[3.5 Unbalanced] The Master of the Tattoo Born (Class, Trait)

A note: This class is explicitly more powerful than usual. Hopefully, its reliance on other characters will make it, though not balanced, not annoying to the other players. It is most certainly Tier Plot. Don’t put it in a game where it’s not the point of the game, or do so with extreme Caution.

That said, I tried to make the power level of each component reasonably low.

New Trait: Tattoo-Born
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You wear your heart on your sleeve; or rather, your skin. Your skills and powers are obvious to anyone who knows how to read them. In the case of magic users, initiators, or psionicists, the tattoos tend to directly match the spells, maneuvers or powers that they know. For rogues, fighters, or other classes that do not have something equivalent to a ‘spells known’ list, the tattoos tend to be more abstract and both larger, and fewer in number. A Decipher Script check with DC equal to 10+your ECL can reveal your classes, and spells, powers, or maneuvers you know.

Ritual: Rite of the Power Within

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Prerequisites: None
Benefit: The supplicant gains the Tattoo-Born trait.
Process: The supplicant must find a Master willing to take them in, and to perform the ceremony. They spend a full day talking, spending time with each other, and sharing memories and thoughts. At the end of it, the Master, using his new-found knowledge of the supplicant, uses special inks to mark her powers and her spirit onto her skin, with tattoos that even he doesn't quite understand, even as he writes them. If the tattoos match her personality and skills, and are applied correctly, the innate magic within the supplicant takes hold of them, and they gain the Tatoo-Born trait.
Costs: The special inks required cost 500gp, and the Master uses his Marked As Mine ability on the supplicant.

Master of the Tattoo-Born
‘It is true; I am nothing without them. But with them, I am a god.’

Background: The Tattoo-Born are rare; and those that understand them rarer still. They often form communities; not desiring to mingle with people who often eschew them for their strange nature.
Races: Any race can be Tattoo-Born, but by sheer numbers most of them are human. Those who would study their Tattoos can be of any race, and often come from longer lived species such as elves, who can take advantage of the disparate skills they can gain.
Other Classes: Many other classes dislike the so-called Masters, who gain power from the tattooed that they have no right to wield.
Role: A Master can always fill one role well, and often backs up several other characters as a secondary player.
Masters in the World: Masters often end up in positions of authority, as the power they gain from such varied skills allows them to easily acquire a position from which they can access more skills.
Inspiration: The original idea was a Master of a harem who was a wizard, and kept his spellbook on the harem. :smalltongue:

Prerequisites: None, if no-one nearby is Tattoo Born you’ll have no real class features.
Alignment: Any, but often Lawful.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Gold: As Wizard
Starting Age: As Wizard
Class Skills-All skills are class skills for the Master. Especially Decipher Script.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4+ Int Modifier

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+1	+1	+1	Lesser Tattoo Study
2nd	+1	+1	+1	+1	Greater Tattoo Study
3rd	+2	+2	+2	+2	Understanding the Art of Nature
4th	+3	+2	+2	+2	Marked As Mine
5th	+3	+3	+3	+3	Lesser Tattoo Study
6th	+4	+3	+3	+3
7th	+5	+3	+3	+3	Greater Tattoo Study
8th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4
9th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Lesser Tattoo Study
10th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5
11th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5
12th	+9/+4	+5	+5	+5	Greater Tattoo Study
13th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Lesser Tattoo Study
14th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+6
15th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	As My Subjects, So Their Master
16th	+12/+7/+2	+7	+7	+7
17th	+12/+7/+2	+7	+7	+7	Greater Tattoo Study, Lesser Tattoo Study
18th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8
19th	+14/+9/+4	+8	+8	+8
20th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Together We Stand

Note: Average Save progression is 1+0.4 per level.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Master is, as standard, proficient with light armour, no shields, and all simple weapons, as well as one martial weapon of his choice.

Lesser Tattoo Study: At first level, and at each fourth level thereafter, you begin to study the powers locked inside the Tattoos, using your own skills to take them into yourself.

For each time this ability appears, you may choose one of the following abilities. These abilities are chosen from the tattoos at hand, and are prepared anew each day.

Fury (Requires access to Tattoos from a barbarian or rage using class of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Studying Fury grants you use of Rage, as a Barbarian, once per encounter. It also grants DR/-, which stacks with everything.

Song (Requires access to Tattoos from a bard or bardic music using class of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Studying Song grants you a number of uses of Bardic Music per day equal to your Master level, maximum four for each time you study Song. It also allows access to any Bardic Music usable by a Bard of the lesser of your master level and the number of times you choose Song, times four.

