It is intentional. And no it's not overpowered. Dispel is a very real threat and you still have to forge the items you'd like and put them to use on a commander that can use them to it's full effect.

Forge of the Anciets gives it's forge bonus and +1 to all paths for purposes of forging. So even a 1 Blood mage can forge anything that requires 1 Path to forge.