Backstab

Agility

Quickness

Boldness

Short Description

Backstab is a stealthy melee attack with a 1-handed piercing weapon aimed at an unsuspecting enemy from behind, often resulting in increased damage due to surprise and precision.

Success Criteria

Effects

Modifiers and Restrictions

Action Examples

Roll d100. You can add your the success rate to your attack roll (in addition to bonuses from positioning that you will often have - you will only have those bonuses once!).

Long Description

Backstab shines in coordinated or premeditated ambushes. It gains power when sequenced with stealth skills like Hide in Shadows or Move Silently, and can be amplified by weapon bonuses (e.g., dagger, short sword). Use this skill to eliminate sentries, drop key targets quickly, or initiate combat on your terms.

Pairs well with:

Hide in Shadows – approach undetected
Move Silently – ensure quiet movement
Feinting or Diversion Tactics – distract before the strike
Ambush – gain pre-attack bonuses

Sequencing

Potential Counters

How to use this page

All the information above is intended as a guide to help you navigate the many situations that can arise during your game. Since it's both impossible—and frankly uninspiring—to plan for every possible outcome, players are encouraged to think creatively when using their skills. Game Masters, in turn, are encouraged to embrace and support that creativity.

Whenever possible, aim to resolve situations through narrative choices, logical thinking and role playing. If that’s not feasible, agree on a Difficulty Rating (DR) using the provided Success Criteria and Modifiers. These are not rigid rules, but suggestions - starting points to help you find the right level of challenge. The player describes their intended action, and the Game Master proposes a DR. This should be open to brief discussion at the table, ideally resulting in consensus. If not, the Game Master has the final say.

It’s important to emphasize that all suggested effects, modifiers, and action examples are exactly that: suggestions. If you’re unsure how to resolve something, they offer a reliable fallback—but wherever possible, we encourage you to push boundaries. That’s where some of the most memorable and exciting moments in play are born.

Sequencing and Potential Counters are far from exhaustive. With hundreds of skills, spells, and tech modules in the game, the possibilities are too vast to list. You’re encouraged to explore combinations that make sense in your story and setting and in the situations that arise in your game. Sequencing and countering are core to Cosmic Odyssey - they’re where strategic depth meets dramatic flair, and where legendary moments often take shape. Even if no sequencing and counters are mentioned, some certainly exists and can be smartly utilized.

So explore boldly, improvise wisely, and enjoy the game as it unfolds around your choices.