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druid91
2011-01-20, 03:38 PM
So, I'm trying to think of ways for a transmuter to fight. Without using polymorph, aside from the polymorph any object spell.

Basically, sticking with rock to mud and so on. No shapeshifting.

What else is there? aside from rock to mud then mud to rock, the scalding mud spell in sandstorm. That spell that makes liquid glass, sand to rock rock to sand, flesh to stone and it's ilk.

Keld Denar
2011-01-20, 03:46 PM
Baleful Polymorph is a lower level PAO that only works offensively. Turn your foes into a banana slug, salt to taste!

Whirling Blade (SpC/CArc) is a great offensive Transmutation, especially for a gish or other martially inclined caster. Get a suped up weapon with lots of status effects and damage and then fling it at people. Level 2, so you can also metamagic it. Since weapon damage is variable, could you Empower Spell it? If you have a decent Cha, combining Whirling Blade with the Sudden Stunning enhancement in the DMGII gets you a nice Ref based Save vs Stun.

Lightning Leap (SpC) is the only other non-Conjouration teleport I can find other than Shadow Walk. You turn yourself into a lightning bolt, fly a certain distance, then turn back into a man. Kinda like that Pandaran dude's Lightning Grapple ability from DotA.

arguskos
2011-01-20, 03:48 PM
I believe there's a spell called Threesteel that duplicates a weapon and let's you use the duplicates with your mind that's Transmutation. I'm aft right now (on an iPod actually) but I'm pretty sure it exists. Might be good.

Moginheden
2011-01-20, 03:59 PM
Flesh to Stone comes to mind.

GoodbyeSoberDay
2011-01-20, 04:00 PM
If you have a Sneak Attack source, Greater Blink is a reliable way to get it going.

Scarlet-Devil
2011-01-20, 04:02 PM
Disintegrate.

Darrin
2011-01-20, 04:04 PM
Flesh to Stone comes to mind.

Flesh to Salt is available a spell level earlier, you get to keep the victim's stuff, and you can sell your victim's body as a trade good for 5 GP per pound.

gallagher
2011-01-20, 04:07 PM
transmuters make for some really good gish or gish-like characters. in complete arcane you have brilliant blade and fist of stone, and when grouped with stony grasp you will do decently.

belker claws also work well. you also have combos at low levels like fist of stone + enlarge + fearsome grapple + bristle + body of the sun. that makes you a decent grappler

transmuters are good at covering holes in your character sheet

what you need is a spell compendium of sorts

FMArthur
2011-01-20, 04:11 PM
I believe there's a spell called Threesteel that duplicates a weapon and let's you use the duplicates with your mind that's Transmutation. I'm aft right now (on an iPod actually) but I'm pretty sure it exists. Might be good.

Well there's a 3rd level Transmutation spell in the SpC called Steeldance, which doesn't duplicate anything for you but it makes two targetted bladed weapons hover about you and attack things, using your caster level + casting stat for attack rolls and dealing its normal damage + your casting stat. It doesn't need to be maintained with concentration or anything so it's probably pretty cool for a gish.

Tvtyrant
2011-01-20, 04:31 PM
Animate Rope=Entangle
Enlarge/Reduce Person=Enlarge yourself, reduce them
Keen Edge, Greater Magic Weapon=buffs
Telekinesis=throw stuff at people.
Flesh to Stone=Save or Die
Control Weather=Tornadoes
Reverse Gravity=Fly or Die
Shapechange=Win

Kansaschaser
2011-01-20, 05:59 PM
Animate Rope=Entangle
Enlarge/Reduce Person=Enlarge yourself, reduce them
Keen Edge, Greater Magic Weapon=buffs
Telekinesis=throw stuff at people.
Flesh to Stone=Save or Die
Control Weather=Tornadoes
Reverse Gravity=Fly or Die
Shapechange=Win

I'm adding to Tvtyrant's Telekinesis. You can use Telekinesis on up to 15 different objects.

