[Lazy_Perfectionist]

To original poster: certainly, some nations are definetly stronger in some paths of magic than others, and your choice of two thanks to Pheonix Power and Earth Power, pretty spot on. Your distrubution is interesting.

However, there is a middle-range between weak and strong, particularly with those two paths- and nations with matching national gem income. A nation with lots of/only fire one mages and small starting gem income can easily and cheaply afford to spend one gem as a temporary booster to get their fire path up high enough to cast Phoenix Power and still be useful afterward thanks to the low 20 fatigue cost, If I Remember Correctly.

With this, fire magic isn't cheap enough to throw around all the time like it may be for abysia, but it can help you get out Flaming Arrows in a pinch (F1+gem-> Phoenix Power = F2 -> F2+gemcost+gemboost -> Flaming Arrows of fire 3, fatigue 100). It also enables repeat casting of spells occasionally useful such as Fireball, Firebolt (facing an immunity to your main path?), Pillar of Fire, and Rage for no additional expense beyond that first gem.

It doesn't make them strong, but if I've got the right income, I make sure to keep a stash of minor path gems in hand for emergencies. Not regular use, though.

RE: K
Actually, I think the focus on air boosting items is greatly overrated. There are definetly some times when they're valuable, but I can find other more effective ways to spend them - albeit as a short-term loss, not an investment like conjurations or forging.

It is worth mentioning that valid as keeping them awake is, my strategies for big battles often revolve around knocking spare mages unconcious. Spell-casting fatigue is capped at 200, after all.

"Arrow Fend. A3. Costs a gem, but its great for the value. You want an air 4 or else your mage is knocked out."

It only costs one 100 fatigue. If you've got a nation without access to storms, but ready access to air two, then why not have one knock themselves out? An air two mage can spend one gem to temporarily boost their casting level, and another to cover the base cost. For the price of one of those air boosters, I could use this spell ten times. It certainly has a greater effect than one lone air mage spamming lightning bolt.

Oddly enough, I view Fomoria as somewhat weak in air magic. Generally, getting regular combat magic for them involves some signficant sacrifice, be it gold, staff of the storms, etc. Sure they can bust out a few big spells, but their druids are utterly unreliable, and your captial only one recruit a turn. Fomorian Kings are a very limited resource, and using them for the big spells renders them melee-useless.

"Wind Guide: A2. Cheap, but costs a gem."
A gem? that's cheap. You're not hitting a single target, you're getting a battlefield enchantment.

There are a lot of spells that have a path requirement of A4, but only a fatigue cost of 200- or less. This means your A3 mage can spend two on the cost, and one to boost, IIRC.
Phantasmal Army, Living Clouds, Mass Flight, Storm, but not Fog Warriors or Wrathful Skies. However, with just air one, you're kind of stuck for anything useful to do.