As per Elric's suggetion, I've started a new Tattoo's "only" discussion thread so as to not have this very cool topic lost in the shuffle of the other thread.

I agree that different classes would (should?) have a different # of tats allowed..but I can see a little bit of an issue with doing that.

An evil knight (or cleric, for that matter) wouldn't really give a flip as to what they looked like. In fact, I would say that if an evil (insert class) could get a fearsome looking tat on their face to inspire fear in their enemies, I believe they would do so in a heart beat. A good knight/cleric, would definitely not wish to deface themeselves very much.

I just don't know how we could balance the alignment/class issue with the # (maybe even type?) of tattoo that you could get…especially since alignment can be fluid (though most people don't seem to change that much, in all actuality).

I also don't know which would be better: doing "slots" kind of like implants, or putting the tat on the "affects" on either the Score or Att screen.

I like the idea of being able to look at someone and see their tats. Something like:

You look at Panzer and see: a tattoo of a heavily armored tank on his right wrist a tattoo of an black Iron Cross inscribed with the words: Si vis pacem para bellum

Balance is definitely a must!!

I also agree with the idea that Barbs should be given the ability to "ink" people. I think that Rangers may even be granted that ability..though perhaps either at a higher level, or greater generation.

Maybe there can be different generations/levels of tattoo ability..?

All this talk of tattoos makes me think of a race from the old Talislanta game.

If memory serves correct…one of the races of the Talislanta RPG was a magically created race. The thing about them was that all the males looked the exact same as every other male and all the females looked exactly alike as well. To distinguish each other, they tattooed their entire bodies in different designs, colors, patterns, etc. so that they were all unique, in their own way. I believe that P.D. Breeding-Black was the artist that did the most work on them. Very cool stuff.

Anyways…let's discuss!! :)

It is entirely possible that a good cleric would want to have tattoos. Tattoos of thier holy symbols, their god(dess), etc … Depending on how tattoos were done - I think the use of +class and +race flags would be acceptable - just treat them as objects that can be "applied" to a person's skin by someone with the right skill.

Basically just like implants. :P

Elric's Post from other thread….

Hmm, maybe we could get the tattoo part of this thread moved out so it doesn't get disregarded? :p I didn't specifically comment on all classes and the likelyhood of them using tattoos, I just tried to go from one potential extreme to the other. A knight at one end may not use a lot of them, as traditionally they associate with the nobility and the nobility would likely look down on such a barbaric concept as permently disfiguring your body. A barbarian at the other end wouldn't give a stuff and would possibly in fact have MORE social standing in his society based on the number of tattoos he has.

Forget about 'em as an 'item' as such, and have them as permenant enhancements specifically for classes that would use 'em.

For example. Mage goes and gets a tattoo that gives a benefit. He pays 1 life point (or more, whatever this is all hypothetical) and gets a permenant boost of 1 damroll for example. This is then his for 'life' (You could have this removed upon death or it could stay a permenant boost, I think it all comes down to a balance issue. How much it costs to get the tattoo, how much of a benefit it gives, etc etc etc)

I personally think Barbarians should / could be given a skillset to scribe tattoos upon themselves much as anyone can use implants but only cyborgs can implant themselves / pay no penalty for implanting.

I'm familiar with the tattoo warriors of rifts ;) I just reckon we could use and abuse that idea to boost barbarians, a class that imho has needed more skills for almost as long as tempus has been around :P

I agree though that others can and would use tattoos, the only reason I'm wanting a limit based on classes is for balances sake.

Please read the post fully before replying, and if you need clarification on any of the points, please ask. I'm getting a little tired of people not reading the post, and thereby necessitating another post from me to point out that if they had read it in the first place…

A possible solution, (which would involve a lot of coding to tweak) would be to have different classes / races / social ranks react differently to the tattooee.

For example. Bob is heavily tattooed. He goes to visit the ogres and they treat him with a great deal of respect. Bob comes into Modrian and the Holy defenders and city guards regard Bob with a great deal of scepticism because of the way he looks.

You could actually have a use for CHA! You introduce what in D&D they call situational modifiers. You would effectively get CHA bonuses for your 'fearsome' appearance in some situations. Others would give you no bonuses, still others would give you penalties. Essentially if you have a high 'effective CHA' (modified by the situational modifiers) the mobs would treat you better. IE less likelyhood of attacking you out of hand for instance. Maybe they might give you better prices at stores and conversely buy items for a better price. Obviously if you attack them CHA goes right out the window, but you get what I mean I hope?

Essentially I'm saying that in different social settings the amount of tattoos a character has should impact their 'effective CHA' which would change the way the mobs in different areas / cities react with the character. This would achieve, I feel, a balancing aspect to the tattoo question.

What I'm also suggesting is a use for the Charisma attribute :p

What?!

A use for Charisma?!?!

You speak with forked tongue!!

In all honesty, I've always been surprised that Charisma wasn't ever a factor in buying/selling stuff. I've always thought it should be.

I thought maybe I could attack this topic slightly differently.

How about Barbarians get a skillset that allows them to use tattoo's on themselves and they 'wear off' or 'get damaged' so that they need to be re-applied. (Essentially spells I guess).

