls
146-149
15
20
24
Next Round: Lose 3 AP + Take damage again
150
16
21
25
Take triple all damage from attack. Unavoidable.
151-155
16
21
25
Until long rest: Lose 2  AP + -20 to Resilience
156-160
16
21
26
Until long rest: Lose 2  AP + -20 to DB
161-165
17
22
27
Lose 1 Injury AP + Double all damage from attack
166-170
17
23
28
Lose 2 Injury AP + Double all damage from attack
171-175
18
23
28
Double all damage + roll again on crit table.
176-180
18
24
29
Lose 1 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
181-185
19
25
30
Lose 2 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
186-190
19
25
31
Lose 3 Injury AP + Triple all damage from attack
191-195
20
26
32
3 x damage + roll again on crit table.
196-200
20
27
32
3 x damage + roll again on crit table with advantage
200+
20
27
32
Effect from 196-200 roll
Critical hits can be very severe. Especially if the target is not wearing armor when hit. Each damage type will have a specific critical hit table and it is noted on the specific type of weapon, spell and so on which type of damage it does. So if my short sword deals piercing damage, I must use the ‘Piercing Damage Critical Hit Table’. 

Critical hit tables range from 1-200 with the higher numbers being the most severe. The effect of critical hits is determined by rolling a 1D100 and adding the difference between the Attack and the Critical Hit Threshold which can be found on the weapon tables. This result is checked against the relevant critical hit table
Attack Rolls with Weapons
1d100 Roll
+ Weapon Attack Bonus
- Base Defense Bonus
+/- Combat Roll Modifiers
Attack Rolls with Physical Spells
1d100 Roll
+/- Enhancement Adjustment
+ Spell Bonus
- Base Defense Bonus
+/- Combat Roll Modifiers

Notes on Attack Rolls with Physical Spells

Resolving whether physical spells, or spells that try to inflict damage externally, will hit the target, follows the same pattern as attack with weapons. The only difference is, that spellcasters will often use adjustment to make their spells more powerful, thus adding the difficulty adjustment to the calculation. These 'enhancements' and their cost can be seen under each spell.
Attack Rolls with Internalist Spells and Tech Modules
1d100 Roll
+/- Enhancement Adjustment
+ Spell/Tech Bonus
- Resilience
+/- (Re-) Action bonuses

Notes on Internalist Spells and Tech Modules

Some spells and technological skills and items work quite differently than weapons and ‘Physical’ spells. Just like a bullet, an arrow or a sword, a firebolt is something that you can try to avoid, and if it hits you, you might wear damage mitigating armor or items. Therefore, we use just about the same calculation for those attacks. Contrary to this, some spells and technological items affect the mind and the body internally, and for those, the calculation is different.

Resilience is used as passive defense instead of Base Defense Bonus. The Base Defense Bonus describes how well a character is at avoiding being hit, whereas the Resilience describes how resilient a character is in mind and body.

‍Positioning and Status are not relevant for Internalist attacks. 

‍Actions against internalist attacks will often be different than those against physical spells and attacks. For example, you cannot dodge an internalist attack, but you can use a module or a defensive spell as a Re-action to bolster your resilience against it for example.
Fatigue Threshold Roll Table
Roll 1d100
Roll must be below current Fatigue Threshold

Fatigue Threshold

The Fatigue Threshold represents the limit of a character’s endurance in Cosmic Odyssey. Every action in battle - whether striking, casting, or activating technology - demands focus and energy. As the fight drags on, the body and mind begin to tire. The Fatigue Threshold measures how much strain a character can withstand before exhaustion sets in.Crossing this threshold does not immediately stop a character from acting, but each step beyond it increases the risk of mistakes, slower reactions, and eventual collapse. Managing fatigue is as important as dealing damage - pushing too far can turn strength into weakness.

Your Fatigue Threshold can be found on your Character sheet.

It is calculated by this formula: (Constitution + Self Discipline + Boldness) / 3

Fatigue Threshold Roll

At the beginning of each Combat Round, the combatants roll for initiative but they also roll an Action Point Fatigue Roll. This is done quite simply by rolling a 1d100 below the Fatigue Threshold. If the Action Point Fatigue Roll is successful, nothing happens, but if it fails, then the combatant loses 1 Action Point for the remainder of the battle.
Combat Stances Table
Stance
Effect
Defensive Stance
+20 Defensive Bonus
-20 Attack Bonus
Standard
No change
Offensive Stance
-20 Defensive Bonus
+20 Attack Bonus

Notes on Combat Stances

An important part of any combat situation is the aggressiveness of the combatants. Are they defensive or offensive? This is partly managed in the use of Action Points and the choice of skills, but as anyone who has ever participated or witnessed a dueling bout, a boxing match, chess or really any kind of sports can testify, then the stance of the combatants is extremely important. 

