I used to use close to a half dozen pots pre 2.1, now I am not sure what I should go for- the straightup flask, even though it has been nerfed? The firepower anf something else? I will miss the crit from Adept's, but I just don't know what to go with.

Any suggestions?

Yeah, let's just close all discussion forums, and sit at home thinking in the dark

Flask, unless you're starved for mana, then Adepts or Firepower and Mageblood

Most of our mages run with firepower / mageblood too, although it really depends on the fight. How long, how short, what kind of dps, lots of regentime, etc etc.

http://www.wowwiki.com/Elixir

Generally I'd say DPS classes prefer Flasks (Relentless Assault and Supreme Power > any Battle + Guardian combination for pure DPS), while healers and tanks would be using one or the other on a situational basis. Tanks will sometimes prefer the mitigation/defense/resilience provided by Mastery + Major Defense/Ironskin and sometimes will prefer the straight HP increase or resistance that the Flasks can provide. In mana-intensive fights healers might want a Flask of Mighty Restoration, but I'd guess that most of the time they would prefer Adepts/Healing Power + Mageblood/Dreanic Wisdom.

A lot of warlocks (non affliction) I've talked to said they would be using Major Shadow Power and Major Fortitude for the extra health to life tap off of.

16 mp5 > 10 health per 5 and 250 max hp, even for warlocks. With imp lifetap, you trade ~1500 hp for ~1800 mana. At that conversion rate, it would take 150 seconds for a fort elixir to give a free lifetap, and only 115 seconds for the mageblood to give you a free one. (I'm not sure if fel armor would increase your hp regen from fort elixir or not, but even if it does, it would still be 125 seconds for the free lifetap).

Plus, lifetap eats a global cooldown. I'd rather passively regain the mana than have to take time away from DPSing to do so.