As a mystical tattoo artist, you have an enchanted sketchbook that you can use to create spellbangers. Spellbangers are the smallest type of magic tattoos, easily fitting upon your fingertips. They only require a few minutes of focus to sketch during a long rest. The application process for spellbangers is similar to the application process for magic tattoos, requiring spare needles and tattooist’s tools in hand.

Karl's Notes: A banger is industry slang for a tattoo that can be “banged” out quickly. It is essentially a smaller design that can be completed in a single session.

Casting a spell using a spellbanger is akin to casting a spell from an item, so you must take an action, bonus action, or reaction (depending on the original spell’s casting time) to produce its spell’s effects, but you may do so without material components. If the spell requires a material component with a cost, you must have that specific component before you can cast the spell using a spellbanger. If the spell requires concentration, you must concentrate.

Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your spells, since the spellbangers are fueled by the magical energy that naturally courses through your body, as blood flows through your veins.

SKETCHBOOK

At 1st level, you have an empty enchanted sketchbook. Your enchanted sketchbook acts as a repository for the spellbangers you sketch. Tattooists will only need to devote a single page of their sketchbook for sketching and accumulating spellbangers.

PREPARING AND CASTING SPELLS

At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spellbanger designs of your choice from any arcane caster class spell lists (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard). The Tattooist table shows how many applied spellbangers of each spell level your body can sustain at your current tattooist level. 

Each spellbanger is designed for a specific spell and can only be utilized to cast that spell at its lowest level. Once the spell is cast, the spellbanger vanishes from your skin. You can expend multiple spellbangers of the same design, to incrementally increase the spell’s level for that casting. 

For instance, if you have two spellbangers for burning hands (a 1st-level spell), you can cast the spell on two separate occasions at 1st level or expend both tattoos to cast the spell at 2nd level. Unlike other tattoos that you create, spellbangers function in part thanks to your lived experience informing the magic imbued within their design. Tattooing a spellbanger on another creature does not grant them the ability to cast the spell. Once you have utilized all the applied spellbangers for a particular spell, they cannot be cast again in this way until reapplied. You can remove and apply as many spellbangers as your body can sustain during a long rest.

SPELLCASTING ABILITY

Applied directly onto the surface your skin, spellbangers are in the optimal place to draw freely from the magical energy coursing throughout your body. You therefore use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when setting the saving throw DC for any spell you cast using a spellbanger and when making an attack roll with one.

• Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier

• Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier

YOUR SKETCHBOOK

The spellbangers you sketch in your enchanted sketchbook are a unique variant of the main branch of magic tattoos you can create. As you gain levels, you also gain more experience with the fascinating manner in which magic flows through all things in the multiverse. This allows you to find imaginative ways to manipulate the flow of magic on a smaller scale through your arcane designs. Your expertise inevitably allows you to better comprehend the tattoos created by others as well, whether discovered on the back of a traveling mercenary or a legendary deity.

THE SKETCHBOOK’S APPEARANCE

Your sketchbook will often end up a mess of ink-splotched parchment and scribbles. A sketchbook can come in many forms, sometimes as a pile of parchment clipped onto a flat plank of wood, or at other times just a hastily bound pile of sketches. Every tattooist’s precious sketchbook is unique, each page treated with a generous amount of magical energy.

REPLACING THE BOOK

If you wanted to make a backup copy of your sketchbook, it is a relatively easy process. After all, the designs of your spellbangers and magic tattoos are fixed in your mind. However, spellbangers and magic tattoos can not be preserved on just any regular page.

In order to create an enchanted sketchbook, you must spend some time alone to focus and enchant a new sketchbook, treating each page with the magics which allow your designs to flourish and be preserved within its pages. The new sketchbook must have a minimum of one page and must be bound together in some manner if there is more than one page in the stack. The amount of time you need is 5 minutes per page, which can be broken up into multiple sessions should you require more time. This is light activity.

If you wish, you can also find enchanted sketchbooks for sale at any tattoo parlor.

At 1st level, you’ve learned how to observe spells in the heat of battle and conceive spellbanger designs to recreate the effects of those spells. 

As a reaction when a creature (other than you) that you can see within 60 feet of you casts a spell from the Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard spell list, you can make an ability check using your tattooist spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a success, you can sketch a spellbanger representing that spell during a long rest within the next month. If you do not sketch the spellbanger within the allotted time, you must observe the spell being cast again. Once you have sketched a particular  spellbanger, you may sketch it without needing to observe the spell again. 

The Tattooist table shows whether or not you can apply the spellbanger.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Starting at 2nd level, you’ve gained the ability to sketch magic tattoos.

TATTOO DESIGNS KNOWN

When you gain this feature, you are able to pick four magic tattoo designs with a rarity of common to learn. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace two of the magic tattoo designs you learned, with two new ones.

