Oai… a discussion that never seems to find an end. *LOL*
Okay, if anything the curse is one thing: FICKLE. What it does to people seems to vary from person to person and it can get very, very out of hand when people try to do things to it.
As to the forms animorphed keepers can attain… there is little known limit save that they are stuck as that particular creature in whatever forms they train themselves to attain. Likewise there seems to be a limit to the amount of mass they can gain or shed through their transitory forms (i.e. Misha or Matthias can become as large as small ponies, and the Duke a full fledged horse, but little beyond that. Nor can one become as small as a gnat even if they do become a gnat-morph. Reducing the size too far has deleterious effects on the mind of the individual and natural brain function halts the size reduction before damage is done).
Age-morphs can reduce themselves to the apparent age of a 2-year-old or as old as a pubecent human (old enough to successfully bear children but no further. In fact they tend toward that age during the pregnancy to prevent harm to the fetus naturally). They do not have the ability to assume non-humanoid forms… without additional magic.
Gender-morphs can make themselves appear their previous gender, but not very well. They can assume the form of a rather androgenous image of their former gender, but that does not reflect in their genetalia. Females are still female though they might be able to assume the form of a husky womanish male they still have all of the feminine anatomy. Magic may be able to push that further, but not without using a vast amount of magical force and undergoing some discomfort. And it does not last very long, the curse is simply too strong. Not even the gods seem able or willing to alter it. Certianly Eli does not seem moved to return Hough to his former self.
Now, there's the maintainance issue.
Firstly there is will to maintain the form… it takes a lot of self-discipline to learn a form, practice it, and hold it for any length of time. In some the ability to take an alternate form seems intrinsic (Misha) and they are not overly strained shifting and holding though it does exert them over time. For others it is a major force of concentration simply to make the least little adjustment and hold it for any length of time at all. Being a person of powerful will and extreme dedication does not mean that they are able to learn the ability, either. Murikeer, for example, is a powerful mage yet he cannot begin to take on a 'taur form. Even becoming an animal is difficult for him.
Secondly there is the sheer exertion involved. Guiding one's form toward the curse's intention is quite simple and tends to be the default. That is not the same for all individuals. Some animal morphs are more 'animal' (Wanderer), some less so, while some age-morphs are younger or older in outward appearance. Gender morphs tend to default toward 'knockout' but subconsciously they tend toward their personal ideal and eventually that becomes their standard appearance.
Some expend little initial energy assuming a new form, but like walking a long way it eventually does wear on them and they are forced to resume their normal form, while others exert huge amounts of energy assuming a form but once assumed can maintain it for a good length of time by some strange sort of stamina. For others it's an uphill run the whole time.
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