RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes

Kawaiimalz · **05-29-2016, 12:51 AM**

So for a concept I am working with, I wanted to know if something like this was possible:

A form of Tattoo that is capable of allowing someone to tap into their inner Aether, usually someone who is incapable or otherwise inexperienced with it, to do limited and specific things based on the tattoo style/ink/method/etc? Like allowing for one's body to be more nuturally resistant, or to add an element to one's unarmed strikes that normally wouldn't be there?

Mayhaps by using ink mixed with ground up Crystals/materia? Or other such arts I'm just not aware of in the lore? And is there an extent to how far this could go, like could one actually gain the ability to breath lightning/fire? Or cast his body with tough scales like a dragon?

Asking for a character I may be making, with a story based around this concept~ Totally interested in both possibilities, as well as hindrances of doing this~

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **05-29-2016, 02:20 AM**

If you have not already see them, these threads may be useful to you!

RP Idea: Is this too crazy? Feedback wanted!
Question on magic in battle
Arcanist Roleplay

We know that Arcanists use geometries and other markings for their spells, so you may be able to go with something like that, but I've yet to see anything that would effectively make you dragon-like, which is what it looks like you're going for. ...there is the aevis route if your character is an Ishgardian with very "Ishgardian" blood, but I don't think people turn back once transforming.

Nebbs · **05-29-2016, 06:01 AM**

(05-29-2016, 12:51 AM)Kawaiimalz Wrote: So for a concept I am working with, I wanted to know if something like this was possible:

A form of Tattoo that is capable of allowing someone to tap into their inner Aether, usually someone who is incapable or otherwise inexperienced with it, to do limited and specific things based on the tattoo style/ink/method/etc? Like allowing for one's body to be more nuturally resistant, or to add an element to one's unarmed strikes that normally wouldn't be there?

Mayhaps by using ink mixed with ground up Crystals/materia? Or other such arts I'm just not aware of in the lore? And is there an extent to how far this could go, like could one actually gain the ability to breath lightning/fire? Or cast his body with tough scales like a dragon?

Asking for a character I may be making, with a story based around this concept~ Totally interested in both possibilities, as well as hindrances of doing this~

Hmm, well I'd start with little things that all seems fine to add to your character's flavour. Things like breathing fire starts to push it a bit for me. However, many have magic items that perform feats of some worth and so a tattoo would not be a problem in my book.

You could have the tattoo be one shot, need recharging after use or maybe gets charged when you use an Aetherite crystal.Â

For actual powers I'd consider looking at cross class skills, as these are already things folks can do in the mechanics. In this way the tattoo becomes your mechanism for using said skills, though you may have to get a bit creative. Example to toughen the body - see Stoneskin.

If you want to go further then maybe use this as the way they use all their skills. In this way the character is no different to others and you just change the way they activate their skills. Like a Summoner who uses his body as his tome, and text moves over his form (see the TV show Dominion for a nice reference).

In the end I would use this for flavour and not to add extra power-ups for your character. Put in some downsides, like times to activate, that he must be able to see them, is always taking their shirt off, and so on.

Kawaiimalz · **05-29-2016, 10:00 AM**

(05-29-2016, 02:20 AM)Unnamed Mercenary Wrote: If you have not already see them, these threads may be useful to you!

RP Idea: Is this too crazy? Feedback wanted!
Question on magic in battle
Arcanist Roleplay

We know that Arcanists use geometries and other markings for their spells, so you may be able to go with something like that, but I've yet to see anything that would effectively make you dragon-like, which is what it looks like you're going for. ...there is the aevis route if your character is an Ishgardian with very "Ishgardian" blood, but I don't think people turn back once transforming.

It was an example, not entirely what I am aiming for xD I was just coming up with single effects that could be invoked via the tattoos.

(05-29-2016, 06:01 AM)Nebbs Wrote:
(05-29-2016, 12:51 AM)Kawaiimalz Wrote: So for a concept I am working with, I wanted to know if something like this was possible:

A form of Tattoo that is capable of allowing someone to tap into their inner Aether, usually someone who is incapable or otherwise inexperienced with it, to do limited and specific things based on the tattoo style/ink/method/etc? Like allowing for one's body to be more nuturally resistant, or to add an element to one's unarmed strikes that normally wouldn't be there?

