Magic is actually... composed of the same base universal building blocs, which is aether. All schools have the only difference of offering different ways of casting, learning and weaving spells, etc.
As you say, conjury actually offers access to the full spectrum of the elemental wheel (earth, wind, water, fire, ice, thunder). The 2.0 changes are a purely gameplay concession, but can be explained by a shift in the schools themselves: the Ossuary for example, that shifted hands from the old master that got corrupt and used to teach thaumaturgy the way it is portrayed in 1.0,, to the Coco brothers that focus on a way different thing, which is elemental magic, and more precisely, ice fire and thunder. That is not to say that a THM can't cast stone, aero or water spells. The same way that a CNJ can cast fire, ice and thunder, but the thing is... in the way they do it.
Thaumaturgy implies using a direct access to a strong aether potential, which is the aetherial body reserves of the individual. It can vary a lot between individuals, and people with enough of it to properly cast magic without killing themselves by draining too much are actually not legion (cf THM questline with the last of the Coco brothers, unable to cast anything, forced to live with alchemy instead). So, in short, you have access to a very limited aetherial reserve in your body, and you use it to focus it through the cane/rod (with conductive materials like noble metals, electrum/gold/platinum, or bone) directly to/from the gem (not sure in which direction?). The Coco brothers approach consists in cleverly recharging the body reserves when they are drained, since it can regen decently well (still takes time though). A BLM in comparison, draws directly from Hydaelyn through the gem of Shatotto (or not, but then they burn their insides), which means access to an unlimited amount of aether, turning them into... well, gods on earth.
Conjury is kind of the opposite. The CNJ doesn't use their body reserves (unlike Sylvie in the CNK quest, and her mother that died of it for the same reasons it kills thaumaturges pretty quick if not mastered). They borrow from the land around them, which means they have access to a much greater supply of aether but also, must watch not to drain it (or elementals be very cross yo, which is probably also why casting fire and thunder is much harder considering the low supply in nature, and how destructive it can be, but it's possible, after all, of fire is born fertile ground, etc etc). It's basically a less forceful approach and involves a lot of prayers, attuned to nature, a zen attitude, etc. White Mages are like Black Mages though, they draw from Hydaelyn, but here with the blessing of the Elementals and the WHM soulstone.Â
Arcanima is harder to define. It seems to use the same kind of conductive materials thaumaturges use (electrum/platinum ink, etc). The book is used to draw complex mathematical patterns in that ink with the capability to conjure spells out of them (esp the carbuncles). They seem to use their own aether body reserves, but also seem to recharge it through a good control of 'aetherflow', not totally unsimilar to monk chakras in my opinion. Â
If Arcanima can use the elemental wheel or not, and if thaumaturges and conjurers can use advanced viruses and bio attacks weaved by mathematical patterns though, I don't know. Possibly?
Note: CNJ actually have a sleep spell as well ingame.
As you say, conjury actually offers access to the full spectrum of the elemental wheel (earth, wind, water, fire, ice, thunder). The 2.0 changes are a purely gameplay concession, but can be explained by a shift in the schools themselves: the Ossuary for example, that shifted hands from the old master that got corrupt and used to teach thaumaturgy the way it is portrayed in 1.0,, to the Coco brothers that focus on a way different thing, which is elemental magic, and more precisely, ice fire and thunder. That is not to say that a THM can't cast stone, aero or water spells. The same way that a CNJ can cast fire, ice and thunder, but the thing is... in the way they do it.
Thaumaturgy implies using a direct access to a strong aether potential, which is the aetherial body reserves of the individual. It can vary a lot between individuals, and people with enough of it to properly cast magic without killing themselves by draining too much are actually not legion (cf THM questline with the last of the Coco brothers, unable to cast anything, forced to live with alchemy instead). So, in short, you have access to a very limited aetherial reserve in your body, and you use it to focus it through the cane/rod (with conductive materials like noble metals, electrum/gold/platinum, or bone) directly to/from the gem (not sure in which direction?). The Coco brothers approach consists in cleverly recharging the body reserves when they are drained, since it can regen decently well (still takes time though). A BLM in comparison, draws directly from Hydaelyn through the gem of Shatotto (or not, but then they burn their insides), which means access to an unlimited amount of aether, turning them into... well, gods on earth.
Conjury is kind of the opposite. The CNJ doesn't use their body reserves (unlike Sylvie in the CNK quest, and her mother that died of it for the same reasons it kills thaumaturges pretty quick if not mastered). They borrow from the land around them, which means they have access to a much greater supply of aether but also, must watch not to drain it (or elementals be very cross yo, which is probably also why casting fire and thunder is much harder considering the low supply in nature, and how destructive it can be, but it's possible, after all, of fire is born fertile ground, etc etc). It's basically a less forceful approach and involves a lot of prayers, attuned to nature, a zen attitude, etc. White Mages are like Black Mages though, they draw from Hydaelyn, but here with the blessing of the Elementals and the WHM soulstone.Â
Arcanima is harder to define. It seems to use the same kind of conductive materials thaumaturges use (electrum/platinum ink, etc). The book is used to draw complex mathematical patterns in that ink with the capability to conjure spells out of them (esp the carbuncles). They seem to use their own aether body reserves, but also seem to recharge it through a good control of 'aetherflow', not totally unsimilar to monk chakras in my opinion. Â
If Arcanima can use the elemental wheel or not, and if thaumaturges and conjurers can use advanced viruses and bio attacks weaved by mathematical patterns though, I don't know. Possibly?
Note: CNJ actually have a sleep spell as well ingame.
Balmung:Â Suen Shyu
