Magical Tattoos
Tattoo magic is an incredibly old form of magic, and is a form of art utilized by many different cultures across the multiverse. The designs and function of these tattoos varies wildly between peoples, races, species, countries, continents, and planes, from a lucky charm for sailors, to a symbol for slavers.
A New Tool Proficiency
In order to create a tattoo, either mundane or magical, the artist must have proficiency with tattooist's tools, which are a type of artisan's tools. In order to ink a magical tattoo onto a wearer, the artist must have proficiency with tattooist's tools and must be able to cast at least one spell.
Whenever you would gain proficiency with a type of artisan's tools from a background, you may substitute that proficiency for proficiency with tattooist's tools instead. Your DM may allow you to gain proficiency with tattooist's tools over the course of play.
Tattooist's Tools
This kit is a sturdy briefcase which can hold a variety of hammers, needles, medical supplies needed for sterilization, and differently colored inks, all of which are necessary in the creation of magical and mundane tattoos. The kit may also include a sketchbook filled with original designs, and has space for any magical templates the owner finds during their journeys.
The Artist's Sketchbook
When an artist first gains proficiency with tattooist’s tools, their teacher gives them a sketchbook containing designs for a number of Simple or Average tattoos equal to 5 + their Intelligence modifier.
The sketchbook is a unique compilation of designs, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that they received as a gift from their teacher, a finely bound gilt-edged tome they found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after they lost their previous sketchbook in a mishap.
Discovering new templates
Most examples of tattoo templates are exceedingly rare and either well-hidden or carefully guarded, as existing tattoos are either culturally significant or highly prized by their current owners. In rare cases, ancient tattoo templates may be found in such areas as ancient temple walls or found carved into totems. The most common way to learn a new template is to copy it from a tattooed person or from another tattoo artist. Copying the design of a tattoo from another body requires the tattooist make an Tattoo Tool Intelligence check. The DC is determined by the condition of the body:
Copying Check
| Condition of Subject | DC |
|---|---|
| Undamaged / Living & willing | 10 |
| Living & restrained | 15 |
| Dead < one week | 16 |
| Dead > one week | 20 |
| Dead, tattoo design is not intact | 24 |
The size and intricacy of tattoos will determine the amount of resources needed to copy the tattoo. An artist will need to spend 2 hours and 50 gp to copy a design into their sketchbook. This amount increases by 2 hours and 50 gp for each size and intricacy level, to a maximum of 10 hours and 250 gp for a Large Ornate tattoo. Once a tattoo is copied into a sketchbook, a template may then be created. Creating a template costs the same amount, in time and materials, as copying the design in the first place, and each template may be used only once.
Copying from a sketchbook
Artists can copy a design from their own sketchbook into another book – for example, if they want to make a backup copy of their sketchbook. This is just like copying a new template, but faster and easier, since they understand their own notation and already know how to apply the tattoo. They need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each size and intricacy level of the tattoo. If the sketchbook is lost, they can use the same procedure to transcribe the designs that they can remember into a new sketchbook. Filling out the remainder of the sketchbook requires them to find new templates to copy, as normal. For this reason, many artists keep backup sketchbooks in a safe place.
Applying a Tattoo
In order to apply a tattoo, there must first be room to draw it into the skin. Every tattoo has a size and location. The size of the tattoo scales with the size of the creature. Because of this, a Large chest tattoo would take up the same space on a human or a giant, as the size of the tattoo stays proportional to the size of the creature it is applied to.
Characters are limited only by the amount of available space on their body.
Available space
| Body Part | Number of Tattoos |
|---|---|
| Head | 1 Medium, or 2 Small |
| Chest | 1 Large, or 2 Medium, or 4 Small |
| Back | 1 Large, or 2 Medium, or 4 Small |
| Arm or Wing | 1 Medium and 1 Small, or 3 Small |
| Leg or Tail | 1 Medium and 1 Small, or 3 Small |
Tattoos are either Small, Medium, or Large, and are either Simple, Average, or Ornate.
