Magic is a force of nature, and a part of the world. There are three main types of magic:
- Arcane, which comes from the world and universe around the caster
- Divine, which is inspired from above (or below): the realms of gods and demons.
- Primal, which is associated with the nature and the feywild.
Wizards, sorcerers and bards learn to cast arcane spells, which are typically flashy and powerful, but, often require complex movements and gestures known as somatic components, which are impeded by wearing bulky armor.
Clerics, rangers and paladins cast divine spells, which draw their power from a deity or simply the caster’s inner faith. While the casting of these spells is not impeded by heavy armor, it may require the caster to wear a holy symbol as a focus.
Druids and shamans cast primal spells, wielding the magic of the natural world and using thier connection to the primal spirits to cast their spells. These spell are impeded by non-natural armor.
A spell may exist in all three arcane, divine and primal forms — for example, summon monster VII can be cast by wizards, clerics and druids, although a cleric might use it to summon an angel, a druid would summon a wilderness ally while a wizard would feel free to summon whichever creature best fits the situation.
