Crush Armor

Strength
Agility
Creativity

Short Description

Smash into an enemy's armor with brute force, reducing its effectiveness for the rest of the combat.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + skill versus DR 100 + Target Defensive Bonus

Effects

Success: 4 DB lost for target until the end of the battle + 2 DB lost per 10 success rate (E.g +20 success rate = -8 DB to target).

Modifiers and Restrictions

+10 bonus to your roll if using weapons designed to crush armor (e.g., warhammers, maces, axes)

-20 penalty if using inappropriate weapons (e.g., 1-handed slashing or piercing weapons like rapiers, long swords or daggers)

Only works with melee attacks against targets that wears medium and heavy armor.

Action Examples

Target has DB 24 → DR = 124.You roll 144 → SR +20 → Target loses 8 DB (4 base + 4 from SR)

Long Description

Crush Armor is a tactical melee technique designed to weaken armored opponents by targeting structural weak points in their gear. A successful blow warps metal, splits plating, or compresses armor joints—reducing the opponent’s Defensive Bonus for the remainder of the encounter.

The technique requires strength and precision and is only effective against medium or heavy armor. It rewards characters wielding heavy or blunt weapons, while slashing or piercing weapons are much less effective. Skilled users can drastically lower an enemy’s defenses, making them easier to hit with follow-up attacks.

Sequencing

This skill is inherently sequenced with an attack and thus could work as part of a larger sequence.

Potential Counters

Can only be countered by countering the original attack to avoid being hit.

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.