Poison Lore

Creativity

Memory

Intuition

Short Description

You recognize the symptoms, sources, and typical use cases of poisons—whether in victims, environments, or enemy tactics.

Success Criteria

Effects

Modifiers and Restrictions

Action Examples

- Recognize symptoms in a poisoned ally or NPC – DR 90

- Predict which poison a known assassin or faction might use – DR 110–130

- Detect signs of tampering in a drink, blade, or food – DR 100+

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All the above checks or for simple poisons. DR will increase if poison is complex/rare etc. (by 20-50). Can end in an opposed roll against poison use.

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Long Description

Poison Lore is about awareness and deduction. You can spot the signs of poisoning in victims, detect delivery methods after the fact, and recall which substances are favored by enemy agents, creatures, or regional cultures. This makes it invaluable for counter-intelligence, medical response, and preemptive planning against toxin-using foes.

Often used in sequence with:

Medical – to treat poisoned targets or delay effects
Espionage – to anticipate assassination tactics
Alien Lore – for identifying exotic or xenobiological toxins
Crisis Negotiation – when handling hostage or poisoning threats
Tactics – to adjust your approach against poison-using enemies

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.