[jutetrea]

Limited experience caveat, few late game appearances:

In a mid-sized game (9-12? opponents, 15 prov/per) playing EA TC I had about 60-70 clams by turn 80. They weren't a main part of my strategy (considering I didn't have one), but every turn I'd forge 1 or 2 gems/hammers permitting. By about the same point I had about 15 fetishes and 30-40 stones as well.

EA TC has pretty easy access, the occasional natural forger and usually an easy +1W buff (robe, ring) to get to 3W1N.

Due to the inexperience, I threw up nexus at one point, made tons of astral gear, and had a wish going about every other turn. Somehow my pretender got insanity, so the wishes were a bit erratic. I usually wished for more gems, and occasionally slaves which fueled my other summons pretty handily.

In general I don't think the producers were the reason for my good position, but they didn't hurt either. I pooled the gems every few turns and used them instead of bulking them up for monster casts.

Like someone mentioned earlier, there are very few "investment" opportunities, and by late game they really start to tell.

I'm in favor of large game specific modification of gem producers. I like the disease/insanity/horror mark ideas if applicable.