Inkblood

As a shirtless tiefling coated in swirling ink dodges through the chaos, a large knight in gleaming armor steps into his path. To the knight's surprise the tiefling is unfazed; a dark sword appearing from thin air and slicing through his metal defences, dropping him to his knees as the sword disappears just as quickly as it came. As he continues his sprint, a green snake bursts from his skin, the tattoo that once showed the majestic animal now absent. The snake quickly slithers up the leg of a different foe, one targeting an archer firing from a glowing bow and a curious tattoo of a quiver, and screaming splits the air as venomous fangs sink into their exposed neck. As the tiefling slides into the path of at least a dozen approaching enemies, clad in hulking armor with an intention of turning this one-sided battle into a slaughter, he grins in anticipation. He reaches inside himself and draws upon all of his sorcerous reserves of mana, releasing a wave of ink and paint that quickly takes the forms of 4 giant boar, smiling wickedly as they charge right through the startled knights. As his conjured works of art tear a hole through the enemy forces to create a path of retreat, he catches a glimpse of his paladin friend being pierced right through their armor with a shimmering sword. As their flesh is revealed, a strange image of a troll's head on a spike can be seen across their stomach, beginning to glow as the wound starts to close itself. As a dumbstruck knight receives a powerful blow to the face, sending them sprawling so the paladin can catch her breath, the tiefling's loyal snake catches up to him, crawling up his outstretched arm and merging back into his skin. As the three-headed hydra painted across his back begins to move, he telepathically tells his companions to head towards the gap he opened in their numbers, receiving thanks and promises of mead should they survive. He sighs, summoning his dark sword and drinking one of his absorbed potions through the chalice on his neck. The battle isn't won yet, and he still sees many canvases that could do with a dash of red.

Inkblood sorcerers are rare; so rare, in fact, that they have barely been documented over the centuries. Their magical origins are unknown, with scholars making a variety of guesses such as the Shadowfell, the Feywild and even trickster gods or devils. Regardless of their inception, Inkbloods can be invaluable and dangerous in any situation, providing powerful boons in the form of magical tattoos for themselves and others. With a wide selection to choose from, they can bolster healing, render people immune to charm effects, summon weapons and ammunition, telepathically communicate across an entire plane, store potions for later use and even grant potent spells for others to use. Known for their conjured animal companions, they gain special abilities when they keep them within their skin, from seeing in the dark all the way to breathing underwater. An Inkblood should never be underestimated, for you might become their next canvas, letting you drown in the paint of their conjured creatures.

DISCLAIMER: DNDBeyond will display the abilities of the tattoos you have chosen as if you have them equipped, even if you do not. This is unintentional and does not have a feasible workaround, so keep that in mind during your games.

Innate Artistry

Beginning at 1st level, you have a natural understanding of inks and how to use them, as well as patching people up after piercing their skin with your collection of needles. You gain proficiency with Calligrapher's Supplies, Painter's Supplies and the Wisdom (Medicine) skill.

Canvas Companion

Also at 1st level, you can channel a fragment of your soul into malleable ink, creating a permanent companion. You learn the Find Familiar spell, and can cast it as a ritual without expending material components. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known.

When you cast the Find Familiar spell using this feature, it has the following changes:

• The form of your familiar is permanent.
• Your familiar can attack.
• Their creature type is considered Construct, instead of Fey, Fiend or Celestial.
• They do not require air, food or water.
• They are immune to Exhaustion.
• Your familiar cannot go to a pocket dimension, appearing as a tattoo somewhere on your body instead.

When your familiar is subsumed within your body, you gain a special ability depending on its form. Choose one ability from the list below:

Bat/Owl/Octopus

Your familiar is a fuzzy Bat, a fluffy Owl, a squishy Octopus or something similar. While they are held within your skin as a tattoo, you gain Darkvision up to 60 feet.

Crab/Frog/Sea Horse

Your familiar is a stalwart Crab, a slimy Frog, a majestic Sea Horse or something similar. While they are held within your skin as a tattoo, you can breathe air and water.

Hawk/Raven/Cat

Your familiar is a menacing Hawk, a curious Raven, a cuddly Cat or something similar. While they are held within your skin as a tattoo, you gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Lizard/Spider/Weasel

Your familiar is a scaly Lizard, a spooky Spider, a sneaky Weasel or something similar. While they are held within your skin as a tattoo, you are unaffected by nonmagical difficult terrain.

Poisonous Snake/Fish/Rat

Your familiar is a slithering Poisonous Snake, a ravenous Quipper or other fish, an adorable Rat or something similar. While they are held within your skin as a tattoo, you are immune to disease and the Poisoned condition.

Arcane Arts

At 6th level, your ink can harness a variety of different kinds of mana, producing various powerful effects. Over the period of a long rest, you can inscribe a magical tattoo onto yourself or a willing creature, provided you have ink and other appropriate materials. That creature then gains the benefit of the tattoo, regardless of distance or planar difference to you. They will also take 2d4 magical piercing damage that cannot be negated in any way. It will last until you choose to dispel it, or until a 6th level Dispel Magic is cast on it. You cannot gain the benefits of the same tattoo twice. Over a long rest you can change the tattoos you have chosen, but doing so will remove those tattoos from yourself and others. Choose a tattoo from the list below. When you reach 8th level, 10th level, 12th level, 14th level, 16th level, 18th level, and finally 20th level, you may choose another. You can have an amount of tattoos active at any time equal to your Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus.

In addition, they can be used as arcane focuses for those wielding them. If you die, the magic of these tattoos will fade, becoming regular ink.

