So What Kind of Items in Focus Items?

[finnmckool]

For instance, could your "focus item" be a tattoo? Or a series of them? How about an enchanted item slot? Is there something inherently bad or unbalancing about this idea? What other "creative" focus items have you guys come up with? Which ones did you shoot down?

[luminos]

That concept could work, but focus items and enchanted items are usually meant to be the kinds of things a caster can be temporarily deprived of, so you should make sure that that won't be an issue if you want to use tattoos for such.

[Nomad]

Just remember that focus items and magical items can burn out due to too much power, not enough control. This can mean a literally burned focus item as it absorbs the backlash instead of your pink skin. Tattoos on the other hand...

[CMEast]

A tattoo means that you can't have it removed by, say, the police if they search you in chuck you in the cell. If you're caught by evil supernatural types that recognise your tattoo for what it is, they may well gouge huge chunks out of it, or even cut it right out. That'll take a while to heal.

Plus as Nomad mentioned, backlash could hurt.

[Deadmanwalking]

I'm pretty sure such things aren't allowed. An important point of balance with Focus Items is that they can be taken away, which tattoos basically can't.

[Todjaeger]

I'm pretty sure such things aren't allowed. An important point of balance with Focus Items is that they can be taken away, which tattoos basically can't.

Another important consideration is that a focus item takes time and effort to make, during which the caster is embuing the item and becoming attuned to it.  A tattoo is not a separate thing/item, just an image or design (more or less) permanently inked into ones skin.  There isn't anything 'else' to embue with energy, as it is already part of ones skin.  The way I would run something like that is to allow the player to have as many magic or mystical tattoos as they would like, but they would not be of any mechanical game use, being already a part of the person so they cannot store or focus energy any differently than a caster without items would normally.

[CMEast]

I disagree actually, with a tattoo if the tattoo is damaged it's no longer the same tattoo. The pattern is broken, the skin is scarred, that area of the body is damaged. Not only can the focus item be lost, but it increases the chance of damage being done to the person when it happens.

[Doc Nova]

I'm inclined to agree with CMEast on this one.  Not only can the tattoo actually be marred or obliterated, but it was mentioned that there wasn't anything to enchant.  To that, I say:  What about the ink?  Or the needles?  A magical tattoo could work as either an enchanted or focus item, I think.  The idea of an old Yakuza member covered in tattoos that can summon power, I think, makes for a good character.  Certainly, it could be kept as scene dressing for his magic, but I don't seen anything wrong with the idea of magical tattoos, myself.

If there was really the concern about them being harder to take away (although, I would argue, that Harry's rings are, really, no "harder" to remove...at least while he's conscious and resisting), and since the whole concept is sorta house ruled from the get-go, why not just make it cost another enchanted item slot?  Therefore, an enchanted item tattoo is the cost of a focus item, and a focus tattoo costs 1.5 focus item slots.  Yeah, it could get a little unwieldy with a small bit of math, but it helps offset some of that potential "abuse".

[finnmckool]

If magic and blood and identity are entertwined then what can be more enchanted then a tattoo. They are slow to make And require pain blood and discipline and focus. And they're really permanent. As has been mentioned if some one "loses"' their tattoo there's a physical scar that one can't just draw over. Unlike an item which can be rebuilt.

[Deadmanwalking]

I disagree actually, with a tattoo if the tattoo is damaged it's no longer the same tattoo. The pattern is broken, the skin is scarred, that area of the body is damaged. Not only can the focus item be lost, but it increases the chance of damage being done to the person when it happens.

If this can be done, then the balance question is no longer an issue...as long as doing so isn't inordinately difficult.

[Doc Nova]

Then, I would suppose, the next question would be:  at what point, or level consequence is a tattoo irrevocably damaged?  Would it require an attacker stating their intent to maim and obliterate?  Would putting it at a consequence level on it (i.e. at moderate or severe you lose a tattoo) work? Without a similar system in place for blasting rods, battle staves, and magical mandolins, I am hesitant on seeing something like this.  However, it is far easier to justify slapping said rod/staff/mandolin from someone's grasp as a maneuver than it is mangling skin-art.

[CMEast]

I think removing a focus item is generally a plot point anyway. Focus items can be belt buckles, knuckledusters and nose rings, none of which are easy to remove. You can also invest focus item slots in IoP's which make them totally unbreakable but these all have their positives and negatives.

A blasting rod is easy to knock out of someones hand, but it can be easily replaced and removing it from the caster doesn't cost much. A ring can't be removed without chopping a finger off mid-combat or being strip searched and every item removed, both of which is far more serious. A tattoo is always on you, but if the GM wants to deprive you of it he has to damage it and you.

As to the level of consequence, I can imagine a relatively mild graze or burn that could heal quickly enough but wreck a tattoo. If it's only a mild consequence then perhaps a bit of magical healing could restore it at the GM's discretion.

[Doc Nova]

That's about where my mind was going as well, CMEast.  Thanks for the response!

[black omega]

I had a similar idea once for a focus like this.  But instead of the tattoo being magical in and of itself, the character creates a ointment infused with power that has to be released and focused in a precise pattern.  She has the celtic thornwork tattoo on her arm as an easy guide for where to apply the ointment each time.

[toturi]

Then, I would suppose, the next question would be:  at what point, or level consequence is a tattoo irrevocably damaged?  Would it require an attacker stating their intent to maim and obliterate?  Would putting it at a consequence level on it (i.e. at moderate or severe you lose a tattoo) work? Without a similar system in place for blasting rods, battle staves, and magical mandolins, I am hesitant on seeing something like this.  However, it is far easier to justify slapping said rod/staff/mandolin from someone's grasp as a maneuver than it is mangling skin-art.

Mundane tattoos can be removed, therefore I think that a tattoo that is a focus item can be removed in any such similar fashions. The ease at which a rod/staff can be removed is balanced by the fact that it can just as easily be restored - you dropped it, you pick it up. Furthermore the tattoo isn't likely to provide additional mechanical benefits. A staff can easily be used as a Weapon, the tattoo on your buttocks isn't going to help you beat someone down with your Fists even if you sit on the fellow.