Magical Tattoos
There are a variety of magical tattoos that one can procure, from gemstone tattoos, to more traditional. Gemstone tattoos alter a person's physical capabilities, either by increasing an ability score or granting resistance to a damage type, depending on the gemstone used. A creature can only have one such tattoo. Traditional tattoos are more traditional shapes, such as eyes or kraken that are imbued with magical properties, giving the wearer darkvision, or +1 to attack rolls using a bow, as an example.
Learning Tattooing Proficiency
You must find an instructor willing to teach you. The DM determines how long it takes and whether one or more ability checks are required. The training lasts for a number of days determined by the DM and costs 1gp per day. After you spend the requisite time and money, you learn gain the proficiency with the new tool.
Tattooist's Tools
This kit comes in a sturdy case and contains a variety of various colored inks, powders, needles and medical supplies needed for sterilization. The kit also includes a sketchbook filled with tattoo designs and magical templates that the artist may find on their journeys. These tools are needed to create any tattoo, whether they have magical properties or not. Each set initially contains a variety of ink colors, but does not include any specialty inks which must be purchased separately. As you create tattoos, you will use up the supplies in your kit, and will need tor replace things ever so often. Every small tattoo takes 1 ounce of ink to make. Medium tattoos take 2, and large tattoos take 4. Each ink cost depends upon the dye used to make that color. See tattoo table below for more information. EXAMPLE: purple is more expensive as the minerals and plants used to produce it are harder to find.
Proficiency
In order to create a tattoo, mundane to magical, one must have proficiency in Tattooist's Tools, which is a type of Artisan's Tools. To ink a magical tattoo, one must have at least 1 level in a spellcasting class, and have proficiency with these tools. In order to gain proficiency in Tattooist's Tools, you may either practice with it long enough to gain proficiency, or gain it from the following backgrounds: Criminal: You may choose to forgo your proficiency in either one type of gaming set or Thieves' Tools, choosing instead to be proficient in Tattooist's Tools.Guild Artisan: You may choose Tattooist's Tools as your one artisan tool proficiency.
Sage: You may choose to forgo one of your additional language proficiences, choosing instead to be proficient with Tattooist's Tools
Sailor: You may choose to forgo your proficiency with Navigator's Tools, choosing instead to be proficient with Tattooist's Tools.
Tattoo Size
Every tattoo has a size and location. Every creature only has so much space on their bodies which to draw tattoos and so are limited in the number that they can possess. The scale of a tattoo adjusts depending on the size of the creature it is being applied to. Because of this, a Large chest tattoo would take up the same amount of space on a human as it would a halfling or giant, as the tattoo stays proportional to the size of the creature it is applied to.| Body Part | Number of Tattoos |
|---|---|
| Head | 1 Medium or 2 Small |
| Chest | 1 Large, 2 Medium or 4 Small |
| Back | 1 Large, 2 Medium, or 4 Small |
| Arm | 1 Medium or 2 Small |
| Leg | 1 Medium or 2 Small |
Applying Tattoos
In order to tattoo a creature, the artist must make a Tattooist's Tools check. The skill for this role is either DEX or CHA + proficiency bonus from using the Tattooist's Tools. Every tattoo (along with size ad location) has a DC target, depending on the power and intricacy of the tattoo.On a fail, if the tattoo was intended to be magical, the tattoo holds no magical properties, but still takes up space on the creature's body. Based on how severely the roll is failed, the tattoo can be anything from minorly flawed, to a horrible mess. Rolling a Nat 20 always results in a success, with the tattoo being perfect and an awe-inspiring display of artistic skill.
| Intricacy | Tattoo DC |
|---|---|
| Simple | 10 |
| Average | 15 |
| Ornate | 20 |
| Size(intricacy) | Time |
|---|---|
| Small (simple) | 2d4 hours |
| Small (average), Medium (simple) | 4d4 hours |
| Small (ornate), Medium (average), Large (simple) | 2d6 hours |
| Medium (ornate), Large (average) | 4d6 hours |
| Large (ornate) | 2d12 hours |
Specialty Inks
In very large cities, it may be possible to acquire rare and unique inks with which one may create tattoos, These inks may have special cosmetic or inherent magical properties and are general very expensive.Detection Ink
This ink is specially mixed and imbued with the ability to detect the presence of certain creatures. The ink comes in a variety of colors and begins to faintly glow when within 100 feet of the creature in question.EXAMPLE: An ink may be mixed in order to detect members of the goblinoid family, in which case it would be referred to as the ink of goblinkind detection and most likely be some sort of green. Another ink may be imbued with the ability to detect undead, or even more specific as to zombies, liches or vampires.
Elemental Ink
This ink is purely cosmetic. Some may make the lines of a tattoo appear to burn like molten lava, while others appear as if cool water flows through the lines of the subject's skin. Certain earth aligned inks will cause the lines of a tattoo to appear as if they were filled with glimmering gemstones.Glamour Ink
This ink causes lines drawn with it to glitter like a thousand stars. These inks come in a variety of colors.Glow-Ink
Tattoos inked with this ink are pale versions of their colors while in the light, but in dim or dark conditions glow vibrantly with their appropriate color.Metallic Ink
Tattoos made with this ink make it appear as though the subject has organically flexible metal inlays imbedded in their skin. These inks come in a variety of colors, from gold to silver to rusty iron.Prismatic Ink
Appears to be made of a swirling mass of rainbow colors while in the bottle, this ink causes lines tattooed with it to become iridescent in appearance.Gemstone Tattoos
Gemstone tattoos are magical tattoos that, as their name implies, are infused with gemstone dust that enhances physical capabilities of the person they are tattooed upon.| Gemstone | Bonus/Resistance | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby | +1 Strength | 2200gp |
| Emerald | +1 Dexterity | 2200gp |
| Diamond | +1 Constitution | 2500gp |
| Jade | +1 Wisdom | 2200gp |
| Sapphire | +1 Intelligence | 2200gp |
| Aquamarine | +1 Charisma | 2200gp |
| Fire Opal | Fire Resistance | 5000gp |
| Black Sapphire | Cold Resistance | 5000gp |
| Euclase | Poison Resistance | 5000gp |
| Star Sapphire | Acid Resistance | 5000gp |
| Black Sapphire | Psychic Resistance | 5000gp |
| Black Opal | Necrotic Resistance | 5000gp |
| Water Opal | Radiant Resistance | 5000gp |
| Yellow Sapphire | Force Resistance | 5000gp |
| White Opal | Thunder Resistance | 5000gp |
| Zendalure | Lightning Resistance | 5000gp |
Supply Tables
Tattooist Supplies
| Item | Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tattooist's Tools | 70 gp | 5 lb. |
| Purple Ink | 15 gp | - |
| Blue Ink | 6 gp | - |
| Green Ink | 1 gp | - |
| Yellow Ink | 3 gp | - |
| Orange Ink | 3 gp | - |
| Red Ink | 7 gp | - |
| Black Ink | 10 gp | - |
| White Ink | 10 gp | - |
| Full Ink Set | 50 gp | 1 lb. |
| Needle Set | 5 gp | 2 lb. |
| Medical Supplies | 15 gp | 2 lb. |
Specialty Inks
| Item | Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Detection Ink | 1,000 gp | - |
| Elemental Ink | 100 gp | - |
| Glamour Ink | 100 gp | - |
| Glow-Ink | 100 gp | - |
| Metallic Ink | 100 gp | - |
| Prismatic Ink | 150 gp | - |