Fire into Melee

Agility

Self Discipline

Boldness

Short Description

Shoot into a melee engagement without accidentally hitting your allies, compensating for erratic movement and shifting positions.

Success Criteria

Roll 1d100 + skill bonus vs DR 100

Effects

On success, reduce the standard –20 penalty to firing into melee by 5 plus 5 per 15 success rate.

Modifiers and Restrictions

Must be sequenced with a ranged attack.

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+10 to DR per combetant over 2.

Action Examples

DR 100: You fire at a target grappling with your ally.Roll 115 → SR 15 → Penalty reduced from –20 to –10.

Long Description

Firing into melee carries the classic risk of hitting the wrong person. With Fire into Melee, you learn to read the rhythm of close combat: the timing of a duck, the shift of weight, the space between a step and a strike. By developing this awareness, you reduce the danger to your allies and give yourself better odds at making the shot count.

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This skill doesn’t guarantee a hit or protect against all mishaps - it simply makes your ranged attacks in close-quarters brawls less risky. At high levels, you can shoot with such intuition that there’s no penalty at all.

Sequencing

Must be sequenced with a ranged attack.

Potential Counters

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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.