Missing the point ! And confusing myself too!

[Ironhawk]

Access to a spell in dominions is restricted based on two factors:

1) Magic Paths Required - This is what you are adding during pretender creation

2) Magic School Research Level - These levels are gained in the game by assigning mages to Research.

So, for example, go look at the spell: Gift of Health (Enchantment school, level 6). You see that it has 5 Nature symbols next to it. What these to things mean is that you must research all the way up to level 6 in Enchantment AND have a mage with 5 points of Nature magic in order to cast that spell.