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Across Vodari, magic is not always found in the form of scrolls, glowing swords, and ancient relics. Sometimes it is carried on the skin. 

In Vodari, magic tattoos are created by skilled individuals who blend artistry with the arcane. These tattoos draw their power from a mix of magic and rare ingredients: alchemical pigments from Xolen, undersea inks, monster blood from House Lagunn, and other strange substances from above and below the waves. Some tattoos are even said to be gifts from the gods themselves.

In this article you’ll find the following D&D 5.5e rules to add tattoos to your game:

Mundane TattoosTattooist’s Tools, Inks, Tattoos, and Arcane and Holy Tattoos.

Guidance on Crafting Magic Tattoos

6 Magic TattoosUse these magic items of various rarities in your game or to draw inspiration from as examples.

Note: The following options build on the core 5.5e/2024 rules. When you see the name of a spell in italic type, that is a cue pointing to the spell found in the core rules.

Mundane Tattoos

Most tattoos carry no magic. Across Vodari, sailors, pirates, merchants, soldiers, priests, and outcasts wear tattoos to mark where they have been, who they belong to, what they believe, or what they have survived. A tattoo might be decoration, a badge of loyalty, a criminal mark, a sailor’s charm, or a practical arcane focus worked into the skin.

Tools

The following tool expands the options available to characters, allowing you to introduce tattoo artists and magical tattooing into your world.

Tattooist’s Tools (5 GP)

Ability: Dexterity Weight: 2 lb.

Utilize: Identify a tattoo’s meaning or origin (DC 15)

Craft: Arcane Focus (Tattoo), Holy Symbol (Tattoo), Tattoo

Adventuring Gear

The following expands the adventuring gear items to make tattoos available to characters in your world.

Adventuring Gear

Ink | Weight: - | Cost: 10 GPInk, Bioluminescent | Weight: - | Cost: 25 GPInk, Deeps | Weight: - | Cost: 25 GPInk, Invisible | Weight: - | Cost: 50 GPInk, Moonlit | Weight: - | Cost: 25 GPTattoo | Weight: - | Cost: 1 to 20 GP

Ink

Ink comes in a 1-ounce bottle and can be used for writing or to create tattoos.

Ink, Bioluminescent

Bioluminescent ink comes in a 1-ounce bottle and can be used for writing or to create tattoos. Marks made with this ink shed Dim Light in a 5-foot radius for 8 hours after being exposed to bright light for at least 1 minute.

Ink, Deeps

This ink comes in a 1-ounce bottle and is prized for its rich color and harvested from giant squids and other denizens of the deeps. 

For undersea people, this ink has another valuable use. As an action, you release a 5-foot-radius cloud of ink that extends all around you if you are underwater. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute or until the end of your next turn if a strong current (at least 3 miles per hour) is present.

Ink, Invisible

Invisible ink comes in a 1-ounce bottle and can be used for writing or to create tattoos. Marks made with this ink can’t be seen by normal sight. The mark can be seen only by magical means, such as the Detect Magic spell or similar magic.

Ink, Moonlit

Moonlit ink comes in a 1-ounce bottle and can be used for writing or to create tattoos. Marks made with this ink are nearly invisible in bright light but glow softly in moonlight, starlight, or Dim Light. This glow reveals the mark but sheds no meaningful light beyond it.

Tattoo

An ink mark placed on the skin. The quality, size, and the number of colors used in a tattoo determine its cost. For tattoos that use costlier ink, add the cost of the ink to the cost.

Arcane & Holy Tattoos

Tattoos that serve as an arcane focus or holy symbol can take the form of a sigil, charm, god’s mark, or the crest of an order.

Arcane Focus

Tattoo | Weight: - | Cost: 25 GP

Holy Symbol

Tattoo | Weight: - | Cost: 5 GP

Magic Tattoos

The following magic items are presented in alphabetical order, ready to provide characters in your world with magical tattoos.

Crafting a magic tattoo requires someone who is proficient with Tattooist’s Tools. See ‘Crafting Magic Items’ found in the core rules for the ‘Time and Cost’ to craft a magic tattoo.

When a creature ends its attunement to a magic tattoo, the tattoo becomes mundane or fades from its skin.

A creature can have multiple magic tattoos, but each one counts as a separate magic item for attunement.

Alternatively, if the story calls for it, a magic tattoo could appear on a character’s body when interacting with an arcane source or via a supernatural gift. Work with your players to avoid any unwanted changes or surprises for their characters.

Black Powder Tattoo

Tattoo, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo depicts a pistol or a cannon. The ink smells faintly of smoke when its magic stirs.

When you deal Fire or Thunder damage to a creature, you can cause the tattoo to flare, dealing extra damage to one target of the damage. The extra damage equals your Proficiency Bonus.

Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the start of your next turn.

Guiding Light Tattoo

Tattoo, Common (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo depicts a lantern, lighthouse, or holy flame and is usually placed on the hand or chest.

While attuned to this tattoo, you know the Light cantrip. When you cast it, you can cause the tattoo to shed the spell’s light.

Kraken’s Eye Tattoo

Tattoo, Rare (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo depicts a kraken’s eye and curling tentacles that seem to shift and writhe across the skin. While attuned to this tattoo, you can see normally in Darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a range of 60 feet.

The tattoo has 3 charges and regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. When a creature you can see hits you with an attack, you can take a Reaction and expend 1 charge to force the creature to make a Strength saving throw. The DC equals 8 plus your Proficiency Bonus plus your Constitution modifier. On a failed save, the creature is Restrained by inky, spectral tentacles until the end of its next turn.

If the attack was made underwater, the creature has Disadvantage on the saving throw.

Luck of Fortana Tattoo

Tattoo, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo depicts a coin, die, or lucky charm. Sailors, gamblers, pirates, and scoundrels often place it on the wrist or over the heart.

When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an ability check or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until you finish a Long Rest.

Mark of the Pirate Queen

Tattoo, Rare (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo usually depicts a crown, crossed blades, or the Jolly Roger. Some say the first of these tattoos were created for those bold enough to dream of turning pirate crews into something greater than raiders and thieves.

While attuned to this tattoo, you have Advantage on Charisma checks made as part of the Influence action.

In addition, when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw, you can take a Reaction to add 1d6 to the roll, potentially turning the failure into a success.

Once this Reaction is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.

Tattoo of the Northern Star

Tattoo, Common (Requires Attunement)

This tattoo usually depicts a star or compass rose. Sailors often place it on the wrist, shoulder, or over the heart, believing it helps them find their way home.

While attuned to this tattoo, you always know which direction is north. In addition, you have Advantage on any ability check you make to avoid becoming lost at sea or to recognize a port, coastline, or island you have visited before.

Heroes of the Wind & Waves and higher paid members also get access to the following Digital Extras:

Magic Tattoos PDF