Base Class: Bard
Bonus Proficiencies
When you join this college at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tattooist’s Supplies and Calligrapher’s Supplies.
Connoisseur of Symbols
Also starting at 3rd level, you have advantage on any ability check that you make using Arcana, History, Nature, Religion or your Tattooist’s Supplies or Calligrapher’s Supplies proficiencies to determine the nature of a tattoo, sigil, or symbol. This includes symbols using a language you do not understand, so long as the symbol is mostly comprised of other shapes and images. This allows you to identify magic tattoos with a successful check as well as understand basic warnings and information communicated through markings used across Ghelspad.
Lasting Inspiration
At 6th level, you can imbue your Bardic Inspiration into a tattoo. When you are tattooing someone, you may expend all remaining uses of your Bardic Inspiration to imbue one Bardic Inspiration die into the tattoo. The tattoo receives your current Bardic Inspiration die and does not increase when you increase in level.
Once the tattoo is complete, the bearer may use a bonus action to activate the tattoo, adding your Bardic Inspiration die to their next attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Once the recipient has used the tattoo in this fashion, it cannot be used again until they complete a long rest.
You may add Lasting Inspiration to any tattoo you craft, be it magical or not.
Adding Lasting Inspiration to a magical tattoo does not impact or impede its other effects in any way.
Once your Bardic Inspiration die has increased, you may spend one hour performing a touch up on a tattoo you have previously invested with Lasting Inspiration. At the end of the hour, you expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Once this is complete, the Lasting Inspiration die increases to your current Bardic Inspiration die. You cannot perform touch ups in this way on another artist’s tattoos.
In addition, you are now considered to have achieved the necessary tattoo artist notoriety required to study under an established tattoo adept, even if you have never maintained a shop.
Magical Tattoo Flash
At 14th level, you can create magical flash art using your Calligrapher’s Supplies. To create magical flash art, you must spend a use of your Bardic Inspiration and take 10 minutes working on the art piece, which consumes one piece of paper or parchment. At the completion of the 10 minutes you spend a spell slot to cast any one bard spell you know into the flash art. The flash art then becomes a scroll, which can be activated with a command word of your choosing.
When creating magical tattoo flash, you must fulfill all components and costs of the spell normally. Anything consumed in the casting of the spell is consumed. If you are interrupted for more than one round while creating magical tattoo flash, all time, materials and your expenditure of Bardic Inspiration are wasted.
Finally, anyone who is proficient with Tattooist’s Supplies who has access to a piece of your magical tattoo flash can use it to craft a magical tattoo granting the bearer the ability to cast the spell once per long rest. Using magical tattoo flash in this fashion consumes the flash, but also allows the magical tattoo flash to fulfill the place of the spellcaster in the requirements for creating magical tattoos (see Scarred Lands Player’s Guide, Chapter Seven.)
Magic Tattoos
Tattoo Locations
Each body part can have only one magic tattoo. These rules assume a humanoid creature will have one head, one torso, two arms and two legs, for a maximum of five magic tattoos.
Please note that a magic tattoo can be placed on any available body part unless the item description says otherwise.
Tattoos carrying Bardic Inspiration through the Lasting Inspiration class feature do not count as magical for the purposes of determining whether a body part is used, unless those tattoos are also magical. Tattoos created through the Tattoo Adept’s Dancing Ink feature also do not count against this maximum.
Example Tattoos
Tattoo of the Lycan Master
Magic tattoo, very rare
This tattoo shows the image of a lycanthrope it its man-beast form. This allows the wearer to use an action to shapeshift into that lycanthrope’s hybrid form, gaining all the benefits and drawbacks thereof, as described in the lycanthrope’s stat block. This transformation lasts for 10 minutes but can be ended early on a bonus action.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Mighty Gauntlet
Magic tattoo, uncommon
This tattoo is rendered as an iron gauntlet grasping the handle of a thorny whip. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer enters a rage as if they were a barbarian of their character level. This rage lasts for one minute and is not subject to conditions that would normally end a rage early. Once the rage ends, the bearer suffers a level of exhaustion. If a barbarian uses this tattoo, this rage does not cost the use of a rage but does benefit from any class features that modify the barbarian’s rages.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Elder Rod
Magic tattoo, common
This image of a bamboo-like shaft wrapping around the wearer’s arm or leg. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer has advantage on Constitution checks and gains 2d6 temporary hit points. These effects last for one hour.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a short or long rest.
