Magic Tattoos

[Behold_the_Void]

I've a character who wants to play a Sacred Fist in an upcoming campaign. As is my custom, I generally encourage certain builds and will tweak the rules to allow for more character power where I find it lacking. I'm willing to make the Amulet of Mighty fists cost as much as and be enchantable as a normal weapon, but the thought occurred to me that it still takes up the slot needed for the ever-important Periapt of Wisdom.

How much would you price tattoos that can be applied to one's body (thus, nonslotted) that enhance your fists as a weapon? While I know there are rules for price increases, I also want to ensure that the monk doesn't get ganked by the item costs, as often happens with the monk.

To increase verisimilitude in the world regarding these tattoos (and also because these tattoos have shown up on some of the northern tribes already), I'm also generally willing to allow other tattoo-like magic items (with body slots like torso, face, arms or legs) for further enhancements that can duplicate the effect of magic items. Any thoughts on those as well?

[JackMage666]

Well, a non-slotted item costs 2x as much... I would make it 3x base for a tattoo, as it's both non-slotted AND non-removable.

[Kristoss]

I would make tattoos x2 base price for being unslotted. I wouldn't make them x3 because although they can't be removed they are still susceptible to dispel magic and mordekainen's Disjunction.

As for tattoos that take up item slots they would be acceptable too.

[Nebo_]

Or you could change the slot for the wisdom booster. A headband makes sense.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I agree with the guidelines on item creation for this one: double the price for an unslotted item. This kind of tattoo is just a cooler version of Ioun Stone.

Or you could just get the +Wisdom Ioun Stone. But that's not as cool.

Oh yeah, a Headband of Wisdom would work, and wouldn't even be a price increase over the Periapt, since the head is also an "affinity slot" for +Wisdom.

[TheOOB]

I would rule that a magic tattoo that replaces another item would take an equipment slot. A head tattoo that grants an enhancement bonus to Int would take your head slot, and a tattoo on your torso that gives you fortification would take your armor slot. You'll notice that most unslotted items(especially those that are balanced) give minor effects compared to slotted items, so you shouldn't let people double up their slots.

[Funkyodor]

How about allowing a Monk's Belt be enchantable as a weapon? It does confer the Unarmed Damage of a 5th lvl Monk to anyone wearing it, so streching it to allow plusses to hit and damage isn't far fetched. But then you run into the problem of the slot confilcting with a Belt of Giant Strength. Eh, you win some, you lose some.

[Nebo_]

The necklace of natural weapons* already has sane** rules for enchanting natural weapons and unarmed strike.

*Savage Species

*As opposed to the Amulet of Mighty Fists. What the hell were they thinking?

[mabriss lethe]

You could use the monk's connection with his order to minimize the cost. (they would effectively give him a discount on one as the result of a quest or whatever.)

Alternately, you could go for the Tattooed monk PrC. Offers some interesting choices. The Rokugan Sourcebook has a feat for characters that allows them to take magic tattoos without the PrC. There is a setting specific feat prereq, but could be easily replaced or incorporated (void use) In addition to the tats granted by the PrC, you can take a very small number as feats. Any tats with prerequisite PrC levels can be taken by characters with a monk level equal the the original PrC level + 5.

[sikyon]

If you are only allowing say 1 tatoo per torso, and basically doubling his slots, then 1.5 is the guideline. 2 is if you just let him have 5 tatoos on one arm or something.

Or you can offer him something like if he wears equipment overtop of his magic tatoos, they become useless then reduce the cost from above by 0.5.


Actually the following would be a really cool system:

Take the spells that are required to to make the items:

Use the number of pages they normally require in a spellbook as the area of skin they cover.

A person has about 2 square meters of skin, and a page in a spellbook is perhaps a quartro size, being 690 square centimeters. This translates into about 29 pages of skin. Seems fair?

[kamikasei]

Actually the following would be a really cool system:

Take the spells that are required to to make the items:

Use the number of pages they normally require in a spellbook as the area of skin they cover.

A person has about 2 square meters of skin, and a page in a spellbook is perhaps a quartro size, being 690 square centimeters. This translates into about 29 pages of skin. Seems fair?

Isn't there a PrC that lets Wizards scribe their spellbook (or part of it) onto their skin? That seems like it would be the best base for such a system.

[Roderick_BR]

Isn't there a PrC that lets Wizards scribe their spellbook (or part of it) onto their skin? That seems like it would be the best base for such a system.

