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{{trope}}
{{quote|"''Since Light and Shadow cannot coexist, possessors of Shadow Magic must first give it up before learning this [Light] magic.''"|'''[[
In a fantasy setting, where magic is abundant, a commonly seen [[Magic A Is Magic A|rule]] is that no one can master multiple or opposing schools of
The reasons for this may vary. It may be that the teachers of either school [[Un-Equal Rites|don't particularly get along very well]], it may be that the talent for any given type of magic is an inherited trait, or it may simply be that all you used to learn one type contradicts what's used to learn the other, and most people just can't get over that hump. In some settings, this extends to ''all'' forms of [[Functional Magic]]: [[Hermetic Magic]], [[Psychic Powers]], [[Ki Attacks|Ki-powered]] [[Supernatural Martial Arts]], etcetera.
Depending on the series, it may still be possible to learn multiple schools, so long as they don't oppose each
Breaking this forced division is the source of the power of a [[Yin-Yang Bomb]]. [[The Red Mage]] averts this restriction.
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* ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]'' has Sei and Dou ki. They ''can'' be mixed, it just causes horrible internal damage and fun stuff like your eyes possibly rupturing. Borderline example as they both basically do the same thing anyway.
* In ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'', [[Ki Attacks|Ki]] and [[Mana|magical power]] are opposite, and trying to use both at once usually ends with [[Stuff Blowing Up]]. However, Negi himself gets around this by using magical power as a substitute for Ki in his martial arts techniques while still using it to power his spells as well. Additionally, there's a special technique which synthesizes Ki and magic, but it's notoriously difficult and only three characters are known to have ever done it, ever.
* Esper powers and magic in ''[[
* ''[[Tsukihime]] / [[Fate/stay night|Fate Stay Night]]'' have magic and powers from Gaia counteracting each other. Humans are cut off from Gaia specifically because of their development of Magic Circuits. Arcueid uses her Marble Phantasm to create even more powerful effects than magic can, but is highly dependent on her surroundings and is also limited to effects that can happen in nature. You simply can't use both systems. However, the Church's divine powers do work with magic and are partially based on it.
* Clow in ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' was able to combine Chinese and Western magic, which were previously thought to be incompatible.
== [[Fan
* In ''[[Shinji and Warhammer40K|Shinji and Warhammer 40 K]]'', [[Psychic Powers|psychic energy]] and the AT-field oppose each other.
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** The power of Galla's temples grants a single spell after joining Galla's heresy, independent of previous magical ability.
** Geomancy. While difficult, obscure and powerful, it can be partially added or adapted into other schools; although there are only 2 such part-geomancy spells in the canon.
* In ''[[The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel]]'', it's completely possible to learn all four types of magic, but only the [[Chosen One
* Averted in the ''[[Mistborn]]'' trilogy. An Allomancer burns metals to fuel superhuman abilities, a Feruchemist stores his own abilities in metals and uses them later, but it's entirely possible to inherit both.
* Played straight in the ''World of [[Ethshar]]'' series. The primary restriction on magic-users is that the source of each type is different. Theurgists pray to gods; demonologist bargain with demons; sorcerers manipulate talismans; wizards manipulate reagents; witches manipulate their own magic; warlocks manipulate a foreign magic. Learning how to use even one school can take a lifetime so very few have the ability or interest to try and study another school.
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== Tabletop Gaming ==
* Specialist wizards in ''[[Dungeons
** While not ''fully'' incompatible, in the classic versions magical creatures and magic-users are less likely to discover psionic talents, while psonically powered creatures tend to be resistant to magic and have hard time studying it.
** [[Forgotten Realms]] after [[Gotterdammerung|Karsus's Folly]] has Weave and Shadow Weave split as two independent power sources, controlled by warring goddesses. One can't use both and when magic from both in raw form collides, it causes large-scale unpleasantness such as planar rifts. Also, Phaerimm magic and Sharn magic are so non-standard and incompattible that their spells interact violently, changing the landscape.
** In [[Dragonlance]] magic comes from the trio of moon gods, and while it's not technically incompatible, the leading wizardly organization enforces the split into three Orders.
