COM: Esotericist Spell Shaping School choices

[Third Strongest Mole]

So, the esotericist 9th level ability spell shaping seems like a very powerful ability, well worth the trade of a single feat (or healing touch) for a 9th level mystic. The ability to make a single target spell hit two creatures within 15 feet of one another in particular is very strong in terms of getting 2 spells for one action and using only one spell slot. The range condition is particularly easy to meet for harmless spells (just tell your allies to group up before casting). It does, however, restrict its usage to a single spell school of the player's choice. Let's compare the school choices for a mystic based on the most appealing spells to use the ability with:

Divination: it's not just mind thrust, but mostly for mind thrust

Mind Thrust (extra target): an obvious choice at any level for the double targeting option. Realizing mind thrust is actually a divination spell made me want to see what other options the school provides, though, given that most of the other immediately appealing options are enchantment spells.
Battlemind Link (extra target, duration could be helpful)
Clairvoyance (increased range, duration)
Predict foe (2 targets): if nothing else, helpful at low levels if you want to stretch a spell slot to not run out but still get to do something magical every turn.
Mind Probe? (target, duration could be useful)

Transmutation:
Baleful Polymorph (extra target)
Polymorph (extra target)
Psychokinetic strangulation? (extra target) : see predict foe.
Flesh to stone (extra target)
Control Gravity: area

Conjuration:don't overlook this one
Mystic cure (extra target): Double heal! And only the first target needs to be at touch range!
Remove condition (extra target)
Miasma (expand radius) : 40 ft radius means many creatures will not be able to move out in a single turn, if centered on them.

Enchantment:Probably the most versatile options
Hold Person/Monster (extra target)
Charm Person/Monster (extra target)
Inflict Pain (extra target)
Mental block (extra target)
Synaptic pulse (increased radius, duration) : potential for 8 round stun to multiple targets? actually makes one reconsider divination. Dream big.
Dominate Person (extra target)
Suggestion (extra target)
Confusion (range, radius)

Necromancy:Not a ton of spells, but the options here are fairly solid
Ray of Exhaustion (extra target)
Crush skull (extra target): not mind thrust, but I guess it'll do.
Bestow Curse (extra target): again, only first target needs to be in touch range.
Command Undead (extra target) : reminder that mindless undead get no save
Enervation (extra target)

Abjuration:not the best pick of the lot, but if you like buffs, it's okay.
Dispel magic: the archetype can provide other ways to do this
Resistant armor(extra target)

Illusion:I guess if you are already shadow connection, you might pick this
Paranoia (extra target)
Umbral Tendrils (area increase)

Evocation: Not a mystics strong suit, but could be good at low levels for connection spells in particular.
Call cosmos (range, area)
Star storm (range, area)
Wall of fire (area)
Caustic conversion (duration)

So it's not just a toss up between divination and enchantment. Transmutation and Necromancy, even conjuration have some appealing possibilities.

Did I miss any cool spells to shape? What are the best schools for Technomancer and witchwarper? Gut says transmutation for disintegrating 2 targets.

[Xenocrat]

This is great, I hadn't considered the utility of the double target vs the cheapness of the cost to a Mystic at this level. Add Annihilating Purity as an 18th level swap for a connection power and take the damage boosting ephiphany and you can really juice a Mind Thrust.

I think Technomancer is a harder sell on this ability, with the expansion of magic hacks an 11th level hack is a big price, there are always at least four from the 8th level list I want. But transmutation gets you Rewire Flesh at 10th level as well as Disintegrate at 16th level. Also Baleful Polymorph.

I wonder if the language on Spell Shaping (9th) and Greater Spell Shaping (18th) concerning multiple schools chosen implies you can choose to swap an otherwise dead 12th level archetype class ability to rechoose Spell Shaping, otherwise there's some nonsensical language in Greater Spell Shaping since you couldn't rechoose Spell Shaping until 18th.

[Third Strongest Mole]

Xenocrat wrote:

I wonder if the language on Spell Shaping (9th) and Greater Spell Shaping (18th) concerning multiple schools chosen implies you can choose to swap an otherwise dead 12th level archetype class ability to rechoose Spell Shaping, otherwise there's some nonsensical language in Greater Spell Shaping since you couldn't rechoose Spell Shaping until 18th.

That seems to be the intent. However, "The esotericist grants alternate class features at 2nd, 6th, 9th and 18th levels. These alternate class features are optional. at each of these levels, you can either choose an esotericist alternate class feature...." {COM 99}

So, even though you can take the spellshaper feature multiple times, you can't take any esotericist feature at 12th level. You can take it again at 18th, but of course then you cannot take greater spell shaping. If you take greater spell shaping, effectively it just adds 1 use to spell shaping. (since you could only use it with 1 school at most anyway).