Armor made with chains.
Description
The Chain Mail is the third weakest heavy body armor in Final Fantasy IX for Steiner and Freya. It teaches Bird Killer, which improves damage against birds and flying enemies, and HP+10%. The mail halves Earth damage to the wearer and it is used for synthesis.
Like many equipment pieces in Final Fantasy IX, the Chain Mail is based on the equipment piece of the same name from Final Fantasy Tactics.
Obtain[]
The Chain Mail is bought for 1,200 gil from Treno (when Princess Garnet and Steiner visit with Marcus), Lindblum (second storyline visit), and Cleyra. All the shops that stock it eventually become inaccessible or stop selling it, meaning the Chain Mail is missable.
Mechanics[]
The Chain Mail provides 12 Defense, mitigating damage from physical attacks. It halves Earth damage to the wearer.
Use[]
The Chain Mail is the best heavy armor piece for Steiner for the optional battle in Treno weapon shop and for the boss in Gargan Roo. If the player has one free in the inventory when the view point switches back to Zidane's party, Freya can also wear it for any world map exploration and Cleyra's Trunk and the events in Cleyra and Alexandria Castle until the superior Mythril Armor can be stolen from a boss there; however, this is also the point Steiner and Freya will be absent from the player party for a while.
Bird Killer from the Chain Mail is the best killer ability and worth mastering at the earliest, though it was already attached to the starter armor, Bronze Armor. HP+10% is useful to have and equip whenever the character has Magic Stones to spare.
The Earth-halving effect may be of use against Ralvuimago.
The Chain Mail is used in synthesis to make a Power Belt. The earliest the player can do this is after the party returns to Lindblum after the events in Alexandria Castle.
Beatrix can also wear the Chain Mail for the brief moment she is playable during the Battle of Alexandria; the player can remove her superior body armor and give her something weak in return as her equipment does not matter for the sequence.