SKETCHING A MAGIC TATTOO

Whenever you take a short or long rest, you can use 1 hour as light activity to sketch one of your known magic tattoo designs into your enchanted sketchbook. A creature can attune to the magic tattoo immediately after you complete the sketch, provided you conduct a quick application before the long rest ends. If you or another creature decides to attune to the magic tattoo later, you must undergo the usual process for attunement.

A magic tattoo retains its properties and remains a magic item indefinitely. This remains true even if the original tattooist dies.

MATERIAL COSTS

A character requesting a tattoo or a tattooist sketching a tattoo must have the appropriate materials to do so. There always needs to be a formula in place for creating a magic tattoo.

The enduring fortitude tattoo (page 102) can be used as an example. This was a tattoo designed to help an individual resist disease, poison, and the effects of alcohol.

While ink and a capable tattooist are necessary in tattoo creation, so too are the constituent material components. These materials are similar to the components necessary for crafting other, equally-potent magic items. For a magic tattoo like the enduring fortitude tattoo, the requisite materials can range from the poisonous mandibles of a fearsome creature to a bottle of exquisite alcohol only produced in a distant land (or both). The necessary components are all magically broken down and mixed in with the ink before a tattooist even begins sketching a magic tattoo.

The suggested challenge rating of a creature for a party to face in pursuit of material components is included in the Suggested CR for Exotic Material Gathering table. Most material components necessary for this process can also be found at tattoo parlors (though stock can fluctuate wildly between establishments). The cost of crafting components for magic tattoos is around half the average price provided on the Magic Tattoos Price Guide table depending on the tattoo’s rarity.

COPYING A MAGIC TATTOO

There will be times during your journey where you discover a magic tattoo, perhaps applied on a creature or sketched upon another tattooist’s sketchbook page, that you wish to make your own.

If the tattoo you wish to copy into your enchanted sketchbook is of a rarity you are able to sketch, the process requires direct vision of the magic tattoo for 1 hour and all the necessary material components.

If the tattoo you wish to copy into your enchanted sketchbook is of a rarity you are not yet able to sketch, the process requires direct vision of the magic tattoo for 3 hours and all the necessary material components. After the process, you must make an ability check using your tattooist spellcasting ability. The DC equals 15 + 2 per level of rarity above the highest level of rarity you are currently able to sketch. For instance, if you wish to copy a magic tattoo with a rarity of very rare but are only able to learn magic tattoo designs with a rarity of common, then the DC is 21. On a success, you are able to copy the magic tattoo. On a fail, you are unable to copy the magic tattoo and the material components you used for the process are wasted.

Your copied magic tattoo designs do not count towards your total learned magic tattoo designs, and copied magic tattoo designs do not remain fixed in your mind for sketching again later

Karl’s Notes: Magic tattoos with rarities of very rare and legendary are guarded secrets. A tattooist may have the opportunity to successfully sketch one or two such designs in their lifetime.

SUGGESTED CR FOR EXOTIC MATERIAL GATHERING

Magic Tattoo Rarity Challenge Rating

Common 1-4

Uncommon 4-8

Rare 9-12

Very Rare 13-18

Legendary 19+

Karl’s Notes: A Game Master can decide that a character requesting a tattoo or a tattooist sketching a tattoo must instead attain certain experiences to do so. This can be done when the material costs of a tattoo may be too much for someone to afford or as an additional component to raise the difficulty for obtaining a tattoo.

As an example, we can take look at the enduring fortitude tattoo once again. Perhaps a tattooist needs to have experience properly dealing with a virulent disease or poison before being able to sketch a tattoo that protects against their effects properly? Just remember to balance the experience required with how much easier or harder you want it to be for a party to craft a certain tattoo.

At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a tattooist style of your choice. Your choice grants you features at 3rd, 5th, 9th and 15th level.
Styles can be found at the bottom of this page.

At 3rd level, you have learned how to apply defective magical ink onto weapons. To use this ability, you must have tattooist’s tools in hand. You can use a bonus action to unload and apply charges of Bad Ink onto the weapon of a willing creature within 5 feet of you.

On the next hit using that weapon, it does an additional 1d6 acid damage per charge applied and the ink vanishes. If you don’t hit a target with the inked weapon within the next hour, the Bad Ink fades away. You have a number of charges equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of one). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

The additional damage die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

When you reach 4th level, and again at the 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

You can also forgo this feature and take a feat of your choice instead.

When you reach 4th level, and again at the 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

You can also forgo this feature and take a feat of your choice instead.