1. Cast Chain Reach Greater Mighty Wallop (Races of the Dragon) on 15 Warmaces. This spell increases the damage as if the weapons were 1 size category bigger per 5 caster levels, up to Colossal (8d6) damage.

2. Cast Chain Reach Greater Magic Weapon (Players Handbook) on the same 15 Warmaces.

3. Place all the Warmaces on a big metal ring.

4. Cast Shrink Item (Players Handbook) to shrink the ring of weapons.

5. During combat, re-enlarge the weapons to normal size and cast Telekinesis (Players Handbook) on the 15 Warmaces.

6. Use the Violent Thrust maneuver every round until your enemies are dead.

The best way to use Telekinesis is to use the Ring of Telekinesis so you can use it as much as you want or take the Master of the Unseen Hand prestige class. Oh, and every spell I named is a Transmutation spell.

KingMerv00
2011-01-20, 06:03 PM
Body of War.

WIZARD SMASH!

Yea I know it's effectively polymorph but the spell is awesome.

Lateral
2011-01-20, 06:06 PM
Transmutation is pretty much the Save or Lose school. Necromancy has more SoDs, but Transmutation has a lot more total spells which cause instantaneous win for the other guys on a failed save.

(It's not the only school with SoLs, nor are SoLs the only thing the school does, but it still does a lot of them.)

In addition to the others, there's Flesh to Ice, Transmute Rock to Lava (sucks, though), Bestow Greater Curse, et cetera.

arguskos
2011-01-20, 06:45 PM
Well there's a 3rd level Transmutation spell in the SpC called Steeldance, which doesn't duplicate anything for you but it makes two targetted bladed weapons hover about you and attack things, using your caster level + casting stat for attack rolls and dealing its normal damage + your casting stat. It doesn't need to be maintained with concentration or anything so it's probably pretty cool for a gish.
Steeldance is a good one, but no, I was thinking of the following, from a Wyrms of the North article (the one on Nurvureem).

Threesteel

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration: Instantaneous

Target: One weapon of up to Large size (greatsword, shortspear, and so on) in your possession

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (object)

Spell Resistance: No

You split the target weapon into three exact duplicates of the original weapon. These duplicates immediately launch themselves at a target or targets of your choice within Close range (you may direct one or more of the weapons at the same target or split them up among three different targets). Make a ranged attack roll for each weapon (using your ranged attack bonus or the ranged attack bonus of a fighter of your caster level, whichever is higher) as if you were proficient in using the weapon in the normal manner. (For example, if used on a greatsword you would make a ranged attack roll as if you were proficient in greatsword, without the normal penalty for using an improvised throwing weapon.) The weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage if it does not have one already.

Each duplicate that hits deals damage as if you had struck the target with the weapon (including any special effects such as bane, smite evil, critical hits, sneak attacks, Weapon Focus, and so on). Your Strength bonus does not apply, since the force of the weapon comes from the spell, not your own Strength. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one.

Casting the spell destroys the targeted weapon to create the duplicates, and the duplicates are destroyed whether or not they hit. Because of this, the spell is rarely used on magic weapons, though it is far more effective with weapons which have greater magic. It cannot be cast on artifacts, natural weapons, weapons animated with animate objects or similar spells, or weaponlike magic creations (such asMordenkainen's sword).

FMArthur
2011-01-20, 07:54 PM
That sounded awesome and I was already imagining a character who focused on both of those spells until I got to the part where it destroys the weapon. :smallfrown:

edit: Oh god, I know where this goes: the Soulknife's Mind Blade. :smalleek:
Eff that!

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-20, 08:04 PM
Steeldance is a good one, but no, I was thinking of the following, from a Wyrms of the North article (the one on Nurvureem).

