Alteration mage questions

[Rionne]

1. Does character's stats affect stats in form as well? I'm wondering if it's worth taking high str races for better damage in form.

2. Are defensive forms worthwhile for clanless transmuter? Porcupine is amazing, but I'll be alone most of the time and have nobody to tank for, and really don't like slow ranking speed...

[Rialon]

If you are going to be alone, take offensive forms (that means you get offensive forms prior to defensive:lesser offencive form, lesser defencive form, flying form, greater offencive, greater defencive). This way after you get greater offencive form at rank 26 you can easily grow solo. And yes, stats are set for each form, just as hr/dr (though it grows with rank) and resists.

[Note from Maerryji:
Str, Dex, and Con are set, while Wis and Int depend on the stats of your character (slightly tweaked).]

Saves, health and mana are the same in form and in normal shape. You should alos note, that the only feats, which are relevant in form are toughen, MoB and way of the gargoyle.

[Quino]

Saves, health and mana are the same in form and in normal shape.

Just to clarify - saves differ between forms and trueform as you have different basic stats.
Example: you have N fortitude saves with your human transmuter (Con: 20)
you shapeshift into lion (Con: 16) thus your fortitude save takes penalty of 4 resulting in Fortitude save: N-4
or you shapeshift into manticore (Con: 24) thus your fortitude save takes bonus of 4 resulting in Fortitude save: N+4