I generally have high Per/Luck and do tend to get rings from campfires also (are people eating rings for dinner? There's certainly not enough to go a-round. Or... are they cooking fingers?! >:p )

I've never noticed luck helping Arcomage. Excepting Harmondale's game, it seems a matter of skill to me. I also don't see it helping with contests. You need a certain stat to beat it, luck notwithstanding.

And as for equipment, nothing beats Officer's Leather. "An Officer and a Leatherman," who can resist a man in uniform?