Threesteel

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration: Instantaneous

Target: One weapon of up to Large size (greatsword, shortspear, and so on) in your possession

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (object)

Spell Resistance: No

You split the target weapon into three exact duplicates of the original weapon. These duplicates immediately launch themselves at a target or targets of your choice within Close range (you may direct one or more of the weapons at the same target or split them up among three different targets). Make a ranged attack roll for each weapon (using your ranged attack bonus or the ranged attack bonus of a fighter of your caster level, whichever is higher) as if you were proficient in using the weapon in the normal manner. (For example, if used on a greatsword you would make a ranged attack roll as if you were proficient in greatsword, without the normal penalty for using an improvised throwing weapon.) The weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage if it does not have one already.

Each duplicate that hits deals damage as if you had struck the target with the weapon (including any special effects such as bane, smite evil, critical hits, sneak attacks, Weapon Focus, and so on). Your Strength bonus does not apply, since the force of the weapon comes from the spell, not your own Strength. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one.

Casting the spell destroys the targeted weapon to create the duplicates, and the duplicates are destroyed whether or not they hit. Because of this, the spell is rarely used on magic weapons, though it is far more effective with weapons which have greater magic. It cannot be cast on artifacts, natural weapons, weapons animated with animate objects or similar spells, or weaponlike magic creations (such asMordenkainen's sword).



Do you have a link to the article? Because now I have a reason to (ab)use fabricate with iron.... >_> <_< :smallamused:

arguskos
2011-01-20, 08:05 PM
That sounded awesome and I was already imagining a character who focused on both of those spells until I got to the part where it destroys the weapon. :smallfrown:

edit: Oh god, I know where this goes: Soulknife. :smalleek:
Eff that!
There we go, glad you got it. :smallamused:

Threesteel and Steeldance are a great pair of spells, IMO.


Do you have a link to the article? Because now I have a reason to (ab)use fabricate with iron.... >_> <_< :smallamused:
Yuppers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030730a).

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-20, 08:16 PM
Thank you very much Arguskos; incidentally, the gloomshadow spell might be the RAW answer to all questions on "how can I protect my vampire character from sunlight?" Slap a continuous item of it (not that expensive considering it is an level 1 spell) and go to town.

arguskos
2011-01-20, 08:18 PM
Thank you very much Arguskos; incidentally, the gloomshadow spell might be the RAW answer to all questions on "how can I protect my vampire character from sunlight?" Slap a continuous item of it (not that expensive considering it is an level 1 spell) and go to town.
1. Don't capitalize my name, please. Pet peeve, you see. :smallsmile:

2. Shadowgloom might just be, yeah.

3. That article series was awesome, as was Magic Books of Faerun. Why more people don't know/use those two series is beyond me.

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-20, 08:22 PM
1. Don't capitalize my name, please. Pet peeve, you see. :smallsmile:

2. Shadowgloom might just be, yeah.

3. That article series was awesome, as was Magic Books of Faerun. Why more people don't know/use those two series is beyond me.


1:Makes note to avoid capitalizing:

2: Might make for an interesting villain, a vampire who throws all suspicion of him by using a ring of shadowgloom (with invisible spell added, still cheap).

3: I might check that book when I get the chance, is it for 3.5 or 2e?

arguskos
2011-01-20, 09:14 PM
3: I might check that book when I get the chance, is it for 3.5 or 2e?
...it was a series of web articles, like the source I linked you was from (the source was from the Wyrms of the North series).

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-20, 09:48 PM
...it was a series of web articles, like the source I linked you was from (the source was from the Wyrms of the North series).

:smallredface: I admit when I followed the link I jumped right towards the spell description; I will read them in more detail when I have more time

chaos_redefined
2011-01-21, 12:23 AM
At low levels, you grab the nearest ally and weild him. Spells like Enlarge Person, Bull's Strength and Haste. At mid levels, you grab the nearest enemy and turn him into ground up coffee beans. Or whatever other substance tickles your fancy. At high levels, you stop time. Isn't that enough?