Pathfinder Secrets of Magic introduces two iconic, fan-favorite classes—the Magus (martial spellblade) and Summoner (master of eidolon companionship)—into Pathfinder 2e, alongside deep expansions to magical lore, spell options, and innovative subsystems. The highlight is the Book of Unlimited Magic, offering alternate magic styles like elementalism, rune magic, pervasive magic, true names, and more, designed to reshape your world’s mystical possibilities.
📜 What’s Inside
- Essentials of Magic – Treatises exploring the nature of arcane, divine, occult, primal, and essence magic, including new magical backgrounds.
- Classes – Fully developed Magus and Summoner classes, plus relevant multiclass archetypes.
- Spells – Hundreds of new spells, including focus spells and rituals for all traditions.
- Magic Items – New treasure options: Fulus (magical paper charms), grimoires, tattoos, staves, catalysts, spellhearts, consumables, and permanent items.
- Book of Unlimited Magic – Subsystems like elementalism, geomancy, ley lines, pervasive magic, rune magic, true names, emotional (“Cathartic”) magic, and more.
𝕏 How It Plays at the Table
- Magus & Summoner grant distinct archetypes: the Magus blends melee and magic into a cohesive combat style, while the Summoner brings a customizable magical companion (eidolon), enriching roleplay and tactics.
- Spell variety now includes utility, ritual, and deeply flavored options, as well as organization by tradition—opens up planning and diversity in casting.
- Item diversity isn’t just mechanical—Fulus and customizable staves encourage creative character builds and narrative hooks.
- Alternate magic systems (e.g., true names, pervasive magic) allow GMs to radically change how magic operates in their setting, creating campaigns with elemental, environmental, or soul-binding arcs.
✨ Highlights
- Powerful Class Additions: Magus and Summoner satisfy players seeking high-concept archetypes previously unavailable in PF2.
- Spellcraft and Utility: Spells like Restyle, Magic Mailbox, and Shift Blame deliver memorable moments beyond combat utility.
- Creative Item Options: Fulus and personalized staves let players imbue flavor and narrative into gear choices.
- Ambitious Variation in Magic: The Book of Unlimited Magic invites GMs to build elemental or rune-laden worlds, place-based magic, or memetic casting styles.
- Lore Density Done Well: The treatise style gives setting weight and magical coherence—great for worldbuilders and lore seekers.
⚠️ Things to Watch
- No official Remaster yet: The book pre-dates Remaster, and includes older magic school lore invalid under current rules—so some elements may require table hand-waving or adaptation.
- Lore-heavy and dense: GMs preferring lean design may feel bogged down; the treatise format may not fit all campaign styles.
- Magus/Summoner balancing concerns: Some interpretations (e.g., certain archetypes or eidolon forms) may require playtest or errata updates to remain balanced.
🧩 Where It Fits in the Pathfinder Line
This sourcebook occupies a niche between core rules and Adventure Path expansions—a genre-defining book to elevate spellcasting and magical identity. While not part of the Remaster line, its content remains widely used and influential, especially in magic-forward campaigns. It’s often referred to as “wave two” of PF2 expansions and contributes heavily to magical innovation at the table.
𝕍 Verdict
Secrets of Magic stands as one of Pathfinder 2e’s most imaginative expansions. It offers evocative class archetypes, high-utility spells, magical equipment innovation, and multiple paradigms of magic itself. For GMs who want to deepen their lore, empower magical characters, and challenge conventions of fantasy casting, it’s a must-have—even as a legacy book requiring adaptation for the Remaster era. Its bold vision continues to inspire.