diff --git a/initsramtable.asm b/initsramtable.asm
index be315be..a93d0c1 100644
--- a/initsramtable.asm
+++ b/initsramtable.asm
@@ -150,13 +150,13 @@ org $30B414 ; PC 0x183414-0x183416
 InitMapOverlay: dw $0000
 
 org $30B417 ; PC 0x183417
-InitProgressiveSwords: db $00
+InitHighestSword: db $00
 
 org $30B414 ; PC 0x183418-0x183419
 InitGoalCounter: dw $0000
 
 org $30B422 ; PC 0x183422
-InitProgressiveShields: db $00
+InitHighestShield: db $00
 
 org $30B428 ; PC 0x183428
 InitMapsCompasses: db $00
diff --git a/inventory.asm b/inventory.asm
index c2f5b30..6a342b7 100644
--- a/inventory.asm
+++ b/inventory.asm
@@ -326,16 +326,33 @@ AddInventory:
 	.itemCounts
 
 	CPY.b #$00 : BNE + ; Fighter's Sword & Fighter's Shield
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$01
+		JSR .incrementSword
+		JSR .incrementShield
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$01 : BNE + ; Master Sword
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$02
+		JSR .incrementSword
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$02 : BNE + ; Tempered Sword
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$03
+		JSR .incrementSword
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$03 : BNE + ; Golden Sword
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$04
+		JSR .incrementSword
+		JMP .done
+	+ CPY.b #$04 : BNE + ; Fighter's Shield
+		LDX #$01
+		JSR .incrementShield
+		JMP .done
+	+ CPY.b #$05 : BNE + ; Red Shield
+		LDX #$02
+		JSR .incrementShield
+		JMP .done
+	+ CPY.b #$06 : BNE + ; Mirror Shield
+		LDX #$03
+		JSR .incrementShield
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$07 : !BLT + ; Items $07 - $0D
 	  CPY.b #$0E : !BGE +
@@ -435,7 +452,8 @@ AddInventory:
 		JSR .incrementY
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$49 : BNE + ; Fighter's Sword
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$01
+		JSR .incrementSword
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$4A : BNE + ; Flute (Active)
 		JSR .stampFlute
@@ -454,7 +472,8 @@ AddInventory:
 		JSR .incrementCapacity
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$50 : BNE + ; Master Sword (Safe)
-		JSR .stampSword
+		LDX #$02
+		JSR .incrementSword
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$51 : BNE + ; 5 Bomb Capacity Upgrade
 		LDX #$02
@@ -472,11 +491,12 @@ AddInventory:
 		JSR .incrementBow
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$5E : BNE + ; Progressive Sword
-		JSR .stampSword
-		LDA.l ProgressiveSwords : INC : STA.l ProgressiveSwords
+		LDA SwordEquipment : INC : TAX
+		JSR .incrementSword
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$5F : BNE + ; Progressive Shield
-		LDA.l ProgressiveShields : INC : STA.l ProgressiveShields
+		LDA ShieldEquipment : INC : TAX
+		JSR .incrementShield
 		JMP .done
 	+ CPY.b #$60 : BNE + ; Progressive Armor
 		LDA ArmorEquipment : INC : TAX
@@ -565,6 +585,21 @@ RTS
 	SEP #$20 ; set 8-bit accumulator
 RTS
 