In Cosmic Odyssey this aspect is called stances. To avoid making it extremely complex, we operate with 3 stances. This gives great, initial tactical options in a simple way whereas further tactical considerations come from skills and spending Action Points as the combat round develops. 

Stances must always be stated in the beginning of the Combat Round during the initiative. If nothing else is stated, the Standard Stance will be used. 

To avoid long calculations and considerations, the effect from stances is always the same +/- 20. 

Changing stance always cost 1 Action Point. 

Please notice that a few skills can be used to change stance during the Combat Round.
Action Cost Table
Action
Action Point Cost
Description
Attack with weapons or similar
2
All attacks cost 2 Action Points unless specifically stated. This includes off-hand attacks, extra attacks with main hand, unarmed attacks, shield bashes and so on.  
Move
1
It is determined by your Combat Movement, how many meters you can move per Action Point.
Activate/Use Object
1
Unless specifically stated in the description. This includes objects like Jet packs, Healing Stems, Healing Potions, Magic Items and so on.
Meaningful sentences
1
Any communication beyond a few words (tactics). You can shout 'Duck', but you cannot describe a tactical maneauver with out spending an Action Point.
Swap Stance
1
Swapping between defensive, standard and offensive stance.
Switch/draw Weapon
1
-
Attack of Opportunity
2
Attacking a vulnerable or helpless opponent in your weapon range counts as an attack in terms of cost but can always be done as a Re-Action. For example if an opponent turn their back on you and start running, you can Re-Act by attacking (with a large bonus).
Skills
1
Most skills have a cost of 1 Action Point.
Tech Modules
1-2
Most tech modules have a cost of 1 Action Point.
Spells
1-3
Most spells cost 2 Action Points, but they can also cost all of your remaining Action Points
Orient yourself
1
Most spells cost 2 Action Points, but they can also cost all of your remaining Action Points
Other Actions
1-> DM Discretion
Every single, meaningful action have a cost of at least 1 Action Point, but some can have a cost of multiple Battle Rounds - running a long distance  for example.  

Combat in Detail

This section provides a detailed explanation of combat. While combat is designed to be fast-paced and engaging, it inevitably involves many conditional situations and clarifying questions. The following pages outline the rules in detail, addressing potential uncertainties and providing a complete framework for resolving combat actions.

Overview

1. Action Points
2. Actions and Reactions
Action Points
In combat, Action Points are power. The wise spend them, the reckless lose them.
Each character has 6 Action Points in a combat round. These can be used on the character's own initiative position as well as on RE-Actions. When a character is out of AP he/she can take no more actions until the following round.

All actions in combat have an AP cost of at least 1 AP that is subtracted from the total AP available in that specific round.

Actions points cannot be transferred between rounds - unless you use a skill, a spell or a tech module that can do so.

The Cost of Actions

The cost of Actions, Attacks, Spells, and Tech Modules can be seen in the Action Cost Table above.

Action Points as Fatigue

Action Points can be seen as the fatigue system in Cosmic Odyssey. Your Life Points determine how much damage you have taken, but the Action Points gauge how hard the combat is.

You can always do an attack with your weapon in your Action Phase even if you do not have any action points available.

You cannot cast spells or use tech modules if you do not have the required action points available.

More on this just below.

Losing Action Points to Fatigue

You can lose Action Points in a number of ways. Some spells and tech modules can drain Action Points for the current battle round, but more severely, you can lose Action Points for the remainder of the combat. Those you can only get back after resting. We call this losing action points to fatigue.

Here are the 2 most common ways to lose Action Points to Fatigue.

- Firstly you can fail the Fatigue Threshold Roll in the beginning of a battle round.

- You can fumble. Any fumble means that you lose 1 Action Point. The more complex your action, the higher the fumble rate. Fumble rates can be found on each weapon, spell and tech module.

Losing Action Points to Injury

AP can be lost from injuries when receiving critical wounds or sustaining other types of life-threatening damage (i.e. breaking a leg from a fall or losing all health). These AP can only be regained when the injuries are healed. Magical and technological assistance may speed this recovery. APs lost to injuries can only be regained after a long rest (min. 6 hours).

Losing Action Points to Stress

If you push yourself to the limit and beyond, you can lose Action Points. This means that quite a few actions will require you to either lose an Action Point or at least to roll a Fatigue Threshold Roll if it is an action that is not to stressing. If you continue your stressful actions, however, you might need to roll a Fatigue Threshold roll at certain intervals. Each hour, 10 minute, 1 minute etc.

An example could be to go without sleep. If you decide to go 24 hours with no sleep, the GM would probably decide to say, that once you move a few hours beyond your normal sleep pattern, you should start doing Fatigue Threshold Rolls each hour.  

