My thoughts, after having experimented and evaluated these things all damn day:
Nature's Meditation: Direct Upgrade to Triumphant Roar, however it is extremely expensive. Will be hard to fit in to most spell builds, however some things (like Actinic Burst) can safely be removed.
Temptestuous Upheaval: Overall useless. The damage isn't very good for the MP cost, and the trait is better made using other, more useful spells.
Rending Deluge: Meh, so and so. Alright damage for the MP, and the effect can be moderately useful on a handful of things. Once again, so very very expensive for what it is.
Embalming Earth: Another enormously expensive to set spell, however this one is actually worth the cost. It gives a decent trait, a nice bonus stat bonus, and for the MP cost its damage and additional effect are fantastic. If you can find the space in your spell list, it's one of the better spells that we got this time around.
Foul Waters: This one is interesting. It isn't as expensive as a lot of the other spells in terms of set cost, however it provides very little in terms of bonus stats and trait usefulness. That can be cast aside, however, as it supplies what is easily the most powerful non-helix DoT in the game that just so happens to come with a monstrous STR debuff. The MP cost may look prohibitive at first, but this one is actually quite efficient in terms of damage:MP before considering the benefits of reducing the target's strength by such a large amount.
Retinal Glare: I actually love this one, except for the set cost. 5 points is steep, but you are getting quite a great spell in return for the investment as well as a decent trait. It's ridiculously cheap for the amount of damage that it does, and the flash effect is superb; due to the recast time, you can theoretically keep something flashed for up to 90% of the time, on average. That's *** nuts.
Paralyzing Triad: Finally, a cheap paralyze that isn't horrifically bad, and it's attached to a not so horrible spell, nontheless. Problem is, it comes at immense cost; another 6 pointer. God damn it. Any usefulness you get out of this will likely be handicapped by this limitation, as finding space on your spell list for it will be troublesome, and Retinal Glare is, in my opinion, a better use of your points in most situations, however I can see myself setting this now and again for funsies.
Glutinous Dart: Holy ***. No really. This has got to be the coolest thing ever. Not only is the animation that of you
throwing *** bolas at your enemy, but this spell is our most cost effective damage spell of
all time. 16 MP. 6 second recast. Moderate damage potential. Amazing range. If nothing else, the miniscule cost deserves a slot on your list if you plan on pulling things from afar or claiming things (idk, maybe you're one of those new age old age players or something). I love this one, it's my favorite of the new spells.
Vespine Hurricane: Transcended above my expectations. I expected maybe 2 or 3 buffs dispelled, but
ten or more? Situationally, this can be quite good. Easily the best of the three new UL spells just because it actually has a purpose. In fact, I won't bother writing my ideas about the other two. Verve is terribad and Roar requires some pretty horrendous circumstances to be worth casting. Oh well. Better luck next time.
Potentially pretty legit spell setup for general purpose pewpewing
Quad. Continuum
Delta Thrust
Barbed Crescent
Sudden Lunge
Glutinous Dart/Heavy Strike
Benthic Typhoon
Embalming Earth/Paralyzing Triad
Retinal Glare
Animating Wail
Cocoon
Battery Charge
Nature's Meditation
Magic Fruit
Winds of Promyvion
Blazing Bound
Fantod
Mortal Ray
Sets you up with DW3, Store TP, Conserve MP, Attack Bonus, Accuracy Bonus, a source of Slow/Paralyze, the amazingness that is Retinal Glare's flash uptime, Defense Down, buffs for days, inner reflections from the secrets of the universe, and more. If you aren't subbing WAR you can make alterations to stick DA in there, can also take out WoP if it isn't needed or something and find a way to squeeze in Foul Water, whatever floats your proverbial boat. But yeah, lots of options to play around with these. The costs are prohibitive, but there's definitely ways to make them work for the best.