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Differentiating Arcane and Divine Magic.
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<blockquote data-quote="Ashrym" data-source="post: 7966537" data-attributes="member: 6750235"><p>The two separations per the PHB indicate direct access to magic versus an intermediary connection to magic. From what I read in the sidebar it is just one magic and the classes have different ways of applying it.</p><p></p><p>I'm more a fan of just calling it cleric magic or bard magic or wizard magic etc too. Additional labelling does nothing but add additional labels for the sake of adding additional labels.</p><p></p><p>I'll comment on the cleric vs warlock, however. The rules for arcane vs divine means clerics need that connection to access the weave. Warlocks do not, which is why it's arcane. I interpret that to mean the patronage requires a one-time or irregular rituals in the leveling up and learning process for warlocks that permanently empowers the warlock to use magic directly where the clerics do not have that same option.</p><p></p><p>Warlocks using an arcane focus instead of a holy symbol reinforces that distinction.</p><p></p><p>It's easy enough to rationalize based on the way arcane and divine magic is described. The spells aren't actually arcane or divine but the manipulation process is. It's still unnecessary but seems to be a legacy inclusion.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That's an important consideration for how Eberron is handled given the "gods don't interfere" concept. Gods who may or may not exist and do not communicate with followers or directly grant magic but gods are granting magic? I call "nuh-uh", lol.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Based on how "The Magic of Ki" is described monks would be arcane casters when casting spells because they are using ki to power it. The actual spells they access follows the arcane caster style as well. Or a person can stick with a class as the type of magic (which makes more sense, I agree).</p><p></p><p>Bards are not actually listed as arcane casters in the bard class description either even though divine and arcane reference exist in the classes for clerics, druids, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards. Bard magic gets described as hidden magic and the cannot use an arcane spell focus. But they still get included with arcane casters but the only thing that really shows that is the sidebar including them in that list.</p><p></p><p>What I find interesting is if a DM enforces the old school "divine casters cut off from their divine link cannot recover spell slots" then clerics, druids, and rangers suck getting into planar travel compared to artificers, bards, and divine souls regardless of a lot of shared spells available.</p><p></p><p>Personally, I think arcane vs divine labels (and others) is an unnecessary addition that adds complexity if it ever gets used beyond fluff. I agree with your assessment. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ashrym, post: 7966537, member: 6750235"] The two separations per the PHB indicate direct access to magic versus an intermediary connection to magic. From what I read in the sidebar it is just one magic and the classes have different ways of applying it. I'm more a fan of just calling it cleric magic or bard magic or wizard magic etc too. Additional labelling does nothing but add additional labels for the sake of adding additional labels. I'll comment on the cleric vs warlock, however. The rules for arcane vs divine means clerics need that connection to access the weave. Warlocks do not, which is why it's arcane. I interpret that to mean the patronage requires a one-time or irregular rituals in the leveling up and learning process for warlocks that permanently empowers the warlock to use magic directly where the clerics do not have that same option. Warlocks using an arcane focus instead of a holy symbol reinforces that distinction. It's easy enough to rationalize based on the way arcane and divine magic is described. The spells aren't actually arcane or divine but the manipulation process is. It's still unnecessary but seems to be a legacy inclusion. That's an important consideration for how Eberron is handled given the "gods don't interfere" concept. Gods who may or may not exist and do not communicate with followers or directly grant magic but gods are granting magic? I call "nuh-uh", lol. Based on how "The Magic of Ki" is described monks would be arcane casters when casting spells because they are using ki to power it. The actual spells they access follows the arcane caster style as well. Or a person can stick with a class as the type of magic (which makes more sense, I agree). Bards are not actually listed as arcane casters in the bard class description either even though divine and arcane reference exist in the classes for clerics, druids, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards. Bard magic gets described as hidden magic and the cannot use an arcane spell focus. But they still get included with arcane casters but the only thing that really shows that is the sidebar including them in that list. What I find interesting is if a DM enforces the old school "divine casters cut off from their divine link cannot recover spell slots" then clerics, druids, and rangers suck getting into planar travel compared to artificers, bards, and divine souls regardless of a lot of shared spells available. Personally, I think arcane vs divine labels (and others) is an unnecessary addition that adds complexity if it ever gets used beyond fluff. I agree with your assessment. ;) [/QUOTE]
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