Tattooing Process
The requirements for each tattoo are different, but the general rule is that larger and more intricate tattoos require more time and ink to apply.
Applying Non-Magical Tattoos
The artist need not succeed on checks with tattooist’s tools, only spend the requisite amount of time according to the size and intricacy of the tattoo design.
Time to Apply
Tattoos take time to apply based on their size and intricacy. A large but simple tattoo may take the same amount of time to ink as it would to create a small but detailed one. After the tattoo is finished, you gain the effects of it after a long rest. Use the following table to determine how long the procedure will take.
| Size | Hours of work per check |
|---|---|
| Small | 1 |
| Medium | 2 |
| Large | 4 |
| Complexity | Application DC |
|---|---|
| Simple | 12 + (current number of tattoos) |
| Average | 14 + (current number of tattoos) |
| Ornate | 18 + (current number of tattoos) |
Three successes will complete the tattoo, 3 failures will fail the tattoo attempt.
A failed tattoo attempt causes severe pain as it will erase itself as the magic unravels. No marks remain and any further attempts are made as if it is a brand new tattoo. All used materials are lost.
Cost to Make vs. get a Tattoo
Magical tattoos always have a price associated with them. Part of that cost is ink, the template, the tattooist's pay and as a cost for imparting magic into the inked form. Basically 1/2 of the additional cost is the tattooist's pay and 1/2 is offerings. There is an alternate to monetary offerings, life force. It can only be given voluntarily, but either the artist or the person being tattooed can pay the price. The volunteer can make a Constitution saving throw equal to the tattoo skill check DC. On a failure, they permanently lose 1d6 hitpoints; on a success they lose half that amount.
Multiple Sessions
Sessions may be broken into chunks of time over the course of several days, however if the tattoo is not finished within 30 days the magics of the tattoo dissipate and must be started again from the beginning. Some tattooists will demand full payment upfront, while others will charge a part of the price across each individual session.
Under sheltered, clean and non-distracting conditions the first check of each tattoo session is done at advantage.
If there is an invocation for an appropriate god or higher power done for that piece of work, then the tattooist gains one reroll to use in the entire tattoo attempt.
Permanence
The properties of magical tattoos permeate deep within the body, and are in most senses permanent. Very few have ever been reported as having lost their magical properties without total loss of the body part where the tattoo was applied. Limbs regrown with regenerate do not grow back with tattoos. Spells such as raise dead generally keep the tattoos intact, given that the limb is still present. Reincarnation will not bring back the subject with their tattoos intact. Clones made with the clone spell do not have tattoos.
Additional Information
Both magical and non-magical tattoos should be recorded to check whether a character has room for a new tattoo. Unless specifically noted under the tattoo description, any additional applications of the same tattoo will not confer additional magical effects.
Magical tattoos dimly radiate magic under a detect magic spell. A successful DC 15 Arcana check may be made in order to discern the nature of a magical tattoo. Dispel magic will not nullify a tattoo's magic, only suppress it for 1d4 rounds. Tattoos cease to function while in the area of an anti-magic field.
Dark Mishaps (Variant)
Sometimes the tattoo process should fail but doesn't. If the tattooing process fails but the final failing roll was a Natural 1 result, then the tattoo process mysteriously succeeds but becomes altered or cursed in often unexpected ways.
New Items:
Ink: Ink is a fickle medium to imbue magic into. It is used at the rate of one bottle per size category. Small 1 bottle Medium 2 bottles Large 3 bottles
Tattooist's Tools Contains a series of needles, rakes, razors and small hammers. When purchased it comes with one bottle of black ink.
Sketchbook Contains known tattoo designs. Each design takes up a full page. Sketchbooks have 25 pages.
Medical Supplies Used for sterilizing tattooist's tools. Contains enough materials to sterilize up to ten times.
Ink base Clear liquid that may be mixed with pigment to form 1 oz of the appropriate color.
