Genji Gloves are an accessory in Final Fantasy XII that improve the wearer's chance of striking combo hits with weapons capable of striking multiple times. Equipping the Genji Gloves increases the chance of combo attacks to [Combo Rate x 1.8]%, meaning it amplifies weapons that natively have good combo rates to hit even more often; the weapons with best combo rates are ninja swords, poles, katanas (especially the Masamune/Kumbha), and the Wyrmhero Blade. Certain weapons do not combo, and so it is pointless to equip the Genji Glove with bows, crossbows, guns, hand-bombs, rods, and measures. The gloves also boost the wearer's Magick Power slightly.
Genji Gloves are metallic for the purposes of the magnetize debuff present in the Vinuskar and Ultima boss battles (the Genji Gloves are not available until after Vinuskar has been felled).
Obtain[]
Original[]
In the original PlayStation 2 versions, Genji Gloves is stolen from Gilgamesh in the first encounter after he switches weapons three times. If the player misses this narrow window, they miss out on the Genji Gloves.
Zodiac[]
In the updated Zodiac versions, the Genji Gloves are still stolen from Gilgamesh during the first encounter after he switches weapons three times. They can additionally be stolen from Judge Bergan (10%) in Trial Mode Stage 100, but unlike with the battles on the other stages, spoils from Stage 100 cannot be brought to a main game save file, and the player can only use the Genji Gloves in this particular encounter if they steal them from Bergan.
The gloves are now also available from the Hunt Club sidequest on Phon Coast, so the player can get two pairs. After giving 5 Rare Game trophies to Atak and Blok each, and 15 to Stok, the Genji Gloves can be bought from the Shifty-Eyed Merchant's store nearby for 447,000 gil.
Use[]
The Genji Gloves are one of the top tier accessories, increasing the wearer's damage output substantially by allowing for frequent hit-combos. The chance still depends on the weapon's native combo chance, and the wearer's HP; the lower the health, the longer the combo. This is even more potent in the Zodiac versions where the damage is no longer capped at 9999. Genji Gloves is most useful on a character in a DPS role, who is possibly also buffed with Berserk, Bravery, and Haste. The bonus is especially useful in long battles, such as against the superboss Yiazmat, although in that battle the Yagyu Darkblade with Germinas Boots and dark-enhancing armor can be even better.
In the Zodiac versions, only three jobs have the Genji Armor license: Knight, Foebreaker, and Bushi. In The Zodiac Age, every playable character can unlock two License Boards, meaning that other jobs can also use the Genji Gloves by pairing them with the aforementioned jobs. Genji Gloves could be useful on a Monk and Uhlan, for example, for use with poles and spears.
It is worth stealing all of Gilgamesh's unique spoils when the opportunity presents as not to miss out on this great accessory. In the Zodiac versions, the player can also get another pair from the Hunt Club and create two good Genji Glove users, as dealing hit combos is often the fastest way to deal damage. The weapons with the highest combo rate are poles, ninja swords, and katanas. The Speed stat is used in combo calculations, but it only varies by three points at level 99.
Etymology[]
Genji equipment is a recurring equipment type in the Final Fantasy series associated with Gilgamesh. 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.