School of Transmutation:
Of all schools the school of transmutation has propably the most roleplay potential - through shapeshifting you can alter almost any player-player or player-dm interaction into a way that wouldnt have been possible.
Your friend has been kidnapped by a band of goblins? Transform into an goblin and infiltrate a goblin cave.
You want to raid a caravan, hide yourself and blame the local orcs? Transform your group into orcs and go on.
Polymorph
First, Polymorph has been designed with the "roleplay spirit" in mind. Most of the new forms are capable of speech and thus allow the player to interrogate with other players in a friendly manner.
Second, Polymorph has also been rebalanced to be actually useful in combat. The goal: "polymorph shapes should be viable, but not be stronger than an EK build in natural form."
Shapechange:
Shapechange focuses mainly on combat. The spell has gone through a few mechanical changes to make sure it becomes a viable level 9th "combat pick" but not be overpowered with certain class/spell combos.
Mechanical Changes:
- Monk AC is disabled during wildshape, polymorph and shapechange.
- Natural AC from Palemaster, Frostmage and Dragon Disciple is disabled during polymorph and shapechange.
- Summons and Dominate Monster will not work during Shapechange.
- Cohorts, Familiars or Animal companions dont require concentration and thus still work.
- 100% spell failure is added to polymorph effects, preventing exploiting.
- Spellslot loss should be fixed.
- Shapechange duration continues to be 1 min/level.
- BAB during shapechange continues to work like it is now.
- A new feat has been added that raises caster's BAB to medium during polymorph/shapechange.
- Weapon enchantments carries over to creatures who use weapons.
- Similiar to Conjuration, Transmutation focus grant +1/+2/+4/+1 AC to all forms.
- Damage Reduction derived from Shapechange now works.
New Forms:
Polymorph:
- Kobold
- Goblin
- Gnoll
- Orc
- Troglodyte
- Minotaur
- Troll
- Ogre
- Yeti (S only)
- Gargoyle
- Gloura
- Drider
- Kenku (S only)
- Human
- Elf
- Dwarf
- Drow
- Duergar
- Sahuagin
- Hook Horror (UD only)
- Worg
- Hill Giant (S only)
- Fire Giant
- Frost Giant (S only)
- Maur (UD only)
- Werwolf Lord
- Mind Flayer
- Clay Golem
- Red Dragon
- Black Dragon
- Blue Dragon
- Bronze Dragon
- Mist Dragon
- Nightwalker
- Skeleton
- Zombie
- Hydra
- Planetar
- Moon Dog
- Arboreal Fey
- Marut
- Slaad
- Erinye
- Cornugon
- Palrethee
- Hezrou
- Bebilith
Augment Form
Type of Feat: General
Prerequisite: Spellfocus Transmutation.
Specifics: The character becomes skilled with spells and abilities that allow him to assume another form. For the duration, the character’s base attack bonus becomes medium (unless its already higher) but cannot exceed the character’s HD.
Affected Spells and Abilities: Polymorph, Tenser’s Transformation, Shapechange, Spider Shape, Spider Form and Shifter’s Forms.