As with regular tatoos, magic tatoos require needles and inks. However, just any old needles and inks won't cut it. They have to be enchanted. A needle is made using an Enchanting (Artificing) Test (Grimoire 23-26). Formula design and enchanting process are the same as a spell lock with the following modifications: base target # for enchanting is 6, bonding cost is 4, and the enchanting process requires one unit of orichalcum. Inks are made using an Enchanting (Alchemy) Test (Grimoire 22-23). The inks are always made from herbals and maynot be used in any enchanting process other than Tatoo Making. If a magician doesn't wish to go through all that trouble, he can get supplies from a talismonger. Needles are 150,000Y each with Availibility 3/72 hours and Street Index 1. Inks are 300Y per unit with Availibility 3/24 hours and Street Index 1.5.
Just before using the inks to make a tatoo, ingredients specific to the tatoo must be added. For animal and monster tatoos, this is something from the hide of the critter in the tatoo (hair, feathers, scales, etc.). For monster-shaping tatoos, this is five drops per Force Point of the tatoo of the blood of the critter in the tatoo. For simple weapons, this is a quarter-unit of iron alchemy radical per tatoo Force Point. For magic weapons, this is a half-unit of iron alchemy radical per tatoo Force Point plus a unit of orichalcum. The ingredients necessary for power tatoos are in their descriptions.
A tatoo must first be designed using Magical Theory. Designing a tatoo formula uses the same process for designing spell formulae (Grimoire 114-115). Each formula is sub-species specific so that using the wrong formula wastes ink. So far, it has been found that tatoo magic only works on humans and orks. Once a formula has been designed, the tatoo maker (who must be a full magician or an enchanter adept) must have the subject present in an enchanting shop with an enchanting library or a medicine lodge of a rating at least equal to the Force of the tatoo. Making a tatoo takes two times the tatoo's Force in hours and consumes the tatoo's Force in units of ink (though at least ten units must be present to get a good color range). The enchanter then makes an Enchanting (Tatoo Making) Test against a target # equal to the tatoo's Force. Successes are split between dividing the time and controlling potential damage. The minimum time to make a tatoo is one hour. After the tatoo is made, the recipient must resist an attack with a number of successes equal to Force-damage control successes. Base damage is (F)L for animals and simple weapons, (F)M for monsters and magic weapons, and (F)S for monster-shaping and powers. Unlike other forms of enchanting, the enchanter must resist Drain, due to the relative rapidity of the grounding of the magic energy. Drain code is the same as the damage code, except that damage is stun if the tatoo's Force is equal to or less than the enchanter's Magic. To complete the process, the appropriate amount of Karma must be expended. Karma cost is Forcex2 for animals and simple weapons, Forcex3 for monsters and magic weapons, and Forcex4 for monster-shaping and powers. The enchanter may pay part of the cost, but the recipient must pay at least half. The typical charge for a tatoo is Forcex500Y for animals and simple weapons,Forcex1000Y for monsters and magic weapons,and Forcex2000Y for monster-shaping and powers. 100Y will also be charged per Karma point the enchanter expends.
Among the effects of the tatoos are that each tatoo increases the recipient's Essence by .2, which increases Magic by the same rate. This extra Essence cannot be expended for cyberware. Also, starting with the 7th tatoo and with every third tatoo thereafter (10th, 13th, etc.) the adept receives a point of hardened armor. Tatoos work in the same manner as spells, except instead of the Magic Pool, the Tatoo Pool is used. The Tatoo Pool is equal to one half combined Willpower, Intelligence, and Body. Assistance is also available from specific tatoo and tatoo category foci (other than purpose, they're identical to the specific spell and spell category foci). The only way a tatoo can be removed is to amputate the limb where said tatoo is or kill it in astral combat (CANNOT use dispelling). If a tatoo is killed in astral combat, the tatoo disappears and the adept must resist damage as if he had just received the tatoo.
When an animal tatoo is activated, a form made of an ectoplasm-like substance of the animal in the tatoo appears. The animal in question must be a normal critter. The animal will obey the adept in the same way as a summoned spirit. It will have the listed attributes plus eight extra attribute points and a Threat Rating point for every two successes in the Activation Test. If it is killed before the adept stops sustaining it, then it can't be re-activated for a number of hours equal to its Force. No matter how badly it was wounded previously, it will be back at full strength when re-activated. Drain is ((F/2)+1)L for critters under 2 meters length, ((F/2)+1)M for critters 2-5 meters length, and ((F/2)+1)S for critters over 5 meters length.
Monster tatoos work in about the same manner as animal tatoos, except that the tatoo is of a non-sentient paranormal critter. A good way of determining sentience is if it has no Charisma attribute listed, it's non-sentient. Drain is ((F/2)+1)M for critters under 2 meters length, ((F/2)+1)S for critters 2-5 meters length, and ((F/2)+1)D for critters over 5 meters length.
