New player help brought to you by Keepers Pass.
1. BASIC WEAPON KEYWORDS. Everytime you level an attack you gain a new keyword for more damage and effect, however it DOES NOTHING until activated by a matching higher plus weapon - similarly just equipping a higher plus weapon DOES NOTHING unless you level up your attacks to provide a matching keyword.
As a rule of thumb, level 1 attacks need a T1 +0 weapon, level 2 attacks need T1 +1, level 3 needs a T1 +2 weapon and level 4 attacks need a T2 +2 weapon (NOT T1+3). Note wizard and cleric attacks ideally need to be on the right type of focus, staff or wand, not all focuses, wands and staffs are the same.
2. ARMOR KEYWORDS. Training an armor feat higher will give better rank effects (such as more regen on healer armor or more physical resistance on mage armor) that will work regardless of your armor plus.
However at every second level an armor feat also gains a new keyword for more saves and other effects, this GRANTS NO NEW KEYWORD BONUS until activated by wearing a matching higher plus armor.
Similarly, just wearing higher plus armor will do nothing if you have not trained and slotted a matching higher armor feat.
As a rule of thumb level 1 armor training needs a matching T1 + 0 armor, level 2 and level 3 armor training both work with a matching T1+1 armor, and level 4 and level 5 armor training need a T1+2 armor, at levels 6 and 7 you need a T2+2 armor (NOT T1+3).
3. UTILITY KEYWORDS. Utility keywords are a little more complex.
When you level up a utility it grants keywords for more effect power however these keywords DO NOTHING until activated by a matching keyword on a wearable item like a cloak or hat. Wearable items that do not match a utility keyword are purely cosmetic (assuming they show visually at all).
Note - there are two types of utility, Hand Utilities like channel positive and Foot Utilities like evade. However, for any of your wearable keywords on items to actually work, you will also need an item slotted in the glove slot for Hand Utilities or boot slot for Boot Utilities.
This applies even if the keyword you want is on something else like a hat. In that situation, you would slot the hat with the desired keyword and also slot any random item in the glove slot for Hand Utilities or boot slot for Boot Utilities. This sounds counterintuitive but its just how it works.
When you level high enough for Masterwork, note that you need masterwork to be on the glove slot for Hand Utilities or boot slot for Boot Utilities. If you run both types you need Masterwork slotted in both positions.