Thaumaturgic Tattoos

[cetra02]

I am considering running a character with the aspect Thaumaturgic Tattoo Artist.  I was wanting to get some input on what might be possible with crafting foci and enchanted items using tattoos.  Should it be possible to have a forearm tattoo as a defensive focus, or to use a tattoo behind your ear to boost hearing?

[Haru]

Anything should be possible, as long as your group is fine with it. I don't think I would run tattoos as enchanted items or focus items, since a big part of those is the fact that you can lose them. The only way to lose the tattoos would be to cripple the character, really, and that wouldn't really be fun for anyone. Maybe as a potion effect, so when you use the enchanted item, the ink fades away rapidly so you can only use it once, that would be a bit more balanced.

But I would still allow someone to do something like a boost hearing spell with a tattoo. You could represent it by taking "supernatural senses". Or you could take specializations with refinement and instead of training you justify it by saying that's from the tattoos. Or you could take things like inhuman toughness for a permanent protection spell woven into your skin. Or anything else like that, really.

[blackstaff67]

Temporary tattoos with alcohol-based ink, perhaps?  Got the idea for tat from Robert Asprin's Phule's Company series.

[Cadd]

Given the ability to push enchanted items for more uses at a cost of 1 mental stress, I think I'd be ok with using tattoos as regular enchanted items. With any frequency boosts it's relatively hard to actually run completely dry, and you can always narrate it as the tattoos needing to recharge a bit.
Of course, I would then also have damage disrupt them enough to be unusable for a while since that is part of the "cost" with enchanted items.

Thaumaturgic Tattoo Artist is of course also a superb justification to pick up other powers you could reasonably describe as the effect of a spell. A tattooed, permanent shield spell could absolutely be handled as Toughness, for instance.

[InFerrumVeritas]

I'd allow it with a stunt.  Not being taken away (but being disrupted as described above) is still a benefit, especially for foci.

[cetra02]

In case anyone was curious, here is the character:

Name: Ezazel
High Concept: Reborn Wizard on His Last Second Chance
Trouble: Reformed Host of Thorned Namshiel
Other Aspects: Miles to go Before I Sleep, My Sins Come To Roost, Thaumaturgic Tattoo Artist, Dirty Fighter, Storm On the Horizon

Skills:
+5 Lore, Discipline,
+4 Fists, Scholarship, Contacts, Alertness,
+3 Conviction, Endurance,  Athletics, Performance
+2 Deceit, Might, Craftsmanship, Empathy,
+1 Rapport, Presence, Investigation, Intimidation


Stunts: -3
- Stunt:Armed Arts(Knife and Chain)
- Skin is my Canvas
- Lethal Weapon

Powers: -9
Evocation (Air, Earth, Fire)
Thaumaturgy
3x Refinement 3Evo.Spec. 3Thaum.Spec.
Specializations: Air +2 Control +1 Power, Earth +1 Power    Crafting Strength +1, Biomancy Complexity+2, Worldwalking Complexity +1
Foci: Brass Anklet, Earth Defensive Power +1
      Silver Ring, Air Offensive Control +1
      Copper Bracelet, Biomancy Complexity +1

Starting Refresh: 15
Refresh Spent: 13
Final Refresh: 2   

[blackstaff67]

Not sure how "Dirty Fighter" can be compelled on you unless for some reason your group participates in a lot of martial tourneys.  Maybe getting your licks in first in an encounter where violence isn't called for?

[AgentSchneider]

I really like the idea of a thaumaturgic tattoo artist, maybe you could also make it into a form of Self-sponsored magic that would allow you to perform thaumaturgic rituals or evothaum that would let you give friendlies temporary power boosts (supernatural senses, inhuman toughness/speed, etc) justified as being the result of magical tattoos. Quick question though: if you have thaumaturgy and evocation shouldn't you have 4 focus item slots all together? It seems that you only used 3 of them.

[Tsunami]

For me Enchanted items and Focus Items need to be external.

I'd just go and run it all as normal magic with a tattoo theme,
maybe use the tattoos as a justification for rote spells.

Tattoo behind the ear, sensory rote
Lightning bolt on the arm, attack rote
etc.

Compel the Tattoo Artist aspect to block those sometimes, maybe when the tattoo is covered or maybe to say you have a really minor scratch that won't compromise the tattoo once it's healed up.
And for longer lasting damage use it in consequences, so instead of having a twisted wrist or something you have a cut through the tattoo so that it has to be touched up and you loose access to the rote while you have the consequence.

However, I like the idea of potions as one shot tattoos that fade after use.
The character could easily sell those too.
And you could have enchanted tattooing needles as foci that give potion/tattoo power and such.