I'm currently working on a little system to add stuff to equipment in game (i.e. in a fantasy setting give a weapon fire damage capabilities or say a modern setting add a laser sight to a gun for increased accuracy).

Now what I want to know is if people prefer systems like this when there is a measure of balance required (such as addon A gives +10 to hit points but also makes you more succeptible to blunt attacks) or if they give flat out advantages.

Currently I'm tossing up between the two, with the intent of balancing the flat out advantage idea by introducing an addon point counter (each equipment piece can only have x addon points).

Thinking about it now, a hybrid of the two might also be a viable alternative...