Psionic Tattoos

Psionic tattoos are designs scribed on the skin that manifest powers on their wearers. The wearer doesn’t get to make any decisions about the tattoo’s effect—the manifester who scribed it has already done so.

Psionic tattoos can vary in size, but a creature can wear only a total of twenty tattoos at one time—attempting to add one more than this maximum causes all previously scribed tattoos to simultaneously activate. A psionic tattoo fades away after use.

Table: Psionic Tattoos
Minor Medium Major Power
Level
Market
Price
01-47 01-08 1st 50 gp
47-100 09-75 01-50 2nd 300 gp
76-100 51-100 3rd 750 gp
Physical Description

A typical psionic tattoo is a colorful pattern of tiny, interlacing lines within a larger design. This design can be as simple as a circle or a star, or as complex as an artist wishes to make it. Once it is scribed, a tattoo’s design does not change. A psionic tattoo usually covers an area of skin no more than 5 inches in diameter (larger ones could be designed, but would have no added effect).

Scribing and Transferring Tattoos

The manifester level of a psionic tattoo is the minimum level required to manifest the scribed power. A psionic tattoo can contain only powers of 3rd level or lower.

A psionic tattoo inscribed on a wearer is potentially more mobile than a mundane tattoo. As a standard action, the wearer can will the tattoo to move to a different part of his body or onto the skin of any willing (or unconscious) living creature he touches. If the wearer of a psionic tattoo is rendered unconscious or is slain, another sentient creature can touch the tattoo while willing it to leave the previous wearer and apply itself to the new creature as a standard action. Psionic tattoos cannot overlay one another.

Identifying Psionic Tattoos

In addition to the standard methods of identification, the wearer of a tattoo can concentrate on it and attempt to gain some sense of how it would feel if activated. A successful DC 13 Intelligence check provides a hint to the tattoo’s effect.

Activation

A psionic tattoo produces its effect when touched by its wearer and willed to do so. This activity, called “tapping” the tattoo, is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A psionic tattoo fades away after use.

The following rules govern the use of psionic tattoos.

The manifester level for a standard psionic tattoo is the minimum manifester level needed to manifest the power (unless otherwise specified).