Barbarian - Armor Tattoos [Archive] - Wizards Community

Barbarian - Armor Tattoos [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
malignor
03-19-05, 03:09 AM I made up a barbarian, named Llormar the Wild.

Background: As a child, he ran away from his burning village (past unknown) and fled into the swamp. He happened upon a small fire pit and a strange war club resting against a tree. There he curled up next to the still warm embers and fell asleep. He was awakened by the owner of the war-club, a big blonde celtic guy (braided beard & moustache, blue war paint from head to toe). The savage adopted the child and tutored him on the path of the survivalist barbarian, by example and without a word. After a few years the guy said only one thing... "We are Llormar". The (now man) woke up alone with the war-club. He tattooed himself like his mentor, took up the war club and ventured out of the swamp to find his past, and his future. Little did he know that "Llormar" was the name of the tribe, now long dead. Little did he know that his mentor was a ghost who was doomed in undeath until he could pass on the tribe's tradition and spirit...

Appearance: Llormar is not a big guy like you'd expect. He's all but hairless, covered in blue tattoos and runs around in a loincloth with his masterwork greatclub. The club looks like a totem pole with a handle, and the mouths on the faces are carved in such a way that the club makes an eerie moaning sound when swung.

Question: I'd prefer if Llormar never donned armor. I'm wondering of there's any way his tattoos could provide him some defensive ability, one that could improve with his level. Any ideas? Official feats I may have overlooked?
Harrow Blade
03-19-05, 05:47 AM A few Ideas I had concerning Llormar and his ghostly mentor.

Perhaps the silent mentor was not only a member of the tribe but the chief shaman, responsible for the tribe to thier totem spirit. Instead of leaving when Llormar became a man and finished his learning he gave up his chance of a peaceful afterlife to gaurd the boy he had grown to love as his own. He imbued the power of his spirit into the body of Llormar manifesting as the blue tattoos that are the markings of his long dead tribe.

Something to talk to your DM about is getting the Tattoos to act as magical items. Perhaps your character sacrifices magical items/gold/xp (or a combination there of) to the totem spirit and in return is granted a share of the power.
Example: Llormar and his new friends have just vanquished thier enemies and are dividing the spoils. Llormar ends up with a suit of +2 chainmail as well as some gold and other non magical items. Having no use for the armour he decides to offer it up to his Totem Spirit. He goes about building a bonfire all the while chanting under his breath finally he lays the suit on the pyre and lights it. For the 2 hours that it burns Llormar dances around the fire in the way he was shown by his mentor until the fire is nothing but warm ash and the armour is gone, not even metal slag, he is exhusted. He coats every inch of his body in the ash and sleeps. When he wakes the tattos have moved, taken a life of thier own and he is now subject to a permanent mage armour effect.

Another suggestion is a trade in sacrificed items/xp for natural armour. It is an issue that you will have to work out with your DM. Perhaps a home brew feat or even prestige class may come of it.

Here is how I see Llormar

Before you stands a man, muscles like corded rope pulled tight over his whip lean body. He wears nothing but a loin cloth but your eyes are drawn to the shimmering blue tattoos that emanate from over his heart to cover his body in thier twisting knotted design. They seem almost alive with an energy of thier own, looking at them is like watching a winter river surge beneath a thin layer of ice threatening to burst free at any moment. Held lightly over his shoulder is an intricately carved greatclub that emits a soft eerie,moaning in the wind. Above all this his eyes, like blue ice stare defiant at you, unblinking in his proud face.
Morka
03-19-05, 02:08 PM Check the 3.5 Psionics. If you don't have the book, it is summarized in the SRD (see my sig.).
The psionics offer magic tattoos that work like potions in Arcane & Divine magic. Basically, they are living tattoos, that can move on your body. When you "wish" to use one, it disappear and the power is used.

Check also in Crystal Keep (see my sig for the link), there is a large amount of Prestige Classes summarized, both 3.0 and 3.5. Perhaps a few ones could inspire you. I know there is a class called the Tattooed Monk, a monk with many magical tattoos.
Nor'Morgwae
03-20-05, 02:40 AM I'm not sure what you consider "official" but Arcana Unearthed (The Malhavok Press book, not to be confused with the WotC's Unearthed Arcana) has 2 feats that add Natural Armor as well as a feat that let's you gain a tatoo that grants you the use of a single spell once per day. I think you can get AU as a PDF pretty cheap.
Rathis Darkwielder
03-20-05, 12:16 PM You could of course also try to convince your DM to use the level-based AC varient from Unearthed Arcana (the WotC book).
Purpledragonfire
03-20-05, 01:21 PM Not a feat but i believe in the dragonlance book the brutes the knights use (big blue painted barbarians ala picts/celts) have magic paint.... gives armour and some other stuff thought it would suit well and keep the flavour as i said not a tattoo or feat but gives what u want (armour) whilst keeping a cool character flavour
malignor
03-26-05, 08:27 AM Actually, my DM allowed each of us an "heirloom" that gains power as we do. It can't be a weapon, so I chose my "ink stone" which I use to make my tattoos by scraping my skin with it.

