Although I have to wait until next Thursday for my copy of the game (Stardock--you will likely forever be cursed for not allowing me to have the beta this weekend... this is the first time in two years I have the wife and kids away ALL WEEKEND!!!!  Bad, bad Karma.....   ) , I do want to address something that I feel has needed to be changed for a long time.

ALL shards should be beneficial to you other than increasing the mana that you generate.  For instance, to double the effect of say, a fire spell, you almost have to control the whole map to get 5 or 6 fire shards to create that effect in some spells.  What if the map has only two fire shards?  You're sort-of stuck in a bad way. 

Thus, I agree that fire spells ought to be boosted by fire shards, but they also ought to be boosted by *all* shards you ontrol to some degree.  For example, consider fireball.  I think it has a base damage of 8, with an additional 4 damage per fire shard controlled. That's perfect, but you ought to also allow a bonus for other shards, but to a lesser degree.  Thus, fireball would become 8 base damage plus 4 for each fire shard, plus, say, 1-3 additional damage (random) for each other shard controlled.  So, if you controlled two fire shards, 1 earth, 2 air and one water, the damage would be:

8 + (2*4) * (4 * rnd(1-3)) = 16 (base plus fire shards) + (4 to 12 more for other shards), for a total of 20-28 damage.

I just feel shards should be the most sought after thing in the game--the ultimate buff that wars are fought over (yes--like Master of Magic).  The difference with Elemental is there are more classes than just magic users, which actually appeals to more people.  No problem there... let shards buff weapons and armor.  Have a sword that is "air based" and have fun with it... +1 attack per round (due to light weight), that does 12 damage plus 4 damage for each air shard and 1 for each other shard controlled.  Or armor with defense bonuses.  Even weapons with embedded spells... a sword that does 14 damage plus flame dart to the target if you control 3 fire shards, etc.  How about a dagger that is earth-based that allows 1 additional attack per turn for each earth shard controlled?  Bows would be easy... how about a magical bow that shoots regular arrows, but if you have 2 shards it shoots arcane arrows, with 4 shards it has a 50% chance of shooting a flame dart, and with 8 shards it has a 50% chance of unleashing a firestorm?  Magic can STILL be the focus of the game, even if you want to be a heavily armored and armed warrior.

Lastly, we need to talk about the fireball spell.  In what world, other than WoM, is fireball NOT an area-of-effect spell????  I want to see that puppy explode with an AOE, and have a chance to knock opponents down for 1 turn, etc.  And we DESPERATELY need a sleep and/or paralyze spell.  You know--high critical chance on immobilized enemies.

Lastly, what about spell AOE?  You could have firestorm's damage be buffed only by fire shards as it is now, but the AOE be determined by TOTAL number of shards you control.  For instance, up to two shards, it only targets a 4x4 area.  Control 5 shards total?  It targets a 3x3 area, and so-on (doesn't have to be square targeting--can be like blizzard, etc., for intermediate).

The same could be done with weapons.  The scythe of wind, for example.  Hit an enemy, and that particular enemy takes the damage from the weapon.  However, that enemy and enemies within a specific AOE (determined by total shards) has a chance to be blown back a number of spaces (based on # of air shards) and either be immobilized for a round, or take damge from being knocked back.  Again--have a strong and impactful magical element even if you choose to be a warrior as opposed to a magic user.

I think this would add a considerable amount of fun and strategy to the somewhat basic battle scenes. 

The shards really do need to be a major power in the game.  I've been playing WoM quite a bit these past few months--always primarily as a magic-focused player--and I *never* make a rush for shards.  I always go after food.  Who cares if your spells do a little more damage?  Even as a magic user, get to legendary armor and you can sit back and cast away without getting hurt.  If you choose to be a warrior, the shards are practically worthless.  I'm afraid this will be even more the case now that the difference in warriors and magic users is significant (due to encumberance).