[Heatmiser]

I'll try to help with some of your questions. I'm on my first time all the way through myself- so I don't have all the answers. I'm sure someone else will come along to help.

SPOILERS AHEAD
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3. When you go back to Z'ant in Lower Marten's Bluff, initiate conversation with him by giving him an object, not by clicking on him. If you give him a party object (the Chaos Moliri is good since he wants or wanted it anyway and he always gives it back) he will enter conversation and will not go hostile on you. This is a known bug, but this workaround keeps him friendly.

Your question about recharging objects: there is no official way to recharge objects, but MOST objects will be recharged if you sell them to a merchant and then buy them right back. For something like the SoD it might be cost prohibitive. But I do it all the time with Mana Stones for my Bishops. Portal back to Arnika- use Mana Stones to recharge their mana- sell to He'Li, buy back from He'Li- Mana Stones are recharged back to 3 charges each. The catch is that you CANNOT use up all of the charges. At least for Mana Stones- or they vanish. With SoD, I don't know if you could get it down to 0 charges, sell it and have all the charges back on it.

I have heard that it is a good idea to deal with the Rapax before you follow through on either the Umpani or the T'rang quests to destroy the others. Another option should present itself. As long as you have not done either of the final quests, you can go for the third option.

Don't know about the Templars- about to go to the Rift myself.

The Pulse Pick should be used in the room across the hall from the Trang teleporter in Lower MB. The two doors with the slime trail between them. In the opposite room is the teleporter that brings the Trangs from their ship. I think you use the Pulse Pick on that. But again, I have not taken this option yet, so I cannot confirm.

Hope this helps. BTW Pretty great game, no?