@Kegi I think that's because magical fabrication is temporary. I don't think we've seen anything created wholly out of magic that doesn't poof out of existence sometime later. Weaker transformation spells seem to have similar limitations (i.e. turning mice into horses, which even then wasn't entirely successful considering how they came out).

Went to a sushi restaurant today -nice and has an 'all you can eat (in an hour and a half, or else the place'd be packed) set-up, which is nothing to scoff at, given the selection they have.

Anyway, I decide I'm gonna try some sake, since I've never had it before.

Ever wonder what rubbing alcohol would taste like if you warmed it up?

I think it could also be said that editing spells requires one to, you know, be able to keep what their editing intact to begin with, otherwise the spell fails(A reflexive anti-magic on the part of the object?). Fabricated objects can just be slapped together with whatever's laying around, but in the case of transmutation you need to know the original is still going to be there when it's time to turn back. Requires an immense amount of precision.

Which is probably why Gender-changing is harder than age-changing. Age changing alters what's already there, Gender swappign requires you to both alter some parts and fabricate others, while keeping them consistent and cohesive with the whole, without completely eradicating the other bits so that they can change back later.

Maybe Earth Ponies made all the crystal Macguffins! Crystal is under Earth, isn't it? And no one ever said who created the Crystal Heart, Elements of Harmony, or Alicorn Amulet (which probably has a crystal in it).

Hell, Earth Ponies might've created Crystal Ponies, like the Greek pantheon was said to have created man out of various metals (and corn).

@Kegi And that's not even accounting for a botched transformation's tendency to leave the target stuck between both states, which ups the risk factor significantly in terms of learning and testing the spells.

D&D discussion. Also racial powerlevels, yet again.

Yeah, that's why I sort of figure most objects will sort of 'no sell' a botched spell rather than getting stuck halfway. Their 'personal magic feild' or what have you detects a incorrect rune or something, and turns on a natural magic defense. OR something. I dunno. All I know is, we never see a botched spell, just one that doesn't happen.

edited 3rd Dec '12 3:59:09 PM by kegisak

My headcanon is that Luna attempted to physically age herself up to match her sister, but got stuck around halfway and decided it was good enough (hence why she looks different than her first appearance, but is still smaller than Celestia).

@Kegi What about the Orange transformation spell in TMPP, and the Mouse->Horse spell in Best Night Ever?

Afaik, most polyspells leave an "edit history" behind so you can reverse any changes.

Well Pinkie can use her bardic powers to make everypony think that food is impossibly delicious.

Well, the orange spell never actually botched it just hit the wrong targets.

But it didn't transform them completely did it?

It didn't completely transform the bird into an orange... I'd consider that a botch if it was supposed to turn it into an orange.

You ended up with some freaky orange/bird hybrid.

I will give that there seems to be some sort of natural "snapback" effect on transformations, but they can still go wrong. You can clearly see the snapback in things like Twilight transforming a rock into a tophat, her initial attempts at transforming the apple, or her failed attempt at the age spell on the flower.

edited 3rd Dec '12 4:11:15 PM by PerpetualLurker

And there was the orange/frog.

Which persisted at least a few hours.

That still may not neccesarily count as a botch - Twilight was trying to turn an inanimate object into another.

There was probably no consideration given as to the effect it would have on a living creature, since it was never meant to be used on one.

Oh, that is true enough, yeah. Fair point.

Seriously Twi shouldn't have been doing her testing on the open street :V

Something I noticed in "Magic Duel" but can't recall being pointed out yet: when Snails was turned old with an age spell, his snail cutie mark turned old as well.

Yeah i'd say most magic that just makes things appear out of nowhere is limited in how long it can last. And Transformation, yeah does seem to be the hardets to do.

And yes i'm running under age magic to be a transformation tpye, not a temporal based magic.

I think we've already long since confirmed that Twilight's not exactly the FDA-approved sort.

Really she should take her safe testing more seriously. I mean she freaked out about bacterial infections during the Hurricane Event!

Stamps of Approval!

Oh, my

AJ milkshake :3

Trixie never mentioned the other other place she went to earn bits

edited 3rd Dec '12 4:37:43 PM by AceOfScarabs

I feel I should read a few discworld novels before really getting into my own work.

I highly recommend the Guards and Death series. And wizards. Witches I'm ambivalent towards, honestly. The one-shots are always good too, in particular Monstrous Regiment.