Magic Tattoos
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything represents the first official tattoo rules for fifth edition. This documents now serves to summarizes those rules, provide a few alternatives where the author felt prudent, and expands to provide an additional method of tattooing creatures via a custom background. New tattoos are also provided.
Homebrew rules and tattoos. Additional rules and items beyond what’s provided in the official fifth edition rule books is noted with an ‘HB’ superscript at the end of the title.
Tattoos as a Magic Item
There are two basic types of magic tattoos, permanent magic tattoos that give permanent or recurring benefits and temporary “spellwrought” tattoos that have one-use spell effects.
Once inscribed on a creature’s body, damage or injury doesn’t impair the tattoo’s function, even if the tattoo is defaced. When applying a magic tattoo, a creature can customize the tattoo’s appearance. A magic tattoo can look like a brand, scarification, a birthmark, patterns of scale, or any other cosmetic alteration.
The rarer a magic tattoo is, the more space it occupies on a creature’s skin. The Magic Tattoo Coverage table offers guidelines for how large a given tattoo is.
Magic Tattoo Coverage
Common |
One hand or foot or quarter of a limb |
Uncommon |
Half a limb or the scalp |
Rare |
One limb |
Very Rare |
Two limbs or the chest or upper back |
Legendary |
Two limbs and the torso |
Tattoo Rarity Area Covered
Magic Tattoo Coverage: Alternate RuleHB
The following two charts attempt to present the official coverage rules in an alternate format, without increasing the total number of tattoos allowed. This system assigns segment values to body parts and segment requirements to the various tattoo rarities.
Magic Tattoo Coverage (Alternate)
Tattoo Rarity Segments Required
Common |
1 |
Uncommon |
2 |
Rare |
4 |
Very Rare |
8 |
Legendary |
24 |
Body Segment Chart
Body Part Segments Available
Hand/Foot |
1 |
Scalp |
2 |
Limb |
4 |
Back |
8 |
Chest |
8 |
Variant: Magic Tattoo CoverageHB In addition to the official coverage rules, Loxodon trunks and lizardfolk tails can count as an additional limb. |
Magic Tattoos, Permanent Items
All permanent magic tattoos require attunement and have the same attunement process.
Tattoo Attunement. To attune to this item, you hold the needle to your skin where you want the tattoo to appear, pressing the needle there throughout the attunement process. When the attunement is complete, the needle turns into the ink that becomes the tattoo, which appears on the skin. If your attunement to the tattoo ends, the tattoo vanishes, and the needle reappears in the closest unoccupied space to you.
Absorbing Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo features designs that emphasize one color.
Damage Resistance. While the tattoo is on your skin, you have resistance to a type of damage associated with that color, as shown on the table below. The DM chooses the color or determines it randomly.
d10 Damage Type Color
1 Acid |
Green |
2 Cold |
Blue |
3 Fire |
Red |
4 Force |
White |
5 Lightning |
Yellow |
6 Necrotic |
Black |
7 Poison |
Violet |
8 Psychic |
Silver |
9 Radiant |
Gold |
10 Thunder Orange
Damage Absorption. When you take damage of the chosen type, you can use your reaction to gain immunity against that instance of the damage, and you regain a number of hit points equal to half the damage you would have taken. Once this reaction is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Ability Tattoo (Unique) HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), vary rare (requires attunement) Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo quotes the phrase “Citius, Altius, Fortius”.
Ability Increase. This tattoo increases one of your ability scores (determined when the needle was created) by 2. You can only have one ability tattoo on your body.
Barrier Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), rarity varies (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo depicts protective imagery and uses ink that resembles liquid metal.
Protection. While you aren’t wearing armor, the tattoo grants you an Armor Class depending on the tattoo’s rarity, as shown below. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Rarity AC
Uncommon |
12 + your Dexterity modifier |
Rare 15 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of +2)
Very Rare |
18 |
Rule Tip: AC Calculations Don’t Stack
When the game gives you more than one way to calculate your Armor Class, you can use only one of them. You choose the one to use.
Bolt Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo appears as a series of crossbow bolts circling your arm. This tattoo has 3 charges, and it regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
Ranged Attack. When placed on one arm, you can use an action to expend a charge to attack an object or creature by pointing your arm at the target, firing a crossbow bolt that materializes in front of your arm. The attack is treated as an attack with a hand crossbow and the tattoo provides you proficiency with hand crossbows.
Blood Fury Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), legendary (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo evokes fury in its form and colors.
