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Spell Blood

Magic Casting
Constitution
Memory
Self Discipline

Short Description

Channel your own life force into spellcasting by sacrificing health to gain Action Points (AP), enabling critical magic in desperate situations.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 versus DR 100

Effects

Success: You regain the lost Action Point from using this skill + You gain 1 Action Point. However, you lose 1d10 health per Action Point gained.

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You gain 1 extra Action Point per 20 success rate.

Modifiers and Restrictions

On reuse of this skill in the same battle, the health loss is doubled.

Action Examples

You use Spell Blood in a desperate attempt to gain AP to cast a more powerful spell. You succeed with a +20 success rate, so you regain the spend one on this skill + 2 more Action Points. However, you take 2d10 damage from drawing on your own health.

Long Description

Spell Blood is the brutal art of turning your own vitality into magical energy. Often used in moments of crisis, it allows casters to draw upon their physical endurance to power spells when drained of normal Action Points. The risk is severe—blood magic taxes your body with each use, and failure can be lethal. It is especially feared and revered among Blood Mages and dark scholars, who see pain and sacrifice as the true source of arcane strength. This technique is often used by desperate casters clinging to life, or by ruthless ones who embrace the edge between power and self-destruction.

Sequencing

Not optimized for sequencing

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.