Magic items; Magical Tattoos - Detect Magic and Destroying

author: Anthony
email: paladin@swordsorcery.com
date: 2002-08-30
status: finished

Asked by gondolin on Sword and Sorcery Studio forum (http://www.swordsorcery.com/):

In relation to the magical tattoos in the book [1]. Are such tattoos detectable through detect magic and if so can they be dispelled or erased as per spell? Also, if they are damaged (i.e. if the NPC or character has suffered injury on that part of the body)will it still be operational? And lastly, if they can be damaged, how would one go about to calculate the cost for restoration?

Most of this would be up to the GM, but I can at least pass on some of my opinions on the matter. The tattoos can be detected via detect magic. Their effects can be dispelled, but the tattoos themselves cannot, so if you dispel someone's use of the tattoo, it won't erase the tattoo, and it can be used again. I would also say that a tattoo will function if over 50% of it is intact, and will be rendered useless if more is destroyed. As the magic is gone, then the tattoo will need to be completely reapplied to work again.

(Again, this isn't "official" -- it's just how I would personally handle matters... other GMs would be free to use their own discretion.)

Anthony

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[1]
Relics & Rituals, p. 197.

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author: Joseph Carriker
email: druid@swordsorcery.com
date: 2002-09-03
status: finished

Asked by gondolin on Sword and Sorcery Studio forum (http://www.swordsorcery.com/):

Thanks for the input. What about the erase spell however? Do you think a caster of higher level than the artist would have a chance of wiping it off?

Actually, if you read through the basic rules for tattoo magic, it gives a fairly good set of answers for your question.

Yes, they do detect as magical. Yes, they can be dispelled, but only in the same way that other magic items are. And no, they are not subject to the erase spell.

Regards,
Joseph Carriker