Bloodthirsty Strikes. This tattoo has 10 charges, and it regains all expended charges daily at dawn. While this tattoo is on your skin, you gain the following benefits:
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend a charge to deal an extra 4d6 necrotic damage to the target, and you regain a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
When a creature you can see damages you, you can expend a charge and use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature, with advantage on your attack roll.
Camouflage Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo appears as a small camouflage pattern colored to a specific environment (arctic, coastal, desert, forest, grassland, hill, indoor, mountain, swamp, Underdark, underwater, or urban), determined when the needle was created. The tattoo can be used once per day, recharging at dawn.
Camouflage. As an action, you can trigger the tattoo to spread out across your body and carried possessions, providing you advantage on visual stealth checks for 10 minutes.
The indoor environment includes such locations as house and castle interiors, regardless of the environmental location of the building.
Coiling Grasp Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), uncommon (requires attunement) Produced by a magic needle, this magic tattoo has long intertwining desing.s
Grasping Tendrils. While the tattoo is on your skin, you can, as an action, cause the tattoo to extrude into inky tendrils, which reach for a creature you can see within 15 feet of you.
The creature must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or take 3d6 force damage and be grappled by you. As an action, the creature can escape the grapple by succeeding on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The grapple also ends if you halt it (no action required), if the creature is ever more than 15 feet away from you, or if you use this tattoo on a different creature.
Eldritch Claw Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), uncommon (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo depicts clawlike forms and other jagged shapes.
Magical Strike. While the tattoo is on your skin, your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks, and you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes.
Eldritch Maul. As a bonus action, you can empower the tattoo for 1 minute. For the duration, each of your melee weapon attacks can reach a target up to 15 feet away from you, as inky tendrils launch from your weapon or unarmed strike toward the target. In addition, your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 force damage on a hit. Once used, this bonus action can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Feat Tattoo (unique) HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo depicts two small footprints.
Feat. This tattoo provides you the benefits of a feat (determined when the needle was created). You can only have one feat tattoo on your body.
Gills Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo appears as a variety of fish and aquatic creatures.
Underwater Breathing. When placed on your chest, your body sprouts gills when you are submerged in water, allowing you to breathe underwater.
Ghost Step Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo shifts and wavers on the skin, parts of it appearing blurred.
Ghostly Form. The tattoo has 3 charges, and it regains all expended charges daily at dawn. As a bonus action while the tattoo is on your skin, you can expend 1 of the tattoo’s charges to become incorporeal until the end of your next turn. For the duration, you gain the following benefits:
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
You can’t be grappled or restrained.
You can move through creatures and solid objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn in a solid object, you take 1d10 force damage. If the effect ends while you are inside a solid object, you instead are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, and you take 1d10 force damage for every 5 feet traveled.
Illuminator s Tattoo’
Wondrous item (tattoo), common (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo contains beautiful calligraphy, images of writing implements, and the like.
Magical Scribing. While this tattoo is on your skin, you can write with your fingertip as if it were an ink pen that never runs out of ink.
As an action, you can touch a piece of writing up to one page in length and speak a creature’s name. The writing becomes invisible to everyone other than you and the named creature for the next 24 hours. Either of you can dismiss the invisibility by touching the script (no action required). Once used, this action can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Lifewell Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), very vare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo comprises symbols of life and rebirth.
Necrotic Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic damage.
Life Ward. When you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you drop to 1 hit point instead. Once used, this benefit can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Masquerade Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), common (requires attunement) Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo appears on your body as whatever you desire.
Fluid Ink. As a bonus action, you can shape the tattoo into any color or pattern and move it to any area of your skin. Whatever form it takes, it is always obviously a tattoo. It can range in size from no smaller than a copper piece to an intricate work of art that covers all your skin.
Disguise Self. As an action, you can use the tattoo to cast the disguise self spell. Once the spell is cast from the tattoo, it can’t be cast from the tattoo again until the next dawn.
Movement Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo appears as long curvy lines and mystic patterns that occasionally appear to sway and move. This tattoo has different effects dependent on where on the body it is placed.
Walking Speed. When placed on both legs, this tattoo increases your walking speed by 10. The effect is suppressed by other magical enhancements, such as the longstrider spell.
Flying Speed. When placed on your back, you gain the ability to sprout wings from your back. You must be wearing armor no heavier than light armor and your clothing and armor must be customized to allow the wings to protrude. You can use a bonus action or reaction to make the wings sprout from your body, giving you a flying speed of 10. If you already have wings, it increases your flying speed by 10. The effect is suppressed by other magical enhancements, such as a potion of flying.