I remember the Blood Magus (Tome & Blood, 3.0) allowed you to store a couple spells into your own skin, with the same cost as scribling a scroll.

I guess the best bet is to change the slot for itens. A phylactery of wisdom is not unreasonable. Changing the amulet into rings or gloves could work also.
I like OOB's idea of allowing a character to scribble a tatoo as a normal body slot, meaning that you could use any unused body part to store a spell. (I'm still developing the Hips of Glory, so a character can wear an extra belt in the neck slot...)

I can't recall now, but there's a pair of bracelets that have a 1000 base cost, and then can be enchanted as a double weapon, granting it's abilities to the character's unarmed strike. Takes over the bracers of armor slot, though, but then there's a vest (torso slot) on the MIC that is like an enhanced Robe of the Magi. Among others things, it grants +8 armor bonus to AC. You could make a simpler vest that can be enchanted with a +2 to +8 bonus, like the bracers. I'm actually making said vest to put in my games. It can be a normal shirt or jacket, or shapped like a gi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_gi, taking the body slot instead of torso slot (since monks already don't use armor, that's a plus).

[marjan]

Isn't there a PrC that lets Wizards scribe their spellbook (or part of it) onto their skin? That seems like it would be the best base for such a system.

Not a PrC, but optional spellbooks for wizards in CA under equipment section. Though they cost much more, and for body parts you don't see you need someone help you prepare it.

Come to think of it that would be interesting:

Wizard (speaking to the helper): "What does my a** say about material components?"

[Chronos]

For the monk-enhancer specifically, I'm not sure it's quite correct to say that it's unslotted. If he only gains the benefits when using his Unarmed Strikes, then it's effectively taking up his weapon slot. Don't pick on the poor monk.

[Crimson Avenger]

What is trying to be done is much more powerful than the 2nd level spell Create Tattoo. Perhaps a non removable tattoo that enchants just as a magicall weapon. Each fist could be enchanted seperately, using the dmg as usual.

Imagine what you could do with a fiery burst/ holy on one fist, and an icy burst/ axiomatic on the other.

Yup, good possibilities there....

That way you're not using slots, not facing outrageous prices, and not giving the monk an outragous advantage.

[kamikasei]

Not a PrC, but optional spellbooks for wizards in CA under equipment section. Though they cost much more, and for body parts you don't see you need someone help you prepare it.

Are you sure? I looked there, but couldn't find it. And have looked again, still not seeing it.

[marjan]

Are you sure? I looked there, but couldn't find it. And have looked again, still not seeing it.

CA it is but it is on pg 186.

[Zeful]

Enchanting fists wouldn't work in D&D because there is no weapon (fist) there is a natural attack that can be delivered with any part of the body (monk fluff).

Enchanting one's natural attack with magic tattoos should be okay but it would n't be that prohibited of cost. According to the Magic item creation guidelines in the DMG it costs bonus squared times 2000gp for an enchantment increase to attack and damage. Unslotted is either 1.5 or 2 times but that wouldn't be that bad
A +1 tattoo would cost 1¹*2(or 1.5 but I can't remember at the moment) and be 4000 gp. However the book defines what slots there are, (head, arm, leg, torso, armor etc.) and does not specify (to my recollection so feel free to correct me) a weapon slot, so there are no "unslotted" adjustments, droping the entire enchantment cost to 2000gp.
However I'd rule that a monk wanting magic tattoos could only do so after getting the ability to overcome dr/magic. and that's what level 8 or so.

[marjan]

However the book defines what slots there are, (head, arm, leg, torso, armor etc.) and does not specify (to my recollection so feel free to correct me) a weapon slot, so there are no "unslotted" adjustments, droping the entire enchantment cost to 2000gp.

Not sure about "unslotted" part by RAW, but monks could use any help they can get. Just make sure noone else can use it.

However I'd rule that a monk wanting magic tattoos could only do so after getting the ability to overcome dr/magic. and that's what level 8 or so.

Level 4 actually, but nice catch. This should solve the above problem.

If the party has cleric or wizard they can also cast GMW on his fist.

[kamikasei]

CA it is but it is on pg 186.

*headdesk* Missed it in the index. And why the hell are "Alternative Spellbooks" and "Spellbooks" listed so far apart?

Anyhow, thanks. That was going to annoy me, I could tell.