War (Requires access to Tattoos from a class with full BAB of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Taking this retroactively increases four of your Master levels to full BAB. Each subsequent time upgrades another four levels. In addition, you may gain proficiency with one of the following: all martial weapons, all armour, shields (except tower shields), one exotic weapon, or tower shields (only if already proficient with shields) each time you pick War.

Discipline (Requires access to Tattoos from a monk or similar class of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Studying Discipline grants you some of the abilities of the Monk. Assuming this Monk, you gain the Unarmed Strike, Flurry, and AC bonus of a Monk of your Master level, but not higher than four times the number of times you have Studied Discipline.

Holiness (Requires access to Tattoos from a paladin or similar class of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Studying Holiness grants you the Smite Opposition ability twice per encounter for each time you Study Holiness. In addition, you may use Lay On Hands (Or its equivalent) as if a Paladin of your Master level, but not higher than four times the number of times you have Studied Holiness.

Stealth (Requires access to Tattoos from a rogue or similar class of level 1, +4 for each subsequent time)

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Studying Stealth increases your skill points per level to 6+Int for the first four levels of Master, retroactively if necessary. Studying more than once affects the next four levels.
In addition, you gain Sneak Attack as a Rogue of your Master level, but not higher than four times the number of times you have Studied Stealth.

Greater Tattoo Study: At second level, and each fifth level thereafter, you are capable of studying the secrets of more complex tattoos-those detailing magicks, the powers of the mind, or beyond. Your Master Level for the purposes of these abilities is equal to your Master Level, minus the number of levels you took of Master before taking them.
(Thus, an eighth level Master who chooses Magic at level 2 and Mind at level 7 is 7th level for Magic, and 2nd level for Mind)

Each Greater Tattoo Study allows you one advancement from the following list. You may choose the same study twice, in which case you may add your effective levels together, to a maximum of your ECL, or treat them separately. All gained abilities are used with Intelligence.

Magic

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This Study requires access to a Tattooed with a spells known list of any kind. Their tattoos show their spells known, and you can prepare spells from that list. They are and are Arcane or Divine matching their original source. Your spells per day are determined by your Master Level, and are as follows:

Level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	3	1
2	4	2
3	4	3
4	4	4
5	4	4	1
6	4	4	2
7	4	4	3	1
8	4	4	4	2
9	4	4	4	3	1
10	4	4	4	4	2
11	4	4	4	4	3	1
12	4	4	4	4	4	2
13	4	4	4	4	4	3	1
14	4	4	4	4	4	4	2
15	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	1
16	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	2
17	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	1
18	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	2
19	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	1
20	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	2

Mind

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This Study requires access to a Tattooed with a powers known list of any kind. Their tattoos show their powers known, and you can prepare powers from that list. Your powers prepared per day, and your power points, are determined by your Master Level as follows:
You can never select a power of the highest level any of your Tattoo-Born knows, unless their highest level is level 1.

Level	Prepared	PP
1	2	2
2	3	4
3	4	7
4	6	11
5	7	16
6	8	22
7	9	29
8	11	37
9	12	46
10	13	56
11	14	67
12	16	79
13	17	92
14	18	106
15	19	121
16	21	137
17	22	154
18	23	172
19	24	191
20	26	201

Might

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This Study requires access to a Tattooed with a maneuvers known list of any kind. Their tattoos show their maneuvers and stances known, and you can ready maneuvers and borrow stances from that list. Your maneuvers readied, and your power points, are determined by your Master Level as follows. You can never select a maneuver of the highest level any of your Tattoo-Born knows, unless their highest level is level 1. You recover maneuvers in the same way as the initiator you studied to gain this class feature.

Level	Readied	Stances
1	3	0
2	3	1
3	4	1
4	4	1
5	5	2
6	5	2
7	5	2
8	6	2
9	6	3
10	7	3
11	7	3
12	7	3
13	8	3
14	8	4
15	9	4
16	9	4
17	9	4
18	10	4
19	10	4
20	11	5

Cards

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This Study requires access to a Tattooed with access to Calling cards. Their tattoos show their most precious Cards, and you can create duplicates of them. Your cards available are determined by your Master Level as follows:
(Note you follow the same rules as a Cardcaller for determining how many cards of a single level you may use, and you can never select a card of the highest level any of your Tattoo-Born can choose, unless their highest level is level 1)

Level	Cards
1	4
2	5
3	6
4	7
5	8
6	9
7	10
8	11
9	12
10	13
11	14
12	15
13	16
14	18
15	20
16	22
17	24
18	26
19	28
20	30

Understanding the Art of Nature: A Master of third level is beginning to understand tattoos more effectively than those not dedicated to them. He gains a competence bonus on Decipher Script checks to read tattoos on Tattoo-born equal to his class level.

