What would you like to have for aura transmutation?

Transmutation should certainly be an F5 skill. I am not sure if it should be without a cooldown, but it certainly should not be more than 5 seconds. The weapon skills that grant auras would still be as effective if the transmutation was F5. Some have argued that Tempest should should have this F5 ability.

Some have argued that it should be a new elite specialization that revolves around auras. If this did come to fruition, the next weapon would certainly have to be a melee weapon.

I personally have been hoping for great sword or rifle on the next elite specialization.

In any case these are all pretty solid arguments.

Nah, it's fine as a weapon skill. It just needs its cast time to be reduced to 0.25, and reduce the cooldown to 5s.

The goal was to make the 'aura only' skills do more than just add the aura. I'd say Anet accomplished their goal. Keep in mind that adding an F5 skill would also open up any aura transmutation to any weapon, which may be a bit much.

That being said, I'd rather not have flip skills, because they can be clunky to activate (Anet even admitted as much during their underwater skills overhaul where they removed most of the flip skills). Ideally, my preference would be an added effect skill like Sand Squall. But I prefer weapon transmutation over F5.

EDIT: Another thing that could be an option, is to make the effect trigger when the elementalist gains the same aura again while they already have it. Currently, auras don't stack in duration so casting multiple of the same auras (say, through Ice Field blast finishers) is pretty much a waste. Having the transmute trigger (only on the ele themselves for balance) could aleviate that issue somewhat. Or auras could just stack in duration of course.

None of these - much better would be just insta cast and better radius

I still don't get what this aura transmute is supposed to accomplish. It is far from a rework some people want and too underwhelming to be a defining mechanic. Therefore I am against implementing transmute as an F5 skill. The F5 skill should be reserved for a potential future elite specialization with an impactful mechanic and not some cheap gimmic.

I believe this whole aura transmutation is blown totally out of proportion. If we look at these transmutation skills as just a way to give some weapon skills that did very little up to now a boost, then I'd say job accomplished. It doesn't really change the way ele is played and its impact is rather limited, but I guess that was intended.

F5 is too far away from my fingers

@MyPuppy.8970 said:F5 is too far away from my fingers

Most people rebind it so it is. F5 is a generic term.

auras should just transmute by default when they expire without any input and it still won't be too strong while tempests that run powerful aura trait can actually see some use in wvw & pvp (though i'm pretty sure firebrand is still leagues ahead better considering how tempest will need to give up a part of their condi clense for it and none of the trasmuted aura effects really matter except the stun from shocking)