Re: fear question
 

No two identical items stack (like Wine bags).

Re: fear question
 

Unless you have three or more slots of the same type, so e.g. a Crone with 4 slots can exploit that by putting 2 wine bags and 2 cauldrons in the order WB-C-WB-C and will get the bonuses from all 4 items stacked. That starts to become a problem when it is done with magic boosters, especially multipath boosters.

Damn, I need to add that one to the next bug roundup (due later today).

Re: fear question
 

I actually think that bug (if it's a bug) is quite good. Otherwise the multiple misc slots on certain pretenders are next to useless. Ok, misc slots rock on combatants but most creatures with more than 2 are caster types.

Re: fear question
 

Spell Focus, Amulet of Luck, Amulet of Missile Protection, perhaps Eye of Aiming, Girdle of Might/Amulet of Reinvigoration, Amulet of Antimagic... There are many good items that benefit all mages. It's just that the OFFENSIVE items are much more rare.

Re: fear question
 

Also, two of the same weapon stack in the sense that you get to attack with both of them every turn. (If the weapon has other effects like resistance or magic boosting, I think that is not stacked, though. Possible exception for 3+ arms and a similar situation to what Edi describes for miscs.)

If you want more fear than the horror helmet alone, there are several other item options for fear. Implementor axe, skull standard, standard of the damned, both axes of rulership together, lantern shield, aegis, and the black book of secrets all give some fear (some of those are artifacts though - without artifacts, I don't think a humanoid can get more than +5 just from items). The Gift of Kurgi gives a *LOT* of fear, but has some pretty major drawbacks. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: fear question
 

Done forget Stympian Wings armor. Not an artifact. Also gives flight, so be careful with it.