Marked As Mine (Ex): A Master of fourth level can mark his most loyal subjects as, in some minor way, his-whether as friends, lovers, colleagues, or anything else. While he can Mark anyone in this way, the target is only considered Marked for this and other abilities if they are Tattoo-born. He gains a +5ft speed bonus if moving towards them, a +1 AC bonus if in a square next to them, and a +1 bonus on attack rolls If targeting the same enemy as them. They gain the same bonuses for him. Applying this effect takes one minute, and cannot be performed on an unwilling target. A Master may mark no more beings with this ability than his class level.

As My Subjects, So Their Master: A Master of fifteenth level is defined as strongly by his Marked as by himself. He gains a +1 competence bonus on any skill which one of his marked has maxed. In addition, he gains several tattoos based on his marked. In the case of marked with a ‘spells known’ equivalent (IE those acquired with Greater Tattoo study), he gains a single one of their spells known as a tattoo on his own body. For marked of other natures, he may treat one ability he could acquire from them with lesser Tattoo Study as a tattoo on his own body.

Together We Stand (Su): A Master of twentieth level is sustained by his Marked. He cannot die permanently while one of his Marked survived. If he is slain, then exactly a week from the moment of death, as long as he has at least one Marked remaining, who has been Marked for at least one month and still holds good opinions of him (i.e. has not been Imprisoned to act as a phylactery), he is subject to a True Resurrection effect. After this effect reacts, there is a one day period before all Marked lose their status-he must renew their Marks with physical contact.
His Marked too obtain long life from this link; they cannot die from old age, and in fact do not age past the point they would desire to. They can however be slain as normal.

Finally, once per day a Master may summon his Marked to him. They are subject to a Greater Teleport effect, as well as a Plane Shift if necessary. If unwilling, they may resist this ability with a will save.

Feats

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Emotion Over Study
Prerequisites: About to take or have taken at least one level of Master.
Benefit: Any class features based on Intelligence are instead based on Charisma.

Understanding, Not Studying
Prerequisites: About to take or have taken at least one level of Master.
Benefit: Any class features based on Intelligence are instead based on Wisdom.

Spread the Love
Prerequisites: The Marked As Mine ability.
Benefit: You may mark more beings simultaneously. The additional number is equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Special: This feat may be taken a number of times equal to a quarter of your Master level

ACFs

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Any class not mentioned here can probably be adapted into a Study, with possible exception of the Factotum for being the same but more balanced.

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Together We Stand (Su): A Master of twentieth level is sustained by his Marked. He cannot die permanently while one of his Marked survived, but Marked only count for this ability if they have had that status for longer than a month.
His Marked too obtain long life from this link; they cannot die from old age, and in fact do not age past the point they would desire to. They can however be slain as normal.

Finally, once per day a Master may summon his Marked to him. They are subject to a Greater Teleport effect, as well as a Plane Shift if necessary. If unwilling, they may resist this ability with a will save.

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This is awesome, and I think unique in the entire 3.5 system. This class probably synergizes well with Leadership feat and would work great with generals, lords, and similar characters. I really like the idea of a ruler who is tied to his vassals, and can even summon them to his side.

(Did you mean this ability to work as a 'summoning effect' in D & D parlance -- where if the Marked is killed after being summoned, they just return to back to where they were?)

This is a really cool concept. And I have to say, it's actually not that unreasonable. If you were to limit the Greater Tattoo Study abilities to, say, 6th level spells/powers/maneuvers, I think it might even be balanced. Yes, you could have a lot of different abilities, but with the delayed caster level progressions, this isn't all that much more powerful than a thurge-type PrC.

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Originally Posted by Steward

This is awesome, and I think unique in the entire 3.5 system. This class probably synergizes well with Leadership feat and would work great with generals, lords, and similar characters. I really like the idea of a ruler who is tied to his vassals, and can even summon them to his side.

(Did you mean this ability to work as a 'summoning effect' in D & D parlance -- where if the Marked is killed after being summoned, they just return to back to where they were?)

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Thank you. :smallsmile:

(Nah, not really. If you did, that would make the Master basically impossible to kill.)

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Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant

This is a really cool concept. And I have to say, it's actually not that unreasonable. If you were to limit the Greater Tattoo Study abilities to, say, 6th level spells/powers/maneuvers, I think it might even be balanced. Yes, you could have a lot of different abilities, but with the delayed caster level progressions, this isn't all that much more powerful than a thurge-type PrC.

