d EQUIPMENT

When you use this action, you may store any number of your equipped items in your backpack, and you may take any number of items from your backpack and equip them. The only thing you can't equip or put away is armor — there's simply not enough time for that during a single action. Still, the Game Master might allow you to remove or equip a suit of armor if you spend several turns on it.

Remember, equipped items are always at the ready: you don't need to perform this action to start a battle with your equipped weapon drawn, for instance.

For more information on equipping items, see page 122.

d GUARD

When using this action, you focus your attention on defending your teammates and thwarting enemy tactics.

You gain all of the following benefits until the start of your next turn:

• You gain Resistance to all damage types, regardless of their source (see page 92 to learn more about damage Affinities).
• Whenever you perform an Opposed Check against another character in the scene, you gain a +2 bonus to your Result (regardless of who initiated the Check).
• You may also choose to cover another creature present on the scene. If you do, that creature cannot be targeted by melee attacks until the start of your next turn — this effect will also end if you die, leave the scene, or are knocked unconscious.

Limitations:

• You cannot cover a creature that is already covering someone.

Even if you gain the ability to perform multiple actions during your turn (or to perform the Guard action for free as part of another effect), the Guard action can only be performed once per turn and its benefits never stack.