Full ink set Contains 1 oz of each color of the basic inks (black, blue, brown, green, orange, purple, red, white, and yellow).
Available Materials
| Item | Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tattooist's tools | 15 gp | 5 lb |
| Sketchbook | 25 gp | 2 lb |
| Medical supplies | 10 gp | 2 lb |
| Ink base | 1 sp | 1 oz |
| Black ink | 5 gp | 1 oz |
| Blue ink | 10 gp | 1 oz |
| Brown ink | 10 gp | 1 oz |
| Green ink | 10 gp | 1 oz |
| Orange ink | 15 gp | 1 oz |
| Purple ink | 20 gp | 1 oz |
| Red ink | 15 gp | 1 oz |
| White ink | 20 gp | 1 oz |
| Yellow ink | 15 gp | 1 oz |
| Full ink set | 120 gp | 1 lb |
| Detection ink | 100-500 gp | 1 oz |
| Glamour ink | 75 gp | 1 oz |
| Glow ink | 50 gp | 1 oz |
| Metallic ink | 50 gp | 1 oz |
| Phase ink | 1500 gp | 1 oz |
| Prismatic ink | 175 gp | 1 oz |
Specialty Inks
It may be possible to acquire rare and unique inks with which one may create tattoos. These inks may have special cosmetic or magical properties. Using anything but standard ink may incur an extra cost, at the DM's discretion.
Detection ink
This specially prepared ink reacts to the presence of certain creatures, and glows faintly when within 100 feet of the creature in question. Each different creature type is a different type of Detection Ink. It is made with the detected creature's blood and a sliver of their heart.
Glamor Ink
This ink causes lines drawn to shift and appear to move. These inks come in a variety of colors.
Glow-Ink
Tattoos inked with this concoction are pale versions of their colors while in the light, but in dim or dark conditions glow vibrantly with their appropriate color, creating dim light in a radius of 10 feet if the tattoo is uncovered.
Metallic Ink
Tattoos made with this ink have fine metallic particles imbedded in their skin. These inks come in a variety of metals.
Phase Ink
Phase ink is the rarest of all tattoo inks, and allows two tattoos to be placed on the same part of the body. In order for this ink to display its true power, the area to be tattooed must first be prepared with phase ink. This process requires the same amount of ink as the larger of the two tattoos to be applied. During the application of the first tattoo, the phase ink reacts with it and it absorbs into the wearer’s skin. The second tattoo may be applied over this. Once this is done, the wearer may choose which tattoo to manifest once per short rest.
The time taken to prepare the area with phase ink is equal to that of the larger tattoo, but there is no associated DC. The tattoos must be applied within three days of the application of the phase ink, before it loses its potency and binds with only the first tattoo. Artists sometimes risk exhausting themselves trying to complete their work before the phase ink sets.
Prismatic Ink
Appearing to be a swirling mass of rainbow colors while in a bottle, this ink causes lines tattooed with it to become beautiful and iridescent in appearance.
