When you first learn spells, you must select a Source and a Style. The Source dictates what spells you have access to casting and the Style dictates how you cast your spells.
Spell Source
The four Spell Sources are defined from each other both by what spells they can cast and where knowledge of those spells stems from. Each has benefits and drawbacks along with concepts about how casters from each source learn new spells.
- Arcane represents magic through study and knowledge. In contrast to the other sources, the Arcane Source does not draw magic from a higher power and is thus not restricted to any ethical code of that power. The study within the Arcane Source is broad, giving it one the widest variety of spells and the largest spell list. While no moral path is required for access to the longest spell list, learning new spells through the Arcane source is far more difficult.
- Divine represents magic through a powerful being, often a deity though sometimes a philosophy. The Divine Source differentiates itself from the other sources with the widest range of healing and support magics. That given, this source requires the maintenance of the Devout Follower Trait.
- Occult is the catch-all for odd magics that do not come from study, divine, or natural means. Most often this is through the power of an artform, such as music, or from some powerful being that is not a deity. This source boasts the most devasting mind-based and control-oriented spells. The Occult Source does require the maintenance of the Patron Trait.
- Primal represents magic through the natural world. The Primal Source utilizes nature and the surrounding environment like no other source. It does require the maintenance of the Green Faith Trait.
Source Traditions
The four sources hold similarities of flavor with popular TTRPG systems. Arcane would be the source of Wizards and some Sorcerers. Divine would be the source of Clerics and Paladins. Occult would be the source of Bards and Warlocks. Primal would be the source of Druids and Rangers.
Spell Style
Casting Styles define how you hold the knowledge of the spells in your mind.
- Prepared casters select a number of spells after each Long Rest. They can cast these spells using their Spell Slots until their next Long Rest, after which they must prepare that day’s spells. In this way, Prepared casters have access to great variety of spells but are limited each day to what they have prepared.
- Arcane casters with the Prepared Style select spells each day from their Spellbook. Their spellbook contains a list of all the spells they have collected.
- Divine, Occult, Primal casters with the Prepared Style select spells each day from their entire Spell List, as presented in Chapter XVI.
- Spontaneous casters know a fixed list of spells, called Known Spells, which they can cast using their Spell Slots. Spontaneous casters have a lot of flexibility throughout a day and can learn new spells to quickly change their spells for a day, but they are limited over time as the spells they can cast are restricted to those they know.
- Arcane casters with the Spontaneous Style learn spells from their Spellbook. Their spellbook contains a list of all the spells they have collected.
- Divine, Occult, Primal casters with the Spontaneous Style learn spells from their entire Spell List, as presented in Chapter XVI.
Spellcasting Ability
In addition to your Source and Style, you must choose one of your Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, to be your Spellcasting Ability. This ability’s modifier is applied to your Spell Attack and DC, and, if you are a Prepared Caster, dictated how many spells you can prepare.
First Spells
Prepared Casters first spells are an infinite number of Spell Slots for Cantrips and 2 Spell Slots for Level 1 Spells. You are able to prepare a number of spells equal to your Proficiency Score + your Spellcasting Ability Modifier + one for each Spell Level accessible (including Cantrips), minimum of 1. These prepared spells can be of any Spell Level you are able to cast.
Spontaneous Casters first spells are an infinite number of Spell Slots for Cantrips, 4 Known Cantrips, 1 Spell Slot for Level 1 Spells, and 2 Known Level 1 Spells. The Known Spells of a Spontaneous caster are selected when gained and cannot be changed later.
Casting Spells: Spell Slots and Known Spells
When casting a spell, both Prepared and Spontaneous casters use a Spell Slot of a Spell Level they are able to cast. A spell must be cast with a Spell Slot of equal or higher value than the Spell Level. Once used, a Spell Slot can not be regained until the caster takes a Short or Long Rest.
Prepared Casters can only cast the spells that they have prepared after a Long Rest.
