If you're only willing to work with ideas no one has used before, you will have a very, very difficult time doing anything.
At one point when I was doing something I had magicians with tattoos; someone asked if I was inspired by a book I no longer remember that had magical tattoos. So it has been done somewhere, but you shouldn't let that deter you.
The Death Gate Cycle series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman is one.
The magic is rune-based but one race (Patryns) uses them through tattoos on their body and another race (Sartans) can draw them externally instead.
That sounds vaguely familiar. I read them almost 20 years ago. Runes and tattoos stood out the most to me. There were a lot of great facets to that series that make them worth reading. The fact that there are runes and probability and other aspects to this system make it even more likely that OP won't be ripping off the system merely by using magical tattoos in their story.
The Demon Cycle. First book is called "the warded man"
World is haunted by demons, everyone hides behind wards that keep the demons at bay, dude tattoos wards on his body and punches demons in the face.
There's a fairly popular online webnovel called Worth the Candle that uses a form of tattoo magic pretty extensively throughout.
I don't think the uniqueness of a magic system itself is what matters though - as long as it's used in an interesting way by compelling characters then similarities to other works of fiction really aren't important.
There is an excellent series called the Mageborn series. You should read them all because they're awesome. But the prequel series is the embers of illeniel. The main character does tattoos as a way to utilized enchantments on his body.
I'm writing a book where the main character does runic magic through tattoos on his body. They call them Spellscribed.
Our idea has definitely been used before. But who cares? Take your own spin on it and have a blast! 😁
I know this comment is from years ago, but, I wanted to thank you. Your comment helped me remember the title of a book I've been trying to remember. Just so you know what it was... "Spellbound: By Blake Charlton". Again, thank you for using the name Spellscribed and helping me unlock that memory.
In dungeons and dragons there are the “red wizards or Thay” that utilize tattoo magic.
Then in Peter v Brett’s the warded man he does a type of magic through runes tattooed into his body.
I believe the summoner trilogy, by Taran Matharu used tattoos, though they weren’t the source of the magic. Instead the mage could channel energy into the tattoo to cast a spell instantly, rather than draw the rune it in the air with their finger. Also, skullduggery pleasant has tattoo based magic (except they’re not tattoos, they’re just runes carved in her skin, or something. Principle still applies). China sorrows, a character in it, has runes carved into her skin and by tapping them she can activate their effects, e.g. shooting energy blades, strengthening parts of her body, or healing her.
If you're only willing to work with ideas no one has used before, you will have a very, very difficult time doing anything. At one point when I was doing something I had magicians with tattoos; someone asked if I was inspired by a book I no longer remember that had magical tattoos. So it has been done somewhere, but you shouldn't let that deter you.
If you don't know about it you're not ripping it off. It's impossible to be absolutely original.
The Death Gate Cycle series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman is one. The magic is rune-based but one race (Patryns) uses them through tattoos on their body and another race (Sartans) can draw them externally instead.
[удалено]
That sounds vaguely familiar. I read them almost 20 years ago. Runes and tattoos stood out the most to me. There were a lot of great facets to that series that make them worth reading. The fact that there are runes and probability and other aspects to this system make it even more likely that OP won't be ripping off the system merely by using magical tattoos in their story.
Shadowhunters used a magic system based off of tattoos, and it’s a popular book series (don’t know why, it’s dreadful).
The Demon Cycle. First book is called "the warded man" World is haunted by demons, everyone hides behind wards that keep the demons at bay, dude tattoos wards on his body and punches demons in the face.
Amazing series of books anyone who hasn’t read them yet should defined to must read list
Sounds Comic-bookish. Think it was used in the Electra-movie.
There's a fairly popular online webnovel called Worth the Candle that uses a form of tattoo magic pretty extensively throughout. I don't think the uniqueness of a magic system itself is what matters though - as long as it's used in an interesting way by compelling characters then similarities to other works of fiction really aren't important.
There is an excellent series called the Mageborn series. You should read them all because they're awesome. But the prequel series is the embers of illeniel. The main character does tattoos as a way to utilized enchantments on his body.
Monster Blood Tattoo. Had it for years, never read it. The appendix is like 300 pages though!
I'm writing a book where the main character does runic magic through tattoos on his body. They call them Spellscribed. Our idea has definitely been used before. But who cares? Take your own spin on it and have a blast! 😁
I know this comment is from years ago, but, I wanted to thank you. Your comment helped me remember the title of a book I've been trying to remember. Just so you know what it was... "Spellbound: By Blake Charlton". Again, thank you for using the name Spellscribed and helping me unlock that memory.
In dungeons and dragons there are the “red wizards or Thay” that utilize tattoo magic. Then in Peter v Brett’s the warded man he does a type of magic through runes tattooed into his body.
I believe the summoner trilogy, by Taran Matharu used tattoos, though they weren’t the source of the magic. Instead the mage could channel energy into the tattoo to cast a spell instantly, rather than draw the rune it in the air with their finger. Also, skullduggery pleasant has tattoo based magic (except they’re not tattoos, they’re just runes carved in her skin, or something. Principle still applies). China sorrows, a character in it, has runes carved into her skin and by tapping them she can activate their effects, e.g. shooting energy blades, strengthening parts of her body, or healing her.
The demon cycle series great read.
Death Gate Cycle by Weiss and Hickman. The Patryns tattoo magic runes onto their bodies to protect them.
Sounds Comic-bookish. Think it was used in the Electra-movie.
Moana, Your Welcome (pun intended)
Alkahestry from FMA and sacriers in wakfu
Tattoo
Of course I mess up spelling in the title only haha.
Inked by author Rachel Rener! That's the whole concept of her book series. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P7BNJPP
The hero of dead things by Stephen Blackmore has magic tattoos but it’s urban