Magical Tattoos

[Two-Gun Kid]

I am trying to help my friend in creating a workable system for making enchanted tattoos. If I am not mistaken, I think they should be considered the same as a standard item, ie tattoo representing strength on the arms counts as bracers of strength, but wanted to get other thoughts on the matter and see if anyone else has done something similar to this.

Thanks in advance for any examples/thoughts/tips that you all may have.

TGK

 

[Funeris]

excellent idea. Especially if from a "barbaric" culture. I use that term loosely. Maybe I should say tribal.

The only thing I would worry about is upgrading them. But if you start out with say a +1 bracers of armor...perhaps +2 is just more detailed or with more color. Sounds awesome, man.

 

[Stalker0]

The psionics handbook has a lot of stuff on magical tatoos.

 

[Two-Gun Kid]

I don't have that one, as I'm not a big psionics fan, but could you give me a small breakdown of what is there? Not enough to violate any rules, but like broad picture thing?

Thanks

TGK

 

[Funeris]

Originally posted in the SRD:

SCRIBE TATTOO [ITEM CREATION]
You can create psionic tattoos, which store powers within their designs.
Prerequisite: Manifester level 3rd.
Benefit: You can create a psionic tattoo of any power of 3rd level or lower that you know and that targets one or more creatures. Scribing a psionic tattoo takes one day. When you create a psionic tattoo, you set the manifester level. The manifester level must be sufficient to manifest the power in question and no higher than your own level. The base price of a psionic tattoo is its power level x its manifester level x 50 gp. To scribe a tattoo, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials (special inks, masterwork needles, and so on) costing one-half of this base price.
When you create a psionic tattoo, you make any choices that you would normally make when manifesting the power.
When its wearer physically activates the tattoo, the wearer is the target of the power.
Any psionic tattoo that stores a power with an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must pay the XP when creating the tattoo.

Hope that helps you out...I don't know much about psionics in general...but the SRD is awesome.

 

[Sir Brennen]

I know there's a Tattoo item creation feat in one of the Forgotten Realms books (can't remember which), and I think there's another version in Monte Cook's Book of Eldritch Might.

It's actually a pretty common idea; might do a Search here or on the WotC boards for more ideas.

 

[Rhun]

I know there's a Tattoo item creation feat in one of the Forgotten Realms books (can't remember which)

Yeah, it is in either the Forgotten Realms Campaign book or the Magic of Faerun book. I don't have either handy to look at, but I know there is a section on magic tatoos in one of them.

 

[Terath Ninir]

Most of the tattoo magic things I've seen SUCK. The creaters seem to be under the weird delusion that tattoos are a temporary thing. Um, no, not without laser surgery! I'm pretty sure that the FR is the useless "one use only" type of tattoo that only someone using powerful and illegal drugs would come up with.

Ahem. Not that I have any issues.

One simple, quick-and-dirty way of doing it is to treat the tattoos as an "unslotted" item. You want a tattoo that gives +1 resistance, you double the price of a cloak of resistance +1 (1000 gp doubled). The xp cost goes up, too. I'd recommend coming up with various "slots", like upper arm, lower arm, chest, abdomen, back, upper leg, and lower leg -- that'd give 11 "slots". Add a head one and it'd be 12. That should be plenty.

Have fun with 'em! I love the idea of tattoo magic.

 

[Rhun]

Have fun with 'em! I love the idea of tattoo magic.

The tattoo magic in the Rifts RPG was pretty cool...way cooler then any tattoo magic I've seen in other RPGS.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Most of the tattoo magic things I've seen SUCK. The creaters seem to be under the weird delusion that tattoos are a temporary thing. Um, no, not without laser surgery! I'm pretty sure that the FR is the useless "one use only" type of tattoo that only someone using powerful and illegal drugs would come up with.

Ahem. Not that I have any issues.

One simple, quick-and-dirty way of doing it is to treat the tattoos as an "unslotted" item. You want a tattoo that gives +1 resistance, you double the price of a cloak of resistance +1 (1000 gp doubled). The xp cost goes up, too. I'd recommend coming up with various "slots", like upper arm, lower arm, chest, abdomen, back, upper leg, and lower leg -- that'd give 11 "slots". Add a head one and it'd be 12. That should be plenty.

Have fun with 'em! I love the idea of tattoo magic.

Well, they could be "scroll" or "potion" tattoos instead of "magic item" tattoos. I kinda like the idea. I have a scarification spellbook method IMC for savage wizards.