We've been very forthcoming with the truth. Let's look at it from this angle. Downranking added a lot of extra considerations to design and balance. When people downrank, it changes the complexities of different encounters and how those complexities play into the design. We don't want to penalize people using low ranked spells because this doesn't quite address the issue of downranking either. So what we're doing instead is finding a consistent cost of mana across the board and making it so that when you rank up, you get more benefit out of that higher ranked spell. The cost should remain largely consistent as you go along.

What Zarhym has said and what Wryxian has said are not at odds with each other. One is simply saying "this wasn't intended" the other was saying "if you're going to do it, this is the strategy people are using" and highlighting someone elses' post. We are not advocating downranking, but we are now making it a thing of the past.

See forums post, under information, for more details.