Item Properties and Special Abilities

Posted by GM Finros
March 7, 2014
Players frequently ask questions -- particularly during service-heavy events -- regarding which equipment properties and special abilities are compatible with each other. This post is intended to serve as a canonical reference to address those questions.
This information is best used to determine what properties can definitely not be combined with each other. There is no guarantee that any two (or more) particular properties may be combined onto a single item at an event, or ever, even where this post indicates that it is technically possible. If you attempt to use this post to say "But Finros said you could do this" when you are turned down for a service, you will be thoroughly mocked by the merchant and/or myself.
Take care to read the caveats following the list of properties; some apparent exceptions to the rules are explained. Any property marked with a "[*]" has a specific note associated with it.
This listing is divided into four categories. Category A consists of properties which every piece of gear has. Category B consists of properties that are all mutually exclusive to each other. Category C consists of properties that are independent of each other, and of properties in any other category. Category D consists of scripts. Properties that apply only to weapons or armor are marked as such; otherwise assume that the property can apply to both (though it may come into play through different means). Shields are considered armor unless specifically disclaimed.
Category A: Present on all equipment; magnitude may vary in some cases
- Appearance
- Enchant (usually 0-50, can also be negative)
- Ability/inability to attack/affect magical creatures [*]
- Sanctified/non-sanctified status
- Forging modifiers (if forged by a player)
- Material properties [*]
Category B: Only ONE may be present; magnitude may vary in some cases, may be temporary or permanent in some cases
- Damage padding [armor, but not shields]
- Damage weighting [weapons]
- Critical padding [armor, but not shields]
- Critical weighting [weapons]
- Defensive bonus from weapons (commonly known as "Defender weapons") [weapons]
- Offensive bonus from armor [armor]
- Magical defense (TD) [armor]
- Minor Elemental Edge (spell 902) [weapons]
- Temporary blessing, with or without holy water flares
- Conventional permablessing (e.g. not Creature Bane - Undead)
- Fire flares
- Cold flares
- Lightning flares
- Acid flares
- Vibration (earth, impact) flares
- Disintegration flares
- Disruption flares
- Vacuum (void) flares
- Plasma flares
- Steam flares
- Unbalance (burst of force) flares
- Grapple (tendril of force) flares
- Dispel flares
- Mechanical (three varieties: slash, puncture, crush) flares
- Mana flares [weapons - runestaffs]
- Acuity flares [weapons - runestaffs]
Category C: Any number may be present; magnitude may vary in some cases; may be temporary or permanent in some cases
- Enhancives
- Resistances [armor]
- Creature Bane [*]
- Spikes [armor]
- Ensorcellment
- Weapon bonding (either spell or cman) [weapons]
Category D Only ONE may be present
- Everything not mentioned above (yes, seriously). This includes everything from the weapons that hiss when you wave them (and do nothing else), to the properties of Sorrow.
Notes regarding [*] marks in the above list:
- The ability to attack/affect magical creatures is only partially implemented with regard to armor and shields. Some offensive maneuvers require magical gear, others do not. This will likely be made consistent in requiring magical gear, over the long term.
- Material properties are relatively new in Gemstone. Modern gear made out of particular materials, such as adamantine or black ora, are likely to have their special abilities as an inherent property. Older gear may use a script to accomplish similar effects, which of course occupies the script ability of the equipment.
- Creature Bane items may grant damage/critical padding/weighting or flares, separate from anything in Category B. Only one Creature Bane foe type and one Creature Bane effect may be present.
The greatest caveat is in regard to Category D, scripts. Scripts have great flexibility in what they can do and may include the application or modification of one or more Category B items, in addition to whatever other effects they may have.
I believe this list to be complete, as of this date. If you don't see a particular special ability listed in Categories A-C, it is almost certainly a Category D (script) ability, of which there are quite literally hundreds.
This message was originally posted in Hunting and Combat, Weapon and Armor Discussion. To discuss the above, follow the link below.
http://forums.play.net/forums/19/212/2267/view/160