Very famous brand of gloves.
Description
The Genji Gloves are mid to late game gauntlets in Final Fantasy IX for Steiner and Freya. They teach High Tide, which allows the character to enter Trance more frequently. They give a bonus to the wearer's Magic stat when they level up with the gloves equipped.
Obtain[]
The Genji Gloves are found by using a Dead Pepper at the foaming water at the southern tip of Forgotten Continent while riding Choco. After getting the Blue Narciss, the player can advance the Chocobo Hot and Cold quest to the point Choco is dark blue to reach the treasure location.
The gloves are also stolen from Lich in the final dungeon.
Mechanics[]
The Genji Gloves provide 27 physical Evasion and 17 Magic Evasion, improving the wearer's chance to avoid damage. The gloves give a +2 bonus to the wearer's Magic stat when they level up with them equipped. When enough "bonuses" upon level up from gear have been accrued, the character gains a permanent stat increase. Steiner and Freya only use their Magic stats for determining MP growth.
Use[]
The Genji Gloves can be endgame equipment, though other good options are also available. Out of the endgame gauntlet contenders, the Genji Gloves are obtained the earliest if the player is prioritizing the Chocobo Hot and Cold quest. If the player ignores the chocobo quest, the Genji Gloves are obtained the latest of all "endgame" gauntlets.
The Aegis Gloves provide slightly more physical Evasion, but less Magic Evasion and also have no level up bonus. However as bosses forgo EXP, any level up bonuses from equipment are not a consideration for these battles. The Gauntlets give more physical Evasion but less Magic Evasion; however, they halve elemental damage. The Defense Gloves also halve many elements and are the most balanced gauntlets with both physical and magical evasion. The Venetia Shield has the best level up bonuses and the most Magic Evasion, but much less physical Evasion and no elemental resistance. Steiner and Freya can equip Distract to avoid enemies' physical damage and so do not necessarily need a high Evasion stat from equipment. High physical evasion is a meaningful consideration if they equip Cover.
The Magic +2 bonus is not as useful for Steiner and Freya who only use their Strength stats for damage calculation even for Sword Magic and Dragon. For level grinding the player is better off with the Venetia Shield (boosts both Strength and Magic) or Mythril Gloves (boosts Spirit). However, level grinding and min-maxing are unnecessary for a normal playthrough even when preparing for superboss encounters; the player can view any extra stats as simply a nice bonus.
Steiner and Freya may have already mastered High Tide from a Sapphire, and it is not a crucial ability to have. The player can equip it if they have Magic Stones left over from any "must have" abilities.
Beatrix can also wear the Genji Gloves, but the player cannot see this in a normal playthrough.
Etymology[]
Genji equipment is a recurring high-ranked equipment set in the Final Fantasy series. The surname of Genji refers to the onyomi reading of the Minamoto Clan. Minamoto was a surname commonly bestowed on the children of the Emperor who were not eligible for the throne. According to history and legend, they were most active in the days of the late Heian era, and were samurai who became known as the fighters of evil and keepers of peace. The time was said to have been fraught with disorder and anarchy. Many future samurai claim lineage from the clan, including Miyamoto Musashi and Tokugawa Ieyasu who were subject of literary discourse from The Tale of Genji, which follows royal figures, to The Tale of the Heike, focusing on the major figures and the events of the Genpei War.
Genji is also a short period in Japanese history, lasting only a single year from 1864–1865.