ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

I've finally collected enough gold that I can buy some new gear, but I'm a little overwhelmed by how many different stats (and sub-stats) are changed by each item. This is the "Dumb Questions" forum, so...help me get a better grasp on how to choose wisely? I'm playing a Halfling Rogue, bee...

I've been using the I-key for inventory, then clicking the button to switch, then hitting ESC to go back to the map. This gives my foes a free turn to move/attack, presumably because I'm switching weapons (which I'm fine with because it makes sense that it takes time to switch weapons), but is there...