Small thing: Make it so that flare creates the combustion effect when used with the Fire Bond perk, giving us sorcerers and wizards who focus on fire a cantrip to use that deals damage (without having to use other elements). I don't think it would be OP, as the reflex saves are low and it would essentially deal the same damage as a non-perk enhanced cantrip like a basic ray of frost, unless someone got really unlucky and failed multiple saves (then it would deal just slightly more).
Thoughts?
I wouldn't mind seeing flare dealing +2 fire dmg, flat.
The description of the spell does say it's a burst of hot air, so at the very least it makes sense for someone with the fire bond perk to deal some actual damage with it. 2 fire damage seems rather low, though, at least give it the same strength as other cantrips, being 1d4+1, but only when you have the fire bond perk.
I would prefer to see flare activate the elemental bond perk. Damage being relatively on the perk (And with a save!), I wouldn't see it as OP
1d4+1 and the save or loose +1 Ab would indeed make it singificantly stronger than all other cantrips. 2 damage and making it activate the fire elemental bond perk sounds resonable, however.