Magic & Tattoos in DS - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Magic & Tattoos in DS

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Pennarin
Jul 06, 2004 15:29:17 We have psionic tattoos.

FR has the Tattoo Focus and Inscribe Rune feats, the Runecaster PrC and the Create Magic Tattoo spell.

The Complete Book of Eldritch Might has the Graven One PrC.

Eberron is fixated on Dragonmarks, basically supernatural tattoos, and has 2 PrCs focusing on them.

Arcan Unearthed has a new race, Runechildren, and a new class, the Runethane. Its a runefest down there...

Legacy of the Dragons even has a rune-based angel-like outsider.

Do I need to go on? Everywhere I look I'm surrounded by magic tattoos/runes/symbols, and I'd like to bring the party to DS, if fluffy.

As someone written something on the subject at home?
#2
dawnstealer
Jul 06, 2004 15:40:28 I really dig psionic tattoos and, as a reason to go there, I had it in my campaigns that it was a process held largely in Draj (figured ritual tattooing would be fairly common there).

I'm not a huge fan of prestige classes, and I think that anyone making psionic tattoos would need to be extremely careful when dealing with the uneducated masses (might be magic!), but it was a pretty well-known process.

Tats are just a little too cool not to use, but I don't think it needs a special DS prestige class.
#3
Pennarin
Jul 06, 2004 17:22:59 I dig psionic tattoos too Dawn, they're really great for roleplay, but I was refering to magic tattoos, the kind created by wizards. For DS there are no rulesets or even suporting fluff that I can find. Yet I want one of my characters to get these ancient symbols of sorcerous power tattooed all over him, and I want them to be more than just ink tattoos.
#4
dawnstealer
Jul 06, 2004 17:33:29 Oh, in that case, I'd say go for it. Why not? They could easily be confused for psionic tattoos in the right places. The problem would arise if someone (and I won't mention templars) cast detect magic.

Stonings.
#5
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Jul 06, 2004 17:44:36 I'm not fond of magical tattoos, and won't be using them myself - because I feel that magic, especially arcane magic, should be heavily restricted, and basically more "underdeveloped" (not as many items devised/developed) on Athas. Psionic Tattoos are cool - as it expands Psionics, and in my mind, helps make them more appealing to people. But I don't want magic to be as flexible or widespread.
#6
Sysane
Jul 06, 2004 19:26:14 Take a look at the tattooed monk PrC from Oriental Adventures. That may have what your looking for as well.
#7
Pennarin
Jul 06, 2004 19:53:31
Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm
I'm not fond of magical tattoos, and won't be using them myself - because I feel that magic, especially arcane magic, should be heavily restricted, and basically more "underdeveloped" (not as many items devised/developed) on Athas. Psionic Tattoos are cool - as it expands Psionics, and in my mind, helps make them more appealing to people. But I don't want magic to be as flexible or widespread.

I'm with you on this.
The magical nature of the tattoos is a late add-on to the design I had in mind. This is all for an epic Wizard NPC who found the ruins of an ancient sorcerous fortress, not unlike Akarakle, dating from the earliest Time of Magic. Chiseled on its granite walls are flowing symbols that represent an aspect of sorcery (life, change, destruction, etc). The granite that was chiseled away is filled with pieces of cut marble. Like walking in a monestary and seeing the cross on every wall.
My NPC adopts the symbols, long forgotten even before the time of the Champions, and tattoos them on his body. Really obscure arcane reference.
Then I thought why not making the tattoos magical? It would be fitting. But I don't see it as an actual type of magic item (like psionic tattoos are a type of psionic item), just uniquely enchanted symbols carried on the guy's back.
#8
darkbard3
Jul 07, 2004 1:59:02 It should be easy enough to do. Just take a cue from one of the other item creation feats to do it. Psionic Tattoo, for example, could be modifed to simply say "spell" instead of "power" and you could therefore inscribe any tattoo containing a 3rd level or lower spell. Need more powerful spells? Find an item creation feat that matches the power level of whatever spells you wish to inscribe, then use it as a template. I've done much the same for the old Windrider life-shaping proficiencies. Each catagory is now an item-creation feat based on a skill rank, not on character or spellcaster level.
#9
zombiegleemax
Jul 07, 2004 7:55:29 My crew has used tatoeing as a way to keep spells, in the past. We figured a forarm could hold a first level spell, and a slaves back could have a third to fifth depending on his width. Just make sure you cover them up...
#10
greyorm
Jul 07, 2004 10:25:27 Mages in Athas often hide their spellbooks as tatoos, so why not hide a couple magical powers (basically magical items) the same way? Sounds good to me.
#11
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Jul 07, 2004 12:21:44 I could see maybe a tattoo being a supplement for a scroll, since there's precidence on such things in the game world. My complaint would be something that lasts longer than a songle scroll's worth of effects. I'm not fond of the proliferation of magic items in my Dark Sun, and I see anything beyond the creation of scrolls or scroll-like tattoos as opening a can of worms I'd rather remained closed.
#12
zombiegleemax
Jul 07, 2004 15:30:37 There was a spell in Dragon Kings that was in the form of tattoos that granted very fast form of regeneration to the recipient by essentially defiling the ground to channel life into the recipient to heal them.

