It is probably too late in 5e for anything like this, but, assuming it goes over well in Pathfinder, would you want something like this for 6e (assuming there is a 6e of course)?
Not the way PF2E is doing it. I don't like this kind of rigid, functional classification for spells. It takes all the magic out of magic.
I much prefer the D&D approach of classifying spells on the basis of "What kind of forces are you wielding?" It allows for functional overlap while maintaining a distinct character for each power source. Wizards and clerics can both toss out blasts of fire; but fireball is two levels lower than flame strike and deals the same damage, while hitting a wider area. Flame strike, on the other hand, deals half its damage as radiant, which is near-impossible to resist and messes up undead something fierce. So throwing a blast of fire is the wizard's go-to combat option, while the cleric uses it as a specialized weapon against certain foes.
Right now, D&D classifies spells by a combination of class and school. I do like the idea of simplifying this. Merge the paladin list with the cleric list, the ranger list with the druid list, and the sorcerer list with the wizard list. Switch arcane tricksters to the bard list, it's a better fit anyway. Get rid of spell schools altogether; they only exist to support the wizard traditions, which could be redesigned.
So you'd end up with five spell lists:
- Arcane Magic (eldritch knights, sorcerers, wizards)
- Fey Magic (
arcanefey tricksters, bards) - Divine Magic (clerics, paladins)
- Pact Magic* (warlocks)
- Primal Magic (druids, rangers)
For the wizard traditions, I'd probably do them like cleric domains; each tradition has a list of 2 "tradition spells" per level. However, instead of giving you access to other spell lists, the tradition would give you bonuses when casting your tradition spells.
[SIZE=-2]*Much as I would like to put warlocks under Arcane and/or Fey, there are far too many spells that become ludicrously OP if you can cast them once per short rest. I can't see any way around giving warlocks their own list.[/SIZE]
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