Spontaneous Casters can only cast their Known Spells.
The Cantrip Rule: No matter your Source or Style, you are always able to cast cantrips because all casters have an infinite number of Cantrip Spell Slots.
Resting Benefits for Casters
Short Rest, or rests that are at least an hour long but less than eight hours, allow spellcasters to regain a number of Spell Slots equal to a quarter of their Proficiency Score, rounded down. The benefits of a Short Rest can only be gained three times between any two Long Rests.
Long Rest, or rests that are at least eight hours, allow spellcasters to regain all used Spell Slots. At the end of a Long Rest, Prepared casters can revise their list of prepared spells.
Second Spells
Spell Access means that you have gained, through spending Trait Points, the ability to cast a new Spell Level. All Spell Access, no matter your Source, your Style, or the Spell Level, requires that you have a Proficiency Score of at least double the Spell Level you are gaining access to and that you spend 3 Trait Points.
By meeting the Proficiency Score requirement and spending those Trait Points, you gain 1 Spell Slot of the new Spell Level and, if you are a Spontaneous Caster, 1 Known Spell of the new Spell Level.
| Spell Level Access | Requirements | Trait Point Cost | Benefits |
| Level 2 | Proficiency Score of 4 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 2 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 2 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 2 Spells |
| Level 3 | Proficiency Score of 6 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 3 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 3 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 3 Spells |
| Level 4 | Proficiency Score of 8 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 4 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 4 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 4 Spells |
| Level 5 | Proficiency Score of 10 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 5 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 5 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 5 Spells |
| Level 6 | Proficiency Score of 12 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 6 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 6 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 6 Spells |
| Level 7 | Proficiency Score of 14 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 7 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 7 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 7 Spells |
| Level 8 | Proficiency Score of 16 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 8 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 8 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 8 Spells |
| Level 9 | Proficiency Score of 18 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 9 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 9 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 9 Spells |
| Level 10 | Proficiency Score of 20 | 3 | Prepared: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 10 Spells Spontaneous: – 1 Spell Slot for Level 10 Spells – 1 Known Spell for Level 10 Spells |
Access to Cantrips and Level 1 Spells are gained when you take the Spellcasting Trait.
Extra Spell Slots for any Spell Level that a caster has access to can be purchased. Each Spell Slot costs 1 Trait Point for both Prepared and Spontaneous casters.
Extra Spells Known for any Spell Level that a Spontaneous caster has access to can be purchased. Each Known Spell costs 1 Trait Point.
Multiple Sources and Styles
While uncommon, it is possible to use magic from different Sources and Styles. Each combination of Source and Style is treated as a separate progression in most ways.
To use a second Source or Style, a caster must purchase the Spellcasting Trait a second time, selecting the new Source, Style, and Spellcasting Ability. At least one of the Source or Style must be different from the caster’s first progression. For this second progression path you must purchase Spell Slots and, if necessary, Known Spells separately from your first progression path. Further, casting spells from your second progression must use only Spell Slots from your second progression.
Access to Spell Levels only needs to be purchased once across all progressions. For example, if a Prepared caster has purchased Access to Spell Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5 when they begin a second progression, they do not need to purchase Access to those levels again. However, they must have at least 1 Spell Slot and, for Spontaneous casters, 1 Known Spell, of a Spell Level before they can purchase Spell Slots and Known Spells of the next Spell Level. With the example above, the caster cannot immediately purchase a Level 5 Spell Slot of their second progression. Instead, they must spend the necessary 3 Trait Points, 1 for each Spell Slot of Spell Level 2, 3, and 4, before they can purchase a Spell Slot of Level 5. For Spontaneous casters, this applies to Known Spells too. Casters with two Prepared Styled progressions, prepare Spells for both their progressions separately, with each list having a number of Prepared spells equal to their Proficiency Score +your Spellcasting Ability Modifier, minimum of 1.