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Painting & Sculpting

Artistic
Creativity
Memory
Self Discipline

Short Description

The ability to create visual art like painting, drawings, sculptures, and installations.

Success Criteria

Effects

Modifiers and Restrictions

Action Examples

  • Create and sell original art at a marketplace or auction.
  • Assess the age, value, or origin of a masterwork.
  • Analyze murals in an ancient ruin to uncover hidden meanings or instructions.

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    DR 100 for basic items which increase depending on the complexity.

    Long Description

    Painting & Sculpting isn't just decorative—it's a means of communication, persuasion, and insight. Characters with this skill can produce visual works that tell stories, inspire followers, hide messages, or earn them access to elite social circles.

    This skill shines in diplomacy, infiltration, and archaeology-heavy settings. A forged statue might bypass a magical guardian keyed to visual cues, or a mural could be decoded to reveal a ritual sequence.

    Pairs well with:

    • Poetry & Writing – for symbolic, mixed-media works
    • Disguise – to alter visual items, not just people
    • Alien Lore or Archaeology – for interpreting alien or ancient art
    • Forgery – to replicate or counterfeit valuable pieces
    • Sonic Magic or Illusion Magic – for multisensory installations

    Whether selling your work, interpreting sacred art, or planting visual misinformation, this skill turns creativity into strategic influence

    Sequencing

    Potential Counters

    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.