Arcane Tattoos
Arcane tattoos are tattoos and marks on the skin that contain magical words and can be conjured by their bearer.
They may represent the knowledge of an ancient tribe that imbued their warriors with arcane powers, or perhaps they are a technique developed by arcane scholars to grant magic to those who do not naturally possess it. Regardless of their origin, they provide a way for anyone to have limited access to spells to enhance their combat or support abilities.
While designing a class for my homebrew setting, I conceived of a way to make this a general mechanic, both within and outside the scenario. These tattoos differ from those in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (TCE), where needles are used to create tattoos. However, they somewhat conflict with the item creation rules in Xanathar's Guide to Everything (XGE), particularly concerning scrolls.
Without delving into those mechanics too deeply, I propose an alternative that draws inspiration from spell scrolls, aiming to maintain balance with them. In essence, there is a higher initial cost for the first 'scroll' and lower costs for subsequent 'scrolls' of the same spell. The difference is that these 'scrolls' are carried on the body and can be used by any class, though there is a restriction similar to using scrolls of a spell level higher than the caster's maximum spell slots.
I hope this approach makes sense and adds enjoyment.
Table of Contents
| Section | Page |
|---|---|
| Use of Arcane Tattoos | 2 |
| Creation of Arcane Tattoos | 3 |
| Acquisition of Arcane Tattoos | 4 |
Document written by Artegal Hest.
Images created using MidJourney.
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Use of Arcane Tattoos
A tattoo is the skin mark of arcane knowledge of a spell, but it also requires the words to be invoked, words that fade as they are used and need to be inscribed anew.
Once a spell tattoo is engraved on the skin, it can only be erased through arcane means; otherwise, it remains permanent, with only the words needed for its use being reinscribed a set number of times.
In this way, the adventurer can engrave the tattoo of a spell, able to use it a predetermined number of times before needing to re-inscribe the words required for its casting. If they wish to tattoo another spell in the same place at any point, they must first remove the existing one.
This can be likened to a weapon with ammunition; the initial tattoo is the weapon, and the 'ammunition'—which is used up each time the tattoo is invoked—is tattooed on top of it. When the 'ammunition' runs out, the weapon remains, needing only to be reloaded again.
Tattoo Slots
Any creature has a limit on how many tattoos they can engrave on their skin, both in physical space and in their body's resistance to the arcane energies that can flow through the tattoo. This limit equals their proficiency bonus, which increases as they level up if they are a player character, or according to their challenge rating if they are an NPC or monster.
If you wish to restrict access to this mechanic, you can optionally use a feat so that only those who possess it can use it. Conceptually, it would be considered a foundational tattoo that enables the circulation of mana through these means.
Feat: Arcane Tattoo
You have imbued yourself with the tattoo that allows mana to flow through your body via arcane tattoos. You possess a number of arcane tattoo spaces equal to your proficiency bonus, which you can use to engrave spells onto your skin as detailed in the "Arcane Tattoos" section.
Slot Occupied by Spell
Each tattoo can vary in size depending on its level, from a small mark on the palm of the hand to covering the entire back with arcane symbols to cast a spell.
The slot occupied by the tattoo corresponds to its level; for these purposes, cantrips count as 1st-level spells.
Once a creature has engraved the tattoo of a spell, it can only be erased by the same magical means, so replacing one spell with another can be costly in terms of time and resources.
What fades from the skin are the uses of the tattoo, which are a specific number of maximum uses that you can tattoo. As you use the spell, these parts of the tattoo blur from the skin, reducing the number of times you can cast the spell before it loses its effect and requires re-engraving those words.
Arcane Tattoo Limit
There are two limits to consider for arcane tattoos. The first is the maximum number of uses for a tattoo before it fades, which is equal to the proficiency bonus divided by the spell level (rounded down), multiplied by two.
For example, if a creature has a proficiency bonus of 2 and has the cantrip tattoo Dancing Lights, they can have up to a total of four uses of it.
The second limit pertains to the spell level. Although a creature may have access to magic through this means, there are limits to the power of spells that can be cast. Therefore, the maximum spell level that a creature can tattoo on their skin is 3.
Optionally, a feat can be implemented to increase this spell level restriction.
Feat: Enhanced Arcane Tattoo
Prerequisites: Arcane Tattoo (only if required to access the Arcane Tattoo rule)
Your body has adapted to arcane tattoos, granting the following effects to your ability to use arcane tattoos:
- The maximum spell level that you can tattoo on your skin has increased to 5.
- You bypass the proficiency check for tattooing spells with a maximum level of 3.
Using an Arcane Tattoo
A creature casting a spell through an arcane tattoo can do so by focusing on their tattoo during the casting, replacing any material components the spell might require. The somatic and verbal components are instinctively performed thanks to the knowledge of the spell inscribed on the skin.
If the spell is not a cantrip, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + the spell level. On a failure, the invocation words vanish, causing the spell to lose one use without applying any effect.
