Personally I'm dissapointed that this is how they are trying to handle the "Flaring up" of skills. The magic solution to all your problems isn't "make it bigger I guess" I would rather see some real spell effects happen, in XI and most games even low tier spells feel like they have some oomph to them.

I'm not a spell-caster but really? Making it bigger wont make it any better and probably make some spells like rather silly in the long run. Stoneskin is going to throw up a massive stone-wall now....Shock spikes the same....Any "spikes" spell is now going to look stupid.