* In ''[[Shadowrun]]'' you could be a hermetic mage or a shaman but not both, because their mindsets were so different. As more magical traditions were introduced, they all (as far as I can remember) followed this rule. In later editions you could mix the physical adept (magical martial artist) with spellcasting, though.
* Thaumaturges from the ''[[New World of Darkness]]'' supplement ''Second Sight' can only practice one magical tradition at a time. Changing is possible, but you forget all your previous spells doing so, even if the tradition you move to has an equivalent.
* In ''[[Exalted]]'', Sorcery and Necromancy are opposed, being based on manipulating Creation's living Essence and the Underworld's entropic Essence respectively, and any given Exalt type will have a higher affinity for one or the other, having access to spells one circle lower for their tier in the case of their lower affinity.
** Infernals of both types (Green Sun Princes and Akuma) are unable to learn sorcery in the standard sense (that is, as normal Exalts of their type). Instead, their sorcery is channeled through initiation charms specific to each Yozi, which has limits and enhancements on the types of magic they can perform.
** [[Golem|Alchemicals]] are unable to use either sorcery or necromancy, but instead have access to ''another'' kind of magic called Pattern Weaving, which only they can use. It is possible for them to access sorcery and necromancy, but only by using [[The Corruption|Voidtech]] and sacrificing their knowledge of Pattern Weaving.
* In several ''Palladium'' tabletop [[RPG
* A general rule in ''[[Unknown Armies]]''. Becoming an adept requires an insane devotion or obsession with a concept or school of thought, and that sort of focus can never be divided. Becoming an avatar requires that a character follow the specific mindset of an archetype, almost all of which are mutually contradictory. ''Very'' rare individuals can juggle both avatar and adept obsessions, or multiple weaker adept obsessions, but the results tend to be [[With Great Power Comes Great Insanity|so far off the crazy charts]] that they're closer to forces of nature than characters.
* In [[Trinity Universe (game)|Aberrant and Trinity]], the same genetic predisposition gives rise to Novas and Psions, but the energies involved interfere with each other. Not only can an individual use only one type of power, but a Nova and Psion in close proximity will actually interfere with each other's powers.
* In [[Age of Aquarius]], magic schools are based on sets of belief, and that's why you have a hard time trying to combine belief in Goetic demons, for example, and Viking gods to mix Hermetic and Runic magic. It's possible to believe in an [[All Myths Are True]] world in this setting, but it will result in a [[The Red Mage|really weak]] form of [[Post Modern Magic]].
* The [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]] universe has magic powered by the 8 Winds of Magic. It's not impossible to use spells powered by different (or even multiple) Winds, but unless you're an [[Our Elves Are Better|elf]], or some form of [[Chosen One]], [[Superpower Meltdown|Bad Things]] tend to happen. Intriguingly, Rainbow Wizards<ref>
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[
** This has been a staple since the ''[[Romancing SaGa]]'' Trilogy: you can only learn only half the magic spells. In ''[[Romancing SaGa 2]]'', however, you can combine specific elements if they are not opposite to each other to create new and more powerful spells.
* In the storyline of the ''[[Warcraft]]'' universe, Priests cannot use both Holy and Shadow spells, but this is averted in [[World of Warcraft]] due to game mechanics. Priests in the game still can't use them both well at the same time, since they'll need to specialize.
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* In ''[[Age of Wonders]]'' your leader can choose only non-antagonistic magic spheres.
** In ''Age of Wonders 2'', you can either choose all of them, giving your a random selection that often ends up game-breakingly good or bad, or a single sphere. Notably, no matter which you choose, you can still buy/find/receive any spell. Also, Common sphere spells always can be researched and Secret sphere never.
** In ''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'', you can either pick a single school or massively gimp yourself by taking multiple schools, ensuring that you never get any powerful spells.
* ''[[
* Variation in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Knights of the Old Republic]]''. Jedi can use Sith powers, and vice-versa, but suffer a penalty to the spell cost (and likewise a bonus to more properly aligned force powers). They're not completely exclusive, just more costly.
** ''[[Star Wars: Dark Forces|Jedi Knight]]'''s [[Karma Meter]] is more strict. At a certain point of the game, it checks the tally and locks out the opposite alignment powers. [[Guide Dang It|Any points you invested in those]] are [[Lost Forever]].
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:
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