Always thought about a character that had that ability and was essentially immortal (cursed) and had to go to great lengths to never get hurt very much,, lest they destroy entire ecosystems.

nick
#13
Pennarin
Jul 07, 2004 17:32:43 Good ideas all around!
Although I do see the pit opening up behind any DM who increases the number, scope and diversity of magic items in his campaign, that was not what I was trying to do.

What I want for my epic NPC is a unique magical characterisitic, not something that other wizards can copy and use for themselves. Maybe have the tattoos be permanent and require investing XP into them (i.e. you still got the XP but if you lose the tattoo you lose the XP). The NPC could inject abilities into them, abilities similar - conceptually - as to what you get when you have a familiar.

They are unique magic items, not a magic item categories (i.e. a wand or staff are categories in their own right). They would fall into the wondrous item category.

And yes, any high enough level templar or wizard could see the symbols tattooed are about magic and a simple detect magic would reveal it. Don't consider that for my particular case: the NPC is wide in the open about his wizardry and happy to be. The situation that allows him to do that is complex and pretty much unique.
#14
zombiegleemax
Jul 07, 2004 18:10:15 "the NPC is wide in the open about his wizardry and happy to be"

Wouldnt your NPC be asking for about as much trouble as a "Flaming" homosexual in the 1950's. It would seem the most he could hope for was a severe beeting. That is unless Athas has become some sorta mage retirement home.

If anyone got offended by this post, Im sorry I used as much tact as I could muster.
#15
Pennarin
Jul 07, 2004 20:28:33
Originally posted by Tha Nomad
[BWouldnt your NPC be asking for about as much trouble as a "Flaming" homosexual in the 1950's. It would seem the most he could hope for was a severe beeting. That is unless Athas has become some sorta mage retirement home.[/b]

I talked about the character on some chats and its really simple: the epic guy came into Raam a year after the Queen died and statred to accrete power around him. To do so, he put his sorcerous nature in the open where everyone could see it.

You get to see what happened, but contrarilly to other, less-powerful wizards, he mastered the situation. And now some custom jobs - assassination, divination, etc... - are coming in from the ruling factions in Raam. They despise him for what he his, and assassination and stoning attempts happen once in a while, but the factions can't frown on any advantage they gan get over each other. As for the populace, the public histeria and outcry died-out in the first few weeks, along with its most vocal criers. After a few bloody demonstrations the populace better have learned what's good for it if it has any sense of preservation.

That's why he's such an important NPC of the campaign.
Although I do not intend for him to change anything in chaos-wrecked Raam, at one point he will leave or be taken out. And this is not FR either, this guy and this situation will be the only time ever that I do a mage-in-the-open thing.

In the mean time there is a free wizard in Raam's streets, and he's a defiler. If you want to, you can meet him to discuss a job, any job: he drinks cool water everyday on the noon hours at the Queen's Revery. This couldn't even happen in the Free City of Tyr.
#16
nytcrawlr
Jul 07, 2004 20:45:00 Good stuff all around, giving me some ideas, mwuahahaha.
#17
zombiegleemax
Jul 07, 2004 21:11:00 Well I like and Understand how you handled it... But look, my dwarf, with the 21 Str, and the 22 con, comes to town, and cuts him in half with a giant two handed axe
#18
dracochapel
Jul 08, 2004 2:01:46 Was thinking the SK's could use tattoo magic on slaves or soldiers. They can use the tattoos either to give their minion an extra edge in combat, or as a mind controlling device/symbol of power. Sort of like the maxi-men/tattooed men in RIFTS.

I imagine nibenay has put a tattoo on every one of his scholar slaves, allowing them to comprehend languages better (like a read magic/comprehend languages spell) - and also to blow their heads off if they ever try to escape.

Tec (pre getting bludgeoned to tomato paste) could have a tattoo put on his sacrificial slaves, which channels their life force into obsidian orbs at the time of death. Or put on his jaguar warriors, allowing them to assume 'the aspect of the beast'.

