function lam.pickForm(formType)
  if not formType then
    lam.echo("No argument given to lam.pickForm", "red")
    return
  end
  local valid = {"iceArms", "iceLegs", "iceHinder", "dust"}
  if not table.contains(valid, formType) then
    lam.echo("Invalid argument given to lam.pickForm: " .. formType, "red")
    return
  end
  local stance = lam.getStance()
  local power = tonumber(gmcp.Char.Vitals.pow)
  if formType == "dust" then
    lam.nextForm = "dust"
    if not lam.selfHasAff("recklessness") then
      if power > 6 then
        lam.boostNext = true
      end
      if target.shielded and power > 7 then
        lam.boostNext = false
        lam.tahtaiNext = true
      end
    end
  elseif formType == "iceHinder" then
    lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
    if not lam.selfHasAff("recklessness") then
      if power > 6 then
        lam.boostNext = true
      end
      if target.shielded and power > 7 then
        lam.boostNext = false
        lam.tahtaiNext = true
      end
    end
  elseif formType == "iceLegs" then
    if stance == "n" then
      lam.nextForm = "dmg"
    elseif stance == "b" then
      lam.nextForm = "rlm"
    elseif stance == "th" then
      lam.nextForm = "rlm"
      lam.boostNext = true
    elseif stance == "c" then
      lam.nextForm = "rlm"
      if target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") and target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") then
        lam.nextForm = "sk"
      end
      if power > 7 then
        lam.boostNext = true
      end
    elseif stance == "sh" then
      lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
      if target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") and not target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") then
        lam.nextForm = "rlm"
      elseif target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") and not target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") then
        lam.nextForm = "llm"
      end
      if target.hasAff("Prone") then
        lam.nextForm = "sk"
        if target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") and target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") then
          lam.nextForm = "dust"
        end
      end
      if (lam.nextForm == "rlm" or lam.nextForm == "llm") and target.shielded then
        lam.tahtaiNext = true
      end
    elseif stance == "k" then
      lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
      if target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") and not target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") then
        if power > 1 then
          lam.nextForm = "llm"
          lam.regressNext = true
        end
      elseif target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") and not target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") then
        if power > 1 then
          lam.nextForm = "rlm"
          lam.regressNext = true
        else
          lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
        end
      else
        if target.hasAff("LLegMutilated") and target.hasAff("RLegMutilated") then
          lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
        else
          if power > 1 then
            lam.nextForm = "rlm"
            lam.regressNext = true
          else
            lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
          end
        end
      end
    end
    -- end ice legs
  elseif formType == "iceArms" then
    if stance == "n" then
      lam.nextForm = "dmg"
    elseif stance == "b" then
      lam.nextForm = "rlm"
    elseif stance == "th" then
      lam.nextForm = "rlm"
      lam.boostNext = true
    elseif stance == "c" then
      lam.nextForm = "ram"
      if target.hasAff("RArmMutilated") and not target.hasAff("LArmMutilated") then
        lam.nextForm = "lam"
      elseif target.hasAff("RArmMutilated") and target.hasAff("LArmMutilated") then
        lam.nextform = "sk"
      end
      if power > 7 then
        lam.boostNext = true
      end
    elseif stance == "sh" then
      lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
      if target.hasAff("RArmMutilated") and not target.hasAff("RArmDamaged") then
        lam.nextForm = "ram"
      elseif target.hasAff("LArmMutilated") and not target.hasAff("LArmDamaged") then
        lam.nextForm = "lam"
      end
      if (lam.nextForm == "ram" or lam.nextForm == "lam") and target.shielded then
        lam.tahtaiNext = true
      end
    elseif stance == "k" then
      lam.nextForm = "icehinder"
      if target.hasAff("RArmMutilated") and not target.hasAff("LArmMutilated") then
        if power > 1 then
          lam.nextForm = "lam"
          lam.regressNext = true
        end
      elseif target.hasAff("LArmMutilated") and not target.hasAff("RArmMutilated") then
        if power > 1 then
          lam.nextForm = "ram"
          lam.regressNext = true
        end
      end
    end
    -- end ice arms
  end
  -- end form logic
end

function lam.queueForm(form)
  if not form then
    form = lam.nextForm
  end
  if not lam.forms[form] then
    lam.echo("Bad argument given to lam.queueForm: " .. form .. " not found in form db.", "red")
    return
  end
  form = lam.forms[form]
  if target.shielded then
    form = lam.forms[form.raze]
  end
  local formString = form.short
  local targ = target.name .. " "
  local stance = lam.getStance()
  local actionTable = {"sm clear"}
  if not lam.artifactPipe then
    table.insert(actionTable, "sm add free light pipes")
  end
  -- do poison stuff
  if form.isRaze then
    table.insert(actionTable, "sm add free wipe right|envenom right with " .. form.poison)
  else
    if form[stance] then
      table.insert(
        actionTable,
        "sm add free wipe left|wipe right|envenom left with " ..
        form[stance][1] ..
        "|envenom right with " ..
        form[stance][2]
      )
    end
  end
  -- beast poison spit too
  if lam.beastBal and not target.shielded then
    table.insert(actionTable, "sm add free beast order spit " .. target.name)
  end
  -- instakill stuff
  if stance == "c" and target.hemo > 770 and tonumber(gmcp.Char.Vitals.pow) > 4 then
    formString = formString .. " burst"
    table.insert(actionTable, "sm add kata perform " .. targ .. formString)
    lam.warning(targ:upper() .. "IS PREPPED FOR INSTAKILL, BURSTING HEMO", "orange_red")
    lam.warning(targ:upper() .. "IS PREPPED FOR INSTAKILL, BURSTING HEMO", "orange_red")
    if lam.cc then
      mm.cc("Bursting hemorrhaging on " .. target.name .. ", HINDER THEM!")
    end
    lam.sendTable(actionTable)
    return
  end
  -- prep for usual form stuff
  if lam.boostNext and tonumber(gmcp.Char.Vitals.pow) > 1 and not lam.tahtaiNext then
    formString = formString .. "+"
    lam.boostNext = false
  end
  if lam.regressNext and tonumber(gmcp.Char.Vitals.pow) > 1 then
    formString = formString .. " tahto'sho"
    lam.regressNext = false
  end
  if lam.tahtaiNext and tonumber(gmcp.Char.Vitals.pow) > 2 then
    formString = "=" .. formString
    lam.tahtaiNext = false
    lam.boostNext = false
  end
  -- finish up
  table.insert(actionTable, "sm add kata perform " .. targ .. formString)
  lam.echo("Attempting form: " .. formString)
  lam.sendTable(actionTable)
  lam.nextForm = form.short
  return
end