Opinions requested: Revised Magical Tattoo Item Creation feat and use thereof...

[Sugarmouse]

OK, reviewed the existing plethora of rules and have adapted and chopped and added, and in general hope that its not currently purposefully ambling down to the nearby village after an applied jolt of electricity. My DM likes, and hopefully, so will you.

Inscribe Magic Tattoo [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster Level 3rd
Benefit: You gain the Benefits of the ‘Brew Potion’ and ‘Craft Wondrous Item’ feats, focusing on a different medium (See PHB), with the following additions:
You gain the ability to permanently graft magical effects into a Tattoo that you inscribe. You must still meet all the prerequisites of any permanent magical effects you are trying to imbue.
Restrictions: The receiver of the tattoo must have a positive Constitution modifier equal to or above the spell level for the tattoo to function. A body must have a certain hardiness to bear the permanent or temporary magical effects that will abide and/or course through it. It the receiver has a Constitution modifier lower then the requisite spell level, or has his Constitution modifier dropped through injury (temporary or permanent), the bearer must make a Fortitude save or receive 1d6 points of damage per spell level, as the bearers body becomes unable to cope with magical energy. The effects of the Tattoo do not occur. If it’s a temporary tattoo, the tattoo disappears. If the tattoo is permanent it becomes inert after causing the initial damage. Succeeding in the Fort save halves the damage taken.
Number of tattoos able to be borne: A humanoid creature of medium size has only so much space on its body for the purposes of bearing tattoos that are magical in nature. Not only that, but the nature of the tattoos interferes with the potency of any magical items that are worn. You can have one, but not the other. See below for the effects of permanent tattoos:
Area (# of tattoos) Restriction
Head (2) Unable to use lenses or masks of magical nature
Chest (2) Unable to use amulets or the like of magical nature
Stomach (2) Unable to use belts of magical nature
Back (2) No restriction
Arms (1) Cannot wear bracers of magical nature
Hands (1) Cannot wear rings or gloves of magical nature
Upper Legs (1) No restrictions
Lower Legs (1) Cannot wear boots of magical nature

Once you have a permanent tattoo, it cannot be removed. The bearer is stuck with it, barring the following events: bearer has their skin removed or damaged in a permanent manner; character is re-incarnated.

Temporary (i.e. one use) tattoos are again different by nature of their composition. Firstly, temporary tattoos cannot exist in the same space as permanent tattoos. Spaces for temporary tattoos are doubled per body area – however, as the tattoo needs to be within easy reach (the tattoo requires at least a nominal ‘touch’ situation, as well as an activation word – clothing does not bar someone from activating a tattoo), only the following areas are considered appropriate:
Area (# of tattoos)
Head (4)
Chest (4)
Stomach (4)
Arms (2)
Hands (2)

Lastly, temporary tattoos do not interfere with the effects of worn permanent effect magic items, simply by their transient nature (much like drinking a potion or reading a scroll or even using a wand would not interfere.)
Note: Temporary tattoos can be affected by a ‘Dispel Magic’ spell or effect. The tattoo must resist (using the creators save vs dispelling check at time of creation.) If the tattoo does not save, it is erased.
Activating a tattoo is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

I have also attached this as a .doc file.

 

[Orichin]

When cmt came out (before any errata had been done) I and a friend of mine decided it was too complicated, and scrapped it in favor of a custom prc. He used it as a secondary combat character, he was highly mobile and had some crippling spells that he used with some notable success (crippling like ray of enfeeblement, entangle, and hold person).

Body Artist
prereq's: craft (tattooing) 6 ranks, profession (piercing) 6 ranks, skill focus (craft: tattooing or profession: piercing)
HD: d8
BAB: as cleric
Saves: as bard
Special:
lvl 1: can craft a magical tattoo or piercing on himself that takes the place of a magic item slot (piercings can be on the webbing of fingers, studs through limbs, hoops around ribs or through flesh, botches do damage/deformation at DM's discretion). At this level the body modifications can grant the toughness or dodge feats (assuming character meets prerequisites), or any of the "+2 to this skill and that one" feats, a +2 enhancement bonus to 1 stat, or +1 natural armor. Body mods made in this way are permanent unless removed or ruined (pulled out in the case of piercings, or inentionally scarred/erased for tattoos). A proccess requiring 1/2 hour is needed to supress a body modification for 24 hours to allow a magical item to take effect in place of a body mod. A body mod of this level requires a DC 15 check and 8 hours to make, costing 750gp (appropriate xp loss as well if you want to call it a magic item). The tattoos and piercings can be supressed like magic items by dispel magic, the erase spell removes a tattoo, and a called shot with a slashing or piercing weapon that deals more than 8 damage can destroy a piercing or tattoo.
lvl 3: tattoo or piercing can bestow the following boons: +5 to a single dex, str, or con based skill; give the use of mobility, expertise, or power attack feats; or the use of a 0-level arcane spell as a spell-like ability 3/day at 3rd caster level (con based DC, based on tattoo wearer). A body mod of this calibur requires a skill check DC 21 and costs 1500gp to create.
lvl 4: Body artist can place tattoos and piercings of 1st level quality upon another character. Time to create beneficial body mods reduces to 6 hours. Time to supress them reduces to 20 minutes.
lvl 6: Body mod can bestow the following: +3 natural armor; use of spring attack, improved disarm, improved bull rush, improved sunder, cleave, or great cleave feats; +4 enhancement bonus to a single ability; or can bestow the use of a 1st lvl spell 2/day or a 2nd lvl spell 1/day. A pody mod of this calibur requires a skill check DC 27 and costs 3000gp to create.
lvl 7: can place lvl 4 tattoos/piercings on other characters, and can add a spell-like ability function in addition to other function for an additional 3000gp. Time to supress body mods reduces to 10 minutes.
lvl 9: body mod can bestow the following: +10 to a single dex or str based skill, +5 temporary hp, damage reduction 2/- that applies to bludgeoning or subdual damage only; use of a 0 level spell as a full round action at will, use of a 1st levle spell 3/day, lvl 2 spell 2/day, or level 3 spell 1/day; or +10 ground-based movement rate. A body mod of this calibur requires a skill check DC 34 and costs 6000gp to create.
lvl 10: can use up to lvl 9 tattoo/piercing abilities on other characters, on himself, body artist may grant a +6 enhancement bonus to any attribute, +15 ground-based movement rate, fast healing 1, +4 natural armor; use of a 4th lvl arcane spell as a spell-like ability 1/day, 3rd lvl 2/day, 2nd lvl 3/day, or 1st lvl 5/day; or +15 to a dex or str based skill. Time to create a body mod reduces to 4 hours, and time to supress reduces to 3 minutes.