I hope that it'll give me stuff like damage reduction or natural armor. We'll see, I guess.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
malignor 03-19-05, 03:09 AM	I made up a barbarian, named Llormar the Wild. Background: As a child, he ran away from his burning village (past unknown) and fled into the swamp. He happened upon a small fire pit and a strange war club resting against a tree. There he curled up next to the still warm embers and fell asleep. He was awakened by the owner of the war-club, a big blonde celtic guy (braided beard & moustache, blue war paint from head to toe). The savage adopted the child and tutored him on the path of the survivalist barbarian, by example and without a word. After a few years the guy said only one thing... "We are Llormar". The (now man) woke up alone with the war-club. He tattooed himself like his mentor, took up the war club and ventured out of the swamp to find his past, and his future. Little did he know that "Llormar" was the name of the tribe, now long dead. Little did he know that his mentor was a ghost who was doomed in undeath until he could pass on the tribe's tradition and spirit... Appearance: Llormar is not a big guy like you'd expect. He's all but hairless, covered in blue tattoos and runs around in a loincloth with his masterwork greatclub. The club looks like a totem pole with a handle, and the mouths on the faces are carved in such a way that the club makes an eerie moaning sound when swung. Question: I'd prefer if Llormar never donned armor. I'm wondering of there's any way his tattoos could provide him some defensive ability, one that could improve with his level. Any ideas? Official feats I may have overlooked?
Harrow Blade 03-19-05, 05:47 AM	A few Ideas I had concerning Llormar and his ghostly mentor. Perhaps the silent mentor was not only a member of the tribe but the chief shaman, responsible for the tribe to thier totem spirit. Instead of leaving when Llormar became a man and finished his learning he gave up his chance of a peaceful afterlife to gaurd the boy he had grown to love as his own. He imbued the power of his spirit into the body of Llormar manifesting as the blue tattoos that are the markings of his long dead tribe. Something to talk to your DM about is getting the Tattoos to act as magical items. Perhaps your character sacrifices magical items/gold/xp (or a combination there of) to the totem spirit and in return is granted a share of the power. Example: Llormar and his new friends have just vanquished thier enemies and are dividing the spoils. Llormar ends up with a suit of +2 chainmail as well as some gold and other non magical items. Having no use for the armour he decides to offer it up to his Totem Spirit. He goes about building a bonfire all the while chanting under his breath finally he lays the suit on the pyre and lights it. For the 2 hours that it burns Llormar dances around the fire in the way he was shown by his mentor until the fire is nothing but warm ash and the armour is gone, not even metal slag, he is exhusted. He coats every inch of his body in the ash and sleeps. When he wakes the tattos have moved, taken a life of thier own and he is now subject to a permanent mage armour effect. Another suggestion is a trade in sacrificed items/xp for natural armour. It is an issue that you will have to work out with your DM. Perhaps a home brew feat or even prestige class may come of it. Here is how I see Llormar Before you stands a man, muscles like corded rope pulled tight over his whip lean body. He wears nothing but a loin cloth but your eyes are drawn to the shimmering blue tattoos that emanate from over his heart to cover his body in thier twisting knotted design. They seem almost alive with an energy of thier own, looking at them is like watching a winter river surge beneath a thin layer of ice threatening to burst free at any moment. Held lightly over his shoulder is an intricately carved greatclub that emits a soft eerie,moaning in the wind. Above all this his eyes, like blue ice stare defiant at you, unblinking in his proud face.
Morka 03-19-05, 02:08 PM	Check the 3.5 Psionics. If you don't have the book, it is summarized in the SRD (see my sig.). The psionics offer magic tattoos that work like potions in Arcane & Divine magic. Basically, they are living tattoos, that can move on your body. When you "wish" to use one, it disappear and the power is used. Check also in Crystal Keep (see my sig for the link), there is a large amount of Prestige Classes summarized, both 3.0 and 3.5. Perhaps a few ones could inspire you. I know there is a class called the Tattooed Monk, a monk with many magical tattoos.
Nor'Morgwae 03-20-05, 02:40 AM	I'm not sure what you consider "official" but Arcana Unearthed (The Malhavok Press book, not to be confused with the WotC's Unearthed Arcana) has 2 feats that add Natural Armor as well as a feat that let's you gain a tatoo that grants you the use of a single spell once per day. I think you can get AU as a PDF pretty cheap.
Rathis Darkwielder 03-20-05, 12:16 PM	You could of course also try to convince your DM to use the level-based AC varient from Unearthed Arcana (the WotC book).
Purpledragonfire 03-20-05, 01:21 PM	Not a feat but i believe in the dragonlance book the brutes the knights use (big blue painted barbarians ala picts/celts) have magic paint.... gives armour and some other stuff thought it would suit well and keep the flavour as i said not a tattoo or feat but gives what u want (armour) whilst keeping a cool character flavour
malignor 03-26-05, 08:27 AM	Actually, my DM allowed each of us an "heirloom" that gains power as we do. It can't be a weapon, so I chose my "ink stone" which I use to make my tattoos by scraping my skin with it. I hope that it'll give me stuff like damage reduction or natural armor. We'll see, I guess.