Battle Bluff

Presence

Creativity

Empathy

Short Description

Mislead opponents in combat through posture, expression, and calculated behavior to provoke hesitation or incorrect reactions.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + Battle Bluff bonus against DR 80 + target's Reasoning abilitiy

Effects

You (or an ally of your choice) can add your success rate to their next skill check that involves the target of the deception.

Modifiers and Restrictions

-20 - -40 to DR if the target is already off-balance, injured (more than you), emotionally reactive or you have the upper hand in the battle

- 20 to DR if the deception is believable.

+10 - +60 to DR if the decaption is counterintuitive or known to be factually wrong by the target

Suffers a -30 penalty if the target has already fallen for a deception (fool me once...)

Action Examples

You know that the thief in your group is sneaking up on an opponent for a back stab. With your eyes and a not of the head, you let the opponent to believe that the thief is coming from a different direction making the attack easier. That is a believable deception, so would at least have a -20 to DR, but used against an injured opponent, who had already been injured by the thief, that would be another -30 or so to DR.

Long Description

Battle Bluff represents the application of psychological insight and social presence to physical conflict. It’s not about lying with words—but with movement, intent, and attitude. The skilled deceiver uses posture, facial cues, and feigned weakness or confidence to manipulate their enemy’s expectations and timing.

This skill thrives in duels, urban skirmishes, and high-pressure social-combat blends where charisma and control matter as much as weapons. It complements builds focused on manipulation, leadership, or improvisational tactics. Unlike raw melee skills, it rewards reading and misleading others.

Sequencing

Sequence with skills and spells that makes you believable

Potential Counters

Truth seeing and similar.

Unflankable (situational)

Spot habit (if you have used Battle Bluff before)

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.