diff --git a/src/OpenRpg.Genres/Builders/CharacterBuilder.cs b/src/OpenRpg.Genres/Builders/CharacterBuilder.cs
index 08d1b34..61bb723 100644
--- a/src/OpenRpg.Genres/Builders/CharacterBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/OpenRpg.Genres/Builders/CharacterBuilder.cs
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ protected virtual RaceData ProcessRace()
         
         protected virtual void PreProcessCharacter() {}
         protected virtual void PostProcessCharacter(Character character) {}
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Allows you to override the creation of the character instance
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>This is useful for creating a character with a custom inherited type</remarks>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        protected virtual Character CreateCharacterInstance()
+        { return new Character() { }; }
         
         public virtual Character CreateCharacter()
         {
@@ -160,14 +168,12 @@ public virtual Character CreateCharacter()
             _variables.Inventory(ProcessInventory());
             _variables.Gender(_genderId);
 
-            var character = new Character()
-            {
-                UniqueId = Guid.NewGuid(),
-                NameLocaleId = _name,
-                DescriptionLocaleId = _description,
-                Variables = _variables,
-                State = new EntityStateVariables(_state)
-            };
+            var character = CreateCharacterInstance();
+            character.UniqueId = Guid.NewGuid();
+            character.NameLocaleId = _name;
+            character.DescriptionLocaleId = _description;
+            character.Variables = _variables;
+            character.State = new EntityStateVariables(_state);
 
             var needsStateRefresh = _state.Count == 0;
             CharacterPopulator.Populate(character, needsStateRefresh);
diff --git a/src/OpenRpg.Items/Extensions/EquipmentExtensions.cs b/src/OpenRpg.Items/Extensions/EquipmentExtensions.cs
index 78e1e04..9918ed6 100644
--- a/src/OpenRpg.Items/Extensions/EquipmentExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/OpenRpg.Items/Extensions/EquipmentExtensions.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.Linq;
-using OpenRpg.Core.Templates;
-using OpenRpg.Entities.Effects;
 using OpenRpg.Items.Equippables;
 using OpenRpg.Items.Equippables.Slots;
 using OpenRpg.Items.Templates;
@@ -38,8 +34,8 @@ public static ItemData AttemptUnequipSlot(this Equipment equipment, int slotType
         public static bool AttemptEquipSlot(this Equipment equipment, IEquipmentSlotValidator slotValidator, int slotType, ItemData itemData, ItemTemplate template)
         {
             if(!equipment.HasSlot(slotType)) { return false; }
-            if(!equipment.HasItemEquipped(slotType)) { return false; }
-            if(slotValidator.CanEquipItemType(slotType, template.ItemType)) { return false; }
+            if(equipment.HasItemEquipped(slotType)) { return false; }
+            if(!slotValidator.CanEquipItemType(slotType, template.ItemType)) { return false; }
             equipment.Slots[slotType] = itemData;
             return true;
         }
diff --git a/src/OpenRpg.UnitTests/Items/Equippables/EquipmentExtensionsTests.cs b/src/OpenRpg.UnitTests/Items/Equippables/EquipmentExtensionsTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dede4f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/OpenRpg.UnitTests/Items/Equippables/EquipmentExtensionsTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+using Moq;
+using OpenRpg.Items.Equippables;
+using OpenRpg.Items.Equippables.Slots;
+using OpenRpg.Items.Extensions;
+using OpenRpg.Items.Templates;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace OpenRpg.UnitTests.Items.Equippables
+{
+    public class EquipmentExtensionsTests
+    {
+        [Fact]
+        public void should_equip_item_when_all_criteria_met()
+        {
+            var equipmentSlot = 1;
+            var equipment = new Equipment();
+            equipment.Slots[equipmentSlot] = null;
+            
+            var item = new ItemData();
+            var itemTemplate = new ItemTemplate();
+
+            var mockEquipmentValidator = new Mock<IEquipmentSlotValidator>();
+            mockEquipmentValidator
+                .Setup(x => x.CanEquipItemType(It.IsAny<int>(), It.IsAny<int>()))
+                .Returns(true);
+
+            var result = equipment.AttemptEquipSlot(mockEquipmentValidator.Object, equipmentSlot, item, itemTemplate);
+
+            Assert.True(result);
+            Assert.Equal(equipment.Slots[equipmentSlot], item);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void should_not_equip_item_when_slot_doesnt_exist()
+        {
+            var equipmentSlot = 1;
+            var equipment = new Equipment();
+            
+            var item = new ItemData();
+            var itemTemplate = new ItemTemplate();
+
+            var mockEquipmentValidator = new Mock<IEquipmentSlotValidator>();
+            mockEquipmentValidator
+                .Setup(x => x.CanEquipItemType(It.IsAny<int>(), It.IsAny<int>()))
+                .Returns(true);
+
+            var result = equipment.AttemptEquipSlot(mockEquipmentValidator.Object, equipmentSlot, item, itemTemplate);
+
+            Assert.False(result);
+            Assert.Empty(equipment.Slots);
+        }
+        
+        [Fact]
+        public void should_not_equip_item_when_slot_exists_but_validation_fails()
+        {
+            var equipmentSlot = 1;
+            var equipment = new Equipment();
+            equipment.Slots[equipmentSlot] = null;
+            
+            var item = new ItemData();
+            var itemTemplate = new ItemTemplate();
+
+            var mockEquipmentValidator = new Mock<IEquipmentSlotValidator>();
+            mockEquipmentValidator
+                .Setup(x => x.CanEquipItemType(It.IsAny<int>(), It.IsAny<int>()))
+                .Returns(false);
+
+            var result = equipment.AttemptEquipSlot(mockEquipmentValidator.Object, equipmentSlot, item, itemTemplate);
+
+            Assert.False(result);
+            Assert.Null(equipment.Slots[equipmentSlot]);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file