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== Tabletop Games ==
* ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'' features a few options for functional body art.
** In ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' the tradition of [[The Magocracy|Thayan Red Wizards]] teaches [[Status Buff|personal enhancements]]<ref>like spell resistance, casting level and ability scores improvement</ref> via tattoo, usually on their faces or shaved heads. The spell "Create Enchanted Tattoo" (AD&D) / "Create Magic Tattoo" (D&D3) makes a temporary empowered tattoo, and can be made permanent like other spells. It requires at least ''some'' degree of tattoo skill. Quite often done on their shaved heads.▼
** Psionic users can create literal magic (well, psionic) tattoos.▼
*** 3e [[Forgotten Realms]] [[Sourcebook]] ''Lords of Darkness'' has Tattoo Magic as item creation feat (mostly, for Red Wizards) -- this variety holds an arbitrary low-level spell affecting the bearer, is touch-activated and counts as a magical item worn on the inscribed body part..▼
▲** In ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' the tradition of [[The Magocracy|Thayan Red Wizards]] teaches [[Status Buff|personal enhancements]]<ref>like spell resistance, casting level and ability scores improvement</ref> via tattoo, usually on their faces or shaved heads. The spell "Create Enchanted Tattoo" (AD&D) / "Create Magic Tattoo" (D&D3) makes a temporary empowered tattoo, and can be made permanent like other spells. It requires at least ''some'' degree of tattoo skill.
** ''[[Birthright]]'' has a tradition in Vos, where tattoos are common (though some neighbours learned the art too) of spell tattoos enchanted by the priests, that allow to give a low-level spell to someone else, who may activate it later. The tattoo itself may be reused by casting Tattoo Magic and the same charge spell again. Of course, the priests tend to be cagey at best about letting out of their hands the magic which gods entrusted to them and for which hold ''them'' responsible - and priests in Vos are even more jealous about their powers than most - so a spell tattoo is given only to a devout follower of the priest's deity (or rarely of a close ally thereof), and even then considered a big favour or award, thus having one implies the wearer's high status as well.
** The ''Al-Qadim'' spell Tattoo of Power allows the caster to make a single-use tattoo with another spell—just like writing a magical scroll, but implanted in the skin and discharged by touch and command word instead of reading; also requires the caster learn tattooing as such.
▲** 3e [[Forgotten Realms]] [[Sourcebook]] ''Lords of Darkness'' has Tattoo Magic as item creation feat (mostly, for Red Wizards) -- this variety holds an arbitrary low-level spell affecting the bearer, is touch-activated and counts as a magical item worn on the inscribed body part.
** Dragonmarks in ''[[Eberron]]''. Well, halfway between Power Tattoo and [[Good Scars, Evil Scars]].
** Not to mention the new Spellscarred option in Forgotten Realms 4e, those affected by the spellplague (but not completely monster-ized) usually have the spellscar somewhere on the body. It tends to glow with blue fire when activated.
** AD&D2 illithid lore introduced "psionic seals" created via Imprint Psionic Circuitry power, inscriptions looking ([[Invisible to Normals|for psi-sensitive creatures]]) much like exotic tattoos. These can be put on inanimate objects or living creatures, or even be made transferable, and like other psionic circuitry, are pre-programmed and fairly self-sufficient. A psionic seal may grant an ability that activates automatically without spending the host's own power (it slowly recharges on its own), allow to remotely check on the location and state (physical and mental) of a valuable thrall, or contain instructions revealed in specific circumstances.
** There's
** 3rd Edition supplement ''Relics & Rituals''. Tattoo magic allows useful tattoos to be implanted into the user's skin and activated as needed. They include Chardun's Might (+4 to Strength and Dexterity), Coreans' Forge (''Stoneskin'' spell on user) and Dragon (gain a dragon's breath weapon attack).
▲** In D&D3 Psionic users can create literal magic (well, psionic) tattoos.
* Caste marks appear on the foreheads of all Celestial ''[[Exalted]]'' if they spend peripheral Essence.
* Sample character Kane Taoka in ''[[Scion]]'' has birthright tattoos, put on his body by the Titan Mikaboshi. One of them is a dragon he can summon at will, and two more are wings.
* [[Portmanteau|Electoos]] from ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' - it's a little unclear exactly what they can do. Sometimes they are simple rank identifiers (including covert ones, as the user can make them glow or turn off), whilst other authors use them as remote access keys, or even cybernetic circuitry.
** There are named specific skin implants. Limited to tech-priests and ubiquitous among them are: Electoo Inductors - small skin grafts used as recharging ports for lesser devices (as opposed to optional and high-powered Potentia Coil implants); Electro-graft - data port wired directly into nervous system, some are made in the form of electoo. "Consumer" types include Skinplant - a complete low powered non-mechanical device (like electronic key, lamplight or chronometer) and Vehicle Interface Circuitry - rare implants in the hands that allow to interface (for basic diagnostics and better control) to any vehicle that got the other half built in, without suffering the inconveniences associated with cranial ports and plugged cables.
* In ''[[Demon: The Fallen]]'', a tattoo that you can change at will is something humans have been known to make a [[Deal with the Devil]] to obtain.
== Video Games ==
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