I've forgotten about Nails + Boots = immune to slipping, and there are tons of nails around, so I'll put aside my complaint about Global Cooling.
I agree with Ravensky, one of the biggest problems with these skills is not knowing what will happen after you cast them. This is a tactical combat game where it's important to be able to have a clear picture what will happen. Skills which fail that test are a poor fit.
After hurting myself and allies the first 5 times or so I have found that they're a school of spells that when used correctly are possibly the best effect per AP in the game. Early game examples are most of the animal fights and in Kniles' room. The little or 0 MA on these mobs make it easy to poison/ignite/freeze them all. Just takes a quick check to make sure you're doing more good than harm. On discord I usually just ask if anybody's standing in anything or if they have MA to withstand it as well. That all being said I have a friend that will never carry those spells because he hates them, that's part of the beauty of this game. Don't like a spell then nothing makes you carry it, they're plenty of targeted spells.
Enemies with little magical armor are few and far between.
If you (or more specifically a Companion) is using a preset which has Geomancer, then yes, you ARE forced to carry that spell and need to pony up extra money to buy a new skill to replace the useless Contamination. Why does the FIGHTER of all people have Contamination, when it is a melee class who will be standing in blood almost guaranteed and will therefore poison themselves.
