Requirements: Arcane Background Magic, Vigor d8, Tattoo Magic d6
A special brand of magic granted by True Atlantean tattoos master, Chaing-Ku dragons, and the Splugorth that uses arcane tattoos to activate various powers and abilities instead of spellcasting. Any power activated as a tattoo automatically has Mega Powers available. Some Magic Tattoos imbue additional abilities and protections rather than powers. In those cases, when the New Tattoo edge is taken the hero can select a power and choose a trapping as normal or add one or more of the Tattoo Magic Power Modifiers from the list below. Modifiers added to powers use the listed duration for that power.
If the hero wishes, she can choose any modifier as an ability instead of a power (e.g. protection from vampires) and activate it, as an action, with the given PPE cost for 3 rounds (1/PPE per round to maintain) for weapons and offensive powers and 1 hour (1 PPE/hour for other modifiers).
Because this magic is bestowed (or imposed in the case of Splugorth slaves) Tattooed heros cannot draw power from ley lines or nexus points but are limited to their own internal reserves.
New Tattoo [Iconic]
Requirements: Tattoo Magic
Finding someone to add tattoos is next to impossible and is a painful and to some extent an exhausting process. After character creation taking the New Tattoo edge can only be selected once per rank and the tattooed hero must make a Vigor check at a penalty equal to the rank of the power. On a failure the hero is fatigued for that session, which cannot be undone by succor or other mystical means. In the case of a Critical Failure the hero is fatigued and must roll on the Psyche Degradation Table.
Tramp Stamp [Power]
Requirements: Vigor d8, Spirit d8
A Master of Magic or Major Psionic who selects this edge gains one new power of their rank as a tattoo using the modifiers below. The ISP or PPE cost is doubled for this type of caster and uses their arcane skill to to cast. As above tattoos gain no benefit from ley lines, and this edge can be taken once per rank bestowing a new tattoo. The non T-Warrior can take up to the lower of their Spirit or Vigor die type in tattoos. Each tattoo over that imposes a -1 to the casting roll.
Tattoo Power Modifiers & Abilities
Additional mechanical effects can be added to tattoos using power modifiers. This is represented by adding other art to a basic tattoo, for example making a sword allows a tattooed hero to summon a simple weapon, adding flames to that sword allows that weapon to become Mega Damage. Multiple Power Modifiers can be taken and “stacked” on a power but are permanent (i.e. they cannot be selectively activated each time the power is used) and can drastically increase the cost of activating a power. Additionally, each Power Modifier added to a power increases the maintenance cost by 1 PPE. Unless otherwise stated, each specific power modifier can only be taken once per power.
Special: A hero may also chose to spend their New Tattoo edge on a stand lone ability which activates for the listed cost and lasts for 3 rounds for combat abilities and 1 hour for others.
Weapon Modifiers & Abilities: Summoning weapons is an important part of tattoo magic. The following power modifications and trappings can be taken alone or added to smite. Any benefits bestowed are in addition to the core smite effects. Smite can be taken multiple times to represent a variety of weapons with various abilities.
- Simple Weapon: For +1 PPE, activating smite summons an ancient melee from SWD rather than empowering a held weapon. This makes the power self-only. Once summoned, this is a physical weapon which may be disarmed or stolen. The simple weapon can be further modified, for additional PPE cost, as follows.
- Dripping Blood: For +2 PPE, the hero can increase the AP of a summoned weapon by 2.
- Flames: For +1 PPE, the summoned weapon can do Mega Damage (even if only basic smite is used)
- Demon Skull - For +2 PPE the weapon can ignore infernal armor (Greater & Lesser Demons) but they add 1/2 spirit to toughness
- Serpent: For +2 PPE, the weapon can ignore serpent armor (dragons, dinosaurs, etc.) but they add 1/2 spirit to toughness.
- Wings: For +2 PPE, the hero can double the throwing range of weapon
- Flaming Shield: For +4 PPE, the hero can use the weapon to redirect ranged attacks. When the hero is hit with a ranged attack, she can sacrifice her next action (or come off Hold) to deflect the attack. This requires an Agility roll for thrown weapons (-2 versus firearms, energy weapons, or powers and -4 versus bursts, double-taps, or three-round bursts). Area effect attacks may not be deflected. If the roll is successful, the attack is harmlessly redirected and misses. With a raise, it hits any available target of the character’s choosing within 12”. Roll the attack’s base damage, ignoring any raises on the original roll.
- Heart: The T-Warrior can make a Vigor roll at -2 to absorb matter or energy based attacks. Each success and raise lets the hero negate a wound. Magic and psionics cannot be absorbed. This increases activation cost by +5 PPE per type or by +10 PPE for both.
- Shark or Dolphin: For +2 PPE, the hero can breathe in water, doesn’t have to make Swimming rolls to avoid drowning when in water, and adds +2 to all Swimming rolls. While in the water, Pace is equal to Swimming skill.
- Three Eyes: For +2 PPE, the hero can ignore any and all obscurement penalties (darkness, fog, invisibility, etc). Cover penalties for solid objects still apply normally.
- Elemental Aura: For +3 PPE a 2d6 damage field of the selected element or energy surrounds the hero.
- For an additional, +1 PPE. the damage is Mega Damage
- For an additional +3 PPE the field extends over Medium Burst Template
- Thorns or Ball of Thorns: For +1 PPE, the hero is Immune to Poison for the duration of the power.
- Eagle Eyes: For +1 PPE, the hero suffers half range penalties
- Demonic Eyes: For +1 PPE the hero benefits from Infravision
- Cat Eyes: For +1 PPE the hero has Low Light Vision (if both low light and infravision are added the hero ignores all darkness penalties)
- Third Eye: For +1 PPE the hero gains +2 to Notice rolls
- Eyes of the Wolf: For +1 PPE the hero gains +2 to Tracking rolls
- Ghost Shield (Deflection only): For +1 PPE, the hero can apply his deflection power to one person adjacent to him as a free action but loses benefit of the power while doing so.
- Brain With Waves: For +2 PPE, this power grants +4 to resist psionic powers and adds +4 armor against Psionics attacks
- Heart with a Stake Through It: For +2 PPE, this power gains gains +4 armor vs.attacks from vampires and +4 to resist any vampiric powers.
- Clouds, Flames, Stones, Waves, etc: For +2 PPE, this power grants +4 armor vs. attacks and +4 to resist a chosen energy type
- Heart with Wings: For +2 PPE double base pace and make the run die d10
- Flaming Fist: For +2 PPE, any melee or non-technical ranged weapon wielded by the bearer of this tattoo does Mega Damage.
- Skull with Glowing Eye Sockets: For +3 PPE, Fear affects all foes (or neutral bystanders) within 12” of the hero each time this power is activated. For an additional +2 PPE, the Fear check is made at -2 PPE.
- Skull Coiled with Thorns: For +1 PPE victims of this power victims must make a Vigor roll or suffer a wound. Each point of armor provides +1 to the Vigor roll. For an additional +1 PPE, the Vigor roll is made at -2.
- Phantom Animals: For 4 PPE, animals and Monsters can be summoned (including replacements) and dispelled as an action. The creatures appear within 12” of the hero.