True. Caltrops might be a bad example. Though, the firestarter one is supposed to basically replicate kindle, except its melee ranged and costs bits rather then have a cooldown. Specifically NOT supposed to be to the level of a thermal grenade, strictly one square. Almost a flavor skill, except that as we know kindle is the most powerful mutation in the game /halfsarcasm. Though, we could give each of them tiers based on the material. Also, new idea.
Skillful improvement: blahblah costs and req, probably high int req and cost due to potential power: Take one metal bit, and attempt to improve a weapon or piece of armor. Scrap metal has a 25% chance to add a low tier bonus onto a weapon or armor, pure alloy a 50% and chance for better bonuses, and nanomaterials 100% and better chance for better bonuses. Can not improve already improved gear( ?And can only be attempted once per item?). So, for example, take that musket you picked up early on, use a scrap metal on it, and possibly get a scoped musket out of it. Or possibly nothing. then, down the line, take that lovely phase cannon of yours, and since you definitely want some sort of bonus, use your limited nanomaterial supply to guarantee a bonus out of it.
The power sources, just scale up the amount of power they recover. The crystals, blah. in this instance with firestarter skill? Bigger fires? Still one square, but hotter? Maybe kinda spray the fire out like a cone from you, making mulitple kindle level fires? harummph. crystals are hard.
Also, Angle, you use the data disc to build an item from it. I don't THINK that uses up the data disc, and still lets you sell off the disc.