by Lewis Burnell on Feb 25, 2019
Anthem doesn't explain a lot of things, and it's confusing when equipping abilities and weapons to understand what both symbols on Inscriptions actually mean.
Some Inscriptions directly affect your entire Javelin, and this includes all your abilities and items. When you see a Javelin symbol next to an Inscription, the bonuses provided directly boost everything available to you.
A gear icon, or cog, affects only the item or ability you're wielding. If that's a weapon or ability, any benefit is directly linked to that, not the rest of your kit.
In this image, the Papa Pump (Masterwork Shotgun) has 4 Inscriptions:
(Javelin) Q +20% Speed (Javelin) Repair +5% Amount (Javelin) A-Rifle +17% Ammo (Gear) Weapon -35% Recoil AimThe gear icon is related directly to this weapons recoild, and decreases it by 35%. In constrast, the three other Inscriptions all affect the Javelin and the rest of its kit. The 20% speed bonus and the Assault Rifle +17% ammo would also affect other weapons, and your ability.