Equipping/Unequpping items while somebody else is in combat?
 

During a recent game of ours, my friends and I ran into a little snag.

I was fighting a monster that I could not beat alone, and had a card that allowed me to force someone of the opposite gender to help me. Knowing that i couldn't defeat it, the only person of opposite gender immediately "unequipped" all of their current items in play, before I could even say anything, with the stipulation that "they're not in combat". It does say that players can do as they please with what they're carrying so long as they're not in combat, but I'm curious to know if that means if anybody at the table is currently in combat as well?

Re: Equipping/Unequpping items while somebody else is in combat?
 

"In combat" only refers to the player whose turn it is, and their current Helper, if any. It was completely within the rules for that other player to unequip their items before you had a chance to force them to be a Helper.

Re: Equipping/Unequpping items while somebody else is in combat?
 

I would have made them help me anyway (assuming that you were still capable) and had them either lose, or have to attempt a run with me. No sneakery may go unpunished, lol.