Conceiving the examples for Animate Objects was fun and Polymorph Other got me to thinking about other uses for the spell beyond just species to species transformations.

Animate Objects

-         Ethereal strings that either come from the caster’s hands or from just above the objects.

-         The objects gain a cartoonish appearance.

-         The object forms joints. Sticks look like centipedes more than serpents.

-         The objects are surrounded by a husk of light with a color that is caster dependant.

-         The object is surrounded by fleshy veins or roots.

-         The object forms one or more faces.

-         Such faces mutter, growl or make other noise.

-         Such faces speak advertisements for the caster’s guild.

-         The object has an incorporeal rider, a weird little critter.

-         The object is controlled by an incorporeal hand.

-         The object produces ectoplasmic sweat that evaporates in a few moments.

-         The object’s shadow is warped.

-         The object forms a tailpipe that is smoking.

-         The object is covered with glowing sigils or runes.

-         The object’s surface becomes tarnished, frosted or reflective (the last works well with wood and other normally non-reflective materials).

-         The object’s footprint glows for a few moments.

-         The object spins off one tiny dust devil per round.

-         The object forms writhing incorporeal tentacles when struck.

-         The object sheds scales or toenails that evaporate after a few rounds.

-         The object has the odor of a skunk.

-         The object has a bizarre reflection.

-         All those within 10 feet of the object have a sweet or bitter taste in their mouths.

-         Harmless lightning acts as legs for object.

-         The object is bathed in light from above.

-         The object’s appearance becomes that of a simple sketch (such as those that some artists start with).

-         Tiny dolls with the caster’s appearance fall behind the object as it moves.

-         The object causes fleshy sores on the non-living surfaces it touches. They fade after a few minutes.

-         The object’s appearance becomes that of bone or rotting flesh.

-         The object grows hair. Color and style are caster dependant.

-         The object grows alien crystals on its surface.

-         Flying objects produce a harmless afterburner when moving.

Polymorph Others

-         One of the target’s limbs enlarges and gains enough mass to immobilize them.

-         The target’s head and chest expand, causing them to break armor and helms to fall off.

-         The target’s legs fuse and shrink into a snake body. For a human I would have it two feet long.

-         The target’s tongue turns into a toad, making speech impossible.

-         The target’s hands turn into large flippers.

-         The target’s head turns upside down. This makes all actions difficult as everything is “upside down” and speech and eating impossible as the mouth no longer connects to the torso.

-         The target’s hair turns into serpents. Watch others scream medusa and run or fight.

-         The target’s eyes enlarge and spread over the face, potentially causing suffocation.

-         The target’s hair turns to room temperature ice or fire. Ice will make headgear difficult to wear and fire produces enough light to draw attention.

-         The target’s skin gains the appearance of dry kindling.