Mage Armor Tattoo?

[Jeff Nichols 787]

I hope I didn't post this twice. Phone is going to die soon going to make this Short. I ask confused about costs and other things, to the point can I make a tattoo that gives me Mage Armor and how much would it cost? Making a lv 6 Witch thanks

[Avoron]

Assuming you mean a permanently functioning mage armor, I believe it would cost 32,000 gp.

Ordinarily, a continuous first level spell in an item would cost 2,000 gp (spell level X caster level X 2000 gp).

However, in cases like these, you must compare the item to similar existing items. In this case, you must compare it to Bracers of Armor +4, which cost 16,000 gp for a +4 armor bonus and take up the wrists slot.

Since magical tattoos are priced as slotless magical items, the entire cost is doubled, for 32,000 gp.

You'd probably be better off just getting Bracers of Armor, assuming you can afford them.

Edit: That would be 32,000 gp to buy. 16,000 if you're making it yourself.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

Good news: You didn't post it twice.

Bad news: You posted it three times.

Good news: Yes you can, with GM cooperation. Magic tattoos are created using the Inscribe Magical Tattoo feat, which a 6th level witch could certainly have. Magical tattoos are treated as slotless wondrous items, which means you figure out the normal price of the item and then multiply by two. There isn't a pre-generated wondrous item that casts Mage armor, so you'd have to work with your GM and come up with one. You'd probably want it to be use activated and have a certain number of charges per day, or possibly to work like a wand and have a limited number of total charges, after which it needs to be re-created. Discuss it with your GM.

Bad news: Wands of mage armor are cheaper and probably more practical.

Good news: you can use the inscribe magical tattoo feat to create magic 'items' for your party that duplicate the important standard magical items, like belts of giant strength and headbands of mental superiority, but don't take up the standard slot, at the same cost as buying those items normally.

Bad news: this requires significant downtime, which may not be compatible with the planned campaign. Your GM may also think it's overpowered.

Good news: If sufficient downtime is available, and your GM lets you, this means that PCs can get the benefit of the standard, boring magical items, while having slots open for more unusual magical items, allowing more variety in gameplay. It's sometimes rather frustrating from a GM perspective to hand out interesting cloaks, gloves, etc. in the form of treasure to a party only to see them sold for GP value in order to pay for belts of +X, headbands of +X, cloaks of resistance +X, etc.

[Jeff Nichols 787]

Thanks didn't mean to post it 3 times. Was wondering how the charges would work. I'm seeing that it's treated as a WonderousItem so thought Maybe the effects acted as a belt of dex would.

[Claxon]

Avoron has a pretty correct guideline.

Assuming you want it as a permanent effect, you are making slotless bracers of armor. The magic item creation rules tell you to look at similar items first for pricing guidelines, before applying the other formulas. So a permanent mage armor effect as a slotless item will cost 32,000 gp.

Otherwise, you're probably just better off buying a wand of mage armor for 50 charges that last an hour each use for 750 gold.

Or, once you get to higher levels buy yourself a pearl of power. Once you are caster level 8 you can prepare a mage armor spell which will last the whole adventuring day and the pearl of power will let you cast any spell you prepared a second time, for only 1000 gold.

[thomas gock]

Kind of off topic. Would having magic items tatattooed on a monk with the vow of poverty violate the vow?

[Bob Bob Bob]

So it helps to post the text in question.

Vow of Poverty wrote:

Restriction: The monk taking a vow of poverty must never own more than six possessions—a simple set of clothing, a pair of sandals or shoes, a bowl, a sack, a blanket, and any one other item. Five of these items must be of plain and simple make, though one can be of some value (often an heirloom of great personal significance to the monk). The monk can never keep more money or wealth on his person than he needs to feed, bathe, and shelter himself for 1 week in modest accommodations. He cannot borrow or carry wealth or items worth more than 50 gp that belong to others. He is allowed to accept and use curative potions (or similar magical items where the item is consumed and is valueless thereafter) from other creatures.

Pretty sure a vow of poverty monk gets one tattoo (the "and any one other item"). Because it is an item, usually of significant value. It can be removed (painfully) and given (also painfully). This spell even means you can loot them.