Hello!
I have a few questions about Transmutation here, though they're all kind of half suggestions too. I don't know if anyone really knows the answer to these things at this point, but with the maker of the magic no longer present, I figured it would be best to ask for a 'ruling' on specific issues before simply making an assumption.
1. So -- most of these questions revolve around Qualities and the Palette, the enchanting aspect of Transmutation (although, Qualities can be applied to a lot of the skills, which will be one of the questions later). The first and most important question I'd like to ask is: Transmutation has the issue of the enchantments being impermanent, which means you can't really sell Transmuted items off, or give them away for long-term use by other PCs. However, Plague included a bit that makes it so they can essentially be permanent in the Transmuter's hands. I think the impermanence bit was for closing off the loophole of selling these items and giving them to allies, but he added renewability for the mage themselves to reduce the inconvenience element of the magic. He wrote: "Many Transmuters will renew the process on their favored items before the magic completely fades to avoid purchasing new ones," and then goes on to explain how the limited lifespan of the items -- since the Transmuter can't really babysit every item they make -- negatively affects them in commerce.
Now, this is what I'd like to ask in this regard. For renewing the enchantments on items, do we need to thread this renewal? I know it might seem like 'yes, of course you do', is the suitable answer here... but considering the lifespan of the artifacts can be as low as six trials, needing to make multiple renewal threads per season (potentially dozens) where the PC just renews artifacts is extremely tedious; worse than any job thread. I feel like it will simply result in extremely low quality writing by the PC making the items. This also applies to having to create consumables -- Transmuters can make stuff like grenades and other short term mage-things; exploding rocks that turn into ice, lightning bombs, whatever the mind can imagine. But having to constantly thread making more and more of these can be pretty tedious. I'm wondering since it's not explicitly stated that the renewal must be threaded, if we can just make them once and if it's kept in our possession, it's simply assumed that we renewed them?
Would love to hear your thoughts.
2. I was wondering what abilities should and shouldn't be able to channel Qualities. Since Qualities are so fundamental to the magic, it seems odd that they're only really mentioned in Galvanize, and potentially mentioned in Pathway (Pathway refers to the Transmuter's abilities, which does include Galvanize, which means Qualities in Pathways is definitely possible... but also I think it's plausible normally since almost all Transmutation abilities are already long-range or have no long-range utility, except for Qualities). It might be good to clearly state in each ability whether or not Qualities can be channeled from them (like an Ether Missile that shocks people) or to be clear in Galvanize and (I think Pathway) that they're the only two abilities that can channel this transmuted ether.
3. This one is full suggestion. I've noticed that Transmutation is very, very back-loaded. The power spike from 99 to 100 is immense; more than any other magic, definitely. The last three abilities you get are extremely powerful - Permanence, Ether Cyclone and Ether Drought. Ether Drought and Cyclone are so powerful that they almost 'make' the magic. The Revelation itself is also very powerful -- your ether efficiency improves so much that you're akin to a Lich. However, before revealing, Transmutation feels sort of sub-par, especially compared to the recently updated and new magics. I feel like the abilities are too restricted. Pathway is written to sound extremely limiting, and since it's SO important to Transmutation, I don't know why it has to be so utterly precise about the very, very narrow circumstances in which it functions. When it says 'the Transmuter's flesh and a common substance', I think it literally just means your physical body needs to be present as well as a consistent surface, but this is so unclear. If it literally means flesh, then it has a huge drawback, to the point of not being worth it. You'd have to do some pretty heavy self-harm to actually rip out your own flesh and place it on the floor. But I KNOW this isn't what it means -- it was just a way to prevent loopholing by making the starting point be completely disconnected from the Transmuter's body. I just think the way it's worded makes it sound incredibly unsatisfying, the higher you go, ironically.
Well-Craft is just... I don't know what to say. Imedyte wells don't even need mod permission to obtain, and as a Transmuter you're supposed to be a master of venturing into Fractures. I don't know why a master Transmuter would need to go into HEAVY overstepping just to make an Imedyte well. Emetyte, possibly, but Imedyte...?
Also, Galvanize is a great concept, but the situations where it would actually be utilized feel a bit shaky to me. There's nothing that states a Transmuter is immune to the effects of their own Qualities. So basically, this can only ever be used while running away, and possibly with traps in extremely specific situations. I feel like Galvanize is basically just the trap version of Pathway, when honestly I wonder if they could just be made into one more useful, encompassing ability.
I know magics are being worked on, so I thought I'd leave my thoughts on Transmutation here. Thanks! Also hoping to get your thoughts on #1 and #2.
