Pilot Boat

Agility

Boldness

Intuition

Short Description

Pilot Boat involves the ability to navigate and operate watercraft effectively, requiring knowledge of water dynamics and vessel control.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + your skill bonus in Pilot Boat against DR 80

Effects

On a successful roll you manage to sail or navigate your aircraft through a challenging situation like a storm, down a waterfall - or to push you engine to its limit to escape a pursuer.

Modifiers and Restrictions

+20 DR when sailing in rough weather

+20 DR in darkness or foggy weather (without sonar, radar or similar)

+15 DR when navigating alien or unfamiliar types of water craft

-10 DR in familiar waters

Action Examples

You jump into a canoe for the first time in your life and try to paddle downstream through a series of smaller rapids. Roll against DR 115 (rough conditions + unfamiliar craft) to stay in the boat.

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Your pirate schooner is being chased by a navy fullrigger. You use your Pilot Boat skill to optimize your sails and take advantage of shallow waters where the deep keel of the fullrigger cannot chase you. Roll an opposed Pilot Boat roll against the captain on the ship chasing you. The DM may assign modifiers to your roll based on the difference in quality or basic speed of the competing boats.

Long Description

Life without water is rare - and on most habitable planets you will find bodies of navigable waters. With this skill you know how to handle travelling over water and how to manage any type of watercraft. The skill is applicable to any type of watercraft from warships to kayaks.

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In most worlds land based transport is an everyday activity that does not require ranks in a skill. This is normally not the case for sailing that does require a bit of special training - even to manage basic feats like raising a sail.

Sequencing

Normally not sequenced, but in specific situations it may be sequenced with Navigation or similar skills.

Potential Counters

Not normally countered.

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.