[RPG] What happens to magical tattoos when a druid uses wild shape

dnd-5edruidmagic-itemswild-shape

Wild shape states that:

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it.

Since magical tattoos (from XGtE and TCoE) are not 'equipment' in a normal sense, what happens to attuned tattoos when the druid wild shapes? Do they retain their effects or not?

Best Answer

Wild shape also states:

Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Using a strictly RAW interpretation of the rule, the tattoos would be absorbed since "your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form", and the tattoos would have to stretch or shrink to match the new form's limbs.

However, if your DM decides to overrule this (which is suggested in the rule), you can keep wearing them and benefit from their effects, since "worn equipment works as usual". Any passive buff the tattoos provide (e.g. absorbing tattoo) still applies, and any action that the tattoo provides can be used (e.g. blood fury tattoo).

However, these actions are still limited by the other rules of wild shape, namely:

You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.

So you can't use the spells given by a spellwrought tattoo, and any tattoo that requires hand interactions is limited by your form.