So I've already complained about the situational nature of Transmutation focus spell (not to be mention it being the boring short-term number booster), as well as the absolutely irresponsible lack of a Transmutation cantrip.
But I'm searching for ways to make Transmuters fun to play. So far, no luck. In fact, what I found is just slap after slap after slap.
We gained a new first level spell, that could be cool (it's not). Pest Form allows you to take a form of a small ground animal. It makes you slower, but tiny. You gain weakness 5 to physical damage, also known as "how to die quickly". Okay, so not a combat spell. Scouting? Maybe, but at 10 minutes with slow speed (10ft!!!)... Again, seems far too dangerous and limited in application.
You can get a Fly speed (20ft) by heightening it to... Level 4. Same level as Fly, Gaseous Form and Aerial Form. Somebody was phoning it in, I see.
Enlarge is now 2nd level spell. It gives a bit more damage (+2), but otherwise roughly much the same as before. Fixed 5 min duration, but is that truly worth a 2nd level slot?!
Shrink, old Reduce person, is also a 2nd level spell. Now flat out makes you Tiny but without any effects except reach reduced to 0ft. So in a lot of ways, better scouting spell than Pest Form. XD
Okay, moving on.
Let's check Humanoid Form (previously Alter Self), a 2nd level Transmutation (Polymorph) spell. It used to give you a minor Str or Dex bonus, you could adapt slightly your size, and perhaps gain weak bonuses. All of that is gone. It's basically Disguise Self now. Okay. It does make you very good with Deception (essentially giving you Expert to mask yourself as a Humanoid though!
You could go Small size, there's no mechanical difference now, but still. 10 min duration, hey, it lasts a bit.
Aaand then you check Illusory Disguise, a level 1 Illusion spell which does almost exact same thing except you can "only" change your height by 6 inches and 50 pounds, while Humanoid Form gives you a bit more freedom in size part, but otherwise identical (same Deception bonuses).
Only it lasts a full hour. A full hour at one level lower. *sigh*
Slow has been nerfed a bit, perfectly reasonable.
Haste has been nerfed into the ground and made only barely useable for casters, especially when you consider Wizards weapon proficiency problems, okay. I mean, it deserved a nerf but now it is very limited and basically only useable for martials (even there, it is very weak due to -10 to hit on 3rd+ attacks). For casters, Fleet Step at 1st level is almost as good.
Magic Weapon is still here, only a minute duration but sure, works okay. I would expect it has a heightened version, but there is none on Archives of Nethys - can someone confirm please?
Ghost Weapon is still around... 5 minute duration that makes one weapon hit incorporeal creatures. At 3rd level. Will anyone ever use this?
Gaseous Form has been moved to 4th level... Again, I kinda understand like with fly but still feels bad.
Fly is fixed 5 mins at level 4, damn but okay, I understand the reasoning.
Aerial Form is at level 4. Wow, isn't it good we have 3 different flying spells (not counting heightened Pest Form) all on same level. It is also the first combat transformation spell available to us. Okay, this is actually good.
Stoneskin is explicitly described as "The target's skin hardens like stone" and it still isn't Transmutation...
Anyway, you get the idea. Almost all Transmutation spells are also in Occult tradition. None of these spells actually have combat applications - and I don't mean damage. There's no terrain altering spells, there's no combat defences, there's a few buffs, but even most of those are limited in application and sometimes come with disadvantages (Clumsy with Enlarge for example). It's pure sadness.
One upside that Humanoid Form has over Illusion one is that it's a physical transformation. You don't need to deal with people disbelieving you if they brush against you.
I think some of the issues could also stem from comparing direct pf1 in a vacuum, to the new pf2 which seems to be redefining the foundation. It could be that in relation to other pf2 spells, it's not that bad overall, but if you compare it to pf1, then almost everything is gonna suck.
Since metamagic feats no longer require higher slots, wouldn't a lot of the spells also be much easier to extend? With silent spell and a glamered armor, you could easily become about anyone on a whim. Perfect for a getaway.
You could multiclass with druid to pick up wildshape at 4 as a focus spell. At 8 you could pick up form mastery if you have sufficient strength. This would let you grab some animal combat forms a little earlier than Aerial form.
Truth is Druid is faaar better Transmuter in general than any Transmuter.
But I wish to play a Transmuter, not a Druid, so sadly, that's not an option.
The lack of low level transmutation I think is more an over correction from when everything was transmutation. It's a pretty easy fix as the spell lists expand with new books.
It's been 10 years of PF1, which already had that correction. They over-corrected back then, now they're just keeping the course. -.-
Take Conjuration. It's full of useful and powerful abilities. They could've easily moved Grease into Transmutation to maintain the balance. Change the flavour text as changing the properties of the material instead of summoning grease from the Plane of Lard.
One upside that Humanoid Form has over Illusion one is that it's a physical transformation. You don't need to deal with people disbelieving you if they brush against you.
That is a perk, but even combined with the ability to change your size a bit more.. Is it worth both a higher level slot AND a shorter time?
I think some of the issues could also stem from comparing direct pf1 in a vacuum, to the new pf2 which seems to be redefining the foundation. It could be that in relation to other pf2 spells, it's not that bad overall, but if you compare it to pf1, then almost everything is gonna suck.
I tried to compare within PF2 spells/abilities precisely for this reason. Compare things to what other schools and abilities provide.
And the fact is, they actually improved the combat forms in this edition compared to PF1 (where the combat polymorphs were not really worth the paper they were printed on). And then proceeded not to give any to the Transmuters until level 4.
Since metamagic feats no longer require higher slots, wouldn't a lot of the spells also be much easier to extend? With silent spell and a glamered armor, you could easily become about anyone on a whim. Perfect for a getaway.
No such thing as extending spells anymore.
As for getaway... Why not just go with Invisibility which lasts the same? Or just use the lower level Illusory Disguise which lasts longer.