Newbie Guide:
If you've all the tokens of valor, you should be doing well for armor. Nonetheless, you may wish to save your Adena to upgrade your armor piece by piece. If you've reached level 6, you can wear Apprentice's Shoes, a Cloth Cap and Short Gloves with your armor.
If you are particularly lucky, you may acquire a full set of leather armor.
Your masters will advise you to buy both weapons and armor; my advice is to concentrate on improving your armor first, and save up for better weapons later.
Finally, there is the matter of shields. It is not always wisest to carry a shield into battle. A shield can reduce damage, but it also lowers your evasive abilities. If you're seeking to become an Orc Raider, heavy armor with a shield will be required, but for a Monk, using daggers and light armor, a shield will only hinder you.
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