Then you have tattoos that could be purchased with qpoints which would be permenant. Anyone could use these. Whatcha think about that?

That's a very good idea ;)

Since Panzer at least thinks this is a good idea ;)

Why don't we try and come up with some suitable tattoos for a barbarian?

Hmm..barbarian tattoos…

level 5 - 10: "Bear Paws" (on hand) grant +1 str

"Coyote's Feet" (on feet) grant +1 dex +10 sneak

"Owl's Eyes" (on eyes) grant infra/night vision

"The Sun" (usable anywhere) provides light

Level 11-20: "Eagle Feather" (arms or back) grants flight

"Derg Corra" (the man in the tree) (chest or back) grants +1 Int http://www.irelandsown.net/thetree.html

"Tree of Life" (back or chest) grants +1 con http://www.seeekers.net/Celtic/Tree_Tree-of-life_plants.htm

Level 21 - 30: http://www.stevenforrest.com/runes.html

"Eihwaz" (wrist or arms) grants -20 to AC

"Tiwaz" (chest or back) grants Haste and +3 Damage

Level 35 http://www.stevenforrest.com/runes.html

"Uruz" (legs or arms) grants +1 con +1 Strength and +75 move

Just some fun ideas.

I like a lot of those ideas. I think it might be better if we could keep the tattoo's of naturally occurring things, animals / plants.

As such, I'm going to take your ideas and modify them a little Panzer, hope ya don't mind ;)

Level 5: "The Sun" (usable anywhere) provides light

Level 10: "Bear" (on hand) grant +1 str

Level 15: "Coyote" (on feet) grant +1 dex +10 sneak

Level 20: "Turtle" (on back) grant -20 AC

Level 25: "Eagle" (on arms) grants flight

Level 30: "Owl" (on eyes) grants truesight

Level 35: "Hare" (on wrist) grants haste or adds +speed

Level 40: "Ant" (on wrist) grants the barbarian the discipline to avoid attacking friends, even when berserk. (I was trying to think of an animal that embodies discipline, Ant was the best I could come up with :P)

Level 45: "Badger" (on face) additional +1 damroll every 2 gens (so a total of +5 dam at gen 10) while berserk

The levels could / should be played with to balance.

I don't mind at all :)

I threw out the more "tribal", Celtic, etc tattoos because not all would have to necessarily be animalistic in nature. Many "primative" cultures used tattoos that weren't necessarily natural or nature related.

A few great examples are the Samoan and Maori tattoos: http://www.samoa.co.uk/tattoos.html http://www.oceania-ethnographica.com/nz17.html

Why just barbs? Other classes should be givin tatooes, but in different respects. Ex: Bob the barbarian's tatoo's would relfect his animalistic nature, and so it would be tatoos in the form of animals that would help him. But, as a Knight of the unholy faith, Mordriar might want tatoo's of a much different caliber - ie Depictions of war, death, or other such things. Some of these tatoo's may be shared with the Evil cleric, whilst others will be different. And perhaps the Ranger of the woods would have his own set of tattoos, regarding nature such as trees, beautiful vistas or perhaps some animals as well. Obviously, not all classes should have tattoos that benefit them, (a borg obviously cant, it wouldnt make sense), but i'm sure plenty of classes could - a man of the faith should most certainly be able to have insignas reflecting his trust in his god.

(^) IMHO (^) Just tell me if it sux : P

Why just barbs?

If you read one of my earlier posts in this thread, you will see that I've said allow tattoos to be purchasable with quest points for any of the other classes. Barbarians need a helping hand with some skills or spell-like abilities to make them a more worthwhile class, and tattoo-ing seems to suit them. So… I agree with everything you've posted. I just did it in a shorter manner ;)

Thx Elric : )! Always a pleasure to read someones oppinion that is neither to critical or idiotic. Luckily, Hans hasnt visited this chatboard as of yet ; p

Well Hans has been purged finally so i have to spread my hate through smack, all i wanna say is HAHA i posted on this chatboard :)

o dear lord…..hans and smack are one and the same? and hes posted here? NOOOOO!

Time and space collapse and you fall into a populated chatboard. You see posts about tatoos, barbarians, and idiots named Craedric. Hans (or a psuedonym of his) Stands here, waiting for his next victim. …He is surrounded by an aura of stupidity and ruins everything.

I would get a tat on my turtle shell. Perhaps one for each section. Good idea.

• wish *

Hey craedric, youre a trip. LOL

Yep. Smack has most certainly left hs mark on this chatboard. God bless me for my arrogance, but would someone PLEASE shut that asshat up! He just supplies a level of arrogance not even I could bring about! I mean, "Your a trip"? What is that? Better yet, what does it MEAN?!

it just means that youre funny. and youre the asshat, asshat!

I think the whole tattoo idea is cool, but I really wouldn't like to see them for all classes, because it seems to me that this is just like adding another equipment position. I mean it really wouldn't be any different than if they made a ring position for every finger and every toe or equipment for elbows, knees, and ankles.

And while I think this really would be best for barbarians, I wish they could be more unique, because they would essentially just be spells for barbs. (I can't really think of anything unique that they would do).