Elaboration:
If randomness is to play a role in the risk/reward relationship, then the categories defining the possible rewards at a given event or location need to be much more balanced. ie. Instead of a statue yielding either a golem or a hate stone, which contribute in differing ways, and have varying values at different points in a game - it should always produces something of relatively equivalent usefulness (or uselessness). Apply the same logic to monsters and their lairs such that they yield appropriate and relatively consistent rewards, and much more strategy will be born into the decision of which direction(s) to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate.
If this > "Treasure chests always give uncommon items now (instead of having a chance to give uncommon or common)" < from the .87 patch notes actually addresses the issue, then many thanks! However I do think we need quite a few more methods of categorization than just rarity.
Something else that would do wonders to enhance the game's strategic depth would be to relate the placement of resources to a map's geography. ie. Water shards being near water, fire shards being near desert, ore near mountains, etc... Again, much more strategy will be born into the decision of which direction(s) to 4x.
^
Edit: thinking about ^this for a sec I realized how incredibly simple it is: stamps just need to be appended with the resources that they may spawn.
