I agree with mtpelion, and also;
let’s say you come back to the game from a long time (I know many players that are returning to the game like this), and have some leftover transmuation stones from before. So if you have like 30 charges waiting for you from before, I don’t see it a problem spending it maybe once or twice on your new character on lvls 40-60 before 80, since you are getting new ones for the area completions on the way anyway, it’s not likely you will run out of them anytime soon.. (I spent a few, for exactly the reason so I can stop rushing the levels and actually enjoy the content when I’m still 40 with the skins that I like, even if it’s just two weeks, it’s a big deal for some people).
But for new players, yeah, less convenient and it will take a while, which is about reverse from what I’m seeing in other mmos that try to make things easier for a new player due to power creep.