Earring capable of detecting enemy ambushes. Prevents back attacks and attacks from the sides.
Description
Alarm Earring, also known as Back Guard,[1][2] is a relic in Final Fantasy VI. It prevents the party entering battles that are back and surround attacks.
Obtained[]
Alarm Earrings can be found in the Imperial Palace and Imperial Observation Post, both in the World of Balance. More commonly, Alarm Earring can be stolen from Misfit, and purchased at Tzen for 7000 gil.
Use[]
Preventing back and surround attacks can be very beneficial for the player, as both can greatly damage party members in the back row. As such, when obtained, Alarm Earring is worthwhile to equip on any party member with a spare relic slot, as only one needs to be equipped for the party. Some players may instead prefer to use Gale Hairpin to increase the chance of pre-emptive attacks which benefit them; this is slightly riskier as the player will still be vulnerable to surround and back attacks, but can lead to greater payoff as pre-emptive attacks can be won more easily. It is rare that the player will want to equip both at once given that a party only has eight relic slots available.
Later in the game, when stronger relics compete for the limited relic slots, Alarm Earring may be less valuable than other possible relics. When the player anticipates they are due to fight a boss battle, they should swap the Alarm Earring for a relic more suitable for a boss encounter.