[KaVir]

Sounds like a lot of work ;) I just pick an item type, select a material for it, and the encumbrance is calculated automatically from the two. Some attributes come from the item type, some from the material, and others are a combination of the two. So things like "does it float?" or "does it rust?" comes from the material, while things like "where is it worn?" or "what weapon table does it use?" comes from the item type.

When you're struck in combat, the item type determines whether the location is covered, the combined item type and material determines how much of the damage the item absorbs, the material determines what percentage of that damage the item receives, and the item type determines how many points of damage the item can withstand. So for example a leather breastplate can withstand a lot more damage (condition) than a leather jerkin, and a steel breastplate will ignore a much larger percentage of the damage (durability) than a leather breastplate.

The only thing I have to be careful of is silly combinations of item type and material - eg a cloth sword, or a platinum loincloth.

I also include "naked" descriptions, so if you leave part of your body uncovered, it'll be explicitly mentioned. Makes it a bit hard to pretend you've got a shirt underneath ;) But I felt it fit better alongside the descriptions for inhuman forms, and it also means you can reveal things like scars or tattoos. It's also consistent with wearing a hat to conceal your hair or a mask to conceal your face, and means I can use the same (fairly generic) code to describe other humanoid forms, because you're probably going to pay particular attention to any uncovered body parts if you encounter something like this:

Long tendrils of oily black mist seep out through the eye holes in its mask, which conceals its facial features, and a helmet protects the rest of its head. It is wearing a breastplate over its shirt, and a pair of bracers are strapped to its forearms. It has a pair of trousers tucked into its boots, with a belt tied around its waist and greaves strapped over its shins. The figure is over five and a half feet tall, and floats a couple of inches above the ground, with tendrils of mist seeping out through the joints of its armour. Loose plumes of oily black mist flow from its back, trailing through the air behind it.

But even if they're completely human-looking, you need to write some sort of description, no matter what they're wearing - and if your description is based purely on clothing, what do you write when they're naked?

She is beautiful, with lightly tanned skin, dark green eyes and long soft pale white hair which reaches down to her waist. Her naked body is very shapely, with high breasts, a narrow waist and wide hips. She is over five and a half feet tall, and seems very sure footed.

But I guess this is drifting a bit off-topic.