For the people who are concerned about the scaling spells and their damage/animation, SE has done something like this already.

Even though it's not the same type of game, Shantotto had this applied to her spells in Dissidia.

If your Bravery was below a certain point, you cast stone and it looked like Stone I. When her Bravery got to a certain number, the spell upgraded to say, Stonega and have a more impressive animation. At another level, her spells would upgrade once more into Quake and have an even better animation.

It really sounds like this is what they are doing, except with levels instead of Bravery. And really, who knows. You may end up more powerful at the end.

Level 01 - Thunder I level (Minor zap animation)
Level 20 - Thunder II level (Normal thunder animation)
Level 30 - Thunder III level (Lightning strike animation)
Level 40 - Thundaga level (lightning storm animation)
Level 50 - Burst level (lightning striking the ground and sparks erupting from the ground)

It would just simply be called "Thunder" in your skills list the whole time.