+.incrementSword
+	JSR .stampSword
+	LDA HighestSword
+	INC : STA $04 : CPX $04 : !BLT + ; don't increment unless we're getting a better sword
+		TXA : STA HighestSword
+	+
+RTS
+
+.incrementShield
+	LDA HighestShield
+	INC : STA $04 : CPX $04 : !BLT + ; don't increment unless we're getting a better shield
+		TXA : STA HighestShield
+	+
+RTS
+
 .incrementBow
 	LDA BowEquipment : BNE .dontCount ; Don't increment Y item count for extra bows
 .incrementY
diff --git a/itemdowngrade.asm b/itemdowngrade.asm
index 8ce40e7..89b4e68 100644
--- a/itemdowngrade.asm
+++ b/itemdowngrade.asm
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ RTS
 RTS
 	.isSword
 	PHA
-		LDA SwordEquipment : STA $04
+		LDA HighestSword : STA $04
 		TYA ; load sword item
 		CMP.b #$49 : BNE + : LDA.b #$00 : + ; convert extra fighter's sword to normal one
 		CMP.b #$50 : BNE + : LDA.b #$01 : + ; convert extra master sword to normal one
@@ -73,11 +73,9 @@ RTS
 JMP .done
 	.isUncleSwordShield
 	PHA
-		; set sword to 1 if current sword is 0
-		LDA [$00] : BNE + : LDA.b #$01 : STA [$00] : +
+		LDA HighestSword : STA [$00] ; already set to 1 if we had no sword, always keep highest
 		INC $00
-		; set shield to 1 if current shield is 0
-		LDA [$00] : BNE + : LDA.b #$01 : STA [$00] : +
+		LDA HighestShield : STA [$00]
 	PLA
 RTS
 ;================================================================================
diff --git a/newitems.asm b/newitems.asm
index c5fcbfc..1d96ec1 100755
--- a/newitems.asm
+++ b/newitems.asm
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ AddReceivedItemExpanded:
 				LDA.b #$4F : STA $02D8
 			+++ : JMP .done
 		++ : CMP.b #$5E : BNE ++ ; Progressive Sword
-			LDA ProgressiveSwords : CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT +
+			LDA SwordEquipment : CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT +
 				LDA.l ProgressiveSwordReplacement : STA $02D8 : JMP .done
 			+ : CMP.b #$00 : BNE + ; No Sword
 				LDA.b #$49 : STA $02D8 : JMP .done
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ AddReceivedItemExpanded:
 			+ ; Everything Else
 				LDA.b #$03 : STA $02D8 : JMP .done
 		++ : CMP.b #$5F : BNE ++ ; Progressive Shield
-			LDA ProgressiveShields : CMP.l ProgressiveShieldLimit : !BLT +
+			LDA ShieldEquipment : CMP.l ProgressiveShieldLimit : !BLT +
 				LDA.l ProgressiveShieldReplacement : STA $02D8 : JMP .done
 			+ : CMP.b #$00 : BNE + ; No Shield
 				LDA.b #$04 : STA $02D8 : JMP .done
diff --git a/sram.asm b/sram.asm
index a04b166..37e8ef1 100644
--- a/sram.asm
+++ b/sram.asm
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ IgnoreFaeries:                  ;
 HasGroveItem:                   ;
 GeneralFlags: skip 1            ; - - h - - i - g (bitfield)
                                 ; h = HUD Flag       | i = ignore faeries | g = has diggable grove item
-ProgressiveSwords: skip 1       ; Number of Progressive Swords obatined (integer)
+HighestSword: skip 1            ; Highest sword level (integer)
 GoalCounter: skip 2             ; Goal items collected (16-bit integer)
 ProgrammableItemOne: skip 2     ; \  Reserved for programmable items
 ProgrammableItemTwo: skip 2     ;  |
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ ProgrammableItemThree: skip 2   ; /
 BonkCounter: skip 1             ; Number of times the player has bonked (integer)
 YAItemCounter: skip 1           ; y y y y y a a a (packed integers)
                                 ; Number of Y and A items collected represented as packed integers
-ProgressiveShields: skip 1      ; Number of Progressive Shields obtained
+HighestShield: skip 1           ; Highest Shield level
 TotalItemCounter: skip 2        ; Total items collected (integer)
 SwordBossKills: skip 2          ; t t t t g g g g  f f f f m m m m (packed integers)
                                 ; t = Tempered Sword boss kills | g = Gold Sword boss kills
@@ -559,14 +559,14 @@ endmacro
 %assertSRAM(IgnoreFaeries, $7EF416)
 %assertSRAM(HasGroveItem, $7EF416)
 %assertSRAM(GeneralFlags, $7EF416)
-%assertSRAM(ProgressiveSwords, $7EF417)
+%assertSRAM(HighestSword, $7EF417)
 %assertSRAM(GoalCounter, $7EF418)
 %assertSRAM(ProgrammableItemOne, $7EF41A)
 %assertSRAM(ProgrammableItemTwo, $7EF41C)
 %assertSRAM(ProgrammableItemThree, $7EF41E)
 %assertSRAM(BonkCounter, $7EF420)
 %assertSRAM(YAItemCounter, $7EF421)
-%assertSRAM(ProgressiveShields, $7EF422)
+%assertSRAM(HighestShield, $7EF422)
 %assertSRAM(TotalItemCounter, $7EF423)
 %assertSRAM(SwordBossKills, $7EF425)
 %assertSRAM(BigKeysBigChests, $7EF427)
diff --git a/utilities.asm b/utilities.asm
index b079c36..dc16dc2 100644
--- a/utilities.asm
+++ b/utilities.asm
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ RTL
 		+
 		LDA.b #$04 : RTL
 	++ CMP.b #$FE : BNE ++ ; Progressive Sword
-		LDA ProgressiveSwords
+		LDA HighestSword
 		CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Sword Limit
 			LDA.l ProgressiveSwordReplacement
 			JMP GetSpriteID
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ RTL
 			LDA.b #$46 : RTL
 		+
 	++ : CMP.b #$FF : BNE ++ ; Progressive Shield
-		LDA ProgressiveShields
+		LDA HighestShield
 		CMP.l ProgressiveShieldLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Shield Limit
 			LDA.l ProgressiveShieldReplacement
 			JMP GetSpriteID
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ GetSpritePalette:
 RTL
 	.specialHandling
 	CMP.b #$FD : BNE ++ ; Progressive Sword
-		LDA ProgressiveSwords
+		LDA HighestSword
 		CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Sword Limit
 			LDA.l ProgressiveSwordReplacement
 			JMP GetSpritePalette
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ RTL
 		+ ; Everything Else
 			LDA.b #$08 : RTL
 	++ : CMP.b #$FE : BNE ++ ; Progressive Shield
-		LDA ProgressiveShields
+		LDA HighestShield
 		CMP.l ProgressiveShieldLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Shield Limit
 			LDA.l ProgressiveShieldReplacement
 			JMP GetSpritePalette
@@ -325,13 +325,13 @@ IsNarrowSprite:
 			+ : JMP .continue
 		.notBottle
 	CMP.b #$5E : BNE ++ ; Progressive Sword
-		LDA ProgressiveSwords : CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Sword Limit
+		LDA HighestSword : CMP.l ProgressiveSwordLimit : !BLT + ; Progressive Sword Limit
 			LDA.l ProgressiveSwordReplacement
 			JSL.l IsNarrowSprite
 			JMP .done
 		+ : JMP .continue
 	++ CMP.b #$5F : BNE ++ ; Progressive Shield
-		LDA ProgressiveShields : BNE + : JMP .done ; No Shield
+		LDA HighestShield : BNE + : JMP .done ; No Shield
 		+ : CMP.l ProgressiveShieldLimit : !BLT .continue
 			LDA.l ProgressiveShieldReplacement
 			JSL.l IsNarrowSprite