Regaining Action Points

Recovering Action Points outside of battle is intentionally straightforward. Heroes are not meant to spend weeks bedridden after every encounter. Instead, recovery is designed to be quick and efficient, allowing you to regain your strength and move on to the next fight without long delays.
Recovering Action Points lost to fatigue
AP lost to fatigue can be regained through short periods of rest. A character recovers 1 AP for every 10 minutes of uninterrupted rest, though certain magical or technological effects may accelerate this recovery.
Recovering Action Points lost to Health.
AP lost to injury are only restored once the underlying wounds have healed. Magical or technological treatment may accelerate this process, but otherwise recovery requires a long rest of at least six hours after the injury is treated.
Recovering Action Points lost to Stress.
AP lost to stress requires a long rest of at least six hours to recover.
Actions and Re-Actions
In the chaos of combat, Actions set the stage - Re-Actions steal the moment.
Actions represent everything a character actively does during a battle round - attacking, moving, casting, activating technology, or interacting with the battlefield. Each Action has an Action Point (AP) cost, and players must choose carefully how to spend them. Most planned actions, like attacks or movement, are declared and resolved on a character’s initiative, while others - such as defensive moves - may be taken as responses to threats - what we call Re-Actions.

Actions define momentum in combat: they are the deliberate choices that push the battle forward. Together with Re-Actions, they form the rhythm of each round, balancing offense, defense, and survival.

Actions

All skills can be used as Actions, but it is up to the player to justify that the Action can happen. Everything that a player wants their character to do costs 1 Action Point at least. This is to illustrate that in a chaotic combat scene, you cannot just take your time to communicate tactics etc. calmly. It takes time and awareness.

The most basic form of action is your attack. This will almost always happen in your Action Phase.

Re-Actions

Re-Actions are often where the most important tactical choices are made. You only have a limited pool of Action Points, and while some must be reserved for your attacks, the rest are spent deciding how to defend, reposition, or support allies. These decisions happen on the fly, outside of your Action Phase.

Many skills, spells, and tech modules can be triggered as Re-Actions. Whenever another character spends Action Points - whether on an Action or a Re-Action - you may Re-Act. This allows you to, for example, respond to an attack with a defensive skill, spell, or tech module to avoid damage. Similarly, if someone spends Action Points to move, you may Re-Act by following, intercepting, or disengaging.

There is one limitation: you cannot perform an Action that directly targets an unwilling opponent as a Re-Action. Offensive actions such as attacks or harmful spells must be performed during your own Action Phase.
The Action Phase
The moment to strike and decide the flow of battle.
The Action Phase is when you take the initiative—attacking, moving, and shaping the course of battle. This is your chance to set the pace and execute planned maneuvers. Normally, direct offensive actions such as weapon strikes or harmful spells can only be performed here.

However, quite a few abilities bend this rule and allow you to launch attacks as Re-Actions. These special options let you strike back when attacked, retaliate after defending, or respond instantly to an enemy’s movement. In this way, combat becomes more than just turn-by-turn exchanges—it becomes a dynamic flow where timing and quick judgment can turn defense into sudden offense.

Attacking

Attacking, casting spells, and similar actions are resolved through the Action Roll Table. The attacker rolls 1d100, adds their Attack Bonus, and subtracts the defender’s Defense Bonus or Resilience. This determines whether the action succeeds.

The defender does not contribute actively to the attacker’s roll. Instead, they may spend Action Points on active defenses - such as parries, evasions, or other responses—handled separately as Re-Actions.

Resolving Attacks

How to resolve if an attack is successful or not can be seen in the Attack Roll Tables at the top of this page and the in detail description can be found in the Resolving Attacks section further down this page.
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Battle Rounds and Skirmishes
The moment to strike and decide the flow of battle.
Combat in Cosmic Odyssey is divided into Battle Rounds. Each round represents a short burst of three seconds, where combatants clash, maneuver, and make decisive tactical choices. While every fight begins with a moment of tension or stand-off, the system does not track this prelude. What matters is the instant action begins - when blades swing, shots are fired, and strategies unfold. A Battle Round captures this intensity, packing both actions and Re-Actions into a rapid, high-stakes exchange that defines the flow of battle.

Though combat is chaotic, there is structure. You cannot react to threats you are unaware of, for example. To reflect this, each Battle Round is further divided into skirmishes, which determine how awareness, timing, and reactions play out.

Skirmishes

When the first character - player or non-player - enters their Action Phase, the first attack or action begins a skirmish.

A skirmish is essentially a battle within the battle. You can only attack, act, or react against the opponents you are engaged with in that specific skirmish. Once started, a skirmish continues until those involved either disengage or run out of Action Points. Each skirmish must be fully resolved before moving on to the next.

Combat can therefore be seen as a series of overlapping skirmishes, and deciding which skirmish to join is one of the most important tactical choices in the game.