Swimming Speed. When placed on your chest, you gain a swimming speed of 10. If you already have a swimming speed, it increases it by 10. The effect is suppressed by other magical enhancements, such as a ring of swimming.
Climbing Speed. When placed on both arms, you gain a climbing speed of 10. If you already have a climbing speed, it increases it by 10. The effect is suppressed by other magical enhancements, such as a potion of climbing.
Shadowfell Brand Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement) Produced by a special needle, this tattoo is dark in color and abstract.
Shadow Essence. You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, and you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Shadowy Defense. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to become shadowy and insubstantial for a moment, reducing the damage you take by half. Once used, this reaction can’t be used again until the next sunset.
Spell Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), rarity varies (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo appears as cryptic letters.
Spell. This tattoo contains a single spell of up to 3rd level (determined when the needle is created). Once the tattoo is on your skin, you can cast its spell once per day (recharging at dawn), requiring no material components. The tattoo glows faintly while you cast the spell and for the spell’s duration.
The level of the spell in the tattoo determines the spell’s saving throw DC, attack bonus, spellcasting ability modifier, and the tattoo’s rarity, as shown in the Spell Tattoo table.
Spell Tattoo
Spell Level |
Rarity |
Spellcasting Ability Modifier |
Save DC |
Attack Bonus |
Cantrip |
Rare |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
1st |
Rare |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
2nd |
Very rare |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
3rd |
Very rare |
+4 |
15 |
+7 |
Very rare
Tremorsense Tattoo HB
Wondrous item (tattoo), very rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo appears as numerous closed eyes.
Tremorsense. When placed on your body, this tattoo stings you when any creatures, other than those of your choosing, are within 15 feet of you and in contact with the same ground or substance. The location of the sting(s) within the tattoo and strength of the sting(s) allows you to pinpoint the location of the creature(s), providing you tremorsense with a 15 foot range. The sting does not cause damage and is strong enough to wake you from nonmagical slumber.
Spellwrought Tattoos, Consumable Items
Spellwrought tattoos do not require attunement and are temporary.
Spellwrought Tattoo
Wondrous item (tattoo), rarity varies
Produced by a special needle, this tattoo contains a single spell of up to 5th level, wrought on your skin by a magic needle. To use the tattoo, you must hold the needle against your skin and speak the command word. The needle turns into ink that becomes the tattoo, which appears on the skin in whatever design you like. Once the tattoo is there, you can cast its spell, requiring no material components. The tattoo glows faintly while you cast the spell and for the spell’s duration. Once the spell ends, the tattoo vanishes from your skin.
The level of the spell in the tattoo determines the spell’s saving throw DC, attack bonus, spellcasting ability modifier, and the tattoo’s rarity, as shown in the Spellwrought Tattoo table.
Spellwrought Tattoo
Spell Level |
Rarity |
Spellcasting Ability Modifier |
Save DC |
Attack Bonus |
Cantrip |
Common |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
1st |
Uncommon |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
2nd |
Uncommon |
+3 |
13 |
+5 |
3rd |
Uncommon |
+4 |
15 |
+7 |
4th |
Rare |
+4 |
15 |
+7 |
5th |
Rare |
+5 |
17 |
+9 |
Spellwrought Tattoo, Variant Rule HB
A spellwrought tattoo bears the words of a single spell up to 5th level using the Spellwrought Tattoo chart at left, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the tattoo on any creature and cast its spell without providing any material components. Otherwise, the tattoo is unintelligible. Casting the spell by reading the tattoo requires the spell’s normal casting time. Once the spell is cast, the tattoo glows faintly and then vanishes from the bearer’s skin. If the casting is interrupted, the tattoo is not lost. To cast the tattooed spell, the tattoo must be clearly visible to the caster. Tattoos can not effectively be read from a character’s own torso or scalp.
If the spell is on your class’s spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability to determine whether you cast it successfully. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a failed check, the tattoo disappears with no other effect.
A wizard spell on a spellwrought tattoo can be copied just as spells in spellbooks can be copied. When a spell is copied from a spellwrought tattoo, the copier must succeed on an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level. If the check succeeds, the spell is successfully copied. Whether the check succeeds or fails, the spellwrought tattoo disappears.
A dispel magic spell can erase one spellwrought tattoo if the tattoo is targeted, or all spellwrought tattoos on a creature if the creature is targeted.