[Magic] Portable Recorders

[Neek]

Lesser Dictate
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 20 ft.
Target: 1 person
Effect: Writes down whatever the target says out loud.
Duration: 30 min + 5 min/level
Saving Throw: Will (Negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows you to animate a pen, a piece of chalk, a paint brush, or any other writing instrument so that it will ink itself, and write down whatever the target says. The caster can voluntarily pause the instrument at will, and the instrument is able to turn the page if necessary. The spell will fail if either the target or the caster moves 20' from the pen, if there is a circumstance that would normally impose penalty to a Listen check, or if the target speaks primarily a language not understood by the caster. This means that Lesser Dictate will fail in the pitch of battle or if the caster becomes deafened.

The writing instrument will write in a consistent handwriting and script similarly used by the spellcaster. A Forgery check (DC 25) is necessary to notice that the document is not handwritten. A Detect Magic spell will notice an Transmutation aura on the document, but the text itself is not magical.

A spell requiring writing, such as Arcane Mark, or Exploding Runes, can be cast through Dictate, however cannot be made invisible if the spell permits it. You can only animate one writing instrument at one time.

Spell focus: A writing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster. Obviously ink or paint, and a surface area are required.

Greater Dictate
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 20 ft.
Target: 1 person
Effect: Writes down whatever the target says outloud.
Duration: 30 min + 10 min/level
Saving Throw: Will (Negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Same as Lesser Dictate, however the caster is not required to hear or understand the speaker. In addition, Greater Dictate allows the caster to attempt to slur the handwriting, a successful Concentration check (DC 20) adds twice the caster's level in the Forgery check to determine if the writing is fake or not. An additional Forgery check (DC 20) is required to mimick another person's handwriting.

Spell focus: A writing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster.

Silent Dictate
Transmutation/Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 20 ft.
Target: 1 person
Effect: Writes down whatever the target says outloud.
Duration: 30 min + 10 min/level
Saving Throw: Will (Negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Same as Greater Dictate, however the target need not speak. As long as the target maintains a consistent train of thought, the writing instrument will record on the surface. A target who fails the saving throw will find all their thoughts (if aware) on paper, and may attempt once every round as a move-equivalent action to void his thoughts or repeat the same thing over and over again, requiring a Concentration check (DC 20).

A writing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster.

Lesser Picture
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 30 ft., or maximum range of vision (whichever is lesser)
Effect: 1 visual artifact over a 1 sq ft. + 1 sq ft./2 caster level.
Duration: Instantaneous

Lesser Picture inscribes, draws, paints, or otherwise records in a visual medium a single moment onto an appropriate surface, such as paper, canvas, or stone. The single moment can be any moment the caster has witnessed, or is witnessing, up until the time of casting (the caster cannot, obviously, draw something that has not yet been experienced). Any point in the past imposes a Concentration + Wisdom (rather than Con) check. The DC of this check has a base 15, and increases by 1 for every month in the past. If the image is vivid, then the DC decreases by 5. Failure of the Concentration check does not cause the spell to fail, but the elements of the rendering are imprecise, varying on margin of failure. If the caster possesses the Eidict Memory feat, the caster gains a +20 bonus to the Concentration check.

The quality of the art is dependent on the caster's own artistic ability, and is obviously of the caster's style. To create a fine work of art with this spell, the caster can attempt a Craft (Art) check (DC 15) to produce a mediocre work, DC 20 to produce a medium-quality work. A masterpiece requires a DC 30), as though the caster were painting a picture herself. A successful Craft check reduces any DC for past-event rendering by 5. The craft check is only for the quality of the artwork. A failed check only implies poor workmanship, but the elements are still identifiable.

The content of the drawing is what the caster had witnessed, and therefore cannot include anything the caster was unaware of (such as invisible creatures). If the caster was made aware of an element, but did not experience first hand, it appears slightly different than what actually happened. Disbelieved illusions appear as insubstantial, and so do elements that are fuzzy. A moment is never drawn to 100% precision, but its divergence is negligible in terms of recognizing that; the caster may attempt multiple castings of this spell, and each outcome produces a different work.



Spell focus: A drawing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster. The material component is dependent on the surface:

• Relief: A pinch of stone-dust (stone-relief), a pinch of burnt wood (wood-relief).
• Drawing: Three droplets of ink or a pinch of ash.
• Paint: A droplet per primary color used in the painting.

Coming soon:

• Greater Picture,
• Lesser Carve,
• Greater Carve.

[Icewalker]

I like them, cool ideas. It'd be great if you could cast explosive runes through it. Sounds like it works pretty well to me, and it isn't another combat focused spell, which is useful for a more complex campaign.

[Neek]

Sadly, Explosive Runes require to be traced. :( Sadness. But thank you for the good comments; I am trying to work on less BLAST, more non-combat spells.

I also made a slight alteration to the text for Dictate. I'll work on the others later.

[Roderick_BR]

Hehe. Cool. I don't know if they wouldn't work better as magic itens, though.

[Neek]

They probably won't. A magical item costs money, a poor Wizard student down in the Wizardry School won't be able to afford -that-.

[Neek]

Greater Picture
Transmutation/Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 30 ft. + 5 ft./caster level
Target: 1 person
Effect: 1 visual artifact over 1 sq ft. + 1 sq ft./2 caster level.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will (Negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Like Lesser Picture, however the moment that is being captured does not need to be witnessed by the caster. The image is rendered from the point of view from the target, who is required to make a Concentration + Wisdom check as per Lesser Picture. The caster can add half his caster level to the Craft check.

Focus: A drawing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster appropriate for the medium. The material component is dependent on the surface:

• Relief: A pinch of marble (stone-relief), a piece of bark from a tree at least 500 years old (wood-relief).
• Drawing: Three droplets of fine ink, the ink itself costing at least 25 gp.
• Paint: A pinch of pigment per primary color used in the painting, the pigment itself costing at least 25 gp.

Mass Dictate
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Component: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 30 ft., or maximum range of vision (whichever is lesser)
Effect: Writes down whatever the targets say out-loud.
Duration: 30 min + 5 min/level
Saving Throw: Will (Negates)
Spell resistance: Yes

Like Lesser Dictate, however multiple individuals are recorded talking. The targets must speak primarily in a language that the caster can understand, but the caster doesn't necessarily need to hear the targets. If the targets talk over each other, the spell does not fail, but will only record the person closest to the writing instrument.

Arcane focus: A writing instrument that has been used at least once by the caster.

Lesser Carve
Transmutation
Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Component: S, V, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Touch
Target: 5 sq. ft. of stone + 1 sq. ft./2 caster level
Effect: Sculpts stone
Duration: Instantaneous

By touching a block of clay, mason, rock, or mable, a carvable gem of some sort, or any other non-living material that can be shaped and sculpted, the caster can sculpt it into a shape as she desires. For example, the caster can touch a block of stone and make a bust of herself. The style of the sculpture is similar to that of the caster, however the quality is not readily so. The caster can make a Craft (Art) check to determine the quality of sculpture. A check of at least 15 produces mediocre work, a check of 20 produces medium-quality work, while a masterpiece requires a check of at least 30. A failed check does not the fail the spell, just that the quality of the sculpting is poor.

This spell only effects non-living material, it does not effect animated material. Casting Lesser Carve against a golem will fail.

Material component: A chisel, which breaks when the spell is cast.