Tattoo of Exquisite Alertness
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo features a stylized greathammer with a face on each head. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer has advantage on Wisdom checks and cannot be surprised. These effects last for one hour.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a short or long rest.
Tattoo of Storms
Magic tattoo, uncommon
This tattoo wraps one of the bearer’s limbs in stylized bolts of lightning. As a bonus action the wearer may activate the tattoo, which fills their body with an electrical charge.
The next creature that they touch, grapple or hit with a melee weapon attack, or the next creature who touches the wearer, hits the wearer with a melee weapon attack, or grapples the wearer must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 lightning damage on a failed saving throw or half as much on a successful one.
Once activated, the wearer must discharge the tattoo’s energy at another creature. If a number of rounds equal to the wearer’s Constitution modifier (minimum 1) pass and the wearer still has not touched a creature or otherwise discharged the shock, the wearer must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking no damage on a success and half damage from the tattoo’s 5d8 lightning on a failure.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of Light
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo is typically executed as a pair of peacock feathers next to one another. When this tattoo is activated as a bonus action, the wearer regains 1d8 + 1 hit points of damage. This tattoo may be used three times and regains all spent uses when the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Forge
Magic tattoo, rare
This tattoo of four swords joined at the pommel with reddish, smoldering blades can be activated as a bonus action. Activating the tattoo grants the user the benefits of a stoneskin spell which lasts for one hour.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Kinslayer
Magic tattoo, uncommon, cursed
This tattoo, used by Albadian barbarian tribes to punish heinous criminals prior to exile, is a harsh, ugly slash mark tattooed on both sides of the face. When this tattoo is placed, the wearer gains vulnerability to cold damage.
Furthermore, they begin to suffer exhaustion immediately when exposed to temperatures below freezing, suffering one level of exhaustion for each hour of exposure. This can prove deadly in the cold mountains of the North.
To remove this tattoo, the bearer must go through the normal process of tattoo removal and receive the benefits of a remove curse spell. Simply removing the tattoo has no effect as the mark returns within minutes.
Tattoo of Observer
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo depicts a woman in a hooded cloak holding a stone sickle wrapped in ivy. You can use a bonus action to activate the tattoo, which places you under a sanctuary spell. For the next minute any creature wishing to target you with an attack or harmful spell must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or choose a new target. If you take an action that would end the sanctuary spell normally, it ends the effects of this tattoo.
This tattoo may be used three times and regains all spent uses when the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Tar Dragon
Magic tattoo, very rare
This tattoo is an elaborate image of a dragon, filled in with black ink. The tattoo can be activated as a bonus action. When activated, the wearer gains advantage on Strength checks and their carrying capacity doubles. In addition, they gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
Once activated, these effects last for one minute.
While this tattoo is active, the bearer can use an action to vomit forth a 30-foot cone of black, tarry ichor, which functions as if the area had been layered in webbing from a web spell.
This spell’s save DC is 15 and the ichor webbing remains for up to 10 minutes.
When the effects of this tattoo end, the bearer suffers a level of exhaustion. Once activated this tattoo cannot be activated again until the user completes a long rest.
Epidermal Grimoire
Starting at Level 3, you may spend 10 minutes and a spell slot to imbue up to 3 of your own tattoos, piercings, or other modifications with magic to do the following:
Item: (tool, weapon, armor, etc)
You may use a bonus action to summon the item represented by the artwork on you. You have proficiency with this item. Additionally, the item you summon is considered magical and has a magic bonus equal to your charisma modifier. Should the item break or become unusable while summoned, it returns to its place on your body and loses one durability point. The magic item may have a max durability equal to your charisma modifier. Additionally, a durability point may be regained by spending a spell slot to re-imbue the artwork. You may use a bonus action to return it to its place on your body.
