it wouldnt be the same dumb templates on everyone...
Now, there you're labouring under a misapprehension, templates on Siege are widely varied.
There are, in fact, a number of misapprehensions in this thread, some yours, some other people's.
For example: You can't recall or sacred journey in the middle of a fight, you get the 'would you flee in the heat of battle' message just the same as if you try to leave by gate.
You don't need to have dedicated points in magery to gate, provided you do it within limits and aren't in a hurry. I have a Siege blessed tome of lost knowledge and 2 x +mage jewels, together with a library talisman I worked darned hard to get, this gives me up to 50 magery which, with a scroll and lots of fizzles, will get me from home to a bank and vice versa,. On arrival at the bank I put the talisman in it, I can't insure or bless it, so I don't risk taking it out of the guardzone, or even putting it in my back pack.
This means my gating destinations are limited but adequate for my needs.
There are ways to achieve things on Siege - legit ones too! But they need thinking about.