The one change Dom2 really needs.....

[Cainehill]

Ewww. I personally don't like the suggested new numbers / requirements for the gem-generating items; they're somewhat on the high side, imo, and cause problems for a number of nations that could previously make some limitted use of them.

IMO, not being able to have 2 clams / fetishes on the same commander probably provided enough counterbalance to the items. You now need to have more units to hold them (presuming that you're either going for massive clams or fetishes, and not both, which means more gold expense and/or more expenditure of death gems for each.

And, in any case, the jury was definately out on whether or not the clams and fetishes actually needed a fix, and I haven't seen anyone, ever, suggest that blood stones were broken.

Making some of the other items more expensive ( wraith swords, boots of flying, etc ) seems like a good idea though, albeit I'd think that most should have their required magic path levels stay the same, and only have the number of gems increased.

That way, the risk of upsetting balance by mucking up which nations can readily get what is eliminated, while still reducing the quantity of the items that will be used within a given game.