Toxicology

Boldness

Reasoning

Creativity

Short Description

The study and field-use of poisons and toxins: how to create, recognize, manipulate, and exploit them for tactical, investigative, or scientific purposes.

Success Criteria

Roll d100 versus DR 100 (or DR to create a poison from the poison list)

Effects

Success (Field Analysis): You identify key traits of a poison, such as type, symptoms, activation trigger, and environmental risk

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Success (Synthesis): You craft a stable toxin on the Poisons etc. list

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Failure: Incomplete synthesis or incorrect identification—may mislead, fizzle, or backfire

Modifiers and Restrictions

–10 DR — Toxin is derived from a known natural or biological source

–10 DR — You have access to lab tools, containment equipment, or raw toxin

–10 DR — You’re working on a poison type you’ve previously created or studied

+10 DR — The sample is unstable, partially degraded, or adapted

+15 DR — Conditions involve alien biology, high toxicity, or volatile reactions

+20 DR — You are attempting to weaponize the toxin in a complex or improvised way

Action Examples

Field Analysis – Alien Residue: While exploring a crashed alien freighter, you examine a melted injector pod and roll Toxicology to determine if the residue was neurotoxic or corrosive. DR 115 as it involved alien technology.

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Long Description

Toxicology focuses on the experimental, investigative, and tactical applications of toxins in the field. Whether you’re analyzing alien venoms, synthesizing unstable poisons, or rigging an environment for toxic exposure, this skill enables the creative and technical use of harmful agents.

Toxicology supports exploration of unknown biology, experimentation with delivery mechanisms (gas, coating, ingestion), and evaluating how toxins interact with terrain, climate, or tech systems. It complements skills like Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering when toxins are used as tools or weapons rather than clinical problems.

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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.