Bird Killer (Final Fantasy IX)

Deals lethal damage to flying enemies.

Description

Bird Killer is a support ability in Final Fantasy IX for physical attackers, allowing them to increase the power of their Attack toward aerial enemies, not just "birds". It costs 3 Magic Stones to equip. Aerial enemies is the most numerous enemy type, and so it is worth having it equipped most of the time if using Attack command.

Killer abilities in Final Fantasy IX are reminiscent of weapons in the Nintendo-era Final Fantasy games that dealt more damage to specific types of enemies.

Obtained[]

Bird Killer is learned from Bronze Armor, Chain Mail, Adaman Vest, and Yellow Scarf for variable amounts of AP; Amarant learns it the fastest at 10 AP, where Freya requires the most at 30 AP. Equipping multiple equipment pieces that all teach Bird Killer teaches the ability faster.

The first source if the ability is from Bronze Armor, which Steiner starts with and Freya later on can also equip. Chain Mail is stronger, and Steiner can buy it when he visits Treno with Princess Garnet and Marcus.

Everyone can learn it from Yellow Scarf, synthesized in Lindblum, and also found for free in Cleyra. Zidane and Amarant can also learn Bird Killer from Adaman Vest, first stolen from Ralvuimago and later bought from shops.

Mechanics[]

With Bird Killer active, using Attack deals 150% normal damage to aerial enemies. It does not stack with other Killer abilities if the enemy belongs to more than one category, but does stack with MP Attack and Elem-Atk gear, and the attack can still critical. If the attacker also has Healer (only possible with Amarant), the amount healed with Attack is increased against aerial enemies. Bird Killer affects any use of Attack command against aerials: via Attack, Charge!, or Counter. It does not affect damage from any other move besides the basic Attack command.

Float status does not confer "aerial" status.

Use[]

It is worth keeping Bird Killer equipped as pretty much any area has aerial random encounters. If the player is facing a boss that is not aerial (or is not going to be using the Attack command with that character), Bird Killer can be unequipped. All superbosses and final bosses are aerial.

Aerial enemies are generally weak to Wind. Amarant can stack damage with Bird Killer alongside his Kaiser Knuckles + Bracer combo, though this is an endgame setup.