The Dexterity saving throw relies on the creature's ability to instinctively follow the knowledge acquired from the tattoo. Alternatively, at the DM's discretion, Constitution can be used instead of Dexterity, indicating that the creature is forcing its body to perform these movements through physical resilience, even if lacking the dexterity to do so instinctively. The DM may also consider using another ability score, depending on their personal considerations and game balance.
The creature can only use the same tattoo once per day, as the flow of magical energy from the tattoo needs to stabilize before allowing its use again.
The spell's level determines the DC for saving throws and the attack bonus, as shown in the "Arcane Tattoos" table.
Arcane Tattoos
| Spell Level | DC | Attack Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | - | +5 |
| 1° | 13 | +5 |
| 2° | 13 | +5 |
| 3° | 15 | +7 |
| 4° | 15 | +7 |
| 5° | 17 | +9 |
Creating Arcane Tattoos
Spellcasters can create tattoos on others' skin as if they were creating spell scrolls.
Creating tattoos involves two stages. The first is creating the tattoo that encapsulates all the arcane knowledge required to cast the spell.
During this stage, a certain amount of time and money related to the spell's level is required, as shown in the "Arcane Tattoo Creation Costs" table. Additionally, the caster must be proficient in the Arcana skill and have the spell prepared or it must be among their known spells to create a tattoo with that spell.
Arcane Tattoo Creation Costs
| Spell Level | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | 1 día | 30 gp |
| 1° | 1 day | 50 gp |
| 2° | 3 days | 500 gp |
| 3° | 1 workweek | 1000 gp |
| 4° | 2 workweeks | 5,000 gp |
| 5° | 4 workweeks | 10,000 gp |
Once this process is concluded, the spell's basic creation process will have been completed, after which the marks enabling the casting of the spell should be engraved. Engraving each use requires an amount of time and money related to the spell's level, as shown in the "Arcane Tattoo Uses Costs" table. The same requirements as for the main tattoo must be met, with the additional provision of the necessary material components for casting the spell.
Arcane Tattoo Uses Costs
| Spell Level | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | 2 hours | 5 gp |
| 1° | 2 hours | 10 gp |
| 2° | 6 hours | 100 gp |
| 3° | 2 days | 200 gp |
| 4° | 4 days | 1,000 gp |
| 5° | 1 workweek | 2,000 gp |
Removing Arcane Tattoos
Removing an arcane tattoo is a process nearly as complicated and laborious as creating it initially. It requires a certain amount of time and money related to the spell's level that is being removed, as shown in the "Arcane Tattoo Removal Costs" table. Proficiency in the Arcana skill is also required. There is no need to have the spell prepared or known, nor are additional material components required.
Arcane Tattoo Removal Costs
| Spell Level | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | 4 hours | 10 gp |
| 1° | 4 hours | 15 gp |
| 2° | 1 day | 150 gp |
| 3° | 3 days | 350 gp |
| 4° | 1 workweek | 1,500 gp |
| 5° | 2 workweeks | 3,500 gp |
Acquiring Arcane Tattoos
Any character can seek out a spellcaster to have an arcane tattoo applied or touched up. However, not all spellcasters will perform this process. Some may abstain due to principles, while others may not do so because they are unfamiliar with the process. It is up to the DM to determine who can perform the process and who cannot.
Depending on the setting, arcane tattooing can be seen as a lost knowledge possessed only by certain groups or peoples, thus limiting its acquisition. Alternatively, it can be viewed as a different form of arcane teaching, accessible to all wizards. It could even be considered a new profession tied to various wizards, akin to artisans.
If the motivation of the spellcaster performing the process is purely altruistic, they may charge the character only the cost of materials. However, if it is a business transaction, the spellcaster will seek to profit from their work, so prices can vary greatly based on supply and demand.
Prices can be adjusted based on the cost of an equivalent spell scroll in the campaign:
- For the main tattoo, double the cost of a spell scroll of the same spell can be charged.
- For touch-ups on uses, one-fifth of the cost of the main tattoo can be charged.
- For tattoo removal, one-third of the cost of the main tattoo can be charged.
However, as with all adjustments, these are at the DM's discretion based on the campaign or adventure being played, so exact or suggested cost tables cannot be provided.
Final Considerations
This mechanic is being balanced against the use of scrolls. Here, there's an initial higher cost for the initial acquisition, while the cost of each subsequent use is significantly reduced, making it a long-term investment rather than acquiring scrolls.
Where it may disrupt game flow is in its intention to provide non-spellcasters access to this mechanic. Before the tattoos introduced in TCE, only spellcasters could read scrolls when the spell was on their class list.
If the tattoos from TCE are present in the campaign, this system may become unnecessary. However, if establishing a tattoo system is desired—such as a guild of tattooists—this could be a system to consider. Alternatively, a similar system could be devised using the tattoos already in TCE.
So, the main difference here lies in the concept without necessarily being better than the tattoo system in TCE. The concept is: I tattoo a spell that I will have with me and can tattoo uses of it to use when needed. In contrast, in TCE, each tattoo is expended upon casting.
These are slightly different ideas that can be used at different times depending on what is needed in each campaign.
