As it says in the subject line, this is about Inscribe Magical Tattoo, and Custom Item Creation.
Alright let me start. I am NOT trying to break game balance, if not I would have just chosen a normal Item creation feat. Here's my explanation of it.
This feat specifies that it is automatically double the cost of the item, although slotless, and can also be damaged. So double whammy for price balance issues. That being said, I am in a low-wealth campaign added to the fact that we have a large group totaling at 6 players. So even though i do not want to effect game balance, I chose an item creation feat so that I would be able to in fact you know create items, and have access to them sooner, or not have to rely on a premade Adventure path to get the gear thats apporpriate to my class. Also many items have a high cost related to it, and also a failed check means the item is lost.
That being said, the question about IMT is how do you actually create the tattoos in the most cost efficient manner possible?
Firstly
I'm going to add that even though you do double the base price of any item, seeing as you cannot trade/sell the tattoo, you "restrict" the tattoo to the wearer, and thusly decrease the overall price of the tattoo. Here's why :
Alignment restrictions drop the est price of an item by 30%. Add another 10% discount if the item is use related, and you have a high skill choice. I.E. requires a spellcraft check, DC 10 + Spell level if it is emulating a spell effect, if not the effect is wasted for the day.
So now we are at a 40% discount from the base item BEFORE the double price, with an appropriate skill use. Awesome! So long as it works like this. I do not know if it doesn't, and please do not bash me if my math or reasoning is off, im just trying to get a feel for how it works, and how to use it best to my advantadge. :)
An example of an item I am trying to make
Cloak of Body and Mind (Slot - "slotless" BUT "drawn on shoulders") Tattoo is drawn with two opposing symbols, one representing "Body" on one shoulder and "Mind" on the other. This tattoo brings balance to the bearers mind, and enchances the bearers body in the form of a +1 to +5 insight bonus on all saving throws (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will).
Cost of item with example
Save bonus (other) = Bonus squared x 2,000 gp.
+1^2 x 2000gp = 2000gp x2 = 4000gp
+2^2 x 2000gp = 4000gp x2 = 8000gp
+3^2 x 2000gp = 16000gp x2 = 32000gp
+4^2 x 2000gp = 20000gp x2 = 40000gp
+5^2 x 2000gp = 25000gp x2 = 50000gp
With the Discount of it being individually restricted, and hence not being able to sell it.
+1^2 x 2000gp = 2000gp x 30% discount = 1400gp applying the x2 for being slotless comes out to a total of 2800gp. Still costing more than buying the original item on the market.
Please dont critisize the item description to harshly :P I was just trying to give it some flavor. Im getting really into this whole magic ink thing, and really thinking of even it being sentient as in like a field would show the blades of grass actually moving is a pretty cool idea. :)
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Your call, bro. But, if you call it ridiculous by RAW and then use it anyway, it's tough to give credence to, "...I'm not trying to break game..."
Seems to me that in a world that adheres to this RAW, that the baddy's with magic items would all have alignment-restricted versions, which would increase their gear load-out and leave the PCs with a poor selection of treasure.
But, I guess that's a discussion for a different forum.
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I wasn't commenting on the discount thing, just correcting the maths.
On the subject of the discount, if I was DM I would not give a discount to create a tattoo like that. Only the tattoo'd creature can use it, so the idea that you'd get a discount by making it harder for others to use it (when they can't use it anyway) is not a meaningful restriction.
Well I'm an asshat for not checking my math. It was late and I was tired, but still no excuse... and now its so long ago I cant edit it :/
Anyways thanks malachai for that
So new prices are as follows
+1=2000gp
+2=8000gp
+3=18000gp
+4=32000gp
+5=50000gp
and now you can double them for being slotless.
Anyways back to the topic at hand.
From the general concensus Im reading that you cannot apply any restrictions, other than say requres a skill to use, which only gives a 10% discount, to the tattoos? That seems a rather harsh cost. Hers my reasoning as to why.
