Just throwing this concept out here

[UninspiredName]

This is a random thought that spawned, originally, from considering that Death and Nature can be used to beat old age, though using opposite methods. What if the magic schools were 'paired off' with each-other's opposite? Fire and Water, Earth and Air, and Nature and Death. Astral and Blood could be opposites, and an argument can be made for it, or they could just be left be. At any rate, what if, when making a pretender, each level you take of one path makes it harder to take the opposite? It wouldn't need to be a large sum, maybe 5 more points per level in an opposing path, which wouldn't hurt Rainbow pretenders too much. I suppose one could also use opposed gems instead of, or together with, Astral Pearls for dispelling purposes. As a bonus, it would be a huge hit to F9/W9.

I'm not saying it's a good idea, more a random thought. Feel free to discuss.

[PDF]

I like the concept, very fitting the game "theme" IMHO

[PvK]

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Endoperez]

I, on the other hand, don't see the need for this change. There's no good and no evil, per se. Nature can cancel Death, and Death Nature. I'd rather see these aspects that can cancel other paths made into new spells, than make some path combinations rarer or more expensive. Rain makes Water good against Fire in the early game. I'd rather like to see THAT kind of opposition. Fire Ward and Fire Fend, from Fire and Water, Frost Ward and Frost Fend, from Water and Fire, etc.

[B0rsuk]

And I don't like the idea. Not just because it's s cliche. I prefer when school strenghts come from gameplay mechanics, and not from artificial bonuses. Besides, there are some spells with odd path combinations, like acid spells (fire + water, nature + death ). They are possible because no two schools - so far - are directly opposite to each other. Nothing is set in stone.
Anyway, spells designed to fight certain paths already exist, even if they're not very numerous. Kindly Ones, Maggots, Cleansing Water, Inner Fire, Purgatory, Astral Corruption, Rain; spells that affect climate upset either fire or water mages. Wind Ride is ineffective against Earth mages. Lots of suble and less subtle effects.

[alexti]

I think that it may be more interesting to counter-position national/non-national magic paths rather than some predetermined pairs. Basically, national magic paths would be cheaper for pretender and other paths more expensive. Thus, for example, for Vanheim air magic on pretender would cost significantly less than fire magic. This would help to keep national magic more different in the late game by making it more expensive to get into other paths through pretender...

[B0rsuk]

Alexti: Magic available for nations already become much more specific, because independent mages are much worse now. On top of it national mages of the same quality cost much less.
Discouraging using strange paths on pretenders would narrow available spells even further. Pretender magic is - for many nations - the only way to try something new. And you're pretty much required to have national Blood mages if you're to try blood magic at all. And it would harm bless strategies, too. Kailasa sacreds, for example, literally scream for Air bless, because they have little to no protection. But none of their mages has Air,even as random. Should they be denied a chance to try air bless ?
I think it's enough that pretender choice strongly depends on the nation. It makes some paths pretty hard to get, unless you try human pretender like archmage.