A unique set of items in Project Burner are going to be the different Pylons. Pylons are small crystal like structures that are deployed by the player, to gain a buff for a few rounds. Pylons are constructed with future materials, so I am not worrying about how they defy gravity, although I do want to have a justification for how they follow the player being something along the lines of quantum locking, which is displayed in contemporary super conductors. I am going to handwave how this technology has been stabilized and made cost effective, but 'hand wave' actually ties into the inspiration for the pylons.
In Runescape there is a gesture whenever you change between different deflection curses or soul split, and I love the little animation your character does. I wanted to be able to emulate the reaching out and maybe then clenching fist. In universe pylons are thrown, which positions the arm up, then the fist clenched to activate them. Deflection curses in addition to looking cool, mitigate damage from a specific source, and the pylons also have a degree of utility outside of aesthetics.
Pylons apply buffs to the player, and I want to be more specific and say that pylons are responsible for applying buffs to the player which would be potion effects in a medieval setting. Being somewhat grounded in the scientific, magical potions seem out of place, and the use of real or fictitious drugs can introduce a lot of unnecessary ethical questions. In a much more adult or darker campaign, use of controlled substances, human experimentation of untested pharmaceuticals or performing enhancing drugs, and even addiction can all contribute to a bleaker atmosphere and tone. Magical floating rocks which perform the same function without repercussions, side effects, or real world analogs just seems like a cleaner solution to me though.
