Magic skill ranks?

Since there is no longer an indication of skill ranks on magic crystals, does int. magic skill ranks affect magic crystals at all?

I'm asking if either:

• 1. Base damage of crystal is assumed to be r1 of int magic
• 2. Base damage is affected by your current rank of int magic
• 3. Base damage uses mana crystallization rank (ex. r5 mana crystallization= r5 Fireball/IS/TH)

It's 3 I think, but it doesn't make much of a difference because the magic crystals don't take into account any of your stats so they're obscenely weak compared to a similar rank normal intermediate magic. Even more so than before.