Delay Magic Effect

Self Discipline
Reasoning
Intuition

Short Description

Stall a hostile magical effect just long enough to allow your allies to reposition, counter, or brace for impact.

Success Criteria

Opposite rolll: Roll d100 + your skiil bonus vs enemy spellcasting result

Effects

On success, delay the resolution of a hostile spell effect until the end of the battle round providing those attacked with +5 bonus to their reactions to the spell + 5 bonus per 20 success rate.

(notice, that just moving out of an area where a spell is cast does not work - you will still take the damage from the spell, but you might be healed, covered, shielded etc.)

Modifiers and Restrictions

+20 if the spell is known or has been cast before by the target

+10 if you you know/guess which category the cast spell is from

-20 if the you do not know which spell is being cast

On reuse of this skill, you must add +10 to your next Fatigue Threshold Roll (per use).

Action Examples

Your teammate is about to be locked down by a psychic spell. You delay the effect with a skill roll of 121 against 103, buying them time to attack, be shielded etc before the effect + providiing them with a small bonus of +5 to any reactions to the spell.

Long Description

Delay Magic Effect provides skilled spell tacticians with a narrow window of intervention. Rather than nullifying spells, this ability interposes a temporal or energetic disruption - slowing down the release of magical force. Whether through bending time, redirecting resonance, or momentarily disrupting aetheric flow, this brief hesitation allows allies to reposition, activate defenses, or escape entirely. Its utility is highest against predictable or repeated spells, and weakest when used against unfamiliar, fast, or secret magic.

Sequencing

Spellcraft (Skill): Identify the spell to help time the delay

Potential Counters

There is no direct counters to this skill (it is in itself a counter), but skills such as secret casting can make the use of this skill impossible.

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.