The village had the scepter. I go retrive and after a prolonged fight the giant dies of gills but no scepter is returned to reward my efforts.

A massive giant tries to get enough oxygen to its lungs and fails.
A massive giant's asphyxiation EVISCERATES it!
A massive giant is DEAD!!

<no return of cabal power echo>

thanks for a great game!

Gill growth isn't really meant to be used this way. You can, up to a point, but we're not going to encourage it.

...this really rubs me the wrong way.

Transmuters often NEED to be creative with their spells. That is what sets a good transmuter apart from a mediocre quicken/slow/soften/decalcify/disrupt-only transmuter.

Saying that a spell "isn't really meant to be used" in a certain way and that you "are not going to encourage it" is really poor. Just poor. Especially when said spell is an extremely viable option.

Transmuters can have it pretty tough sometimes, and especially if this guy was retrieving solo, he's gotta use EVERYTHING at his disposal and get it done as quickly as possible.

Don't be lazy here, and throw this guy a bone and fix this, would ya!

The effort isn't an issue. It'd be about a one minute change.

Gill growth isn't meant to be an offensive spell. Here are the two options I will present, not that this is a democracy:

1) Gill growth stays the way it is.

2) Gill growth is changed to give 'kill credit' but also is changed such that it may NEVER be cast on a target that doesn't trust you.