Two radical suggestions....

[tinkthank]

I'd personally prefer *not* to see the ability to purchase gems for money, but that's just me. It would make the late game very very different. Maybe that would be good, sure, but I'd sort of not like to see astral gems be purchasable unless some freaky incedent occured -- perhaps an occult traveling salesman comes to random towns?

[Psitticine]

I also wouldn't like to see gems become purchasable. You can trade gems in MP, and that's enough for me. I like the feeling of gems as special, magical things that can't just be bought off the shelf down at Gem Depot.