Any tattoo magic should be more common with the established bad guys - the way i look at it is they have a LOT more experience and resources for these things than the veiled alliance or some renegade in the desert.
But against that i dont think the SK's come across as the sort to be into experimentation (except maybe nibenay and his hundred wives)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Pennarin Jul 06, 2004 15:29:17	We have psionic tattoos. FR has the Tattoo Focus and Inscribe Rune feats, the Runecaster PrC and the Create Magic Tattoo spell. The Complete Book of Eldritch Might has the Graven One PrC. Eberron is fixated on Dragonmarks, basically supernatural tattoos, and has 2 PrCs focusing on them. Arcan Unearthed has a new race, Runechildren, and a new class, the Runethane. Its a runefest down there... Legacy of the Dragons even has a rune-based angel-like outsider. Do I need to go on? Everywhere I look I'm surrounded by magic tattoos/runes/symbols, and I'd like to bring the party to DS, if fluffy. As someone written something on the subject at home?
#2 dawnstealer Jul 06, 2004 15:40:28	I really dig psionic tattoos and, as a reason to go there, I had it in my campaigns that it was a process held largely in Draj (figured ritual tattooing would be fairly common there). I'm not a huge fan of prestige classes, and I think that anyone making psionic tattoos would need to be extremely careful when dealing with the uneducated masses (might be magic!), but it was a pretty well-known process. Tats are just a little too cool not to use, but I don't think it needs a special DS prestige class.
#3 Pennarin Jul 06, 2004 17:22:59	I dig psionic tattoos too Dawn, they're really great for roleplay, but I was refering to magic tattoos, the kind created by wizards. For DS there are no rulesets or even suporting fluff that I can find. Yet I want one of my characters to get these ancient symbols of sorcerous power tattooed all over him, and I want them to be more than just ink tattoos.
#4 dawnstealer Jul 06, 2004 17:33:29	Oh, in that case, I'd say go for it. Why not? They could easily be confused for psionic tattoos in the right places. The problem would arise if someone (and I won't mention templars) cast detect magic. Stonings.
#5 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Jul 06, 2004 17:44:36	I'm not fond of magical tattoos, and won't be using them myself - because I feel that magic, especially arcane magic, should be heavily restricted, and basically more "underdeveloped" (not as many items devised/developed) on Athas. Psionic Tattoos are cool - as it expands Psionics, and in my mind, helps make them more appealing to people. But I don't want magic to be as flexible or widespread.
#6 Sysane Jul 06, 2004 19:26:14	Take a look at the tattooed monk PrC from Oriental Adventures. That may have what your looking for as well.
#7 Pennarin Jul 06, 2004 19:53:31	Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm I'm not fond of magical tattoos, and won't be using them myself - because I feel that magic, especially arcane magic, should be heavily restricted, and basically more "underdeveloped" (not as many items devised/developed) on Athas. Psionic Tattoos are cool - as it expands Psionics, and in my mind, helps make them more appealing to people. But I don't want magic to be as flexible or widespread. I'm with you on this. The magical nature of the tattoos is a late add-on to the design I had in mind. This is all for an epic Wizard NPC who found the ruins of an ancient sorcerous fortress, not unlike Akarakle, dating from the earliest Time of Magic. Chiseled on its granite walls are flowing symbols that represent an aspect of sorcery (life, change, destruction, etc). The granite that was chiseled away is filled with pieces of cut marble. Like walking in a monestary and seeing the cross on every wall. My NPC adopts the symbols, long forgotten even before the time of the Champions, and tattoos them on his body. Really obscure arcane reference. Then I thought why not making the tattoos magical? It would be fitting. But I don't see it as an actual type of magic item (like psionic tattoos are a type of psionic item), just uniquely enchanted symbols carried on the guy's back.
#8 darkbard3 Jul 07, 2004 1:59:02	It should be easy enough to do. Just take a cue from one of the other item creation feats to do it. Psionic Tattoo, for example, could be modifed to simply say "spell" instead of "power" and you could therefore inscribe any tattoo containing a 3rd level or lower spell. Need more powerful spells? Find an item creation feat that matches the power level of whatever spells you wish to inscribe, then use it as a template. I've done much the same for the old Windrider life-shaping proficiencies. Each catagory is now an item-creation feat based on a skill rank, not on character or spellcaster level.
#9 zombiegleemax Jul 07, 2004 7:55:29	My crew has used tatoeing as a way to keep spells, in the past. We figured a forarm could hold a first level spell, and a slaves back could have a third to fifth depending on his width. Just make sure you cover them up...
#10 greyorm Jul 07, 2004 10:25:27	Mages in Athas often hide their spellbooks as tatoos, so why not hide a couple magical powers (basically magical items) the same way? Sounds good to me.
