Survival

Constitution
Reasoning
Self Discipline

Short Description

Endure, adapt, and guide others through extreme conditions - on hostile planets, space wrecks, or in chaotic environments (even in some combat situations).

Success Criteria

Roll d100 + Survival skill vs. DR 100

Effects

On success, you and/or your group:

- Avoid terrain-based penalties

- Move faster or more safely

- Reduce penalties to checks like Climbing, Sneaking, Tracking, or Perception in hazardous zones

In combat, Survival can be used to:

Withstand harsh effects (Blizzard, Wall of Fire etc. - Add +5 to your defense +5 per 20 success rate)

Lead others to safe cover or fallback routes

Modifiers and Restrictions

–20 DR in familiar, prepared territory

+10 to +50 DR in unknown, hostile, or shifting environments (e.g., toxic storms, zero-G ruins, lava flows)

Action Examples

Lead group through alien jungle under heavy storm

DR 120 (extreme weather), Roll 135 → SR = 15

Group moves through safely.

Long Description

Survival is the comprehensive skill of staying alive and leading others in unfriendly or extreme conditions—whether scorched deserts, poisoned planets, spacewreck interiors, or treacherous highlands. It includes shelter-building, environmental hazard recognition, improvised navigation, and tactical adaptation to surroundings.

Beyond physical endurance, it reflects your ability to read the terrain, prepare for danger, and mitigate penalties from extreme settings—both for yourself and your companions. Whether outpacing a sandstorm, navigating debris fields, or enduring radiation pockets, Survival ensures you do not fall victim to the world around you.

Sequencing

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Potential Counters

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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.