Bribing

Presence
Empathy
Intuition

Short Description

Influence decisions and actions by offering something of value - coin, favors, information, or promises - to bypass obstacles and shift outcomes in your favor.

Success Criteria

Roll 1d100 + skill bonus vs DR 100

Effects

On success, the target accepts the bribe and grants the requested information, favor, access, delay, or cooperation, within reason.

On failure, the bribe is declined and the attempt may raise suspicion, alarm, hostility or anger.

Modifiers and Restrictions

–20 DR if bribe aligns with the recipient’s goals or interests

–10 DR if bribe is minor, informal, or no one is watching

+10 DR if recipient is neutral or wary of repercussions (a professional guard for example)

+20 to +40 DR if bribe is risky, illegal, monitored, or recipient is morally opposed

+15 DR if repeated bribe attempts on same recipient

+20 DR if recipient is from an incorruptible faction or religious order

–10 DR if player has supporting documents, information, or leverage

+10 to +40 DR if recipient is from an opposed guild, organization etc.

Action Examples

You try to bribe a bored dockworker to ignore a smuggled crate: Bribe is informal, aligns with their interests → DR = 100 – 30 = 70

You roll 95 → Success → They wave you through and take a cut

You approach a medium ranked priestess of a justice cult and offer money to release a prisoner: Morally opposed, incorruptible → DR = 100 + 30 + 20 = 150

You roll 124 → Fail → She is offended and places you under moral scrutiny

Long Description

Bribing is not just about gold—it’s about reading people. You understand when someone is underpaid, overburdened, bored, or desperate. You slide coin across a table, whisper the right offer, or promise favors that sound too good to ignore.

Success depends on context, leverage, and tone—sometimes a favor is more valuable than money. It shines in bureaucracies, corrupt towns, black markets, and situations where persuasion alone isn’t enough. But use with care: a failed bribe can stain reputations, burn alliances, or land you in prison.

Combine bribes with skills like Disguise, Forgery, or Strategic Deception can open even more doors.

Sequencing

Not optimized for sequencing

Potential Counters

No direct 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.