Two new items and a spell for a D&D setting

[Stargate525]

Hey, wondering if I could get input on these balance and flavor-wise, opinions are great.

Personal Scanner
This hand-held device looks similar to a rod, but has a small flat area (about 2x2 in.) on the top. The device has a number of powers usable on command:
Detect Magic (60ft.)
Detect Poison (40ft.)

It also has the following abilities:
detect secret doors 3/day (60ft.)
Detect Undead 3/day (60 ft.)

All abilities operate as per the spell except that the relative locations of the objects shows up as glowing dots on the 'screen.' Multiple abilities can be used at once, and each has a different colored dot. Ranges are as indicated. It is also available as a greater item, which adds another power, Locate Object (550ft.), and all powers are usable on command.
CL 4; Craft wondrous item, detect magic, detect poison, detect secret doors, detect undead, locate object(greater only); Price 16,000gp, 56,000gp(greater)

Personal Data Recorder
This thin device is roughly half the size of a sheet of paper and a half-inch thick. This device can store up to 100 pages of information, either writing it by hand or by using the built in dictation system. These pages can be edited using a series of hand movements to copy, cut, paste, shrink, whatever, as well as transcribe them to a physical sheet of paper. It also features up to four hours of audio recording, and can send either type of data to a nearby Recorder, up to 500ft. away, provided the user knows the unique ID of the receiving recorder. This ID usually comes in the form of a symbol or initial of the owner. This device is incompatible with any magical writings, any attempt to write them in the recorder results in strings of gibberish.
CL 3; craft wondrous item, message, arcane mark, dictation; Price 9000gp.

Dictation
Universal
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Comp: V,S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: surface touched
Duration: 1 hr/lvl or special(see description)
At your touch the surface takes dictation from you and writes them on paper. The spell understands and interprets commas and other punctuation without need to insert it, as well as simple editing commands such as erase, restart, new paragraph, and sign it. The spell can sign your name, and only your name, perfectly. The spell lasts either the allotted time or until it runs out of space to write (the spell will transfer to a nearby blank sheet of paper if it runs out of room). The spell writes in default back ink.

[Darkxarth]

Wow, I LOVE Dictation, it's an awesome spell.

I also like the Personal Scanner, though it seems a little expensive to me for what it does.  Sure, it can do all of those Detect spells, not that they're not useful, but I think that it might be a better item if you removed the Locate Object from the powers, at least of the Lesser version.  That would make it at least a little more affordable, I imagine, and still useful for what it is.  You can always keep Locate Object on the Greater version, and it fits that price much better.  4 at will Detect spells and at will Locate Object for 56k.  I like that much better.

The Personal Data Recorder seems like a great idea, but I think it needs more fleshing out.  What kinds of limits are there?  Can you use it as a spellbook?  A place to store Scrolls?  If so, can you copy things from one page in the Recorder to another?  Does it still cost gold or xp?  The final, and less important question about the Data recorder, is what ar the personal IDs like?  Are they numbers, symbols, or actually the Arcane Marks transferred to a digi- er, different format?

[Ghost]

I'm liking these a lot. In fact, I was wondering if I could use them in one of my settings.

You might want to clarify if the Dictated text is permanent or not. The way it's currently written, it is somewhat ambiguous.

[Xeviat]

These items seem a bit more like magitek than regular magic items. Is that the goal? If it is, then you succeeded in my eye.

I'm not sure about the prices, I'd have to bust out the table. But it seems reasonable.

[So-Keher]

For the first consider adding an effect that Detects Person or something, maybe instead of poison?

[Lmns Crn]

Your Dictation spell reminded me of some old stuff I did for the Jade Stage magic system, back when I was hell-bent on rewriting it. Maybe these spell's will be useful to your brainstorming process.

[spoiler=Text Magic]Dictation
Runecraft 0
V, S, F
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: one blank book, parchment, or stack of papers
Duration: 10 min/level (D)

For the duration of the spell, words appear in the targeted book or paper, as if written by an invisible hand. The writing records everything you say until the spell expires or is dismissed. The spell does not record verbal spell components or any kind of magical writing, substituting nonsense syllables for such speech; it cannot be used to scribe scrolls, create a glyph of warding, or manipulate magical forces in any way. The writing force supplies its own ink, and turns pages as necessary.

Focus: a pen or quill.

Unseen Scribe
Runecraft 1
V, S, F
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: you, one creature/level, and one blank book, parchment, or stack of papers
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving throw: Will partial (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell functions like dictation, but the writing force records the speech of all targeted creatures, so that the resulting text serves as a record of the conversation. For each individual target, a successful Will save or Spell Resistance will prevent that creature's words from being recorded by the spell. The writing force uses different colors of ink and different handwriting to distinguish the various speakers from one another, although it does not label each color and style of writing with a speaker's identity unless the speakers name themselves aloud.

Focus: a pen or quill.

Narrative
Runecraft 4
V, S, F
Target: One creature
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) or Any
Duration: 10 min/level (D)
Saving throw: Will negates
Spell resistance: Yes

This spell's energies write in a blank book or set of papers, as per the dictation spell. If the target creature fails the saving throw, the text that appears records all the target's actions until the spell expires. The spell quickly and accurately records speech, movement, and other observable actions. The spell does not record thought, intention, purely mental commands, or other actions not noticeable by mundane observation. The narrative spell is considered to automatically succeed at Spellcraft checks to discern what the target does during the spell's duration. For example, it cannot track an invisible target's movements, but it will correctly note that the target cast invisibility, and will resume recording the target's actions when the invisibility spell ends.

