[FrankTrollman]

At least in Dominions 2, multiple forge bonuses multiplied not add.

So let's say you had Forge of the Ancients (x50%) and the Hammer of the Cyclops (x50%) and the Steel Ovens (x80%) - that all got multiplied and you ended up paying 20% (.5x.5x.8) not -20% (-.5-.5-.2).

That being said, the Dominions 2 cost calculator also had an absolute floor of 1 gem per pathcost (that is, 1 gem for every 5 gems the item originally cost). So even if you were a Nataraja with the Hammer of the Cyclops and the Hammer of the Forge Lord (100% Forge Bonus together), you were still paying out 8 Astral Pearls to make a Ring of Sorcery.

I assumne Dominions 3 is still like that.

-Frank