A quick few questions about Alchimia.

Is it normal for people to specify into specific materials that they can change other things into and mold into other shapes?
And while I hate to draw the comparison, can Alchimia magic be better suited for Full Metal Alchemist's more combat centered alchemy or would it be more beakers and test-tubes?
And, is there a limit of sorts as to what can be changed into what? Like, are gold and other precious metals off limits for creation? And could I get potentially more abstract about materials for rearranging?