Loadouts

Weapons, Casting Types, and Shields are all sorted in something called ‘Loadouts.’ Loadouts represent a single set of weapons that you hold during combat. All characters can carry two loadouts. Whether its a sword and shield, a massive great axe, or powerful magic, loadouts are highly customizable, and there is almost certainly one that fits your playstyle or the character of your dreams.

Weapon and Magic Loadouts
There are two types of Loadouts, Weapon loadouts and Magic Loadouts. Weapon Loadouts are made up of physical weapons such as swords or bows and use Strength or Dexterity to attack. The other are Magic Loadouts, which represent the method and style by which you cast spells and magical abilities and use either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma to use.

Classes do not have a restriction on which type of Loadout you want to take, though each class typically uses abilities that requires one or the other.

Shields
Before deciding on your loadout, consider if your character would use a shield. The Shield is automatically equipped to any One-Handed Loadout you have. If you have a Loadout that is two-handed, then you do not equip the Shield, foregoing it’s benefit for more damage. A character can only have one Shield, this means that if you had two One-Handed Loadouts, you would only ever have the same shield equipped for either. And if you had one One-Handed Loadout and one Two-Handed Loadout, the shield would only be equipped as part of your One-Handed Loadout and would be automatically unequipped when wielding your Two-Handed Loadout. If you only had Two-Handed Loadouts and as such could never equip a shield, then your character does not bring one on their adventures.

Offhand Weapons behave exactly like shields, however they provide an attack bonus, offering a different way of increasing your damage output other than Two-Handed Weapons.

Physical Shield
Shield - Defence +4

Bracer - Defence +2, Reflex +3

Huge Shield - Defence +6, Speed -2

Magical Shield
Warding Crystal - Defence +4

Protective Tome - Defence +2, Grit +2

Anchoring Bracelet - Defence +2, Willpower +2

Offhand Weapon
Offhand Weapon - Attack +4 

Creating a Weapon Loadout
Before creating the loadout, think about what you want your weapon to be like. Is it a classic sword and shield? A handheld ballista? Is it a deadly dagger or a scythe? Think about what you want your character to wield, then choose the options that match it best.

1. Strength or Dexterity
Would you like to use a weapon which requires your Strength to use effectively or your Dexterity? Some weapons like thrown weapons and polearms are Versatile, meaning you can use either Strength or Dexterity to use them.

While there are options for both Strength and Dexterity for Melee Weapons, keep in mind that there are limited options for Ranged Strength Weapons.

2. Melee or Ranged
Do you want your weapon to attack from a distance or close up? A Melee Weapon can attack targets that are adjacent to you, but have no method of attacking those that are far away. A Ranged Weapon can target distant enemies, but typically receive a penalty for targeting adjacent enemies.

3. One Hand and Shield, Two Handed, or Dual Wield
Equipping a shield, be it an actual physical shield or some sort of magical ward, improves your protection. But in order to equip a shield, you can only wield a one handed weapon, which deals less damage than a two handed weapon.

An additional option is Dual Wielding, which is equipping the same type of weapon in both hands. Dual Wielding has special rules which are described later in this section.

4. Damage Type and Special
There are three physical damage types, Crushing, Slashing, and Piercing. You may encounter enemies that are especially vulnerable or resistant to these types of damage. Each damage type also has a special bonus which applies to that weapon, for example Slashing Weapons add an extra +2 to attack rolls.

There are two types of weapons that have different specials, Polearms have +1 Reach, meaning your melee attacks can target enemies that are two spaces away from you, and Thrown Weapons, which have shorter range but take no melee penalty

Dual Wielding
You may wish to Dual Wield weapons, foregoing the protection of a shield for more damage but with different associated abilities than two-handed weapons.

Choose two One Handed Weapons that are both of the exact same type (Both Slashing, Both Heavy, etc.).

Your damage is 2d6. Any special qualities such as “+2 Attack” or “No Melee Penalty” do not apply to Dual Wielding Weapons.

Every time an ability calls for Weapon damage, use 2d6, unless the Ability requires Dual Wielding (such as Dual Wielding Mastery), then instead weapon damage equals 1d6, because those abilities typically involve multiple attacks on the same turn.

Creating a Magic Loadout
Spell styles (or stances) refer to your character channeling a certain kind of magic through their body. When equipped with a style or stance, it is implied that your hands are full and it is up to the players discretion as to why. For example, you might have a staff in your hand for your fire style, or your shock stance involves holding a metal rod in one hand and a ball of electricity in the other. Your Psionic stance may involve nothing more than using your mind and keeping your hands completely still and empty, but for the purpose of combat, it is still as if your hands are too full to be holding anything in them, from weapons to objects around the room.

There is no range on Magic Loadouts, range is determined by each individual ability. Additionally, you do not need to determine which attribute you will use with your Loadout (though you should have an idea in mind), as the attribute you use is also dependant on the abilities you choose.

1. Style or Stance
Styles take up one hand while Stances take up two. With your free hand while using a style, you have three options on what you can take on your other hand. You could take a shield to improve your defensive stats. You could take another spell style, giving yourself access to two different damage types/specials. Finally, you could take a one handed melee weapon to give yourself some melee combat capability with that loadout.