Sorcery spells are more specific than theistic feats, can't be improvised, but can cover a wider range of tasks. For instance, a theist might have "fertility magic" as an affinity, with feats listed like "aid conception", "reduce labour pains", "breath of life", and "spot deformity". They can do all these, and make up similar feats at a small penalty. A sorceror, OTOH, may have "Xemela's Grimoire" as an ability, with listed spells "See inside the Womb", "Bless newborn", "Heal Wounds", "Revive the Unconscious", etc. They can cast these spells, with their specific effects, but can't improvise new spells without research. So, affinities provide good coverage of a narrow field, with good improvisation to cover the missing ground. Grimoires, however, provide specific spells over a wider field, but with difficult improvisation.
I think this is how it is now, I may be a little out of date, though.
Philip Hibbs http://www.snark.freeserve.co.uk/ Opinions expressed may not even be my own, let alone those of any organisations, nations, species, or schools of thought to which I may be affiliated.
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