Hello Everyone. I’m trying to introduce some new players to Pathfinder 2e, but something that is causing some confusion is the differences between the 4 magic traditions. Pathfinder 2e divides magic into 4 traditions (Arcane, Divine, Occult and Primal), but there doesn’t seem to be a good explanation of the practical differences for each tradition. Yes, the 2e SRD says that Arcane Magic is “built on logic and rationality” while Occult Magic “seeks to understand the unexplainable, categorize the bizarre, and otherwise access the ephemeral in a systematic way”, but from a gameplay perspective, that doesn’t really explain what types of spells Arcane magic would have that Occult would not.
The most obvious practical difference between the 4 magic traditions is that Arcane magic doesn’t have any healing spells, whereas all of the other schools do. The SRD also states that Arcane magic has the broadest spell list, but doesn’t elaborate on what types of spells that would include. I rather not tell my players to read the entire spell list for each tradition and figure it out for themselves. Can anyone provide a practical explanation as to what type of spells each magic tradition contains?