Magical Tattoo Catalog
| Name | Location | Size and Intricacy | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seeing Eye | Head | Small Average | Ink + 2,500 gp |
| Creationist's Touch | Both Arms | Medium Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Nightwatcher's Eye | Head | Small Average | Ink + 2,500 gp |
| Allseeing Eye of Boccob | Head | Medium Ornate | Ink + 6,000 gp |
| Eye of the Mage | Head | Small Ornate | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Elemental Touch | Arm | Medium Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Fortress Tattoo | Anywhere | Large Average | Ink + 8,500 gp |
| Mark of Defiance | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 1,000 gp |
| Mark of Accuracy | Arm | Medium Average | Ink + 2,000 gp |
| Mark of the Armsman | Arm | Medium Simple | Ink + 2,000 gp |
| Mark of the Swift | Leg | Small Simple | Ink + 1,500 gp |
| Mark of the Death Walker | Chest | Large Ornate | Ink + 10,000 gp |
| Mark of the Driftglobe | Anywhere | Medium Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Dryad | Arm | Small Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Elemental | Anywhere | Medium Ornate | Ink + 5,000 gp |
| Mark of Elvenkind | Anywhere | Medium Simple | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Feather | Anywhere | Small Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Frog | Leg | Small Simple | Ink + 1,000 gp |
| Mark of the Ghast | Arm | Medium Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Mark of Eldath | Anywhere | Medium Ornate | Ink + 5,000 gp |
| Mark of the Mercurial | Chest | Large Simple | Ink + 5,000 gp |
| Mark of the Kraken | Anywhere | Large Average | Ink + 4,000 gp |
| Mark of the Mammoth | Chest | Large Ornate | Ink + 7,000 gp |
| Peacewalker's Mark | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 1,500 gp |
| Mark of the Skinwalker | Anywhere | Medium Ornate | Ink + 7,000 gp |
| Mark of the Pit Fiend | Arm | Medium Ornate | Ink + 7,000 gp |
| Mark of the Lionfish | Arm | Small Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Shadow | Anywhere | Small Average | Ink + 2,500 gp |
| Mark of the Unseen Fang | Arm | Medium Ornate | Ink + 7,000 gp |
| Mark of Soulbinding | Arm | Small Ornate | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Mark of the Spider | Leg | Medium Simple | Ink + 2,000 gp |
| Mark of the Spiritmaster | Anywhere | Medium Ornate | Ink + 8,000 gp |
| Mark of Life Strengthening | Anywhere | Large Average | Ink + 6,000 gp |
| Mark of Whispers | Head | Small Ornate | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Mark of the Yaunti | Anywhere | Medium Simple | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Mark of the Weaponmaster | Arm | Small Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Scar of the Brave | Anywhere | Medium Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Shield of Elementals | Anywhere | Large Average | Ink + 4,000 gp |
| Captive's Mark | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 500 gp |
| Slaver's Mark | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 1,000 gp |
Magical Tattoo Catalog (Continued)
| Name | Location | Size and Intricacy | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starmarked Blessing | Anywhere | Large Ornate | Ink + 5,000 gp |
| Spirit of the Stag | Anywhere | Medium Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Spirit Walker's Sigil | Anywhere | Medium Ornate | Ink + 6,000 gp |
| Tattoo of Chilling | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Tattoo of Flame | Anywhere | Small Simple | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Tattoo of Major Protection | Chest or Back | Large Average | Ink + 8,000 gp |
| Tattoo of Protection | Chest or Back | Large Simple | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Tattoo of Striding | Leg | Medium Average | Ink + 3,000 gp |
| Venom Ward | Anywhere | Small Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Voice of Comprehension | Head | Small Average | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Wings | Back | Large Simple | Ink + 3,500 gp |
| Freedom's Promise | Anywhere | Medium Simple | Ink + 2,500 gp |
Tattoo Descriptions
All Seeing Eye
(Head, Small Average)
Your mind is freed from merely the physical, granting vision into the nearby realms.
The wearer may use an action to cast Detect Invisible once per short rest.
Creationist's Touch
(Both Arms, Medium Average)
Your hands move almost on their own, shaping the object before you as if you were a master craftsman.
The tattooed individual gains proficiency with one type of artisan's tools. If the already have proficiency in those tools then the tattoo grants expertise in that tool use. The tattoo can manifest the chosen tools as an action. They last for one hour and require Concentration to maintain.
Nightwatcher's Eye
(Head, Small Average)
Your eyes become accustomed to total darkness. You can see into the darkest corners of the world.
Once per long rest as an action, the wearer can gain the ability to see in the dark, and has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet for 1 hour. If the wearer already has darkvision, this increases the range of their darkvision by 60 feet, to a maximum of 120 feet.
An Ornate version of this tattoo exists, which applies a permanent effect, instead of a temporary one.
Allseeing Eye of Boccob
(Head, Medium Ornate)
A third eye stares unblinkingly out from your forehead, seeing through illusions and observing other planes of existence.
