Ditch the magic merits and put them into range. My good pal Jinte did some numbers and found it to be about a 3 base dmg increase.

All the magic merits are doing now is adding a bit of Macc to your Mage bots. Which at this point is irrelevant. Because if you are fully skilled, any mob that resists your spells with magic skill unmerited will still just as likely resist with those merits.

Plus if you have any automaton or pet Macc gear my point is pushed farther ahead.

The only real reason to keep them is either if SE decides to add spells to the very end of our skill spectrum after said skill levels are already in place, (doesn't happen). Or if you don't even touch the sharpshot frame/ body.