Quick Draw, Ranged

Agility

Quickness

Presence

Short Description

Unleash a fast, unexpected ranged strike before opponents can react - drawing and firing in one smooth motion before they realize the threat.

Success Criteria

Use this skill as the basis for your attack roll instead of your weapon bonus.

Effects

On success, you may draw and immediately fire your ranged weapon in a single action as a reaction to any opponent attack or reaction.

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Targets cannot react (no reactions) against this attack (if you win the initiative, you can still use this skill

Modifiers and Restrictions

Can only be used in the first battle round of an encounter if your weapon was not already drawn.

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Must be sequenced with an attack

Action Examples

You lose out on initiative, but when the first opponent starts their attack, you react with a quick-draw, ranged. This costs you 3 (or 4 if weapon is slow AP, but you get to draw your weapon and fire it at the same time your opponent spend their first AP. This does not provoke reactions. Your attack roll will be with this skill instead of your weapon bonus.

Long Description

Quick Draw, Ranged enables lightning-fast ranged aggression—delivering a shot before the target realizes they're in danger. Whether pulling a sidearm from concealment or drawing a compact bow from your back mid-roll, this skill is about reacting before anyone else can. Perfect for duels, ambushes, or chaotic urban fights where speed trumps setup.

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Used properly, it can win initiative exchanges outright or neutralize enemies before they raise their defenses. Success isn’t just about drawing quickly - it’s about firing before your enemy can flinch.

Sequencing

Must be sequenced with an attack.

Potential Counters

No direct 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.