Hope these links/ this info helps you, found it on eqiiforums.station.sony.com
1) regarding adept/master spell upgrades:
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=spellar&message.id=11075&query.id=384527#M11075
It is pointed out by a poster at the above link, among MUCH other recommended information, that spell/ability upgrades seem to be more important than gear upgrades to a point.
Adept and Master upgrades to spells are dropped...adept 1 being common drop and master 1 being a rare drop. Adept 1 should be the standard to which all serious adventurers wish to achieve for all their spells/skills (even though of course there are definitely higher levels available). Both tradeskillers and drops have 'rare' versions of spells that a person may or may not get.
Up until the point that you get adepts and masters through your adventuring in drops, app 3s are the absolute lowest level that everyone should be reasonably able to find via personal drop or on a broker.
***Upgrading spells/skills makes them more powerful and more efficent in general, and has been previously said, upgraded versions will always at every level outperform un-upgraded versions of the same spell/skill even after they have finally been "mastered" and con blue or lower.***
So yes, it is always worthwhile to upgrade all your spells and skills as best you are able, and ***put most resources into upgrading the spells/skills that are core to your class first***
two examples of adept1 spell impacts:
Beams of faith adept1-lvl 32 group DD- deals 270 damage at lvl 48 (maxed)
Rays of faith adept1-lvl 46.8 group DD- deals 303 damage at lvl 48 (not maxed)
**crucial info: group cures are essential,not optional, and ONLY available as training options. It's too easy to not worry about this at lower levels and then suddenly find in mid 30s that AoE DoT's are incredibly dangerous if you only have single target heals. /respec to get group heals as soon as possible if you havent been getting these. GROUP HEALS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AT HIGHER LVLS. From what I gather, the group cure choice comes at lvl 10 or 11!!! group cures for templar: noxious, trauma, elemental, arcane**
2. Some items you may want to check into for high lvl Templar:
a)Glory of Combat (to change to group buff)
b)Sign line of spell (shorter casting time)
c)Holy Acolyte pet (give power/resist bonus)
d)Protectorate (to last twelve hrs or not using any concentration)
e)Nightblood plate (awesome power wisdom for late 30s/early 40s... cheap or can hunt nightbloods in Rivervale)
3. Crafted food gives stat buffs with diff types affecting diff stats. Cookies,pies, etc will add to your total power pool. (at Tier 3 it is +60 to power)
I found no info on epic weapons for templar.
I'm not even a Templar but after getting all this info, maybe I should raise one! LOL