You are all correct that RAI and RAW, must work in conjuction. Do you all really deem the above accurate? To my knowledge when one option is clearly shined out by an opposing option, its not RAI. An Ioun stone can be destroyed, but it can also be SOLD. Tattoos are a big nope.
The thing about the double discount I dont know.
Again, not trying to destroy game balance, but still trying to make my magical tattoos a viable option. You can't really sell tattoos because for every 1000g you need 4 hours of work, if accelerated, making it very impractical to sell in say a city. It just seems my math is wrong somehwere, or maybe I'm using the wrong formula? Can anyone elaborate on this further?
Thanks everyone for your posts. Trying to get my head around this. :)
anyone?
Alright, so here are the final results as per our own house rule in case anyone stumbles across this thread, that has the Inscribe magical Tattoo feat. This is how it is originally.
Item 1 Market Price is 1000g, and takes a slot.
Item 3(tattoo) Market Price is 2000g, and is slotless.
Item 2 Market Price is 2000g, and is slotless.
Item 1s Cost to Craft is 500g.
Item 3(tattoo) Cost to Craft is 1000g.
Item 2s Cost to Craft is 1000g.
Item 1, and 2 can both be sold at a market value of half their market price. Item 3 cannot be resold after initial application.
By this logic, the cost to craft an Ioun Stone, and a Magical Tattoo is the same. An Ioun stone can be resold. Tattoos cannot be resold after application.
Item 3 (tattoo) is slotless, but cannot be resold once applied. Hence, tattoo has restricted use*, that cannot be stacked with other restrictions, such as Class or Alignment restrictions, but can be still be stacked with traits as well as skill use restrictions.
*Just like class, and alignments are considered restrictions Inscribed Magical Tattoo has the restriction that encompasses the bearer of the tattoo, as the sole user of the tattoo. Thus resulting in a 30% discount.
So adding a magical tattoo to prices comes too...
Item 1 Market Price is 1000g and takes a slot
Item 3 Market Price is 1000g -30% = 700g x 2 for slotless = 1400g.
Item 2 Market Price is 2000g and is slotless.
The exception to the price restriction reduction.
** The Price for restricted tattoos, does not alter the original price of a Spell Tattoo. It is clearly written "A spell tattoo has a market price four times as much as an equivalent scroll." Pricing for Spell Tattoos are thus calculated as a scroll of equal caster level, and spell level multiplied by four. Alignment/Class/Tattoo Restrictions do not apply.
Again this is the final decision we came to on this particular Item Creation Feat, and all items that are to be created must still be under GM approval, and following all other guidelines for Magic Item Creation. Our table believes this is further in line with RAI, not necessarily RAW, due to the cheese that can be applied if one where in fact allowed an item at over 60% discount from market value.
If anyone has any further questions or contributions feel free to post I will respond as promptly as possible. Thanks again to all who contriubted to this thread.
Just a final post. It was noted that there was a Level 1 Spell known as Transfer tattoo. This spell allows for the sale of a magical tattoo. Thus it was concluded that the 30% price reduction restriction was no longer required.
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Tattoos don't take up the slots. They can be placed in the same slot as another magic item. The limitation is that you can't put two tattoos in the same slot.
From Inner Sea Magic, p. 16 Inscribe Magical Tattoo feat:
Magic tattoos must be placed on a part of the body normally able to hold a magic item slot, but they do not count against or interfere with magic items worn on these slots. A single slot can only hold one magical tattoo (nonmagical tattoos and tattoos acquired from the tattooed sorcerer archetype do not count against this limit). Tattoos may be inscribed on the following slots: belt, body, chest, feet, hands, head, neck, shoulder, ring (up to two), or wrist. They cannot be inscribed on armor, eye, headband, or shield slots.
(emphasis mine)
They do not use up your magic item slots, and so they count as slotless, even though they have a limitation to themselves that is similar to magic item slots.
Magic tattoo says it takes special ink that cost 500gp. Does the ink have a one time use or multiple uses?