How would you price a magic tattoo?

[Talakeal]

So if I wanted to make an option for players to have a tattoo in place of a magic item, what would you say the modifier would be to the GP / XP cost to craft?

The item can never be removed. It cannot be stolen, sold, or loaned to a fellow party member. It can be upgraded, but it otherwise permanent (a wish or mage's disjunction could remove it, but would not refund the cost).

The item takes up a slot as normal.

The item is in all other ways identical to a magic item.


I am trying to figure out how to price such a tattoo compared to a standard magic item. Any advice? Thanks.

[Jack Zander]

Seems like it should cost the same as every other wondrous item.

[TuggyNE]

Might be a bit cheaper to represent the tighter binding, but, of course, the character has to be there during the whole process.

[Jack Zander]

Might be a bit cheaper to represent the tighter binding, but, of course, the character has to be there during the whole process.

I thought this at first too, but then I realized that a character is only going to select something he absolutely wanted to be a permanent item for his character anyway, so really all you'd be doing is giving the players a discount on their favorite magic item while not even taking up the slot it normally takes.

In the end, it already has it's pros and cons, so the price is probably fine being unadjusted.

[Talakeal]

In the end, it already has it's pros and cons, so the price is probably fine being unadjusted.

I thought the same thing to, but as soon as I made it an option the entire party jumped at it and wanted all future items in this format. Their reasoning was they now cannot be disarmed if captured, and they do not have to actually carry the physical objects*

So I decided I better get some unbiased opinions on cost before the entire party ended up looking like a circus sideshow.


*This matters more in my game than normal. I enforce encumbrance strictly as I feel it gives casters some incentive not to completely dump their strength score, and magic containers have very fixed capacities in my campaign.

[Emperor Tippy]

Pretty sure Magic Item Compendium covers this somewhere.

I want to say it is double the price for slotless. Honestly, I would probably leave it at that. Inability to sell the item and the price already being doubled is probably enough to make up for the increased utility so call it a wash on the "Other Considerations" bit.

Depends on the item really though, and the character.

[Emperor Tippy]

I thought the same thing to, but as soon as I made it an option the entire party jumped at it and wanted all future items in this format. Their reasoning was they now cannot be disarmed if captured, and they do not have to actually carry the physical objects*

So I decided I better get some unbiased opinions on cost before the entire party ended up looking like a circus sideshow.


*This matters more in my game than normal. I enforce encumbrance strictly as I feel it gives casters some incentive not to completely dump their strength score, and magic containers have very fixed capacities in my campaign.
They can be disarmed. All it takes is whacking them with Delay Death, skinning them, and then healing them back up. Incidentally it's also great torture. Also really hits home how much of an evil bastard their captor is.

There is always dumping a Disjunction on them. Dispel Magic+ Erase maybe as well.

[TuggyNE]

I thought this at first too, but then I realized that a character is only going to select something he absolutely wanted to be a permanent item for his character anyway, so really all you'd be doing is giving the players a discount on their favorite magic item while not even taking up the slot it normally takes.


I want to say it is double the price for slotless.

I thought it still took up a slot as usual? It's in the OP.

[Emperor Tippy]

I thought it still took up a slot as usual? It's in the OP.

If they are still taking up slots then I would probably just multiply the price by 1.5 and call it good. Maybe also let them alternate to another item if they spend, say, five minutes in meditation.

[Raven777]

Pathfinder has a couple tattoos (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/thassilonian-runes) in the form of runes. They require a specific crafting skill in order to make.

[Talakeal]

They can be disarmed. All it takes is whacking them with Delay Death, skinning them, and then healing them back up. Incidentally it's also great torture. Also really hits home how much of an evil bastard their captor is.

There is always dumping a Disjunction on them. Dispel Magic+ Erase maybe as well.

Well yeah, sure, but that implies a lot of malice and or effort on the part of the captors. I think the party was more thinking a lose a fight and held hostage / prisoner by the enemy guard or robbedby bandits rather than a deliberate attempt to strip them of their power.

[Clistenes]

Woundrous item that doesn't fill a body slot (so double price).

I think it should need of a specific Craft feat.

[Sutremaine]

Does D&D have any rules for skinning people?

[Mithril Leaf]

Does D&D have any rules for skinning people?

Probably somewhere in the depths of BoVD.

[Crake]

I've always wanted to use magical tattoos as a character. I thought the double cost and the fact that you couldnt really sell them countered the fact that they were unstealable. That said, spells like resurrection/reincarnate that make a new body for you when they raise you would get rid of them, so you'd need to skin your old body and graft them back on or something horrid like that.

Also I would have ruled that the ink itself was enchanted, then applied, rather than the enchantment happening during the tattooing process. But it would take ~1 day per effect to draw the tattoo on.

(first tattoo I would get is permanent protection from evil, stop all the nasties)

[Mithril Leaf]

I've always wanted to use magical tattoos as a character. I thought the double cost and the fact that you couldnt really sell them countered the fact that they were unstealable. That said, spells like resurrection/reincarnate that make a new body for you when they raise you would get rid of them, so you'd need to skin your old body and graft them back on or something horrid like that.

Also I would have ruled that the ink itself was enchanted, then applied, rather than the enchantment happening during the tattooing process. But it would take ~1 day per effect to draw the tattoo on.

(first tattoo I would get is permanent protection from evil, stop all the nasties)

That's how TNO did it. Even stashed the old skin in assorted places.