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Thanks!
See, if I limited it to 6th level spells, it would drop right down to weak. Casting PrCs are considered not worth taking if they lose you out on 9th level spells, and having 6th level spells, 4th level maneuvers, and 2nd level powers is unlikely to be as strong as 9th level spells.
(Also, Theurge-type PrCs are considered bad in optimisation circles. xD)

I... have no idea what you mean by that. What do you mean by 'awkward'? O_o

I see. :smallannoyed:

Honestly, I think that might be best served by just not talking to me. Because last time you were 'rude' it made me cry, and I'd very much prefer it if you left me alone.

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Originally Posted by Lix Lorn

See, if I limited it to 6th level spells, it would drop right down to weak. Casting PrCs are considered not worth taking if they lose you out on 9th level spells, and having 6th level spells, 4th level maneuvers, and 2nd level powers is unlikely to be as strong as 9th level spells.
(Also, Theurge-type PrCs are considered bad in optimisation circles. xD)

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That is very true. Really, the only reason it's overpowered is that you get 9th level spells/powers from your first Greater Tattoo Study-- and then only because full spellcasting is inherently broken.

Hmm... maybe if you do 4-8-12-16? Then you'll get 8th level spells from one class, 6th level from another, 4th level from a third, and 2nd level from a fourth... still strong, but not unreasonably so. Probably no more than tier 2, at least.

What book is Cardcalling from?

...


I C WAT U DID THAR.


Ahem.

Looks good!

Does seem a bit more powerful than other base classes, but that's mostly the sheer options it gets, and it's intended. Good work.

Hm... Leadership shenanigins, plus this, plus ranks in Profession (Teacher), and the ability to hunt down legacy items easily...

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Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant

That is very true. Really, the only reason it's overpowered is that you get 9th level spells/powers from your first Greater Tattoo Study-- and then only because full spellcasting is inherently broken.

Hmm... maybe if you do 4-8-12-16? Then you'll get 8th level spells from one class, 6th level from another, 4th level from a third, and 2nd level from a fourth... still strong, but not unreasonably so. Probably no more than tier 2, at least.

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That'd probably work!
But for now, I want it to be a little OP. :smallconfused:

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Originally Posted by Steward

What book is Cardcalling from?

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It's not. xD It's a homebrew class of mine that's gonna be used in the game I made this for, so it needs to be compatible.

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Originally Posted by The-Mage-King

...

I C WAT U DID THAR.

Ahem.

Looks good!

Does seem a bit more powerful than other base classes, but that's mostly the sheer options it gets, and it's intended. Good work.

Hm... Leadership shenanigins, plus this, plus ranks in Profession (Teacher), and the ability to hunt down legacy items easily...

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...what did I do there? XD

There is only one glitch in your class from it's designed intentions; you forgot to put how you recharge the martial maneuvers in an encounter. My suggestion would be to pick any one from a list of classes and homebrew classes (because of all the support it has), or pick one unique one for the class and run with that.

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Originally Posted by Lix Lorn

...what did I do there? XD

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Lets count the Pactio-like abilities, shall we?

Made by wizard... Gains abilities... Can teleport tattoo holders to origin...

Perfect class for Negi Springfield, I'd say.

:smalltongue:

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Originally Posted by Dante & Vergil

There is only one glitch in your class from it's designed intentions; you forgot to put how you recharge the martial maneuvers in an encounter. My suggestion would be to pick any one from a list of classes and homebrew classes (because of all the support it has), or pick one unique one for the class and run with that.

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Oh! Good point.
I'd say they use the same recharge as the Marked they get the maneuvers from.

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Originally Posted by The-Mage-King

Lets count the Pactio-like abilities, shall we?

Made by wizard... Gains abilities... Can teleport tattoo holders to origin...

Perfect class for Negi Springfield, I'd say.

:smalltongue:

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Who? :smallconfused:

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Originally Posted by Lix Lorn

Who? :smallconfused:

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...Wow. You need to read more manga.

The main character of this. Int-based, decent at most things, and can pick up casting/melee skills? Yeah, seems right.

I don't have time for more manga xD

Well, if we're pulling out literary allusions, a magician who uses special tattoos to call his minions to his side would be a great class for Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter!

...hey, so it would! xD
But I don't think voldy would like being weaker than his minions xD

True that!

This class would make a fantastic ruler though. Apart from the harem idea, it seems like it would make a great leader of some kind of group (the chief of an orc tribe, the archmage of a wizards' college, the abbot of a swordsage temple, or even the prime minister of a parliament!) Giving it a variety of options (rather than limiting it to just magic or just melee) was definitely an inspired choice!

Thanks!
Although I plan on using it for harem shenanigans, I did try to leave it as open as possible. :smallsmile:

Great class
but...


...You always have time for more manga


Edit: you only have nineteen levels (no level eight)