Phantom Casting

Magic Casting

Presence

Creativity

Boldness

Short Description

Create the illusion of casting a spell, deceiving your enemies into reacting to magic that doesn't exist.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + skill bonus. Subtract target's intuition.

Effects

Opponents may waste counters, reactions, or movement to respond to a fake spell

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Especially effective when paired with Delay Spell, Quickened Casting or similar

Modifiers and Restrictions

+40 DR if you have already hit target with a spell

+20 DR if you have already hit a different opponent with a spell

-20 DR If you don’t appear to be a spellcaster (e.g., weapons out

Action Examples

You just hit an enemy with Fire Bolt. On your next turn, you “cast” again. They burn a counterspell - on nothing and you cast your intended spell. They might try to counterspell again, but it will cost them the usual -25 re-use of skil penalty.

Long Description

Phantom Casting is a psychological weapon in the spellcaster’s arsenal. Instead of raw magical power, this skill relies on performance, timing, and psychological manipulation. It turns the enemy’s fear and readiness against them, forcing them to act on assumptions.

This technique is a core part of illusion tactics, allowing you to:

Drain enemy action points
Bait out defensive abilities
Set up more powerful spells without opposition

Sequencing

Sequence with an actual spell in your attack phase

Sequence with skills like quickened casting for devastating effect facing less resistance

Potential Counters

Spellcraft will show that no 'power' is present in the phantom spell

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Detect Lie will show that the phantom spell is not what it seems (might still be a spell though as that will not show).

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.