Spells:
You may prepare any cantrip, level 1, 2, or 3 spell to cast at anytime, as long as you meet the requirements (ie. cost, level, knowledge, etc). Once the tattoo is complete, you may cast the spell instantaneously at anytime. Any rolls required must still be made. Once the spell is cast the tattoo disappears and another tattoo cannot replace it until the next long rest.
Ability Tattoos:
You may choose one of the 6 ability scores to increase by 1
At higher Levels:
You may Imbue a number of your own tattoos equal to your bard level.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you join this college at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tattooist’s Supplies and Calligrapher’s Supplies.
Connoisseur of Symbols
Also starting at 3rd level, you have advantage on any ability check that you make using Arcana, History, Nature, Religion or your Tattooist’s Supplies or Calligrapher’s Supplies proficiencies to determine the nature of a tattoo, sigil, or symbol. This includes symbols using a language you do not understand, so long as the symbol is mostly comprised of other shapes and images. This allows you to identify magic tattoos with a successful check as well as understand basic warnings and information communicated through markings used across Ghelspad.
Lasting Inspiration
At 6th level, you can imbue your Bardic Inspiration into a tattoo. When you are tattooing someone, you may expend all remaining uses of your Bardic Inspiration to imbue one Bardic Inspiration die into the tattoo. The tattoo receives your current Bardic Inspiration die and does not increase when you increase in level.
Once the tattoo is complete, the bearer may use a bonus action to activate the tattoo, adding your Bardic Inspiration die to their next attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Once the recipient has used the tattoo in this fashion, it cannot be used again until they complete a long rest.
You may add Lasting Inspiration to any tattoo you craft, be it magical or not.
Adding Lasting Inspiration to a magical tattoo does not impact or impede its other effects in any way.
Once your Bardic Inspiration die has increased, you may spend one hour performing a touch up on a tattoo you have previously invested with Lasting Inspiration. At the end of the hour, you expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Once this is complete, the Lasting Inspiration die increases to your current Bardic Inspiration die. You cannot perform touch ups in this way on another artist’s tattoos.
In addition, you are now considered to have achieved the necessary tattoo artist notoriety required to study under an established tattoo adept, even if you have never maintained a shop.
Magical Tattoo Flash
At 14th level, you can create magical flash art using your Calligrapher’s Supplies. To create magical flash art, you must spend a use of your Bardic Inspiration and take 10 minutes working on the art piece, which consumes one piece of paper or parchment. At the completion of the 10 minutes you spend a spell slot to cast any one bard spell you know into the flash art. The flash art then becomes a scroll, which can be activated with a command word of your choosing.
When creating magical tattoo flash, you must fulfill all components and costs of the spell normally. Anything consumed in the casting of the spell is consumed. If you are interrupted for more than one round while creating magical tattoo flash, all time, materials and your expenditure of Bardic Inspiration are wasted.
Finally, anyone who is proficient with Tattooist’s Supplies who has access to a piece of your magical tattoo flash can use it to craft a magical tattoo granting the bearer the ability to cast the spell once per long rest. Using magical tattoo flash in this fashion consumes the flash, but also allows the magical tattoo flash to fulfill the place of the spellcaster in the requirements for creating magical tattoos (see Scarred Lands Player’s Guide, Chapter Seven.)
Magic Tattoos
Tattoo Locations
Each body part can have only one magic tattoo. These rules assume a humanoid creature will have one head, one torso, two arms and two legs, for a maximum of five magic tattoos.
Please note that a magic tattoo can be placed on any available body part unless the item description says otherwise.
Tattoos carrying Bardic Inspiration through the Lasting Inspiration class feature do not count as magical for the purposes of determining whether a body part is used, unless those tattoos are also magical. Tattoos created through the Tattoo Adept’s Dancing Ink feature also do not count against this maximum.
