Compare these two spells: Stormzilla: 5 pips, 650-730 damage ( average 138.0 per pip) Triton: 6 pips, 795-975 damage (average 139.17 per pip)
Ok, Triton is just a slightly more powerful version of Stormzilla, which costs more pips. But -- Triton is available at level 38. Stormzilla doesn't become available until level 42. Why is the stronger spell available first? Given that spells with odd numbers of pips aren't really favored, since they can use a power pip if no white pip is available, Stormzilla seems really underused. Which is a shame, since it has a cool animation. Wouldn't it make more sense if Stormzilla were the level 38 spell and Triton the level 42? At least then it would get used for a few levels while waiting for Triton to come along.
At higher levels and in pvp 5 pip spells are widely used. You can slap a colossal +275 damage on a 5 pip spell and cast it first round. Stormzilla is also open to any school with training points, school-only spells are always a bit more powerful.