Metamorphic Ventures is a quest given by Luster who is located just behind the train station in the Crystal Kingdom. Luster is an earth pony with a light cornflower bluish gray coat, light brilliant gamboge mane and grayish brown eyes.
Luster's worry[]
Luster is under some serious stress. He just knows that that rock over there is actually a changeling and is waiting for the perfect time to strike. He has been keeping a vigilant eye on it so it can't sneak off and fulfill it's evil plan. When the player asks to help prove that it is actually just a rock, Luster says that he will not believe them and that only Spuffy, who is an expert on changelings, can say if the rock is truly a changeling or not. Luster will give up his prized basalisk-infused crystal sword as a reward if it is proved that the rock isn't a changeling.
Any choice the player makes that doesn't involve asking Spuffy about the changleing-rock will initiate the quest with the following journal entry:
Journal: Luster is oddly focused on a single stone. I need to check up on him.
- Talk to Luster
In the subsequent conversation, which is a repeat of the first, if the player said they would ask Spuffy, the quest is initiated and/or advanced.
Journal: Luster told me about Spuffy, who is a famed Changeling-checker from Cloudopolis. I want to see if Spuffy can show me that if this rock Luster is looking at is a changeling or not.
- Speak with Spuffy
Spuffy's solution[]
Spuffy will ask the player if they are there to sign up for the frying pan duel, and while that would certainly be entertaining, the player will keep on point and ask about dealing with changelings. Spuffy offers two ways of determining a changeling: hitting it with a frying pan or lighting it on fire. Despite being given a Frying Pan, the player will ask about rocks or other inanimate objects, and Spuffy assures the player that only living creatures with similar statures as ponies could be copied.
Journal: Now that I know Changelings cannot disguise themselves as small rocks, I can help solve Luster's mystery about that rock!
- Return to Luster
Solving the mystery[]
The player reveals the truth about the changelings inability to mimic inorganic and smaller sized objects. If the player reminds Luster of his promise of a reward, Luster rewards the player "as promised" by giving them his prized "basalisk-infused crystal sword" which naturally turns out to be just a regular Wooden Sword.
Journal: I hope Luster will finally get some sleep…
Rewards[]
Throughout the quest, the player is rewarded 1 frying pan and 1 wooden sword.
- Unconfirmed BUG/FEATURE: If the player does not ask about the sword at the end, the quest may not get flagged as complete. The quest marker will remain until the player repeats the last conversation and asks about the sword, at which time it is rewarded and the quest gets flagged as complete. It is unknown at this time if this was intended by the developers or not, but it is not game-breaking so it could be construed as a feature.