Committing to one skirmish often means you lose awareness of what is happening elsewhere on the battlefield as you focus your actions and Re-actions against a sub-set of opponents.

Melee combatants will typically spend their entire Action Phase locked into a single skirmish, while ranged fighters have greater flexibility. As long as they have awareness, range, and enough Action Points, they may contribute to multiple skirmishes at once.
Guidelines for Skirmishes
Skirmishes are commitment: once you’re in, you’re locked until the clash ends.
Awareness
You must be aware of an attack or action to respond to it. If you cannot see, hear, or otherwise perceive an event, you cannot take part in that skirmish.
Choice
Once a Battle Round begins and the first attack sets events in motion, you will often face a critical choice. If an opponent strikes at an ally, that attack creates a skirmish, and the only way to intervene is to commit yourself to it. Doing so, however, usually means giving up the chance to act in other skirmishes.

A Battle Round lasts only three seconds. There is no time to second-guess or hesitate. Every decision locks you into the flow of combat.
Action Points
Your available Action Points determine how many skirmishes you can realistically take part in. High AP provides flexibility, while low AP risks leaving you action locked - unable to respond when opportunities arise.  
Range
Only those within reach can join a skirmish. Without ranged weapons, spells, or tech, you may need to spend precious time moving before you can participate.
Battlemaps
To get the full experience and overview of the battle, we recommend using battle maps or at least battle drawings to avoid misunderstandings.
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Resolving Attacks
Where numbers replace intent and the clash is resolved.
Once an attack roll succeeds, the outcome must be resolved: how much effect the hit actually has. Resolving Attacks determines the result of a successful strike, whether from weapons, spells, or technology. This process brings together several factors: the weapon or spell’s base damage, the attacker’s bonuses, the defender’s armor type, the difficulty of the attack, and the possibility of a critical hit. Actions taken by either side can further modify the result.

In short, attack rolls decide if you hit - resolving attacks decides what that hit means.

Calculating Damage

The damage from a successful hit - whether it comes from a weapon, a spell, or a tech module - is determined by several key elements: base damage, character bonuses, the defender’s protection, difficulty rating, critical hits, and the influence of actions and reactions.
Base Damage
The starting damage of the weapon, spell, or module; weapons are affected by armor, spells and tech are not.
Defender's Protection
Armor reduces weapon damage; spells and tech are only resisted through Base Defense or Resilience.
Difficulty Rating
For spells and tech modules, reflects how complex or unstable the effect is to use effectively.
Critical Hits
Exceptional strikes with weapons only, adding extra damage or effects beyond the normal result.
Actions and Re-Actions
Choices that can enhance an attack or reduce incoming damage.

Critical hits

The damage from a successful hit - whether it comes from a weapon, a spell, or a tech module - is determined by several key elements: base damage, character bonuses, the defender’s protection, difficulty rating, critical hits, and the influence of actions and reactions.
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Multiple Attacks
Multiple attacks trade accuracy for volume.
Since each character has 6 Action Points per Battle Round, it is possible to attempt multiple main attacks - whether with weapons, off-hand strikes, spells, or similar offensive actions - during their turn. However, this comes with significant drawbacks.

First, every Action Point spent on extra attacks is one that cannot be used for movement, defense, or other tactical choices. Burning through all AP on offense can leave you dangerously exposed.

Second, repeating an attack within the same Combat Sequence imposes steep penalties. A second attack suffers a –50 modifier, a third attack –100, and a fourth –150. These penalties apply regardless of whether the extra attempt is with a main-hand weapon, an off-hand strike, or a spell.

Some skills, spells and tech modules can mitigate these penalties, but without them, pressing for speed comes at the cost of control and accuracy.
Attack Modifiers to Extra Attacks
Attack number
1
2
3
4
Modifier
0
-50
-100
-150
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Signature Moves
Your identity in battle - three moves that matter most.
Signature Moves are skills or a sequence of skills that a player has prepared beforehand. Each character must prepare three Signature Moves when you create your character and later on, you can change them when you level, where you can train new signature moves and after a long rest, where you can decide which of your known signature moves you will be using.  

Signature Moves serve two purposes. First, they act as the character’s defining techniques. Second, and this is the focus here, they keep combat flowing by giving players clear, ready-made options when time is limited.

If a player takes too long to decide their action, the Game Master should restrict their choices to Signature Moves. A warning should be given when the player is close to running out of time. 30 seconds after the warning, Signature Move 3 is removed as an option. If hesitation continues, Signature Move 2 is also removed, leaving only Signature Move 1. If the player does not have enough Action Points to perform Signature Move 1, the action phase is forfeited.

Players should prepare both offensive and defensive moves and consider that available Action Points usually decrease as combat progresses. Signature Moves should therefore not all be complex. Signature Move 1 should always be simple and affordable, such as a basic attack or a defensive action, to avoid losing turns when AP is low.
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