I need three awesome magic tattoos to offer for sale in a city in Eberron. The artists are doppelgangers who believe in de-emphasizing personal identity. I'm using 5e and I'd like each tattoo to have an effect that would cost between 200 to 500gp. I'm ok with the tattoos basically taking up a permanent attunement slot as part of their implicit cost.

Does anyone have suggestions that would knock the players' socks off?

bear in mind i dont know much about 5e apart from the things that scare me away from it but i will give it a try.

you can never go wrong with a small animal that comes off your skin and fights although that may be a bit to powerful. maybe 3/day magic missile or some other spell like ability or maybe some permanent buff prehapes something that grants water breathing.

A tattoo of an eye on the palm of the hand. If the character is blinded, they can see through the tattoo on their palm. Maybe some sort of time limit on it.

A tattoo of a coin on the palm. If it depicts heads, the food or drink held in that hand is safe to eat, if it shows tails, there is something wrong with it. However, it is attuned to doppelganger dietary needs and might not be 100% accurate for non-doppelgangers.

A flame on the palm of the hand which sheds light as a lantern for 1 hour after the wearer drinks one finger of lamp-oil from a beaker. Might not be too healthy to drink too much.

If you really want to impress them how about three tribal style tattoos.  Each vanish after one use.  Grant a limited wish each.  That would be too tempting to pass up, but players almost never get a wish right.

Maybe fine lines that cover all the major areas of the body.

Different styles could give any of the following: +1 natural AC, advantage or proficiency for constitution saves, same affect as a ring of warmth, advantage on magic saving throws.

I second the water breathing as a good idea.

Monkey in a hat and vest, tatooed on a forearm, will take and conceal one small item (playing card, wedding ring, small jewel, coin, key, single dose vial of poison, arrowhead) until needed or bearer falls asleep.

Quote from: One Horse Town;818262A tattoo of an eye on the palm of the hand. If the character is blinded, they can see through the tattoo on their palm. Maybe some sort of time limit on it.

A tattoo of a coin on the palm. If it depicts heads, the food or drink held in that hand is safe to eat, if it shows tails, there is something wrong with it. However, it is attuned to doppelganger dietary needs and might not be 100% accurate for non-doppelgangers.

A flame on the palm of the hand which sheds light as a lantern for 1 hour after the wearer drinks one finger of lamp-oil from a beaker. Might not be too healthy to drink too much.

I really like all three of these... though I might switch that eye on the palm to seeing in darkness or detecting lies at some rate/day.

Good one, Simlasa.

Thanks everyone!

The severed head of a major public figure that was assassinated within the last ten years.  

Or with any distinctive feature.  A lady once showed me her tattoo, which covered most of her thigh, of a scantily-clad slave girl-type sprawled on the ground and staring up at a severed head on a pole, with crows gathering above.  It was very thoroughly and well-executed, and the face had distinctive features: she chirpily added that the face was that of her ex-husband.

Definitely got MY attention ...

Quick, dirty and of the top of my head.

Going by the impression I get from the creators:

Travelers Friend: Face of some kind of stereotype, a jester, a knight, a lecherous goblin. Once per (day/week/other, as feels appropriate to you) when the bearer is mentally, but not physically incapacitated (charmed, under a sleep spell, insane) or effected by an other enchantment (zone of truth) the personality of the tattoo takes over for one hour. All abilities remain the same, but the personality is rather limited and extreme. The bearer has no memory of this time.

Snakeskin: A motive of scales and snakes. At the bearers wish, he can leave behind his skin, as it peals away, first at the tattooed area, and then entirely over two rounds. This process regenerates the bearer hitpoints and recharges his abilities, but the tattoo is lost and one notable and prized feature of the users appearance is permanently changed (lips discolor and go crooked, nose changes shape in a subtle, but to the bearer, ugly way, etc.)

Tricksters Mirror: A tattoo of a mirror (duh) when revealed and activated, the surface becomes truly reflective. The user and a target within five feet swap their Str, Dex and Con attributes (or alternatively Int, Wis and Cha)

Cursed Mysterium: A depiction of a beautiful treasure chest, gift box, castle, Gateway or similar object that be opened and contain something. When activated, the object opens, revealing pure unspeakable horror within. everyone within a certain radius is stunned and takes significant psychic damage. It does not matter whether those hit avert their eyes or are even capable of seeing, they see and hear the THINGS anyway. The user is struck insane, as per the feeblemind spell.


The Ink might contain tiny Kyber Shards, binding traces of Fiend or Daelkyr Souls. This is probably not due to any sinister motive.

This reminds me of the "Tatoo magic" from RIFTS Atlantis.  You might want to see if you can't find that book, since it would have some stuff you could adapt for use, by the sound of it.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;818245I need three awesome magic tattoos to offer for sale in a city in Eberron. The artists are doppelgangers who believe in de-emphasizing personal identity. I'm using 5e and I'd like each tattoo to have an effect that would cost between 200 to 500gp. I'm ok with the tattoos basically taking up a permanent attunement slot as part of their implicit cost.

Does anyone have suggestions that would knock the players' socks off?

Trying to find something keeping with the theme of de-emphasizing personal identity, how about:

A tattoo on the forearm depicting a stylized two-faced person, faces facing in opposite directions, where the left arm circled around the forearm of the bearer to clasp the hand of the right hand coming from the other side. When the bearer shakes hands/clasps forearms with another...

 I'm not sure how the gp value relates to power in Eberron terms, but the effect could be anything from:

Each person temporarily acquires a feature (element of appearance, stature, accent, tone, eye color,etc) of the other, and for this duration...

• the bearer can cast Disguise Self at will, appearing only as the other person.
  
• both are subject to a sympathetic resonance where any damage or enchantment applied to one is also applied to the other, subject to a Wisdom save. (There was a spell like this I think, but I'm drawing s blank)