[llamabeast]

Lots to say, but just time for a brief comment.

Firstly, I agree that Rocs as they stand have become overpriced. Perhaps 18 gems. Also I am inclined to bring Krakens down one research level.

No one seems to have commented on the fact that Rocs can be brought up to A4 with two air boosters. Obviously this is expensive, but it is still a way of using an A4 pretender to gain a new Fog Warriors caster, without waiting for Asynjas. Shishis can't do this (no head slot).

In the same way as the suggestion of giving a Roc A2 + 25%A basically makes the A3 more expensive, you could also imagine that you have a choice: either get an A2 Roc for, say, 18 gems, or get an A3 Roc (Roc + Bag of Winds / Winged Helmet) for 35 gems. Seems quite reasonable to me.

Of course a Roc with a single booster (or a Shishi with a booster) could cast Fog Warriors after waiting to cast Summon Storm Power. Said 35 gem Roc is then an astonishingly mobile support caster - with mapmove 5, flying and the ability to cloud trapeze it's probably the most mobile caster in the game. I'm sure it could be pretty handy.

So I have already opened up Air considerably, by including summonable A2 mages. I guess there's no way round that really.

I am a bit disinclined to go for the 25% A3 option as some people have commented that they find randoms on summons a bit annoying / hard to remember. I still have some (most notably the Asynja and the Treant), but I have tried to cut down on them a bit.

One final comment is that I see the Roc being a bit of a niche summon. I can't really see a way around that, and I don't really mind. It's good to include a few obviously good summons (Ember Lords, Grendelkin probably), as well as some more niche ones (Roc, Firebird most obviously).