So on the item cards, either side of the traits bit (Eg: "Axe") there are little coloured circles. These vary from one item to another ( blue, gold, green etc) what do they actually mean?? They also appear on the hero sheets around the attributes.

Also, leading on from that. Are there any restrictions to item usage other than the hands? Eg if a barbarian gets a magic weapon can he use it even though not a mage, similarly a mage in light clothes gets a huge battle axe can they use it? Seems yes as far as I can tell, though that kind-of reduces the effectiveness of the "feel" of some classes.

It kind-of implies the healers have blue circles and thus should only use blue equipment etc, but then there would be oddness in that a magic staff should be used by mage and healer classes yet kinda not by the others.

So its all a bit confusing to me. Cant find rules relating to it.

Please help thanks

there are no rules relating to the colored circles- they're just cosmetic.

Any hero can equip any gear (within hand/armor/other limits) by default. some items and heroes have explicit ability text which limits ("You cannot equip runes") or permissions ("You may equip a shield as if it hand no hand icon").

Thanks

In some sense it can be anti thematic. My healer is currently waving a large battle axe and is the most offensive of any character I've yet played. All due to the large dice bonus of the axe.

6 hours ago, alexbobspoons said:

Thanks

In some sense it can be anti thematic. My healer is currently waving a large battle axe and is the most offensive of any character I've yet played. All due to the large dice bonus of the axe.

Never seen a dwarven cleric before, eh?

5 hours ago, Proto Persona said:

Never seen a dwarven cleric before, eh?

Of course , but this isnt one. Yes you can always justify and create the character you want (Terry Pratchett has a priest who waves a huge battleaxe) but generally if you start out an adventure with immersion and a healer or magic user that you perceive to be fairly physically weak and dressed in cloth, you envisage him struggling to lift and a huge battleaxe when he finds it within the dungeon, not be able to wield and use it with the same effectiveness as a seasoned veteran muscled fighter. True the class abilities do affect this, but not greatly.

I just wonder if the circles were intended to restrict such physically weak characters from becoming melee death machines and magicless barbarians from casting like experts. I can adjust theme in my head, but the actual presence of the coloured circles made me think there was something more.

6 minutes ago, alexbobspoons said:

Of course , but this isnt one. Yes you can always justify and create the character you want (Terry Pratchett has a priest who waves a huge battleaxe) but generally if you start out an adventure with immersion and a healer or magic user that you perceive to be fairly physically weak and dressed in cloth, you envisage him struggling to lift and a huge battleaxe when he finds it within the dungeon, not be able to wield and use it with the same effectiveness as a seasoned veteran muscled fighter. True the class abilities do affect this, but not greatly.

I just wonder if the circles were intended to restrict such physically weak characters from becoming melee death machines and magicless barbarians from casting like experts. I can adjust theme in my head, but the actual presence of the coloured circles made me think there was something more.

Who knows, at some early point in development they may have played with such an idea. I don't think Descent is meant to be an immersive game anyways, too much simplification and abstraction.

6 hours ago, Proto Persona said:

Who knows, at some early point in development they may have played with such an idea. I don't think Descent is meant to be an immersive game anyways, too much simplification and abstraction.

I agree. *Looks at Tomble or Ravella carrying a two handed greatsword that's probably bigger than they are*

4 hours ago, Lightningclaw said:

I agree. *Looks at Tomble or Ravella carrying a two handed greatsword that's probably bigger than they are*

Or Zyla carrying anything larger than a toothpick.

37 minutes ago, Proto Persona said:

Or Zyla carrying anything larger than a toothpick.

Oooooh, Zyla is actually a tiny scary fairy thingy? Didn't know that. I knew she was from another dimension, though.

Say you have Karnon in your group... How do you find a Baron's cloak in his size? How do you find ANYTHING in his size?

Except clubs that are literally tree trunks, of course.

12 hours ago, Proto Persona said:

Who knows, at some early point in development they may have played with such an idea. I don't think Descent is meant to be an immersive game anyways, too much simplification and abstraction.

I think you are 100% right, though I still love it