Magic in Equestria

Magic is one of the primary things that sets the different races apart in their own ways. Most of the races of Equestria possess little or no magical aptitude only manifesting in the form of innate traits that do not possess enough actual power to be utilized in any form. Only unicorns and alicorn princesses have been shown to be able to use active magic.

Innate Magic
Innate magic is inherent in various races. It is part of their natural makeup and cannot be harnessed or otherwise modified.

Agricultural Affinity Earth ponies have always been known to be superior food producers. While they aren't the only race capable of doing so, earth ponies have a natural knack for growing, producing, and even processing food.

Cloudwalking Pegasi and Griffons are both capable of using clouds as a solid surface. While it can still be shaped and moved around almost like gathering snow, it is otherwise a sturdy and soft material to both races. This is the only innate ability documented to be copied by a unicorn spell.

Weather Manipulation Pegasi differ from griffons in this aspect. Only pegasi have been known to be able to create weather with cloud manipulation.

Plant Identification Zebras have a special affinity for identifing plants for use in their cultural rituals and famed healing brews. It is separate enough from other ponies to be considered a different talent from earth pony farming, despite similarities.

Bursts Infant foals, particularly unicorns, are known to have bursts of magic or ability in their early years. Baby unicorns often have bouts of magic 'fits' that cause various unpredictable events and sometimes hint at the pony's special talent. Pegasi foals can buzz around with their wings and earth pony foals have occasional bouts of strength or an affinity for dirt. However, as the foals age, this all fades away and the older colts and fillies must actually learn how to utilize these talents. No other races have been shown to have these traits.

Cutie Marks The cutie mark is the defining trait of ponies of all types. It is a representation of their special talent and what makes them unique among others. A cutie mark is obtained often at a young age when a pony figures out what they wish to do with their lives and what their strengths are. Obtaining one is considered a rite-of-passage for ponies and parties called cutcenera's are often thrown for a pony who recently got theirs.
The magic of a cutie mark brings out the best of this key strength in the owner. Ponies who find themselves unable to express their talent even in ideal circumstances are known to go into periods of extreme anxiety and rarely cases of psychosis have been documented but these instances are few and far between.

Active Magic
Active Magic is a talent exclusive to unicorns and comes in the form of spells. All active magic requires concentration and cannot simply done on a whim.

Basic Magic: Basic Magic is something all unicorns can learn given enough practice. However, since magic is often restricted by one's special talent there are very few of them. From an OOC standpoint, all unicorns, given proper training, can perform these spells.

Levitation/Telekinesis All unicorns possess the abilities of telekinesis. However, the more complex the manipulation and the heavier the object, the more strain will be put on the user.

Light A basic light spell is a common trick. It projects a beam of light from the horn for use as a flashlight. However, this does take concentration to use and many still opt for candles.

Beam Magical beams extend from the horn in the form of high focus energy. The power of the beam is determined by the strength of the magic user. While very few have been taught to use it as the need for a beam weapon is all but nonexistent, it is still used among the guard and in utility jobs where a cutting tool is useful. Using an energy beam to harm another pony, however, can be an arrestable offense.

Advanced Magic: Advanced Magic is often restricted by ones talent and not everypony can learn these spells if their own skills don't apply to it. From an OOC standpoint, many unicorns can only perform a small handful of advanced spells at best.
NOTE: The types of Advanced Magic are far too numerous to actually list them all. These are only examples of advanced magic, not the limitations. Please talk to character staff about your character's capabilities if you have questions.

Illusions Illusions are a fun little toy that unicorn parents often use to entertain their children. However, as with some other spells, they can be restricted to the content of one's talent, and it often comes easier to some than others.

Defensive Shields Often in the forms of bubbles and similar structures, these shields offer protection against different things. Various types can be made permeable to certain things and of different material feels. However, all can break given enough force and strong enough spells have been known to put enormous strain on the user.

Searching Searching out specific objects, even when hidden, is a useful skill, however those who use this spell often only find it useful when looking for something key to their talent.

