Elemental Spell Reform

[Shurrikhan]

That's a direct result of scaling the dmg for each spell by level obtained instead of by it's Tier. If each tier/type of nuke had the same base dmg and it was only a matter of the added effects and/or mob weaknesses that wouldn't have been the case.

Now that I've actually played CNJ a bit and unlocked WHM ... I see where the whole CNJ gets ele spells from, and it actually stands to reason that CNJ would be your ele nuker while WHM would focus on Light Elemental magics, it was a light ele in that CS right?

So then THM which I've yet to get anywhere with is the one with spells it shouldn't have?

Basically, the division between Conjurers and Thaumaturges, lore-wise *and before the spell-reforms* is mostly as the name implies. If you want to find the root of it in FF, FF4 and FF7's references are probably a good place to start (i.e. native powers, the Sephirot). Conjurer's conjure (create) things into existence based on existent, worldly basics -- elements. Thaumaturgy, definable by its roots as miracle-making, is less obvious in its relationship with the world - instead focusing on the metaphysical - but simplifying that relationship through a simple spectrum - the light to the dark. It puts a less plain value in humans, balancing things like one's lifeblood or soul or inspiration rather than pure elements - hence Sacrifice and the like, blood shed for another.

If you wanted to put this into WoW's crappy classifications, a Thaumaturge would be closer to a priest, and a Conjurer is half of what makes up a mage - the rest falling in the domain of the Arcanist, with direct manipulation of magic itself, regardless of its source, along spectrums of density, strength, stability, etc.

As far as jobs go, a Black Mage stems mostly from Conjurer, lore-wise, but takes a sort of mindset based on the darker side of Thaumaturgy, the role of destruction. Spells like Blind and Sleep would traditionally be Thaumaturgy, unless caused through an element, as would most absolute debuffs (except when affecting the enemy's magic or less directly through the most basic of mechanics (time, movement) - in that case Arcanist). So, I guess in that sense a BLM is a hybrid.

A White Mage would be the opposite, simply put. Lighter half of the spell wheel. "Light"-type (Astral) magics.

Other jobs are equally complicated in division:
Summoners - Conj: primal-based summons or more natural (less divine) creatures. Caster acts a middle between source magics and resultant summon. Thaum: more metaphysical or divine summons. Long-held belief acts as the medium, and caster merely moderates the process. Arcanist(ish): makes Tidus (long, long process).

Time Mage / Calculator - purely Arcanist.
Scholar - can take from any source, the more the merrier, frankly
Red Mage - Conj and a little Thaum, balanced on damage vs (non-elemental) debilitation

Roy Mustang - Conjurer / Arcanist / and a badass ?

*Sorry for that last bit, but someone's signature keeps putting that in my head...