Quick question!
If you were building a brown-fur transmuter (arcanist) as a polymorph specialist, would you go pure arcanist, or something like fighter 1/arcanist 6/eldritch knight x?
From what I can tell, I can get all the "must haves" within 6 levels of arcanist and then be better at the polymorphed attacker with eldritch knight. Am I missing something?
Also, are there any feats you would consider to be critical for such a build?
It depends on whether you want more BAB, or faster spell access - higher level polymorph spells are generally better. Losing 2 casting levels to fighter and the first level of EK hurts.
Personally I'd split the difference and try for a full-casting, 3/4 BAB prestige class which generally requires a one-level dip to enter (hellknight signifer or spherewalker) or evangelist, a 3/4 BAB, 9/10 casting class which requires no dip to enter.
Hellknight signifier won't work in this campaign, but I haven't looked at the others. Thanks!