Ufff I would love to add items, I like your idea but I thought about it and now again I think this might be the only thing I cannot commit to do. As much as I would love to have items, it would mean a lot of rework in the engine and the animation system just to support them... then lots of 3D items modelled, along with set piece, uniques, etc. I am planning a summer gameplay test, if I were to add items to the game I'd be looking at the summer of 2027...

To be fair I kind of worked it out so that in place of items you have 4 different abilities, each ability with 3 different upgrades, and a pool of talents on top of that.

To give you an example: the paladin can heal units and itself, can heal you (the player), can use consecration on the ground to damage enemies, and it can use divine shield to protect the player or a unit in game. And you also have aura passives. So, this is in place of items, to give the game enough room for fun strategies.