Armlet packed with magic.
Description
The Magic Armlet is a mid game arm guard in Final Fantasy IX for mages. It teaches Clear Headed, which immunizes against confusion, and Silence, a White Magic spell that renders a target unable to use magic attacks when it works. The Magic Armlet is used in synthesis and provides a bonus to the wearer's Magic when they level up with it equipped.
Obtain[]
The Magic Armlet is bought for 1000 gil from Black Mage Village (before going through the Shimmering Island portal), Madain Sari, Alexandria, Treno (after the party returns from the Outer Continent), and Daguerreo. The player can procure numerous copies as it is the best mage armlet for the Outer Continent portion of the game and it can also be used in synthesis.
Mechanics[]
The Magic Armlet provides 16 physical and magical evasion, improving the wearer's chance to avoid damage. The armlet gives a +2 bonus to the wearer's Magic when they level up with it equipped. When enough "bonuses" upon level up from gear have been accrued, the character gains a permanent stat increase. Magic is a good stat to raise for mages, factoring in spells' damage calculations as well as determining their MP growth.
Use[]
The Magic Armlet is the best arm guard for the events in the Outer Continent. The ability Clear Headed is good to master to everyone as it will be needed in some of the toughest boss battles later on. Silence is a niche ability but can be situationally useful.
The Magic boost from the armlet is generally useful for magic users but level grinding is unadvised unless the player is stuck in a boss or a dungeon. The best stat-boosting gear will be available late into the game, and so for the best stats one would need to limit their level ups until the endgame. Level grinding and min-maxing are unnecessary in a normal playthrough even when preparing for superbosses, and so the player can treat the extra Magic and MP as simply a nice bonus.
The Magic Armlet is used in synthesis to make the useful Fairy Earrings add-on. The synthesis shop in Black Mage Village can make it, and so the player can buy multiple Magic Armlets from the equipment shop should their funds allow to both equip onto he party's mages, and to make some of them into Fairy Earrings.