Share Transmutation on inanimate objects

Question

Does the level 9 Brown-Fur Transmuter ability Share Transmutation, allow spells such as Beast Shape to be cast on inanimate objects, such as walls, doors and chairs?

Answer 1

The arcanist archetype brown-fur transmuter is from the Advanced Class Guide, a book one Paizo representative called an "all-time low point, editing-wise." Questions about the ACG are legion, yet its FAQ is remarkably brief; in other words, I was unable to find official word about this from a Paizo representative.

Share transmutation needs GM intervention

The special ability, in part, says

At 9th level, the brown-fur transmuter can target others with her transmutation spells. A brown-fur transmuter can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to change any transmutation spell with a range of personal to a range of touch. Such a spell automatically fails on unwilling creatures.

So, technically, the supernatural ability share transmutation changes only the arcanist's spell's Range entry—and then only from personal to touch—yet not the spell's Target entry. This oversight means that—again, technically—most spells that a brown-fur transmuter would want to share using this ability he still can't. For example, as written, using the special ability share transmutation on the spell alter self means the spell retains its Target: You entry as does the entirety of the beast shape spell line, despite these spells now having an entry of Range: Touch.

This, of course, makes the special ability almost worthless.

So this GM would aim for the simple solution. The special ability mentions creatures and seems to this GM to presume only creatures. Thus this GM would make a house rule saying that The supernatual ability share transmutation also alters a changed spell's target from you to creature touched.

This GM would avoid instituting a house rule saying that The supernatual ability share transmutation also alters a changed spell's target from you to creature or object touched. That's because it seems to this GM incredibly unclear what happens if a spell like alter self or beast shape is successfully used on an object and even less clear what happens if that transmuted object is subsequently killed then the spell's duration expires. To avoid weirdness, hassles, and fights at the table, limiting the special ability share transmutation to creatures seems to this GM like the way to go.