[quantum_mechani]

In regards to the cheaper low level blood spells, it's possible they might displace some high level summons, but before this they were not getting used at all. Ritual of the five gates is still theoretically good for when you don't have the cross-paths for other things, and the level 9 summons for late game when you can get the cross paths but not on a lot of mages (and of course the level 9s and the five gates save mage time). It's hard to say how all that falls out in the end, before a few games have been played to late game with the current price scheme.

As for item nerfs, I certainly agree some are way overused. But making items harder to forge is the source of much confusion and frustration. Unlike with spells, it's not clear what is going on when they are more expensive or higher research level, you only see you can't forge them when before you could. I should also note there is no good way to change price without change path requirements. Much, as I would like to (and in fact have in earlier versions), I think item nerfs are mostly off the table