A standard practice of magic is rune inscriptions, an arcane formula which absorbs the magic around it and releases it towards a desired purpose. There are those who have taken that theory to unprecedented, and not recommended, levels. These individuals are arcane tattooists, mages who inscribed their spells and arcane knowledge into their bodies rather than a book. It is costly and painful, but these arcane lines draw in the ambient magic of the world around them, strengthening their spells and giving them a hidden reserve of magic to pull from. They usually thrust themselves into the fray, experiencing the thrill of magic in a way few can.

Magical Artist

When you select this tradition at level 2, your skin becomes your spell book. The spell lines can not be covered by scars, only dismemberment will disrupt the spell’s formula. You gain the following features:

You become proficient with Tattooers' Tools or Painters' Tools.

You can use your body as your spellbook, tattooing the arcane symbols and formulas of spell scrolls and other onto your skin. This requires costs the standard amount of gold required for ink at 50 gp per spell level. All other rules for preparing your spells are exactly the same. Your skin can hold up to 100 spells. Recording your skin's spells into a traditional spellbook requires 10gp worth of ink and 1 hour per spell level.

Ambient Absorption

Beginning at 2nd level, your runic tattoos help you recover spell slots or bolster your physical wellbeing. When using Arcane Recovery, you may regain additional spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus. Alternatively, you can choose to reduce a number of exhaustion points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Mana Skin

Starting at 6th level, your body's defenses benefit from the flowing magic coursing through your inscriptions. Your AC becomes 10 + your Intelligence Modifier (minimum of 1). As a reaction to being hit with an attack, you may temporarily bolster your AC equal to your proficiency bonus divided by 2 (rounded down). Once done in this way, you must complete a short rest before doing so again.

This feature does not function with armor, or similar unarmored effects.

Magical Awareness

Beginning at 10th level, you gain a preternatural sense for the manipulation of magic. You have advantage on Saving Throws against Spells or Spell Effects.

Conduit of Arcana

Starting at 14th level, your body can metabolize the power of enemy spells. When you are within 60 feet of a spell being cast, the spell's target or the origin point of an area of effect spell, you can use a reaction to pull it towards yourself and absorb its magic. Make an Intelligence saving throw DC equal to 10 + the spell’s level. If you succeed, your arcane tattoos pull tear apart the foundations of the spell and absorb its magical essence. The next spell you cast is cast at the level of spell you absorbed without you expending a spell slot.

If you fail the Intelligence saving throw, you become stunned by the overwhelming raw power until the end of your next turn.

Each time you use this ability before taking a long rest and after the first, you gain a point of exhaustion. You gain the point of exhaustion after you expend the absorbed magic if the check was successful.

You do not gain the benefit of your Magic Sense for this Saving Throw.