Once per long rest as an action, the wearer gains the ability to see things as they actually are. For 1 hour, the creature has truesight, notices secret doors hidden by magic, and can see into the Ethereal Plane, all out to a range of 120 feet. This ability requires Concentration.
Truesight is a rare and powerful ability that few artists have learned to harness in their art. The artist must successfully make a DC 25 check to apply the tattoo. Please note crafting rolls must be made for each session.
An alternate version of this tattoo exists, which applies a permanent effect, instead of a temporary one.
Eye of the Mage
(Head, Small Ornate)
Brilliant purple and blue hues radiate from around your eyes, granting you sight into the arcane.
The wearer may cast the spell detect magic as a ritual or as an action once per long rest.
Elemental Touch
(Arms, Medium Average)
*Your hand or the melee weapon it is holding, is wreathed in elemental energy.
As an action, the wearer may channel the power of the Elemental Planes, of a type chosen when the tattoo is first applied. The wearer’s strikes add an extra 1d6+1 magical damage of the chose elemental type. They also gain resistance to that element while this effect is active.
When the wearer activates this tattoo, the effects persist for 1 hour and is a Concentration ability. This tattoo may be activated a max number of times equal to the wearer's Constitution modifier (minimum 1) between each long rest.
Fortress Tattoo
(Anywhere, Large Average)
You are able to steel yourself against stronger blows, dodge faster out of the way of danger, and guard your mind against the invasion of enemy spells. Focusing a little more, you feel your blood grow hot as your constitution is bolstered by the powers of nature.
The wearer may use an action to activate the tattoo's primary effect. The wearer gains a +1 bonus to AC and all saving throws. The tattoo’s effects last for ten minutes, and may be activated once per short or long rest.
Mark of Defiance
(Anywhere, Small Simple)
Your body feels more solid, your feet more firmly planted on the ground.
The wearer gains advantage against effects that would move, grapple, or knock them prone.
Mark of Accuracy
(Arms, Medium Average)
Your aim tracks your target with uncanny clarity
The tattooed gains has a no ranged penalty on ranged attack rolls against targets they can see.
Mark of the Armsman
(Arm, Medium Simple)
Your weapon seems to move itself, moving for the opportunity your opponent left as they attacked
The wearer gains the ability to retributive perform a melee attack against a creature who has just successfully damaged them with a melee attack.
Mark of the Swift
(Both Legs, Small Simple)
Your legs tingle as speed and agility seem to course through them.
The wearer may activate this tattoo as a bonus action to gain the Dash ability for that round.
Mark of the Death Walker
(Chest, Large Ornate)
Potent magic in the form of protective runes and abjuration magic give the wearer the protection from the most final of endings, death.
If the wearer would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the wearer instead drops to 1 hit point. This ability can be evoked once per short rest. Additionally every time the wearer uses this ability they gain a deficit. If the wearer starts making death saves the rolls are tilted in death's favour and gain a -1 modifier for every previous use of this ability in the last 10 days.
Mark of the Driftglobe
(Anywhere, Medium Average)
Above your hand floats globules of light, illuminating the darkness.
The wearer can cast Dancing Lights as an action.
Mark of the Dryad
(Arm, Small Average)
Creepers and vines swathe your arm, grasping and strangling anything and everything that draws too close.
The wearer may cast the Thorn Whip spell, as an action.
Mark of the Elemental
(Anywhere, Medium Ornate)
The representation of an element flows around you, granting you its protection.
The wearer gains resistance to a type of elemental damage, chosen when the tattoo is applied.
Mark of Elvenkind
(Anywhere, Medium Simple)
Sylvan magic runs through your veins, granting you it's blessing.
The wearer gains immunity to magical sleep, and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Mark of the Feather
(Anywhere, Small Average)
A raven takes flight from your tattoo, the inky designs now taking material form. The bird turns its attention to you, awaiting your commands.
