Tattoos
An Art of the Flesh
Your character has a number of tattoo slots on his/her body that they can use to inscribe a particularly powerful magical item. Unlike standard psionic tattoo, a tattoo is a permanent magical or psionic effect that cannot be removed. Tattoos take a number of days to scribe equal to 1 day per 1,000 gp in its market value. A tattoo can reproduce any effect from a magic item in the DMG or other source, and it costs 150% that of the cost of the item. A few new tattoos are described here.
Scribe Tattoo [Item Creation]
You have learned the secrets of the ancient masters who were able to inscribe runes of magical power upon flesh, using special inks.
Prerequisites: Caster or Manifester level 5th
Benefits: You can craft a magical or psionic tattoo (depending on whether you cast spells or manifest powers – if you can do both you must take the feat twice, one for magical and one for psionics.) It costs ½ the market price of the tattoo in materials (gold pieces) to create, 1/25 th the market price in XP to the scriber, and 1 full day per 1,000 gp in the market price of the tattoo. Both the artist and the target of the tattoo must be present every day of the creation of the item.
Normal : There are other forms of magical tattoos that can be created using a variety of methods, but those tattoos are not permanent magic items.
| Tattoo Slot | Affinity (Tattoos that do not meet the affinity cost 50% more) |
| Face | Mental attributes, increased perception, combat capacity |
| Neck | Health |
| Torso | Miscellaneous |
| Back | Defense |
| Shoulders 1 | Combat capacity, physical attributes |
| Arms 1 | Strength, nimbleness, destructive power, casting/manifesting ability |
| Thighs 1 | Physical improvement |
| Legs 1 | Movement |
1 Although these slots presume there are two of them, in order for a magical tattoo to be effective, they must cover both slots (ie, both shoulders, both arms, both thighs, both legs.)
Caster’s Sigils: These tattoos are etches into a spellcaster’s hands (arm slot.) The markings increase the effectiveness of the caster’s spells and magic. All spells cast by the caster gain a +1 enhancement bonus to their DC.Caster Level: 14th ; Scribe Tattoo, caster must have the Spell Power class ability; Market Price: 6,000 gp.
Dancer’s Ink: These twirling lines are inked upon a character’s thighs. They provide a +4 enhancement bonus to the character’s Dexterity score. Caster Level: 8th ; Scribe Tattoo, cat’s grace ; Market Price: 24,000 gp.
Etchings of the Stallion: This tattoo is inscribed into one of the person’s legs. They grant the bearer a +30 enhancement bonus on their land movement. Caster Level: 1st ; Scribe Tattoo, expeditious retreat ; Market Price: 16,000 gp.
Markings of the Kung’Fai: These tribal markings run up and down a person’s back. They constantly ward the wearer against divination spells. Anyone attempting to cast a divination spell upon the individual warded by the tattoos must make a Caster level check (DC 21) or be unable to “see” the individual. Caster Level: 10th ; Scribe Tattoo, nondetection ; Market Price: 90,000 gp.
Mind Ink: The ink that goes into this tattoo is created from crushed psicrystals and crystal capacitors. Any powers that the manifester now manifests are augmented as if the manifester had spent an additional power point on the power. They take up an arm slot. Manifester Level: 20th ; Scribe Tattoo, imbue power ; Market Price: 90,000 gp
Spirit Mehndi: These etchings are drawn across a person’s back and protect him from magical spells, granting them spell resistance equal to the number of marks in the tattoo. Caster Level: 12th ; Scribe Tattoo, spell resistance ; Market Price: 15,000 gp (SR 13), 45,000 gp (SR 15), 105,000 gp (SR 19), 135,000 gp (SR 21), 195,000 gp (SR 25)
Tattoo of the Blizzard: This tattoo is typically drawn on the person’s arms. That individual’s unarmed attacks now deal an additional +2d6 points of cold damage, and on a successful critical hit the target is frozen for 1 minute and must make a Balance check (DC 10) every round or fall prone. Caster Level: 16th ; Scribe Tattoo, cone of cold ; Market Price: 75,000 gp.
Tattoo of the Dragon: Common amongst Monks and brawlers, this tattoo covers an individual’s shoulders down to his forearms. This tattoo grants the individual an enhancement bonus to his attacks and damage with his unarmed strike. Caster level : 4th , 8th , 12th , 16th , 20th ; Scribe Tattoo, greater magic fang ; Market Price: 3,000 gp (+1), 12,000 gp (+2), 27,000 gp (+3), 48,000 gp (+4), 75,000 gp (+5).
Tattoo of the Flame; This tattoo is typically drawn in the person’s arms. That individual’s unarmed attacks now deal an additional +1d6 points of fire damage. Caster level: 5th ; Scribe Tattoo, burning hands ; Market Price: 12,000 gp.
Tattoo of the Storm: This tattoo is typically drawn in the person’s arms. That individual’s unarmed attacks now deal an additional +1d6 points of electricity damage. Caster level: 5th ; Scribe Tattoo, shocking grasp ; Market Price: 12,000 gp
Tattoo of St. Cuthbert: Typically inscribed upon the person’s face as the symbol of St. Cuthbert, this tattoo grants the individual’s unarmed attacks the disruption property, as per the magical enchantment. Caster Level: 5th ; Scribe Tattoo, disrupt undead ; Market Price: 27,000 gp.
Tattoo of the Raptor: This tattoo is favored by fighters and other martial types across the planes. It grants the bearer a +1 competence bonus to all attacks. It is etched across the character’s face. Caster Level: 3rd ; Scribe Tattoo, divine might ; Market Price: 10,000 gp.
Tattoo of the Warded Life: These markings form a chain around the individual’s neck. They protect a character’s life force from being stolen away by magic. The next death spell or effect that targets the individual automatically fails as if it were stopped by Spell Resistance. The tattoo works only once and disappears. Caster Level: 7th ; Scribe Tattoo, death ward ; Market Price: 33,600 gp.