Agreed. Unfortunately, if you want to use the standard "Status" and "Equip" screens (and basically everything else) you HAVE to use the standard character screen. It's usually common practice to have a custom menu like this:

---------------------------
Character Menu
Custom Stuff #1
Custom Stuff #2
Cancel
---------------------------

And just use the built in menu for basic functions, adding your own on the outside. I know you can emulate the "Equip" function (you'd have to check whether you have item x equipped or in your possession, and show them that way) , the Items function (same principle as Equip), the Status screen (You'd have to show it through messages using variables, or using pictures for values with absolute position), the Save screen (you can actually call it from anywhere, no menu needed), and the Skill screen (checking whether a skill is THERE, and displaying it if true).

But that's a LOT of work, and it's really not worth it to spend weeks coding an "Equip" function instead of using the included one..


====

As to KagomJack's request, we did in fact go through the long process through AIM to build a Class "menu" that's activated through the Shift key..