Cloudwalking Recreating the effects of a skill normally reserved for pegasi is difficult. Only recently have cloudwalking spells surfaced into the common ground. While there has never been any particular talent associated with it, casting the spell requires a talented spellcaster. As a result, getting a cloudwalking pass to Cloudsdale is still fairly expensive.

Teleportation Easily one of the more difficult of spells. Teleportation is a spell only the most advanced or the most magically apt can wield. Only a few living unicorns have shown the ability to teleport.

Transmutation The act of turning something into something else or otherwise making something appear. This is a fairly advanced field with many a variety of spells with singular uses. Unfortunately breaking concentration can revert the objects to their original state. Even after transformation, there is a time limit before the objects return to normal anyway. The more dramatic the change, the quicker the spell wears off. Also unfortunate is that many of the easier transmutation spells (which are still difficult in their own right) have very few practical uses.

Love Spells Throughout the course of Equestrian society, ponies have longed for love. Some try to get it sooner than others and have resorted to more sordid methods to obtain it. Love spells are difficult as they warp the very emotions of those subjected to it. A more well-known form comes in the indirect 'Want It, Need It' spell that causes instant attraction to a particular subject or object. The effect is indiscriminate and use of the spell is known to take a very powerful counter to dispel. This, and many love spells like it are often highly frowned upon, if not outright illegal.

Restricted Magic: Restricted magic is either so difficult to learn that it is considered almost impossible or heavily restricted, regulated, or even outlawed by Equestrian Law. use of restricted magic will be very very rare. From an OOC standpoint, no magic marked as restricted is allowed to be used outside of specific, staff-approved plotlines.

Cutie Mark Manipulation No magic known to mainstream Equestria is shown to affect a cutie mark in any way. Obtaining, changing or removing a cutie mark is considered impossible to even the most skilled of magic users. While there is one spell in existence that can affect cutie marks and it is considered very risky, and used exclusively by Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Time Travel Playing with time is a tricky thing. Even the most advanced of spellcasters haven't been able to go back more than a few years and only for hours at a time. There is also another odd phenomenon that has been noted. The past has never been able to be changed as result. Since this hasn't stopped the more adventurous of powerful spellcasters from trying to alter the course of reality and failing, Princess Celestia has ordered all records on time travel spells locked away.

Dragon Fire Dragons, under normal circumstances, breath fire. However, if a dragon egg is hatched via magic (no small feat in and of itself) and raised under magical augments, the fire breath can be changed to suit the needs of the unicorn. Due to the mysterious nature of dragons, this almost never happens, however. In recent years only one dragon has ever been augmented to change his breath utility and that was changed by Princess Celestia herself.

Mind Control Any form of magic that subverts the mind of another has always been feared and considered highly dangerous. It has never been taught in any form in Equestria even before its official founding. Most agree that if any spells that took another pony completely under the control the spell's caster even exist, the secrets to such are lost. Many love spells and potions also fall under this category.

Spatial Manipulation This is the act of changing forces of nature such as gravity to ones advantage. This is seen as an incredibly difficult spell that only the most adept of magic users can attempt without risk of something going horribly wrong. Failing a spell such as this can have drastic consequences and it is not advised to attempt one without heavy guidance or assistance even with the appropriate talent.

Dark Magic Dark magic is very feared for its manipulation of negative emotions and for being very easy to fall into corruption from overuse. Dark Magic is not only considered one of the most dangerous forms of magic available, but it is also heavily outlawed by Equestrian Law. There are no legal ways to acquire a Dark Magic tome, and those that still exist are exceedingly rare.

Augmentation There are a variety of dangerous artifacts, forces, and powers that can augment natural power. One of the most obvious being the legendary Elements of Harmony. However, other artifacts exist that bring out both the best and worst in ponies such as the Crystal Heart and the Alicorn Amulet respectively. Such artifacts are incredibly rare and almost all known to exist are under lock and key by royal authorities. Other natural magical sites such as the Mirror Pool in the Everfree Forest was sealed before the populace could gain awareness of its existence.