Rings/Brands - Game Mechanics - Modify Game Experience

The concept of rings within the context of a game is ...

After the rules of the game are illustrated to the player, rings  become available to the player which allow them to change the overall gameplay experience. (Do not make the rings available prior to making sure the player is well informed about the base gameplay experience).  Rings provide the ability to slightly "bend" the rules of the game without breaking the game.  This allows a level or strategy and customization to liven up the gameplay experience.(tailoring it to the user's play style).

1) the player must earn the ring (find it, quest for it, etc.)
2) rings can only be equipped given the slots available to the player (slots gained as the player progresses)
3) rings can have negative side effects (i.e. makes you deal more damage at the expense of health loss)
4) rings can have passive abilities (health regen) and active abilities (blind flash)
5) rings "active" abilities are often powerful game changers...
    as such may require recharge time,

some rings denote allegiance to a specific faction or deity, (and cannot be taken off... they can be "traded in" meaning you change factions) they may give you positive effects and ally yourself to a faction, but also makes you an enemy of another faction. (Thieves ring -- Thieves Guild... Nobles Ring -- Noble  nobles and thieves are enemies.)


Some examples of rings and effects:
Noble Ring -
Thieves Ring -
Gladiator Brand -
Sunlight - illuminates areas (damages enemies... vampires, blinds enemies, heals/buffs fire based enemies)
Silverlight - small illumination, flash stuns enemies (does damage to werewolves, heals some elemental enemies)
BloodLust - attack power up, defense down
FrostWard -
Familiar - a familiar fights by your side
MoonShadow - makes you harder to spot
Revelation - X-Ray - See through blocks / secret doors/ etc
DustWorm - squeeze in tight spots (secrets, etc.)
Chronos - Stun Grenade - stops enemies/slows time
Tractor Beam - pulls items / enemies towards you (must "look" or lock onto them)
Ward - Shield - mitigate damage or reflect damage (depends on angle of attack and direction of shield)
Stone - Bash/Knockback - knocks enemies back (removes shields?, may leave enemy stunned for counter or critical)

Rings - some of them need to "recharge" (the current charge level shows at top of screen)
(via sunlight, moonlight, starlight -- this takes time)
(via blood -- each enemy killed is sacrificed to the ring)
(via items - i.e. gems/gold, using this ring costs "ammunition" or sacrifices)

based on level, you only have a limited number of slots available for rings, so they need to be used wisely (swapping which equipment you have should be interesting part of the game)

A "Brand" is similar to a ring in that it has positive and negative aspects.

Unlike a ring, getting a brand is a big decision -> cannot be changed (no going back)
Brands have positive effects, but also negative effects... once you earn the ability to get a brand, and get branded you can never undo the brand.

Gladiator Brand - More powerful, but not able to associate with Nobles and other folks
Monk Brand - Outcast