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The info is a little scattered so I just wanted double check with the fine people on these forums.

To put a spell in a matrix one need to be equal too or greater than the rank of the spell/and have the appropriate magic weaving at or above the rank of the spell also.

Is that correct or is it either/or for purposes of putting a spell in a matrix?

I found this rather confusing today when making up some characters. During character generation when you get to choosing spells it mentions that you can purchase 2nd circle but you can't put them in a matrix but dose not really say why. After some digging the above is what I have struggling to put in my brain in a way that I am confident about in my understanding.

Thanks!

A First Circle magician can only cast First Circle spells through the safe method, that being attuning it in a spell matrix. A First Circle magician may use grimoire casting or raw magic casting to cast a spell of a higher Circle than they currently have. A First Circle character may select higher spells than their current Circle, that being Second or Third Circle spells, for a high spell point cost, but this is not recommended. Casting a spell of a higher Circle than your own risks damage to your grimoire, or risks damage to yourself in terms of damage and Horror marks. But sometimes you need to cast that higher Circle spell and be damned the risks.

This makes the game different than say DnD, where a First Level mage can only ever cast First Level spells. In Earthdawn, a First Circle magician can cast First Level spells safely, but can cast from a grimoire, or with raw magic, any spell in their Discipline, but possibly with horrendous consequences, like a grimoire being burnt to a crisp, a magician character Horror-marked, or even dead. But such are the risks of reaching for power beyond your current means.

At any rate, to attune a First Circle spell, a character must have all the requirements for that spell, Rank 1 Spell Matrix, and Rank 1 Thread Weaving [appropriate spell school]. They must also be a First Circle magician of the proper spell school. A human with Versatility uses his Thread Weaving Rank to determine the Spell Circle of his spells, or his highest Discipline Circle, whichever is lower. (For example a human First Circle Nethermancer with Rank 2 Elementalism can only still cast First Circle Elementalist spells until he reaches Second Circle as a Nethermancer).