D&D: What are Magic Tattoos?
First acquiring a needle and selecting a design, a player must then get a magic tattoo. Magical ink is customizable in DnD but follows cosmetic guidelines, much as a traditional tattoo. These unusual marks can be branding, scarifications, or any other cosmetic change. They follow the usual guidelines for magic objects, but the size of the tattoo they apply determines the needle's rareliness. The rarity of a magic item influences its cost, level of difficulty to locate, and what level of use characters can apply.
Tattoo size, rarity, necessary level, approximative needle cost
One hand, one foot, or a quarter of a limb | Common | 1 | 50–100 gp.
One half of a limb or the scalp | Uncommon | 101–500 gp
One full limb | Rare | 5 | 501-5,000 gp.
Two limbs; the entire chest; perhaps the upper back; very rare; 11 | 5,001-50,000 gp
Two whole limbs including the whole torso | Legendary | 17 | 50,001 gp or more
D&D: Magic Tattoos Styles and Effects
DnD has eleven possible Magic Tattoos effects. Generally speaking, a magic tattoo covers greater space on the wearer's body the rarer its effect is. A tattoo with a Legendary effect like a Blood Fury tattoo would cover the entire torso and two limbs, whereas one with a Common Effect like an Illuminator's Tattoo may cover a hand or a forearm.
But even Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything makes abundantly evident this is only a series of principles rather than a hard and fast law. At their choice, a DM could let players have a tiny tattoo with a significant impact or vice versa. Although this could lead to contradicting opinions on the cost of the tattoo, in these situations it is advisable to follow the higher pricing. It will most likely still cost over 50,000 gp if a player only wants a little butterfly on their ankle with a Legendary effect.
D&D: When and Should You Get Magical Tattoos?
Many elements determine when and why a character should obtain a magic tattoo. Unlike actually locating objects and, as previously said, players can already have a predisposition to be inked. Talking about this with the DM will let that come more naturally in the campaign. For instance, a character with a pirate or sailor history can opt to improve their skills or unlock new ones by visiting an artist with a needle instead of diving underwater to find a particular rapier.
By including NPC who are experts in tattoos, DMs in DnD can even gently hint to their players of this kind of advantage. Instead of sending the party on a perilous journey, for instance, the DM can make a tattoo artist cross paths with the adventuring party – even if expensive, this type of activity can be something of a beneficial cooldown to the pace of the adventure, especially for parties who have been facing several difficulties back-to-back with no magical rewards due of poor choices.
First seen in the Dungeon & Dragons Unearthed Arcana Playtests
With the publication of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything sourcebook in 2020, Magic Tattoos formally entered the DnD universe. Like almost everything else in Tasha's, magic tattoos are distinctive character traits emphasizing the supernatural. They can be utilized to give a character new set of powers concurrently as well as to alter their look. Since they don't call for spell slots to utilize, they are perfect for a great range of character kinds. Anyone can have a miracle tattoo with correct preparation.
Magic tattoos are subject to DnD restrictions, though, same as anything else in the game. These generally address general ideas of attunement, size, shape, and use, mostly surrounding techniques of application and removal, and rules. Still, they are not quite restricting. By leveraging the magic tattoo laws, a creative player can create a character far stronger (and cooler) just by passing under the needle. The several kinds of magic tattoos let people from all walks of life get inked and then acquire additional abilities depending on their experience. Here is all one needs to know about the amazing realm of magic tattoos.
Magical Tattoos: Method and Attunement
Anyone who owns the necessary needle can apply magic tattoos. Attunement starts once the needle is pushed on the skin. Indeed, magic tattoos demand attunement—a crucial idea for magic objects in DnD. Before employing certain magic objects in a process called attunement, characters must develop bonds with them. This implies spending a little rest—that is, the time it takes to apply the tattoo— completely concentrated on the tattoo needle. The needle really becomes the ink on the wearer's skin once the attunement is finished.
Independent of level, a character can only be tuned to three magic items at once. In a Screen Rant interview with Jeremy Crawford, the Lead Rules Designer for DnD explores these objects further. Should the attunement ever stop, he says the magic tattoo "actually slinks off your body and that needle reforms and the tattoo goes back into it.""If desired, it can "then be applied to anyone else." He also verifies the magic tattoos of Dungeons & Dragons count toward the total magic items a player can be attuned to.
Magical Tattoos clarified
Fans of tabletop role-playing games should concentrate on the present guidelines even though One D&D is about to be published. Starting an epic level campaign is best done right now.
Attacks, defenses, and a great range of other useful applications can all be accomplished with magic tattoos. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything lore lists these eleven varieties of magic tattoos:
Tattoo Type | Rareness | Effect
Absorbing Tattoos: Very Rare | Players choose a specific hue to show conspicuously in the Absorbing Tattoo, and their character is given resistance to the related kind of damage. One green, for instance, fights acid harm. Blue resists cold; red resists fire; gold resists radiant; so on.
Varies in Barrier Tattoo | The metallic Barrier Tattoo gives an inherent Armor Class, which is set by the tattoo's scarcity. The tattoo is unusual for an AC of 12 +; for 15 + Dex; for 18 flat; for an AC of 12 + the character's dexterity modulator.
Blood Fury Tattoos: Legendary | Ten charges of Bloodthirsty Strikes every in-game day are granted to the Blood Fury Tattoo's bearer. They deal extra 4d6 necrotic damage and heal the attacker for the same amount if they spend one upon striking a creature with a weapon attack. The character might also charge anytime they sustain damage in order to execute an advantageous melee strike on the assailant.
Common Uncommon Coiling Grasp Tattoo With the Coiling Grasp Tattoo, the player character can extend the tattoo's ink forward as tendrils, reaching forward and grappling a character within 15 feet of them.
Uncommon Eldritch Claw Tattoos | With the Eldritch Claw Tattoo, the bearer's melee attacks are considered magical to overcome immunity and resistance to non-magical attacks. They can also use Eldritch Maul as a bonus action once per day, causing their melee weapon attacks and unarmed strikes to hit targets 15 feet away from them, and dealing 1d6 force damage on a hit.
Ghost Step Tattoo | Very Rare | The Ghost Step tattoo grants the bearer three charges of Ghostly Form daily. As a bonus action, they can expend a charge to become incorporeal.
Illuminator's Tattoo | Common | Appearing as writing on a character's skin, the Illuminator's tattoo allows them to spout an unlimited quantity of ink from their fingertips, effectively turning them into an unlimited pen. They can also touch a piece of writing to make it invisible to everyone other than themselves and one other creature.
Lifewell Tattoo | Very Rare | The Lifewell Tattoo grants resistance to necrotic damage. Also, once per day, if the bearer drops to zero hit points, they instantly regain one HP.
Masquerade Tattoo | Common | The Masquerade Tattoo can shift into any shape, and move about the body at its bearer's discretion. It also allows them to cast disguise self once per day.
Shadowfell Brand Tattoo | Rare | The Shadowfell Brand Tattoo grants darkvision and advantage on Stealth checks, along with the Shadowy Defense action. Once per day, the bearer can become insubstantial when taking damage, halving the HP they lose.
Spellwrought Tattoo | Varies | The bearer of a Spellwrought Tattoo chooses a spell, and can cast it once per day without material components. For a cantrip or first-level spell, it's considered common; for a second- or third-level spell, it's uncommon; and for a fourth- or fifth-level spell, it's rare.
Note that the tattoos' rarity also affects their level requirements as outlined above; a first-level character can't get a Blood Fury tattoo, for example. With such a wide variety of effects, magic tattoos are great for all kinds of different characters, and can even round out a non-magical DnD build.
