Animate objects

Animate objects (also seen as animate object) was a transmutation or alteration spell that allowed the caster to temporarily bring to life one or more inanimate objects to attack a designated target.

Effects
This spell could animate objects made of any non-magical material such as ceramic, fabric, glass, leather, metal, or wood. For the older transmutation version of this spell, the number of objects a caster could animate depended on how experienced he or she was. For the newer version, it was limited to a maximum of ten small objects. Regardless of version, as the objects grow larger in size, fewer can be animated. For example, ten candlesticks versus five chairs.

For the alteration versions this spell, the focus is on volume rather than on quantity, the size of the volume also dependent on the caster's experience. The caster could also animate masses of raw matter, such as water, a stone from a wall, or a rock on the ground.

The duration of animate objects also varied based on the caster's experience, and the objects immediately attacked a target designated by the caster. The movement rate, attack method, and possible damage depended on the form of the objects and their weight. Depending on the school, objects being carried or worn by person or creature were either difficult  or impossible  to animate.

Components
Only verbal and somatic components were required to cast this spell.