Once per short rest, the wearer may activate this tattoo as an action, causing a black Raven to appear within 5 feet of the wearer. The ravens persist until it is killed or until 1 hour has passed, at which point it disappears into smoke. The raven follows the wearer's every mental command, and can report back as to what it sees (as per a familiar).
Mark of the Frog
(Both Legs, Small Simple)
Your legs become like coiled springs, waiting to unleash themselves and propel you upwards.
The wearer may activate this tattoo as a Bonus Action to double their jump distance.
Mark of the Ghast
(Arm, Medium Average)
This tattoo resembles black lines of infection wrapping around the arm of the wearer.
The wearer may activate this tattoo as a bonus action, causing the lines of this tattoo to glow slightly and their arm to change shape for one minute. The wearer may activate this ability once per long rest.
The wearer's arm pales in color and grows into that of a ghoul, fingers sharpening and elongating into a terrible clawed hand. Any article of clothing not meant to accommodate the change in limb size is destroyed in the process.
A melee attack with this arm does 2d6 slashing damage. And any non-undead creature struck by this attack must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Mark of Eldath
(Anywhere, Medium Ornate)
Healing energy radiates from you in a soft golden glow.
Once per long rest, the wearer may activate this tattoo to the cast Prayer of Healing. This takes 10 minutes to activate.
Mark of the Mercurial
(Chest, Large Simple)
A curious fluid like blessing, granting you its speed.
The wearer gains +1 to initiative rolls and Dexterity Saving Throws.
Mark of the Kraken
(Anywhere, Large Average)
Like the Kraken, you arrive from darkness, making your strikes all the more unpredictable.
Once per short rest, the wearer can cast Dimension Door as an action.
Mark of the Mammoth
(Chest, Large Ornate)
Your body swells with the resilience of the mighty mammoth
By using an action the wearer can increase their maximum hit points are increased by 1 per character level for 1 hour.
Peacewalker's Mark
(Anywhere, Small Simple)
You exude calmness and serenity, discouraging even the most bloodthirsty foes from attacking you.
Once per long rest, the wearer may cast the sanctuary spell as a bonus action. The saving throw DC is 15, and the spell lasts 1 minute.
The tattoo's effects end early if the wearer makes an attack or casts a spell that affects an enemy creature.
Mark of the Skinwalker
(Anywhere, Medium Ornate)
You place the animal skin over yours, the tingling as your senses extend through your new skin. Your form shifts and now you are no longer as you were, you have taken the form of the skin you claimed.
Once per long rest, the wearer may use an action to activate the tattoo's power, which in combination with an animal pelt allows you to polymorph into that animal's form while retaining all your mental facilities and skills. In addition if the wearer creates a specially prepared werecreature skin it will allow them to transform into that werecreature's form and gain its abilities.
Either type of transformation lasts for 1d4 hours.
Mark of the Pit Fiend
(Body, Large Ornate)
This tattoo resembles hellish imagery mixed with infernal runes which cover a large area.
The wearer may activate this tattoo as a bonus action, causing the runes to glow and their skin to change shape for one minute. This ability may be used once per long rest.
The wearer's skin becomes scaly and red, their hands tipped with razor sharp, black claws. Their clothing begins to smolder in the process. Their natural AC and their Strength score temporarily becomes 20.
Their melee attack becomes 2d8 slashing damage and 1d4 fire damage.
Mark of the Lionfish
(Arm, Small Average)
Venomous spines protrude from your skin, seeking flesh to pierce.
When the wearer grapples with another creature, the wearer may use their reaction to extend sharp poisonous spines from the tattooed area. If the other creature is still part of the grapple at the end of its turn, the spines deal 1d4 poison damage. The spines remain extended until the grapple ends.
Mark of the Shadow
(Anywhere, Medium Average)
A veil of shadows and silence envelops you, masking you from ordinary detection.
Once per long rest, the wearer may cast invisibility, targeting themselves only.
An Ornate version of this tattoo exists, which grants the Greater Invisibility enchantment.
