Dispelling Strike

Strength
Quickness

Short Description

Disrupt a caster’s focus mid-combat, forcing their concentration spells to become more draining and difficult to maintain.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + skill bonus + damage from the attack yoiu do versus DR 100 + target resilience.

Must be used together with a melee weapon strike (successful) and only works against spells that require concentration.

Effects

Success: The cost of 1 concentration spell (the latest one cast) is increased by 1 Action Point + 1 AP per 15 success rate.

Modifiers and Restrictions

-15 to your rroll if you are using a piercing weapon

-10 to your roll if you are using a slashing weapon

+10 to your roll if you are using a crushing weapon

This skills suffers the +25 penalty for being obvious if used 2 rounds in a row.

Action Examples

Strike the Caster – Locust Halo: You successfully hit a caster surrounded by Locust Halo. You roll 124, the caster rolled 96.→ Success rate = 28 → Spell now costs +3 AP to maintain. The caster has already committed 2 AP, so to keep up the spell, they must commit another 1 action point immediately, and next round the spell costs 3 AP to keep up.

Long Description

Dispelling Strike allows martial characters to impose escalating strain on magic users. While not a full counterspell, this method attacks a spell’s integrity by interrupting the caster’s flow of concentration. The result is mounting AP cost with every round they try to sustain their magic. It’s especially effective against defensive or battlefield-control casters relying on spells like Locust Halo, Cocoon, or Cloud of Fog. The skill rewards precise timing, understanding of spell types, and well-sequenced melee combat.

Sequencing

Inherently sequenced with a melee attack.

Potential Counters

Radiant Shield - negates damage and thus the effect of the dispelling strike

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.