[Cainehill]

But making items (such as wraith swords) more expensive means that the magic path required to forge it goes up; apparently you can't increase the gem cost without increasing the magic path requirements, unlike spells.

So : Let's say wraithswords would now cost 20 death gems. So, a death 3 mage instead of a death 2 mage. Now fewer nations can forge it, exactly what you didn't like about the changes to the flying boots and water bracelets. In fact, bumping the wraithsword cost would tend to mean that those nations and SCs that arguably least need lifedraining weapons are the ones most likely to be able to forge them : death nations that can summon undead champions that don't normally accumlate fatigue anyway.

About the flying shoes : I kind of agree with you there, but only because they're a utility item sorely needed for all those 1-strategic move mages. But, I do like the idea of them not being so easy to outfit all SCs with. So what I've suggested to Quantum Mechanic (who is now working on the mods) is cheaper flying carpets, since they can't be used in combat, and making air boots require construction-6 instead of air 2. Be even better if you could make them require 10 or 15 air gems, but still be forgable by an Air-1 mage, but you can't.