I took a break from the beta for 1.5 months to finish my masters thesis. I come back and the game has improved greatly, this game is going to be amazing.

To make the game even better something needs to be done about the way the channelers learn magic. The current system for researching new spells is clunky and the selection of spells is arbitrary. I understand that I am posting very late in the development cycle and will fully understand if the following ideas are disregarded out of hand due to a lack of time. 

The current system is a tree with a single branch. Why not have a tree more similar to the technology tree with each branch being a school of magic? A group of spells would exist per level for each individual branch and each level would be researched with spell points.

Intuitively, it would seem odd that a channeler with control over a single element would be able to fashion a spell of making. Then in order to achieve "The spell of making" with a multi-branched magic tree one would need research all schools evenly. In this way, you would be researching the magic branch of the technology tree for how to make the Forge and the magic tree for how to use/imbue the Forge.

The magic selection portion of channeler creation could be changed to give the channeler a bonus for spells from the selected element/school rather than only access. i.e. If fire was the only element selected then fire spells cast by that character would cause more damage or have longer/greater effect.

Again, I understand if this idea would take too much time to implement but I though I should throw it out there for consideration. It may spark a simpler and even better idea on your end.