Example Tattoos
Tattoo of the Lycan Master
Magic tattoo, very rare
This tattoo shows the image of a lycanthrope it its man-beast form. This allows the wearer to use an action to shapeshift into that lycanthrope’s hybrid form, gaining all the benefits and drawbacks thereof, as described in the lycanthrope’s stat block. This transformation lasts for 10 minutes but can be ended early on a bonus action.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Mighty Gauntlet
Magic tattoo, uncommon
This tattoo is rendered as an iron gauntlet grasping the handle of a thorny whip. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer enters a rage as if they were a barbarian of their character level. This rage lasts for one minute and is not subject to conditions that would normally end a rage early. Once the rage ends, the bearer suffers a level of exhaustion. If a barbarian uses this tattoo, this rage does not cost the use of a rage but does benefit from any class features that modify the barbarian’s rages.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Elder Rod
Magic tattoo, common
This image of a bamboo-like shaft wrapping around the wearer’s arm or leg. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer has advantage on Constitution checks and gains 2d6 temporary hit points. These effects last for one hour.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a short or long rest.
Tattoo of Exquisite Alertness
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo features a stylized greathammer with a face on each head. When activated as a bonus action, the wearer has advantage on Wisdom checks and cannot be surprised. These effects last for one hour.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a short or long rest.
Tattoo of Storms
Magic tattoo, uncommon
This tattoo wraps one of the bearer’s limbs in stylized bolts of lightning. As a bonus action the wearer may activate the tattoo, which fills their body with an electrical charge.
The next creature that they touch, grapple or hit with a melee weapon attack, or the next creature who touches the wearer, hits the wearer with a melee weapon attack, or grapples the wearer must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 lightning damage on a failed saving throw or half as much on a successful one.
Once activated, the wearer must discharge the tattoo’s energy at another creature. If a number of rounds equal to the wearer’s Constitution modifier (minimum 1) pass and the wearer still has not touched a creature or otherwise discharged the shock, the wearer must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking no damage on a success and half damage from the tattoo’s 5d8 lightning on a failure.
Once activated, this tattoo cannot be activated again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of Light
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo is typically executed as a pair of peacock feathers next to one another. When this tattoo is activated as a bonus action, the wearer regains 1d8 + 1 hit points of damage. This tattoo may be used three times and regains all spent uses when the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Forge
Magic tattoo, rare
This tattoo of four swords joined at the pommel with reddish, smoldering blades can be activated as a bonus action. Activating the tattoo grants the user the benefits of a stoneskin spell which lasts for one hour.
Once this tattoo is used it cannot be used again until the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Kinslayer
Magic tattoo, uncommon, cursed
This tattoo, used by Albadian barbarian tribes to punish heinous criminals prior to exile, is a harsh, ugly slash mark tattooed on both sides of the face. When this tattoo is placed, the wearer gains vulnerability to cold damage.
Furthermore, they begin to suffer exhaustion immediately when exposed to temperatures below freezing, suffering one level of exhaustion for each hour of exposure. This can prove deadly in the cold mountains of the North.
To remove this tattoo, the bearer must go through the normal process of tattoo removal and receive the benefits of a remove curse spell. Simply removing the tattoo has no effect as the mark returns within minutes.
Tattoo of Observer
Magic tattoo, common
This tattoo depicts a woman in a hooded cloak holding a stone sickle wrapped in ivy. You can use a bonus action to activate the tattoo, which places you under a sanctuary spell. For the next minute any creature wishing to target you with an attack or harmful spell must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or choose a new target. If you take an action that would end the sanctuary spell normally, it ends the effects of this tattoo.
This tattoo may be used three times and regains all spent uses when the bearer completes a long rest.
Tattoo of the Tar Dragon
Magic tattoo, very rare
This tattoo is an elaborate image of a dragon, filled in with black ink. The tattoo can be activated as a bonus action. When activated, the wearer gains advantage on Strength checks and their carrying capacity doubles. In addition, they gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
Once activated, these effects last for one minute.
While this tattoo is active, the bearer can use an action to vomit forth a 30-foot cone of black, tarry ichor, which functions as if the area had been layered in webbing from a web spell.
This spell’s save DC is 15 and the ichor webbing remains for up to 10 minutes.
When the effects of this tattoo end, the bearer suffers a level of exhaustion. Once activated this tattoo cannot be activated again until the user completes a long rest.
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