Equipping loot. That's the real trick.

As I was saying above, having received loot, I was unable to equip it because I've been giving my character a more balanced distribution of attributes. So, when a spiked bow requires a lvl 7 to have 45 dex to be able to equip it, my lvl 10 character is still unable to do so. Dex at say 30, str. at say 24. intl at 16. [all the number are just off of the top of my head. but you shld get the gist of it i hope].