Counterstrike Casting

Quickness
Reasoning
Boldness

Short Description

When your attack spell is countered or dispelled or you have to hold it back for one reason or the other, you immediately unleash the same spell in retaliation - turning failure into opportunity.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + Counterstrike Casting skill - subtract the difference between your original spell roll and the opponent’s counter/dispel roll

Effects

Success - you immediately recast the spell with little option to change it. However, it only costs you the action point for this skill.

Modifiers and Restrictions

-20 DR if you cast the spell at the same target/area.

+20 DR if you change target/area.

Action Examples

Your attack roll with a spell is successfully counterspelled forcing you to spend 2 extra AP to uphold the casting. Instead you let the spell fizzle and recast it using Counterstrike Casting.

Your where concentrating on keeping up a Fire Wall, when hit by a dispelling strike. You choose to recast the firewall to keep it up, but also to move it requiring you to roll a DR of 120 + the difference between  your original spell roll and the opponent’s counter/dispel roll.

Long Description

Counterstrike Casting reflects the instinctual fury of veteran spellcasters. When a foe nullifies your magic, your reaction is immediate and precise - keeping open the channel of power to cast before they can recover.

The skill demands quick thinking and deep magical training. It rewards fast reactions, versatility in spell selection, and a mind attuned to battlefield shifts. The system allows for tactical reprisal depending on how similar the new spell is to the one that was countered.

Sequencing

Could be sqequenced with skills, spells, modules that enhance your chance for success.

Potential Counters

The same that countered the original spell (notice that it will suffer the standard combat modifier of re-using a skill, spell or module.

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.