/hi
Keyword
Specialize armor/weapon : Resist/deal shadow,elemental or piercing.
These are the better way.
Defense type
Reduce the amount of normal defense in every specialize armor by 20%. Pure normal armor will remain the same.
Damage
Reduce the amount of normal damage in every specialize weapon by 20%. Pure normal weapon will remain the same.
Not all specialized armors/weapons are perfectly superior to every pure normal armor/weapon.
Not all pure normal defense/damage items are underpowered.
Balancing is not a game of hot potato.