Draft Overview
instead of amassing loot, characters can choose the equipment they carry with greater control, based on level, which represents a hero's ability to manage more powerful items growing over time (getting the most out of her equipment, basically). EPs can be reallocated upon level up or during 'down time'. Special Items (Artifacts) can be given to a party for limited use, but if a character wants to keep it he must allocate the proper amount of EPs.
As a character gains levels, he gets an exponentially larger amount of gold pieces. Prices for items rise exponentially as well. EPs are based on a concept of linear progression, e.g. you gain a set number of EPs per level and a +4 weapon costs twice as many EPs (or thereabout) as a +2. You accomplish the same scaling without having to deal with numbers in the hundreds of thousands of gold pieces, for example.
It's a system that's only half-compatible with the current game because so much of advancement is about finding new stuff.
more to follow