[tanksoldier]

Hum, what do you mean with false?

I misunderstood what you were saying.

Maiar encompasses an enormous range of power.

Of course. You could write an entire dissertation on the beings of Middle Earth and people have done.

The point it, the Istari _all_ have more power available than they actually use.

I don't think there's any distinction in Tolkien between "innate power" and "traditional spell" as sources of magic. What is a "traditional spell," exactly, according to you?

I'm trying to think of a way to make spell-like effects more expensive but not completely unobtainable... buying them like a superpower or something. The Istari cast spells because they are supernatural beings, not because they are mortals who memorized something in a spell book.