duelists do less damage wielding a shield?

[grobblewobble]

I might have the opposite problem. I prefer an iron girdle [+0,+1] over a girdle of carrying. Also because I know girdles of carrying will kill me. A hag *will* curse it if my characters wear them. I never cast SoA either; I know I will end up refreshing the spell too late and be crushed.
Iron weapons and armor that could have good modifiers I leave behind, unless the basic item is an immediate upgrade. Can't remember the last time I picked up the strange item.

Actually I think the monster I love most is the gelatinous cube, because it will clean up some of the piles of trash that the game is generating.