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Thread: Tattoos as Magic Items
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2019-01-23, 11:45 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2012
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Tattoos as Magic Items
In 3.5 there were the Red Wizards of Thay who had a feat that allowed them to use tattoos from some stuff. I never really played them, but had a DM who allowed me to have a character with a tattoo that when activated, would summon a weapon.
In 5e, what sort of tattoo magic would/have you used in campaigns, and what rules make sense for converting spells or magic items into tattoos?Lelouch vi Britannia by Gnomish Wanderer
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2019-01-23, 11:57 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2013
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Because they don't really change, I could see any type of at-will spell-like effect turning into a tattoo. Cantrips, class features, warlock invocations, Rituals (Edit: thanks MOG!) et cetera. Not anything that can be easily swapped out, like spells prepared that day.
For example, your ability to summon a weapon via tattoo activation could refer to an Eldritch Knight's Weapon Bond, or a Pact of the Blade Warlock's pact weapon.
I could also see a Druid with Tattoos of their available wild shapes, or a Cleric that has a prominent tattoo that becomes faded when they use their Channel Divinity.
Actually now that I think about it, I could see temporary tattoos (something like a henna-style paint) acting as prepared spells could work too.Last edited by Vogie; 2019-01-23 at 12:00 PM.
Always looking for critique of my 5E homebrew!
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2019-01-23, 11:58 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2018
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- Between SEA and PDX.
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Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
To rule something like that, I'd probably do something like:
You can tattoo a spell that you know onto your body using special inks and rituals. The spell must use your Concentration and must be a spell you can cast.
A spell that is tattooed on your body does not require any components that are not expended by casting the spell, and you have Advantage on any Concentration Saving Throws to maintain the spell.
To tattoo a spell onto your body, you must use magical inks and tools that are expended by the procedure that cost equal to (L2 x 200), where L is the level of the spell. A level 1 spell will cost 200 gold in ink, and a level 9 spell will cost 16200 gold in ink. It requires 1 hour for each level of the spell to put onto your body. Spells inked onto your body are treated as the lowest castable level.
A specialized NPC may be required to put the spells onto your body, or any character with the Ritual Caster feat.Last edited by Man_Over_Game; 2019-01-23 at 12:00 PM.
5th Edition Homebrewery
Prestige Options, changing primary attributes to open a world of new multiclassing.
Adrenaline Surge, fitting Short Rests into combat to fix bosses/Short Rest Classes.
Pain, using Exhaustion to make tactical martial combatants.
Fate Sorcery, lucky winner of the 5e D&D Subclass Contest VII!
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2019-01-23, 01:17 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2018
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- The Moral Low Ground
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
As Holy symbols and druidic Totems don't have weight and have words meaning 'picture', tattoos are an appropriate focus for spells.
(but they've got to be exposed according to the rules)Last edited by The Jack; 2019-01-23 at 01:18 PM.
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2019-01-23, 02:19 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2014
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Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
If I were to ever play a Wizard in an actual game, I would totally tattoo my spellbook onto my character's body.
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2019-01-23, 02:36 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2018
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
I'd use Ioun Stones as a baseline; tattoos give you pluses to attributes or checks, could prevent surprise, things like that. I do like the idea of a tattoo holding a spell, but I'd make it need to be recharged in some way rather than just a free thing. Would be kind of fun to have players put them in the path of elemental spells in order to try to capture enough energy to recharge their tattoo.
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2019-01-23, 02:36 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2016
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- The Lakes
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Brainstorming...
Warlock -- each spell the character learns appears as a tattoo on their body, as a variation on the "patron's mark" idea.
Magic Initiate -- fluffed as character receiving tattoos of the arcane patterns and runes.
As a Spellcasting Focus -- can't be lost or stolen, but cannot be covered while casting spells.
As a Spellbook -- character is from a culture without deep-analytical written language and math, that tattoos their accomplishments on their body, and each spell learned is an accomplishment.It is one thing to suspend your disbelief. It is another thing entirely to hang it by the neck until dead.
Verisimilitude -- n, the appearance or semblance of truth, likelihood, or probability.
The concern is not realism in speculative fiction, but rather the sense that a setting or story could be real, fostered by internal consistency and coherence.
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2019-01-23, 02:51 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2011
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- North Jersey
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Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
In 2nd ed the Red Wizards of Thay had a spell for this, it's worth looking at. I think it can be found in "Dreams of the Red Wizards" and "Spellbound" I believe they were AC or save bonuses.
Big Ups to Vrythas for making my Avi!
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2019-01-23, 03:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2018
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Here was the 3.5 spell from FR.
http://dnd.arkalseif.info/spells/spe...247/index.html
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2019-01-23, 04:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2016
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2019-01-23, 04:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2018
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- Between SEA and PDX.
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Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Sure, but it also has to be a Concentration spell (and you can't have multiple Concentration spells active, and so multiple tattoos will become redundant), it has a high gold cost (Ranging from 100-16000 gold), and requires a feat or a special NPC.
Most people would just be happy with two levels of Sorcerer and War Caster. For everyone else, my solution lets you throw money at the problem.Last edited by Man_Over_Game; 2019-01-23 at 04:56 PM.
5th Edition Homebrewery
Prestige Options, changing primary attributes to open a world of new multiclassing.
Adrenaline Surge, fitting Short Rests into combat to fix bosses/Short Rest Classes.
Pain, using Exhaustion to make tactical martial combatants.
Fate Sorcery, lucky winner of the 5e D&D Subclass Contest VII!
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2019-01-23, 05:29 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
For spell related tattoos, look no further than Dragonmarks and refluff them (Note that there are two versions of those, one was mostly spellcasting, the other one had spellcasting and skill bonuses, akin to permanent guidance)
For more general tattoos... well go nuts, any magic item can be refluffed as a tattoo. In my last campaign our life cleric got a "magic tattoo" that was basically a rod of resurrection, same exact rules, but with the obvious benefit of it being a tattoo, so it's always ready, doesn't require to be handled, can't be stolen, etc.
If you go that route also think scrolls and potions.
A tattoo of a angel in my arm may allow me to cast raise dead once and then disappear.
Note that the availability and rarity of said tattoo's should have an impact on the setting, if getting one is relatively easy then maybe even mooks on the street go around toting fireballs in their arms.
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2019-01-23, 05:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Location
- The Lakes
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
It is one thing to suspend your disbelief. It is another thing entirely to hang it by the neck until dead.
Verisimilitude -- n, the appearance or semblance of truth, likelihood, or probability.
The concern is not realism in speculative fiction, but rather the sense that a setting or story could be real, fostered by internal consistency and coherence.
The Worldbuilding Forum -- where realities are born.
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2019-01-24, 12:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2018
- Location
- The Moral Low Ground
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Robe of useful items but tattoos.
Do it.
Anything that doesn't require attunement is fair game, but there should be some limit, like the tattoo has to be exposed.
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2019-01-24, 01:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2018
Re: Tattoos as Magic Items
Something else that might be fun; a tattoo that gives an ability or a spell once per long rest, but, not only does it have to be fully exposed to operate, it visibly glows until it is used that day, at which point it fades to be a regular tattoo. It then forces the player to think about protection vs. ease of use, plus is very noticeable.