diff --git a/src/res/e2k9.xml b/src/res/e2k9.xml
index 37b119d8e..a0cd1dd08 100644
--- a/src/res/e2k9.xml
+++ b/src/res/e2k9.xml
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@
     <skill name="catapult" enable="true"/>
     <skill name="crossbow" enable="true"/>
     <skill name="forestry" enable="true"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" enable="true"/>
     <skill name="magic" enable="true"/>
     <skill name="melee" enable="true"/>
     <skill name="mining" enable="true"/>
@@ -101,6 +100,7 @@
     <skill name="alchemy" enable="false"/>
     <skill name="entertainment" enable="false"/>
     <skill name="espionage" enable="false"/>
+    <skill name="herbalism" enable="false"/>
     <skill name="perception" enable="false"/>
     <skill name="stealth" enable="false"/>
     <skill name="taxation" enable="false"/>
diff --git a/src/res/e2k9/races.xml b/src/res/e2k9/races.xml
index c7cb5906c..3a6975d76 100644
--- a/src/res/e2k9/races.xml
+++ b/src/res/e2k9/races.xml
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
     <skill name="catapult" speed="+5"/>
     <skill name="crossbow" speed="+5"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="1"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="melee" speed="+5"/>
     <skill name="mining" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="polearm" speed="+5"/>
@@ -60,7 +59,6 @@
     <function name="itemdrop" value="defaultdrops"/>
     <param name="other_race" value="elf"/>
     <param name="other_cost" value="500"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="+2"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="sailing" modifier="2"/>
@@ -83,7 +81,6 @@
     <skill name="cartmaking" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="crossbow" modifier="2"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="melee" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="mining" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="polearm" modifier="-1"/>
@@ -91,7 +88,6 @@
     <skill name="roadwork" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="sailing" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-1"/>
-    <skill name="tactics" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="unarmed" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -107,7 +103,6 @@
     <function name="itemdrop" value="defaultdrops"/>
     <skill name="cartmaking" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="1"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-3"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="melee" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="polearm" modifier="1"/>
@@ -132,7 +127,6 @@
     <skill name="bow" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="building" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-2"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="mining" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="quarrying" modifier="-1"/>
@@ -154,7 +148,6 @@
     <skill name="bow" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="building" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="2"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="melee" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="mining" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="quarrying" modifier="2"/>
@@ -178,7 +171,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-1"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="melee" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="mining" modifier="2"/>
@@ -187,6 +179,7 @@
     <skill name="roadwork" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="sailing" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-1"/>
+    <skill name="tactics" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="weaponsmithing" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="unarmed" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -206,7 +199,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -234,7 +226,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -257,8 +248,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -280,8 +270,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -305,8 +294,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -330,8 +318,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -358,8 +345,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="sailing" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -383,8 +369,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -406,8 +391,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
+     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-1"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -432,8 +416,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
+     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-2"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -460,8 +443,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -485,8 +467,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="magic" modifier="2"/>
+     <skill name="magic" modifier="2"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -509,7 +490,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="4"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="5"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="5"/>
@@ -534,8 +514,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
+     <skill name="magic" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -563,8 +542,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -588,8 +566,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -612,8 +589,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="10"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="shipcraft" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -638,7 +614,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="1"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
@@ -678,7 +653,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-10"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-10"/>
@@ -703,7 +677,6 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-10"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="magic" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-10"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-10"/>
@@ -841,8 +814,7 @@
     <skill name="building" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="forestry" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="catapult" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="herbalism" modifier="-99"/>
-    <skill name="magic" modifier="-99"/>
+     <skill name="magic" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="training" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="riding" modifier="-99"/>
     <skill name="armorer" modifier="-99"/>
diff --git a/src/scripts/e2k9/items.lua b/src/scripts/e2k9/items.lua
index 9d759841c..ee56d1a50 100644
--- a/src/scripts/e2k9/items.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/e2k9/items.lua
@@ -1,22 +1,27 @@
 -- when appending to this, make sure the item has a canuse-function!
 local goblin_denied = " plate lance mallornlance greatbow axe greatsword halberd rustyaxe rustyhalberd towershield "
 function item_canuse(u, iname)
-  if u.race=="goblin" then
+  local race = u.race
+  if race=="goblin" then
     if string.find(goblin_denied, " " .. iname .. " ") then
       return false
     end
   end
-  if iname=="towershield" or iname=="rep_crossbow" then
+  if iname=="rep_crossbow" then
+    -- only dwarves and halflings allowed to use towershield
+    return race=="dwarf" or race=="halfling"
+  end
+  if iname=="towershield" then 
     -- only dwarves allowed to use towershield
-    return u.race=="dwarf"
+    return race=="dwarf"
   end
   if iname=="greatbow" then
     -- only elves use greatbow
-    return u.race=="elf"
+    return race=="elf"
   end
   if iname=="plate" then
     -- goblins cannot use plate
-    return u.race~="goblin"
+    return race~="goblin"
   end
   return true
 end