White Belt

The starting rank of a martial artist, tied around the face. Pure Brace with no stat bonuses or penalties — it simply absorbs some incoming hit force. A clean, no-downside common option for the face slot when nothing better is available.

Brace reduces the physical force of incoming attacks, which lowers knockback distance and can reduce damage from force-scaling sources. It provides no shielding that can be depleted and no stat modifiers, making it a permanent passive that works every fight without needing to recharge. As a common item it's widely available early and competes only with other no-drawback face options.

White Belt is best as an early-game placeholder before more useful face items are found. Its total lack of penalties means there's no reason not to equip it on a fresh build that has no other face options. Upgrade to Brown Belt or Black Belt as soon as they appear — or any face item with a meaningful passive or stat bonus. Keep it in reserve as a fallback if you're frequently encountering knockback-heavy enemies.