Ben posted this yesterday while he was answering people in the forums:

HOWEVER, it just so happens that the equipment do a ton of different things, and you will (at least eventually) have a ton of different equipment to choose from, and the different effects provided by your equipment will deal with different dungeons with varying degrees of effectiveness. So, if you're having a tough time with a dungeon, you will certainly be able to suit up some gear that is a good "counter" for a given dungeon.

Have they said or do we think they will have some equipment that affects you overall and does not just specifically interact with one card? I think it'd be cool.

Nice idea! First time Im hearing about it.
I think the "set" of equipment might do that.
We saw lnly one set, and it have you a card. It can be cool if it will also do other overall effects.

Yea I had never thought about it but it definitely makes for a lot more possibilities. I think it could be cool if they incorporated the crafting system into that as well - you can craft equipment sets that are not specific to any cards but work overall.

Pretty sure he's just referring to normal card-affecting equipment in that statement. They've said each piece of equipment affects a card:

I think generic equipment that works on any card would be harder to balance or just so bad that they wouldnt be worth adding to the game. On top of that it creates another level of complexity and from what I have seen they are trying to keep the game from being too complex.

Wouldn't be tooooo bad to balance if it were just for PvE - that could even be some type of goal in one dungeon/quest or whatever.

Have to agree with DPCyric.
Looks like it will over complacate the game.
For overall effect we have the Champion (and merc)
For cards we have equipment.
And sets of equipment can give you an additional card bonus.
That seems like the best way to go.

An equipment that will be used for a spesific dungeon (and not anywere else) might be fine (like in Heroes of might and magic, when you can equipment only for a spesific campain)

Right but if you already have sets of equipment that give you additional card bonuses why not just have other sets of equipment that aren't specifically tied to any card that can give some kind of bonus as well...

What could you really do, though? I think the champions' abilities pretty much take the place of anything that would make sense.

They probably already have some like, put in play and gain x health or deal x damage to both players, or charge champion and so on. With 1000 equipment there has bound to be some that affect the overall game progress.

Put in play what? Every card? That would be nuts.

I still think that overall effects should stay with campion and mercs...
Just seems better this way...

When the card with the equipment is put in play.

so the equipment is still bound to a card...
well, an equipment in that case can do overall effect, like "if this card is in play, actions costs 1 less to play"...

What if the right equipment set changed your hero's charge power? There are limitless things that they could make them do...