At 6th level, you are able to pick three magic tattoo designs with a rarity of uncommon to learn. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace two of the magic tattoo designs you learned, with two new ones

At 7th level, you’ve learned how to manipulate magic tattoos in unusual ways. With tattooist’s tools in hand, you can use an action to magically transfer one of your magic tattoos from yourself onto one willing creature within 5 feet of you that has an available attunement slot. The creature may use that magic tattoo as if they were attuned to it. This exchange is reversed after a short or long rest, at which point the transferred magic tattoo disappears from the creature’s skin and reappears on yours.

A creature can only benefit from Art Loan from one tattooist at a time.

When you reach the 10th level, you have gained an astute understanding of magic tattoo application. While you use at least three attunement slots to attune to magic tattoos, you can attune to one more magic tattoo without requiring an attunement slot. If fewer than three of your attunement slots are used to attune to magic tattoos, you lose this bonus attunement.

At 11th level, your skill for manipulation of mystical tattoos has deepened immensely. You gain additional properties for certain class features.

• During a long rest, you can now apply one spellbanger of 6th or 7th level.

• When you use Art Loan, you also retain a copy of the magic tattoo you transfer. The transferred tattoo still disappears from the target’s skin after a short or long rest

At 14th level, you are able to pick two magic tattoo designs with a rarity of rare to learn. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace two of the magic tattoo designs you learned, with two new ones.

Starting at 18th level, your tremendous ability as a tattooist is beginning to draw plenty of attention. While you use at least three attunement slots to attune to magic tattoos, you can attune to one more magic tattoo without requiring an attunement slot (in addition to the magic tattoo attunement granted by your Expert Tattooist feature). If fewer than three of your attunement slots are used to attune to magic tattoos, you lose this bonus attunement

At 20th level, you have grown to thoroughly understand the complex magical pathways that flow between all things. You apply that to your work:

• You can replace two magic tattoo designs you learned with two new ones during a long rest.

• You gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic tattoo to which you are currently attuned.

• During a long rest, you can now apply one spellbanger of the 8th or 9th level.

BONUS PROFICIENCIES

3rd level Neo Traditional Style Feature

When you adopt the Neo Traditional style at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and adopt a Fighting Style.

ART OF WAR

3rd level Tattooist Feature

Also at 3rd level, you have become deadlier with weapons in battle. You can use a bonus action to apply Bad Ink onto weapons without holding tattooist’s tools. In addition, while you have Bad Ink applied, your weapon is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

EXTRA ATTACK

5th level Tattooist Feature

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

BEAUTIFUL STRIKES

9th level Tattooist Feature

At 9th level, you’ve found another destructive way to harness the arcane energy within your spellbangers. Whenever you hit a target with a weapon attack, you can expend one spellbanger to deal additional force damage equal to 1d6 + 1d6 per spell level of the expended spellbanger.

ARTFUL TACTICIAN

15th level Tattooist Feature

At 15th level, you have mastered the art of manipulating your magic and weapons in tandem to cause chaos on the battlefield. Spellbangers you cast at 1st or 2nd level have a casting time of one bonus action if you have taken the Attack action that turn.

GO BEYOND

3rd level Surrealism Style Feature

When you adopt the Surrealism style at 3rd level, you can apply one additional spellbanger to your fingertips for each level of spellbanger you are allowed to cast.

For example, if you are a 5th level tattooist, you can normally have four spellbangers representing 1st-level spells and two spellbangers representing 2nd-level spells applied on your body. With this feature, you can instead have five spellbangers representing 1st-level spells and three spellbangers representing 2nd-level spells applied on your body.

MEMENTO MORI

5th level Surrealism Style Feature

Starting at the 5th level, you’ve learned how to play around with the ephemeral nature of your spellbangers. After expending a spellbanger to cast a spell, you can use an action to cast the same spell again at its base level on your next turn without expending another spellbanger.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

MAGICAL MAESTRO

9th level Surrealism Style Feature

At 9th level, you have learned how to immediately reap the benefits of your careful observation of spells on the battlefield. After successfully using your Sketchy Imitation feature, you can expend a spellbanger with a spell level equal to the observed spell’s base level as an action on your following turn, casting the observed spell at its base level.

THE ZONE

15th level Surrealism Style Feature

Upon reaching 15th level, you have found an unconventional way to harness the power of your magic tattoos. If you are attuned to at least one magic tattoo, you can use an action to temporarily drain the energies of all your applied magic tattoos to empower your spells. For up to 10 minutes or until you use a bonus action to end this feature, all creatures have disadvantage on saving throws made against spells you cast. Additionally, when you cast a spell at a level higher than its base level, it is cast one additional level higher. For example, if you expend two 3rd-level fireball spellbangers, the spell is cast at 5th level instead of its usual 4th level. Your magic tattoos become nonmagical for  the duration. 

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.