Bloody Fangs

This tattoo appears as a set of large vampiric fangs, dripping with blood. When the wielder of this tattoo scores a critical hit, they gain hit points equal to half the damage dealt.

Chalice of Concoctions

This tattoo appears as a large ornate chalice, overflowing with rainbow liquid. When the wielder of this tattoo consumes a potion, they can choose to instead store it within the tattoo for later use as a reaction. You can store up to 3 different potions at a time, a different gem in the chalice appearing for each one. You can only activate one potion at a time. If the potion would be applied to a weapon, it will be applied to the weapon wielded when the chalice is used.

Cloak of Ink

This tattoo appears as a flowing cloak across the shoulders and back. The wielder of this tattoo can cast Shield an amount of times equal to their proficiency bonus per long rest, and it doesn't count against their number of spells known should they have any.

Cracked Mirror

This tattoo appears as a hand mirror, a large crack cutting across the surface. The wielder of this tattoo can cast Mirror Image an amount of times equal to their proficiency bonus per long rest, and can cast Disguise Self once per long rest. These spells don't count against their number of spells known should they have any.

Dark Rider

This tattoo appears as a cloaked figure upon a shadowy steed, its shape dependent on the last form it took. The wielder of this tattoo can cast Find Steed once per long rest, and it has the following additions:

• Their creature type is considered Construct, instead of Fey, Fiend or Celestial.
• They do not require air, food or water.
• They are immune to Exhaustion.
• Their attacks are considered magical for the purposes of bypassing resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks.

This spell doesn't count against their number of spells known should they have any.

Dragon's Eyes

This tattoo appears as the piercing eyes of a dragon, the pupils following those that look into them. The wielder of this tattoo can cast Detect Magic an amount of times equal to their proficiency bonus per long rest, and can cast See Invisibility once per long rest. These spells don't count against their number of spells known should they have any.

Frayed Cobweb

This tattoo appears as a torn cobweb, a large spider nesting in the centre. The wielder of this tattoo gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed, and can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving their hands free.

Handsome Devil

This tattoo appears as an attractive man with red skin and small pointed horns, occasionally winking at passers-by. The wielder of this tattoo is immune to being Charmed and Frightened, and their creature type changes to Fiend if it isn't already.

Happy Hydra

This tattoo appears as a large hydra, sprouting a grinning head for each creature that has the same tattoo. A wielder of this tattoo can telepathically communicate with any other wielder of the same tattoo regardless of distance, provided they are on the same plane of existence. The tattoos must be crafted by the same Inkblood.

Healer's Hands

This tattoo appears as a pair of hands, pushed together in prayer and surrounded by swirls of gold. When the wielder of this tattoo gives or receives magical healing, they can choose any amount of die that land on a 1 and reroll them once.

Knots of Knowledge

This tattoo appears as several hearts tied together, hanging from a tree. When a wielder of this tattoo makes an ability check or saving throw, a creature that wields the same tattoo and can see them can use their reaction to grant them knowledge and skill, giving them a bonus to the roll equal to their ability score modifier (minimum of 1). They can use this ability a number of times equal to their proficiency bonus per long rest.

Stocked Quiver

This tattoo appears as a large quiver strapped to the back, filled to the brim with arrows and bolts. When the wielder of this tattoo uses a ranged weapon they are proficient with, nonmagical ammunition will be summoned for it. This ammunition disappears immediately after it deals damage or misses.

Sword and Sheath

This tattoo appears as a weapon the wielder is proficient with in a sheath or strap. The wielder of this tattoo can summon the weapon to their hand as a free action and dismiss it just as easily, unable to be parted from them forcefully by any means. The damage this weapon deals is considered magical for the purposes of bypassing resistance and immunity to nonmagical weapons.

Troll's Head

This tattoo appears as the head of a troll on a spike. When the wielder of this tattoo takes damage, they can use their reaction to gain a temporary regeneration effect. At the start of each of their turns, they gain 2d6 hit points for an amount of rounds equal to their proficiency bonus. Taking acid or fire damage causes this ability to not provide healing at the start of their next turn, and it ceases to function if they are dropped to 0 hit points. Once they use this ability, they cannot do so again until they complete a long rest.

Infantry of Ink

At 14th level, your virtuosity with the pen and needle can summon allies of concentrated art and ink. Expending 8 sorcery points and an action, you can cast Conjure Animals without requiring concentration. The creatures you summon are colourless, being tattoos brought to life, but mechanically working the same except for the following changes:

• Their creature type is considered Construct, instead of Fey.
• They do not require air, food or water.
• They are immune to Exhaustion.
• Their attacks are considered magical for the purposes of bypassing resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks.

Creatures summoned this way can be controlled telepathically or verbally by you, the telepathy having a maximum distance of 120 feet. Creatures wielding one of your tattoos can also command them in this way, but only if you allow it. You can increase the level of the spell by 1 for every 2 additional sorcery points you spend when casting it. Casting it with this ability does not use a spell slot.

Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest.

Tapestry of Warding

At 18th level, your tattoos can channel vitality and healing through their wielders, saving them from certain death. When a creature wielding one of your tattoos is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, they can expend the tattoo to save themselves. The tattoo disappears, and they regain hit points equal to your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. Once they use this ability, they cannot do so again until they complete a long rest. You can use this ability up to 3 times, but the healing is halved (rounded down) for each successive use until you complete a long rest.

In addition, you gain two extra attunement slots, only magical tattoos able to fill them.