Mark of the Unseen Fang
(Arm, Medium Ornate)
A spectral snake erupts hissing from your tattoo, and winds around your weapon. Forked tongue tastes the air as the blessing of poison is grant to your weapons.
Once per long rest, the wearer may use an action to activate the tattoo's power, causing poison to be inflicted by their next successful attack. It grants 1d6 poison damage / character level to their next successful attack or until 10 minutes have passed.
Mark of Soulbounding
(Arm, Small Ornate)
As the spirits intertwine, their physical strength and burdens become shared.
Once per long rest as an action, the wearer may activate this tattoo when within 30 feet of the wearer of a bound tattoo. They may activate the tattoo as a reaction, instead, when the other wearer activates theirs. The tattoo remains active for ten minutes. The wearer gains a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws while they are within 30 feet of the person wearing a complementary Mark of the Soulbinding. Also, each time the wearer would take damage, they take half as much damage, and someone bound to them takes the other half, and vice versa.
The tattoo is only effective when multiple wearers activate their marks.
Linked tattoos must be applied with the same type of inks.
Mark of the Spider
(Leg, Medium Simple)
Your feet feel firmly planted on every surface they touch, allowing you to even run up vertical walls.
As an action once per long rest, the wearer gains the ability to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving its hands free. The wearer also gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed. These effects last for 1 hour, or until the wearer loses concentration.
Mark of the Spiritmaster
(Anywhere, Medium Ornate)
A necromantic energy ripples through your mark, extending long smoky tendrils towards the undead spirit. The tendrils constrict the spirit, restricting it by your will.
As an action, the wearer chooses one incorporeal entity within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become forced to become corporeal for one hour. This ability is concentration based. The saving throw DC is equal to 11 + wearer’s Charisma modifier.
Mark of Life Strengthening
(Anywhere, Large Average)
A warmth washes over you as the fortitude of legends fills your veins.
Once per long rest as an action, the wearer may activate the tattoo. Thereafter, the wearer gains 5 temporary hit points at the beginning of each round (these do not stack) for one minute. When the tattoo’s effects end, the wearer is healed by any remaining temporary hit points.
Mark of Whispers
(Head, Small Simple)
You can extend your consciousness to meet other minds, forming a mental channel.
The wearer may use the message cantrip at will without having to use any components.
Mark of the Yaunti
(Anywhere, Medium Simple)
Your body becomes stronger, resisting poisonous effects.
The wearer gains resistance to poison.
Mark of the Weaponmaster
(Arm, Small Ornate)
Your weapon feels like an extension of your body, lighter, sharper, deadlier. You will strike down any who dare challenge the weaponmaster.
As an action, once per Short rest, the wearer may activate this tattoo. For an hour, any weapon held by the wearer becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.
Scar of the Brave
(Anywhere, Medium Average)
Your mind is connected solidly to your body and feels more more robust. They work in harmony rather than overwhelming each other.
The wearer gains advantage on saving throws against being frightened, charmed or paralyzed.
Shield of Elements
(Anywhere, Large Average)
A wave of elemental energy covers your body, protecting you.
When this tattoo is applied, the wearer chooses a primary and a secondary elemental type from the following: acid, cold, fire, lightning, necromantic or radiant. Both types of elements must be used in the creation of the tattoo, and the wearer cannot pick the same element.
Once per long rest as an action, the wearer may activate this tattoo. For the next 10 minutes, or until dismissed, the wearer’s body is wreathed in thin and wispy expressions of one of the chosen elements. The shield sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
While the tattoo is active, the wearer has resistance to that element.
In addition, whenever a creature within 5 feet of the wearer hits them with a melee attack, the shield reacts, dealing 2d8 damage to the attacker (the damage is of the same type as the shield).
Captive / Slaver's Mark
(Anywhere, Small Simple)
This tattoo is meant to be applied to a captive in order to prevent them from escaping, usually with a similar tattoo applied to the slaver. The small tattoo is a sort of brand, used to keep captives restrained.