#11 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Jul 07, 2004 12:21:44	I could see maybe a tattoo being a supplement for a scroll, since there's precidence on such things in the game world. My complaint would be something that lasts longer than a songle scroll's worth of effects. I'm not fond of the proliferation of magic items in my Dark Sun, and I see anything beyond the creation of scrolls or scroll-like tattoos as opening a can of worms I'd rather remained closed.
#12 zombiegleemax Jul 07, 2004 15:30:37	There was a spell in Dragon Kings that was in the form of tattoos that granted very fast form of regeneration to the recipient by essentially defiling the ground to channel life into the recipient to heal them. Always thought about a character that had that ability and was essentially immortal (cursed) and had to go to great lengths to never get hurt very much,, lest they destroy entire ecosystems. nick
#13 Pennarin Jul 07, 2004 17:32:43	Good ideas all around! Although I do see the pit opening up behind any DM who increases the number, scope and diversity of magic items in his campaign, that was not what I was trying to do. What I want for my epic NPC is a unique magical characterisitic, not something that other wizards can copy and use for themselves. Maybe have the tattoos be permanent and require investing XP into them (i.e. you still got the XP but if you lose the tattoo you lose the XP). The NPC could inject abilities into them, abilities similar - conceptually - as to what you get when you have a familiar. They are unique magic items, not a magic item categories (i.e. a wand or staff are categories in their own right). They would fall into the wondrous item category. And yes, any high enough level templar or wizard could see the symbols tattooed are about magic and a simple detect magic would reveal it. Don't consider that for my particular case: the NPC is wide in the open about his wizardry and happy to be. The situation that allows him to do that is complex and pretty much unique.
#14 zombiegleemax Jul 07, 2004 18:10:15	"the NPC is wide in the open about his wizardry and happy to be" Wouldnt your NPC be asking for about as much trouble as a "Flaming" homosexual in the 1950's. It would seem the most he could hope for was a severe beeting. That is unless Athas has become some sorta mage retirement home. If anyone got offended by this post, Im sorry I used as much tact as I could muster.
#15 Pennarin Jul 07, 2004 20:28:33	Originally posted by Tha Nomad [BWouldnt your NPC be asking for about as much trouble as a "Flaming" homosexual in the 1950's. It would seem the most he could hope for was a severe beeting. That is unless Athas has become some sorta mage retirement home.[/b] I talked about the character on some chats and its really simple: the epic guy came into Raam a year after the Queen died and statred to accrete power around him. To do so, he put his sorcerous nature in the open where everyone could see it. You get to see what happened, but contrarilly to other, less-powerful wizards, he mastered the situation. And now some custom jobs - assassination, divination, etc... - are coming in from the ruling factions in Raam. They despise him for what he his, and assassination and stoning attempts happen once in a while, but the factions can't frown on any advantage they gan get over each other. As for the populace, the public histeria and outcry died-out in the first few weeks, along with its most vocal criers. After a few bloody demonstrations the populace better have learned what's good for it if it has any sense of preservation. That's why he's such an important NPC of the campaign. Although I do not intend for him to change anything in chaos-wrecked Raam, at one point he will leave or be taken out. And this is not FR either, this guy and this situation will be the only time ever that I do a mage-in-the-open thing. In the mean time there is a free wizard in Raam's streets, and he's a defiler. If you want to, you can meet him to discuss a job, any job: he drinks cool water everyday on the noon hours at the Queen's Revery. This couldn't even happen in the Free City of Tyr.
#16 nytcrawlr Jul 07, 2004 20:45:00	Good stuff all around, giving me some ideas, mwuahahaha.
#17 zombiegleemax Jul 07, 2004 21:11:00	Well I like and Understand how you handled it... But look, my dwarf, with the 21 Str, and the 22 con, comes to town, and cuts him in half with a giant two handed axe
#18 dracochapel Jul 08, 2004 2:01:46	Was thinking the SK's could use tattoo magic on slaves or soldiers. They can use the tattoos either to give their minion an extra edge in combat, or as a mind controlling device/symbol of power. Sort of like the maxi-men/tattooed men in RIFTS. I imagine nibenay has put a tattoo on every one of his scholar slaves, allowing them to comprehend languages better (like a read magic/comprehend languages spell) - and also to blow their heads off if they ever try to escape. Tec (pre getting bludgeoned to tomato paste) could have a tattoo put on his sacrificial slaves, which channels their life force into obsidian orbs at the time of death. Or put on his jaguar warriors, allowing them to assume 'the aspect of the beast'. Any tattoo magic should be more common with the established bad guys - the way i look at it is they have a LOT more experience and resources for these things than the veiled alliance or some renegade in the desert. But against that i dont think the SK's come across as the sort to be into experimentation (except maybe nibenay and his hundred wives)