Mundane Tattoos, purchase or backstory?

Chronikoce · Jul 28, 2012

I've been thinking of what my second character will be (I know I just joined the community but having so much fun that I forsee my stay with you all to be long and enjoyable

) and one of my concepts would be a character who expresses their past and heroic events through tattoos.

Mundane tattoos are priced out in the equipment section of the SRD but I couldn't find any information on the wiki regarding if we would have to pay for them just like all our other equipment.

I can see the argument going both ways. Essentially they will be for fluff and roleplaying so it would be a bummer to have to spend tons of gold on them. At the same time though they are items priced out already.

So no hard feelings either way, really just after a ruling so I can keep flushing out the concept I have in my head.

Qik · Jul 29, 2012

Personally, I'd be fine with waiving their fee, but I almost prefer the idea of having one pay a nominal price (i.e < 10 cp) for each one. The budgetary effect would be negligible, but it would maintain a sense of expenditure that, IMHO, would enhance the intimacy of the whole thing.

It'd be great to see a section on the character sheet detailing each tattoo. That'd make it nice for others, as well: a way into learning more about your character.

Out of curiosity, what were you thinking in terms of race/class/etc?

Chronikoce · Jul 29, 2012

Yeah I would be happy to pay a small fee for each one to make it feel more meaningful.

At the moment I am thinking a Human Sorcerer with the Starsoul Bloodline. Not sure which gender yet. Very charismatic of course. For spells I am considering a mixture of battlefield control as primary choices, buffs, and every so often a blast that I will apply metamagic to if circumstances warrant (big group of weak baddies just screams fireball, but if your vs a single BBEG its better to use control of buffs for party).

I haven't figured out backstory yet but I really like the options that starsoul opens up. I stumbled across the tattoos as an idea because I think it would be particularly cool in this case to have planetary bodies and stuff like this.

The orange part

chronikoce-albums-space-art-picture2123-oblivion-space-art.jpg

The white part

chronikoce-albums-space-art-picture2124-super-nova-space-art.jpg

I was thinking of stuff along the lines like when they were young they had vivid dreams this these otherworldly images of intense beauty in them. So striking were the images that they would get those that stuck with them tattooed upon their body. As their magical powers began to come forth they begin learning that these otherworldly images they dream of are somehow tied to the power they are able to wield. They adventure because they want to learn more, push their limits, etc. Was even thinking that the dreams these images come in only occur after significant events in the PC's life so they are forced to adventure in hopes that one of their great undertakings will trigger the next vision.

--EDIT--
Links to pictures didn't work. Fixed.

GlassEye · Jul 29, 2012

I think the cost is pretty negligible, particularly as you go up in levels. 50 gp in tattoos for a 1st level character is a significant chunk of money. For a 5th level character, not so much. Considering the methods we use for gear/treasure results in a slightly higher wealth per level and that the tendency is to sell consumables and buy permanent items PLUS we have ways to avoid the cost of low-price items with the cost of living rules... I don't think it's unreasonable to have you pay for tattoos.

Excellent idea for a character, by the way; makes me wish I'd thought of it. For a little more inspiration I'd recommend reading the background for Shayuri's character Maia.

Chronikoce · Jul 29, 2012

Thanks for the feedback!
[MENTION=40413]GlassEye[/MENTION] I really like the background there. I've actually spent the last few days looking through all the bloodlines in my free time (Just got Tonsillectomy so I have tons of free time this week haha). The Starsoul one just jumped out at me as being a really cool magical background that is out of the ordinary.

Honestly I keep forgetting about the living expenses option. I really like the idea and hope to implement it in a real life campaign that I am running atm to help the characters that like to purchase RP items all the time without them falling behind (I have a bad habit as a DM of under providing gold for several levels at a time so they often are short on gold. Trying to work on that.)

I think I am gonna start working up a wiki page so I don't lose track of any neat ideas that come to me.

GlassEye · Jul 29, 2012

On the other hand, I notice there was one character that had tattoos from backstory and, as far as I can tell, didn't pay for them. :erm:

So maybe you should only have to pay for tattoos acquired after play begins.

And heal quickly, Chronikoce!

Chronikoce · Jul 29, 2012

I think I stumbled across that character and that was what actually brought me to make the post. I think its better to pay for them. The cost isn't huge and I personally think it helps make the purchases more meaningful and a larger part of the backstory. I also like the idea that the greater the event that triggers the dream the more intricate the tattoo will be.

Besides as a Sorcerer there is not a whole lot of gear that I will be purchasing at first level so I can afford to spend a few gold on some tattoos hehe.

Trying to work out a name atm. Hardest part is trying to pick a name and gender atm. The otherworldly beauty lends itself to being a female character but that almost fits to well. Just not sure yet.

Chronikoce · Jul 29, 2012

Had a funny idea, not sure if I will run with it since it doesn't fit the demeanor of the particular character I think this one will be but I figured I would toss it up.

Sorcerer and at 1st level you purchase a spell book. You carry it around with you really obviously and make a big deal of reading through it every morning. If anyone ever steals it from you and reads it they find that every single page says "Be born with the innate power to bend the power of the Arcane to your will"

That might actually work better as a quirky npc rather than a PC hehe.

vmaaxt · Jul 30, 2012

Chronikoce said:
"Be born with the innate power to bend the power of the Arcane to your will"

Chapter 2: "Seriously, you thought I prepared the same 6 spells every day, but in the exact amounts that I needed them?"

Chronikoce · Jul 30, 2012

[MENTION=6696448]vmaaxt[/MENTION] That is quite funny. I may whip up an npc with this spellbook joke and leave him/her open for anyone to use. I have no current plans for its use and perhaps a DM will see it and decide their campaign needs a bit of comic relief or simply an eccentric npc.

--EDIT--
I am considering having my Starsoul Sorcerer bring a pet around with him. This would not be a familiar but rather an animal purchased from Equipment section at creation. I had a few questions on the logistics for this. If I purchased a bat or some other animal from the SRD would it come with any 'tricks' known already? I don't want to blow through tons of skill points training this since its going to be for RP. I figure I really only need whatever pet I have to know the Come Trick so that I can call it back to me with a DC 10 Handle Animal.

Would it be unreasonable to assume that I could purchase one of the animals from the equipment section with Come already taught to it and if I can would it cost any extra? I am thinking bat or an owl as a pet at the moment since this character would spend a great deal of time outside at night due to his fascination with space/stars/night sky