Mayhaps by using ink mixed with ground up Crystals/materia? Or other such arts I'm just not aware of in the lore? And is there an extent to how far this could go, like could one actually gain the ability to breath lightning/fire? Or cast his body with tough scales like a dragon?

Asking for a character I may be making, with a story based around this concept~ Totally interested in both possibilities, as well as hindrances of doing this~

Hmm, well I'd start with little things that all seems fine to add to your character's flavour. Things like breathing fire starts to push it a bit for me. However, many have magic items that perform feats of some worth and so a tattoo would not be a problem in my book.

You could have the tattoo be one shot, need recharging after use or maybe gets charged when you use an Aetherite crystal.Â

For actual powers I'd consider looking at cross class skills, as these are already things folks can do in the mechanics. In this way the tattoo becomes your mechanism for using said skills, though you may have to get a bit creative. Example to toughen the body - see Stoneskin.

If you want to go further then maybe use this as the way they use all their skills. In this way the character is no different to others and you just change the way they activate their skills. Like a Summoner who uses his body as his tome, and text moves over his form (see the TV show Dominion for a nice reference).

In the end I would use this for flavour and not to add extra power-ups for your character. Put in some downsides, like times to activate, that he must be able to see them, is always taking their shirt off, and so on.

Well, the main question for this was would it work for people who don't know how to use their own aether? Like, say giving a pugilist a tattoo that when triggered makes his punches have a lightning effect to them, while the Pugilist doesn't need to do much on his end besides whatever the trigger is.

Lutra · **05-29-2016, 10:40 AM**

My main character Rhesh'ir has a few tattoos for this exact purpose. He has trouble tapping into his aether in general, except under some special circumstances. The tattoo idea was suggested to him by another PC a year or so ago as a way for him to do so more successfully.Â

He got certain materials to create the ink, which is, as has been said, the way that arcanists make their geometries more potent, and such.

The tattoos themselves don't actually "power him up" in any way, as they just make it easier to access what is already there. That is just how I've chosen to play it, but I am sure you could do something a bit different to suit what you're going for. :)

Momo · **05-31-2016, 01:42 PM**

The question about Magical Tattoos has been discussed in those threads linked above. Some will give examples of it being done, but most say it would be harder to justify. If you like the idea, I say do it, but research those threads and come up with your own answers for those questions when someone asks them before, during, or after a battle RP, so that you aren't only able to say: "Because I want to."

Being confident and well studied in the idea, and having good explanations for it, are the best ways to get your RP across the divides we have in RP in our community. If you want to just say the "because." you are welcome to that too, but it becomes a thing that other RPers worry about (sometimes to ridiculous lengths mind you) that you may just say the same thing to anything proposed no matter how implausible it is.

Take that with the jaded grain of salt it was given in, and you will be fine!

Faye · **05-31-2016, 03:01 PM**

I've seen others do it before. Aetherical ink and symbols are used in the books for SCH/SMN iirc, so I don't see why it wouldn't be viable to do the same with tattoos on skin (but I'm also not well-versed in SCH/SMN lore).

Roger Holmes · **06-01-2016, 04:18 PM**

I would probably look through the threads people have posted so you can refine your idea even further, but I wanted to add a few personal opinions into the mix.

I think it's find if you use the runes to trigger your spells, as others have said it's nothing different from an arcanist doing it. However, you said that you are using the runes to tap into his power that he can't readily use on his own, so I don't think that it would make much sense if you were to 'buff' someone else with a rune and not have it an affect on neither their aether or your own. There has to be a price for gaining that power, be it from power from the runes (if you decide to go with powdered aether crystal Â route) or bestowing your aether to that person for them to gain that power.

You could always make your runes be charges. Like your character puts what little aether he can manage on his own into the rune, having it slowly grow from it until it becomes charged, then when he needs the power, unleash the rune to use said power.

Magic Tattoos?

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes