I suppose there is one benefit to all of this. Before, mages largely had a support role in boss fights. Healing, reviving, and using their spells to supplement the damage of birds (although pure int mages with staffs and dex mages can do a respectable damage in their own right; often attracting the aggro of bosses) was the main job. Now, mages can finish the combo for extra damage.

I've managed to pull off the bird one once. But it was completely by accident. The bear one is useful against mobs, although nature strike from a pure int will often decimate mobs anyways. You see it more often when running with pallies.