Choosing equipment

A new item with a bigger number isn't necessarily an upgrade. First work out who can actually equip it. Then check whether it works from that hero's row, whether their skills still work with it and what it does to the rest of their gear.

The inventory is shared, so something the selected hero can't use might suit someone else. Check all four before you sell it.

1. Read the STR, DEX and WIS requirements.
2. If two attributes are listed, you need both.
3. Check class restrictions separately.
4. Then check race restrictions – a Stoneborn, for example, can't wear body armour.
5. See whether the item changes a resource or skill the hero relies on.

Light Crossbow needs STR 4 and DEX 7, so STR 4 on its own isn't enough. Shield of Wind needs DEX 4 and WIS 4, so shields aren't only for your high-STR heroes.

A back-row hero needs a Reach weapon, a ranged weapon or a spell. With a short melee weapon they can't hit anything from there, however big its damage number. Look at the attack you plan to use; the item type alone won't tell you.

A two-handed weapon takes the second hand too. If the hero was carrying a shield, weigh the new attack against the protection you lose. And if one of their skills needs the old weapon type or the shield, count that skill in the comparison as well.

A community guide suggests a bow or Quarterstaff for the back row. Check the reach of another weapon's actual attack, even if its name or appearance looks similar. Equipment requirements are listed in Weapons.

Short Sword needs STR to equip, but its attack uses DEX. Being able to equip a weapon doesn't mean the hero will get much out of it. Next to the minimum requirement, check which stat the attack scales with.

Magical accessories work the same way. A Blood Mage can have END as their main attribute and still need WIS for gear that boosts blood spells. Ignore that second stat and a useful item ends up sitting in your inventory.

Armor and Evasion are two different defences. Chain Armor and Plate Armor lower your Evasion, and heavier pieces in other slots can lower it further. Add up the whole set before you judge a single piece.

A Stoneborn can't wear body armour at all, but the other slots still count, and their race keeps adding Armor as they progress. For another hero, a breastplate might be the biggest change to how long they survive.

• Does the replacement work with the active skill and from the hero's current row?
• Does it take up another hand?
• Does another hero need the old item?
• Does the accessory support the attack you actually use?
• Is a class restriction, a second attribute or a race restriction involved?

Tools, letters and other named quest items don't belong in this comparison. They open a way forward or matter in a conversation, so don't judge them by combat stats.