from the introduction: This optional rule allows a mage (as well as rogues and warriors via the Arcane Adept talent, see below) to gain easy to use minor magics called cantrips or to gain other unusual arcane influenced benefits. The mage replaces the Arcane Blast ability gained at level 1 with the Arcane Specialties ability instead, which allows them to learn a single specialty of their choice. Arcane Blast itself becomes one of the available specialties that a character can learn although they are no longer forced to take it if they don’t wish to.