Suppress Magic

Self Discipline
Reasoning
Presence

Short Description

Weaken the power of a hostile spell by intercepting and dampening its magical force as it strikes.

Success Criteria

Opposed roll: d100 + Suppress Magic skill vs. caster’s attack roll

Effects

On success, reduce the incoming spell’s damage by a percentage equal to the success rate

Example: Roll 124 vs. 100 attack roll → Success Rate = 24 → 24% damage reduction

Damage reduction is rounded down to the nearest 10%

24% → 20% reduced damage

37% → 30% reduced damage

98% → 90% reduced damage

Modifiers and Restrictions

+10 to your roll if spell category is known (from Recognize Spell Category or similar).

+20 to your roll if spell is known (from spellcraft or similar)

You must be able to see the caster yourself.

Only works against spells that deal damage.

Action Examples

Reacting to an incoming Damage spell

  • Your Suppress Magic roll = 118
  • Caster’s spell attack roll = 102
  • Success Rate = 16 → 10% damage reduction

Long Description

Suppress Magic is a rare defensive skill that allows casters and trained specialists to actively blunt the force of an incoming damaging spell. Rather than relying solely on resilience, it creates a reactive buffer—a disruption field that bleeds away magical energy before it can fully manifest.

This skill is one of the few ways to scale down magical damage without negating the spell entirely. It rewards foresight and familiarity with enemy tactics, and it excels against repeat casters and well-known threats. Suppress Magic works best as a reactive defense in mid- or late-rounds, especially when combined with skills like Spellcraft and Spell Augury for early threat recognition.

Sequencing

Can be sequenced with skills/spells/modules that identify spells.

Potential Counters

No direct counters, but a lot of skills can be used to hide the nature of the spell, which can make the use of this skill less effective.

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.