When a monster-shaping tatoo is activated, the adept is covered with an ectoplasm-like substance that is in the form of a paranormal critter depicted in the tatoo. The critter in question can be sentient or non-sentient but it must be bigger than the adept. The form will not possess any powers that the critter might normally have, though they can be simulated with other tatoos. The form will have the same physical attributes as it would as a monster tatoo. Drain is ((F/2)+3)M for critters under 3 meters height/length, ((F/2)+3)S for critters 3-7 meters height/length, and ((F/2)+3)D for critters over 7 meters in height/length. The critter in question may be no bigger than 12 meters.
When a simple weapon is activated, the weapon depicted appears in the adept's hand. The weapon in question can be a hand-to-hand or thrown weapon that isn't technologically based (i.e., no stun batons or grenades). When fighting with the weapon, the adept doesn't suffer the target # penalty for sustaining the tatoo. Drain for all simple weapons is ((F/2)+Reach)L.
Magic weapons are simple weapons with various modifications. These features can be mixed and matched on a single tatoo. Drain modifiers are to the Drain Code of the simple weapon and are cumulative. If the weapon depicted has wings on it, it can be thrown three times its normal range and will return to the adept after it strikes, adding +1 to the Drain target. If the weapon has a snake coiled around it, the successes in the Activation Test are added to the Power Rating when used against reptilian critters, adding +2 to the Drain target. If the weapon is dripping blood, add the successes to the Power Rating, increasing the Drain level by one. If the weapon is covered in flames, the Armor Rating of vehicles and critters with hardened armor is halved, increasing the Drain level by one and adding +1 to the Drain target. When a power tatoo is activated, it carries out a spell-like function. Many will be exactly like a spell and will use the same stats as that spell. Here's a list of power tatoos:
Chain Encircling a Brain: As long as this tatoo is sustained, the successes from the Activation Test count as automatic successes when resisting control manipulations and mind probes. Drain is ((F/2)+2)M. The ingredient necessary is a chip from a vampire's skull.
Chain with a Broken Link: When this tatoo is sustained, the adept's Strength is increased by the successes in the Activation Test. Drain is ((F/2)+3)S. The ingredient necessary is ten drops of troll blood.
Cross: When this tatoo is sustained, any critter with the Essence Drain power cannot come within the Activation Test's successes in meters of the adept. Drain is ((F/2)+2)L. The ingredient necessary is one unit each of alchemy radical iron and silver.
Eye with Tears: Same as Mindlink spell (Grimoire 128).The ingredient necessary is a palm-sized spell lock with a Mindlink spell of the same Force as the tatoo on it ground up.
Eyes: Three: Provides the adept with astral perception. Drain is (F/2)M. The ingredient necessary is a chip from a hand-to-hand combat weapon that did at least Moderate damage at once to a spirit.
Heart with Small Wings: The adept's running speed is multiplied by the successes in the Activation Test. Drain is ((F/2)+1)M. The ingredient necessary is ten drops of leshy blood.
Knight in Full Body Armor: Same as Armor spell (SRII 158).The ingredient necessary is a palm-sized spell lock with an Armor spell of the same Force as the tatoo on it ground up.
Lightning Bolts: The adept will be able to fire lightning bolts for a number of combat turns equal to the successes in the Activation Test. Each attack takes a Complex Action with (F)M damage with Magic as a Combat Skill against target #4 with range LOS. Drain is ((F/2)+2)S. The ingredient necessary is the claw of a thunderbird.
Phoenix Rising from the Flames: Same as Heal spell (SRII 155), plus can bring back to life someone who has exceeded their damage overflow limit. The subject will be at Deadly damage but stabilized. However, everytime this is attempted, the adept must resist ((F/2)+1)D Drain and will lose one point of Magic, no exceptions. The ingredient necessary is a palm-sized spell lock with a Heal spell of the same Force as the tatoo on it ground up, plus ten drops of vampire blood.
Rose with Thorns Dripping Blood: Same as Treat spell (SRII 155). The ingredient necessary is a palm-sized spell lock with a Treat spell of the same Force as the tatoo on it ground up. Skull Coiled with Thorns: Same as Death Touch spell (Grimoire 126). The ingredient necessary is one unit of alchemy radical hemlock.
Skull Engulfed in Flames: For a number of combat turns equal to the successes in the Activation Test, the adept is surrounded by a flame aura the same as the critter power (SRII 218) using Magic instead of Essence. The adept will also be able to shoot fireballs with (F)S damage. Fireball attacks work the same way as attacks with the Lightning Bolts tatoo. Drain is ((F/2)+2)D. The ingredient necessary is the claw of a phoenix.
The target # for Activation Tests of tatoos that don't work exactly like a spell is 4.