Does downranking still work in Forever?

What Blizzard has changed

Spell ranks are still in the game, but low ones are weaker in two ways. Blizzard's 1 October beta notes added a character-sheet explanation: spells cast at ranks vastly below your level get less benefit from Spell Damage and Spell Healing and a reduced chance to trigger class abilities and talents, with Frostbite and Omen of Clarity as examples. The developers' example is blunt: Rank 1 Frostbolt cast at level 60 has no chance to trigger Frostbite.

ForeverWisp reports that Blizzard's 7 October Mage and Shaman deep dive adds Arcane Concentration and Impact, says many talents in other classes carry the same reduction, and ties it to gold farmers casting cheap ranks to fish for free-cast procs. Blizzard's 8 October notes add another named case: Survival's Improved Wing Clip now has a reduced chance to activate from ranks substantially below your level. The same notes rework the early ranks of Wrath, Frostbolt, Fireball, Arcane Missiles, Smite, Lightning Bolt, Shadow Bolt, Lesser Heal and Heal so that each newly trained rank is always an upgrade on the last.

A low rank keeps its lower mana cost. What changed is the price: a cheaper cast now gives up bonus power and procs instead of costing you nothing.

How fast the bonus falls away

Blizzard gives no numbers. The figures below are a community measurement from ForeverChanges, as reported by ForeverWisp: heals tested up to level 30 kept their full bonus for 17 levels after the rank became available, then lost 5% per level until nothing remained at 37 levels.

ForeverChanges assumes the same rule holds above level 30 and for damage spells; neither can be checked until the level cap rises. It also notes that Classic Era only penalised ranks learned before level 20, so up to 30 Forever is gentler on very low ranks, while above that, if the rule holds, it becomes much stricter.

Which ranks to keep on your bars

For damage, cast your highest rank. A low rank loses both scaling and proc chance, and since 8 October a newly trained rank should never be a sidegrade, so replace the old button when you train.

For healing, a few recent ranks still earn a place as a mana dial. On the reported curve a rank stays at full strength for 17 levels, so the useful choices are your last handful of ranks, not Rank 1. If your build leans on a proc such as Omen of Clarity, cast a recent rank to keep the trigger chance.

Utility casts are the exception. If you only want a spell's effect, such as Frostbolt's slow, a low rank still delivers it; just don't expect the talent proc.

Why healers are pushing back

On the EU forums, healers argue that choosing ranks is how they survive chain pulls and runners, and several say they would accept a damage nerf if healing ranks were left alone. Others reply that in-combat mana regeneration is more generous in Forever and that dropping two or three ranks still works if you accept less power. None of these posts is a measurement, but they show the trade-off players expect at higher levels.