Normally, narrative must be cast on a creature within Close range, although it will continue recording the actions of a target who leaves that range, as long as the target stays on the same plane as the caster. If the caster uses the target's own handwritten signature as a focus for spellcasting, the target receives a -5 penalty on the saving throw, and does not need to be within Close range of the caster at the time of casting.

Focus: a pen or quill, and optionally, the written signature of the target (see above.)[/spoiler]

[Stargate525]

wow, lots of comments! I'll definatly be editing these with your suggestions later today.

[Stargate525]

I'm liking these a lot. In fact, I was wondering if I could use them in one of my settings.

You might want to clarify if the Dictated text is permanent or not. The way it's currently written, it is somewhat ambiguous.

Go ahead. That's why I posted them here.

These items seem a bit more like magitek than regular magic items. Is that the goal? If it is, then you succeeded in my eye.

I'm not sure about the prices, I'd have to bust out the table. But it seems reasonable.

I wasn't shooting for it, but that is how is turned out... I'm beginning to think that any sufficiently advanced magic is unrecognizable from technology. Arthur Clarke got it backwards.

Anyway, three more items, this time without the pricing information. I didn't have time to get it finished.

Decanter of endless wind
This container is similar to the decanter of endless water, except that it produces gusts of wind in various speeds and areas;
'breeze' produces a 5mph wind in the square directly in front of the decanter.
'wind' produces 20mph winds in a 20ft. cone.
'gale' produces 45mph winds in a 30ft. cone.

unlike the decanter, none of these settings produce significant backthrust. However, the decanter does have a tendency to flail about, requiring a DC 15 DEX check to keep from flying off.

Map, Navigator's
When inactive, this looks no different than a normal navigator's map. However, when the command word is spoken the map displays an illusionary topographical veiw of the area covered by the map, as well as the current location and orientation of the map shown as a  small red orb. The map does detect altitude differences, and can calculate the distance between the map's location and several preset points, often major cities. The map can zoom, rotate, and shift for better views. If the map(the item) is not on the map(the area), then the map(the item) fails to function.

Map, Tactical
This map looks exactly like the Navigational map, except that it often covers very small spaces of ground, no more than a few acres. This map functions similarly to the Navigator's Map as well, except that it displays any living creatures within a 1000ft. radius. As an added feature, any one of the creatures who has touched the map in the last 24 hours shows up green, all others show up red, and the map itself is an amber dot.  

[Ghost]

I'm liking these a lot. In fact, I was wondering if I could use them in one of my settings.

You might want to clarify if the Dictated text is permanent or not. The way it's currently written, it is somewhat ambiguous.

Go ahead. That's why I posted them here.

These items seem a bit more like magitek than regular magic items. Is that the goal? If it is, then you succeeded in my eye.

I'm not sure about the prices, I'd have to bust out the table. But it seems reasonable.

I wasn't shooting for it, but that is how is turned out... I'm beginning to think that any sufficiently advanced magic is unrecognizable from technology. Arthur Clarke got it backwards.

Anyway, three more items, this time without the pricing information. I didn't have time to get it finished.

Decanter of endless wind
This container is similar to the decanter of endless water, except that it produces gusts of wind in various speeds and areas;
'breeze' produces a 5mph wind in the square directly in front of the decanter.
'wind' produces 20mph winds in a 20ft. cone.
'gale' produces 45mph winds in a 30ft. cone.

unlike the decanter, none of these settings produce significant backthrust. However, the decanter does have a tendency to flail about, requiring a DC 15 DEX check to keep from flying off.

Map, Navigator's
When inactive, this looks no different than a normal navigator's map. However, when the command word is spoken the map displays an illusionary topographical veiw of the area covered by the map, as well as the current location and orientation of the map, shown as a  small red orb. The map does detect altitude differences, and can calculate the distance between the map's location and several preset points, often major cities. The map can zoom, rotate, and shift for better views.

Map, Tactical
This map looks exactly like the Navigational map, except that it often covers very small spaces of ground, no more than a few acres. This map functions similarly to the Navigator's Map as well, except that it displays any living creatures within a 1000ft. radius. As an added feature, any one of the creatures who has touched the map in the last 24 hours shows up green, all others show up red, and the map itself is an amber dot.  

I quite like the Decanter. I'm imagining a way to harass enemies, especially when in a dark tunnel. Open up the Decanter, aim it at their candle or lantern, and suddenly they can't see. If they manage to get it lit again, simply open up the Decanter again.

The Navigator's Map is very cool. Not too complex, but still very useful.

The Tactical Map is also very cool. But when you have spare time, you might want to think about specifying whether it can zoom in, similar to our satellites, or is set close-up as the default.

Great work as always.

[Stargate525]

I quite like the Decanter. I'm imagining a way to harass enemies, especially when in a dark tunnel. Open up the Decanter, aim it at their candle or lantern, and suddenly they can't see. If they manage to get it lit again, simply open up the Decanter again.

Heh, I had never thought of that... I actually designed them as maneuvering thrusters for gnome airships...

The Navigator's Map is very cool. Not too complex, but still very useful.

The Tactical Map is also very cool. But when you have spare time, you might want to think about specifying whether it can zoom in, similar to our satellites, or is set close-up as the default.

The Map covers a maximum of what's covered on the actual deactivated map, no more. Zoom out and you get the outline of the square. I should probably put in that the item does not function if you're off the map.

Great work as always.

*blushes*