By touching both marks as an action, the wearer of an Slaver's Mark may attune or unattune a Captive's Mark to their mark. Any number of Captive's Marks may be attuned to one Slaver's Mark, and any number of Slaver's Marks may be attuned to a single Captive's Mark.
Thereafter, as an action, the slaver can activate their tattoo and the twin mark on the captive begins to glow like a burning coal, inflicting 1d4 fire damage per round onto its bearer. The slaver can stop this effect at any time using an action. This damage will automatically stop and stabilize the captive at 0 hitpoints. If the linked slaver(s) die, a captive's mark and it's magic will instantly fade.
Starmarked Blessing
(Anywhere, Large Ornate)
You feel blessed with the bounty of the stars mysterious powers.
These tattoos are made through the use of fine gemstone dust worked into the ink. They invoke various inner strengths by channeling the power of the stars above. They can increase a wearer's statistics.
+1 Strength (+2200 gp of Ruby dust)
+1 Dexterity (+2200 gp of Emerald dust)
+1 Constitution (+2500 gp of Diamond dust)
+1 Wisdom (+2200 gp of Jade dust)
+1 Intelligence (+2200gp of Sapphire dust)
+1 Charisma (+2200gp of Aquamarine dust)
Spirit of the Stag
(Anywhere, Medium Average)
You feel blessed with the vigilance of a stag.
Once per long rest the wearer gains a +1d4 bonus to initiative.
Spirit Walker's Sigil
(Anywhere, Medium Ornate)
This tattoo is a symbol of two tear drop like planes joining together in confluence.
Once per long rest, as a bonus action the wearer can activate the tattoo, causing their physical body to softly dissolve into an ethereal mist.
Until the end of their turn the wearer may move through solid matter as if it wasn't there. If the wearer ends their turn while still in solid matter, they are immediately ejected to the nearest open space and take 4d6 force damage.
Tattoo of Chilling
(Anywhere, Small Simple)
This tattoo is a whirl of snowflakes in the shape of a humanoid hand.
This tattoo enables the wearer to cast the chill touch cantrip at will, using Intelligence as their spellcasting modifier for the spell.
Tattoo of Flame
(Anywhere, Small Simple)
This tattoo is a detailed line of fire streaking out from a pointed finger.
This tattoo enables the wearer to cast the fire bolt cantrip at will, using Intelligence as their spellcasting modifier for the spell. If made with fire-aligned elemental ink, the attack roll for this spell is made with advantage.
Tattoo of Major Protection
(Chest or Back, Large Ornate)
A design of overlapping scales, a design of chitinous armor, or holy protection writ large covers your torso.
The wearer has a +2 bonus to AC and to all saving throws.
Tattoo of Protection
(Chest or Back, Medium Average)
A design of overlapping charms and protective prayers covers your torso.
The wearer has a +1 bonus to AC and to all saving throws.
Tattoo of Striding
(Legs, Medium Average)
A design of leaves or flowing wind spirals around your legs.
The wearer's speed is increased by 5 feet.
Venom Ward
(Anywhere, Small Average)
A design of interlocking willow branches are meant to protect your bloodstream from toxins.
The wearer has advantage on saving throws against poison.
Voice of Comprehension
(Head, Small Average)
Marks cover your throat and surround your ears, conveying sound despite barriers of understanding.
As an action the bearer can comprehend and communicate with another willing intelligent creature.
Wings
(anywhere, Large Ornate)
Inky, rippling wings evoke the elusive and coveted ability of flight.
The wearer is able to cast Fly on themselves once per long rest.
When the spell ends, the target is granted no extra protection from a (possibly sudden) fall.
Freedom's Promise
(anywhere, Medium Simple)
The star pattern marks the path home upon your body so your spirit will always be able to make the journey.
The wearer is protected from their spirit being trapped in their body after death. This tattoo guarantees that their spirit can move on. It also makes their body uninhabitable afterwards so that they will never rise as undead.