Term: Ability Tradition

A Tradition, sometimes called Magic Tradition, Martial Discipline, or Spell School; is the group or collection an ability belongs to thematically. Often the themes are are related in some way that one can recognize at a glance. In a sense, they make up a fundamental building block of using and classifying Abilities.

The fundamental building blocks of magic are the magical traditions and the schools of magic. The four traditions are arcane, divine, occult, and primal. A spell’s magical tradition can vary, because many spells can be cast using different traditions. A spell’s school, on the other hand, is intrinsic to the spell and establishes what the spell is capable of. Abjuration spells, for example, can raise protective wards, enchantment spells can change thoughts, and evocation spells can create blasts of fire.