White Robes (Final Fantasy XII)

The White Robes is a high-ranked mystic armor in Final Fantasy XII that boosts the wearer's Defense by 53 (Zodiac) or 38 (original) and Magick Power by 10. It also improves the potency of the wearer's Holy damage by 50%; e.g. any damage with the Excalibur would be 50% stronger with the robes equipped. In the Zodiac versions, it also gives 100 HP and 66 MP.
White Robes is a contender for endgame gear for its good stats (especially in Zodiac) and Holy-boosting property, especially when many enemies in the endgame areas (Nabreus Deadlands, Necrohol of Nabudis, Giruvegan and Great Crystal, Pharos and Subterra, and Lhusu and Henne Mines depths) are undead, and thus especially weak to Holy.
White Robes is the light counterpart of the Dark-boosting Black Robes whose bazaar set requires one of the same items; for best efficiency to unlock both sets simultaneously, the player can make use of the "bazaar glitch".
==Obtain==
===Original===
In the original PlayStation 2 version, the White Robes is sold for 13,500 gil in Balfonheim Port after Sky Fortress Bahamut appears. It is also found as a treasure in Great Crystal's Bhrum Pis Avaa (always appears ). It rarely stolen from the Piscodaemon mark.
The White Robes is made in the bazaar set "White Vestments" by selling nine Blood Wools (e.g. from Baritine Croc), seven Beastlord Hides (e.g. from Reaver), and eight Holy Crystals (e.g. Holy Elemental). The nine Blood Wools are also used for making the "Black Vestments" set, so selling the ingredients for both sets at the same time, with only nine wools, the player can unlock both without needing to grind for 18 Blood Wools. However, the ingredients for the White Vestments are also acquired late, with the Beastlord Hides being most accessible from Pharos and Subterra.
===Zodiac===
In the updated Zodiac versions, the White Robes is not available in shops, but sells for 7,250 gil. It is a treasure in Cerobi Steppe's Old Elanise Road (20% chance to appear, 50% chance for gil, 5% chance the item treasure is the White Robes with the Diamond Armlet equipped), and in Pharos - Third Ascent's Spire Ravel - 2nd Flight (always appears). It is still a rare steal from the Piscodaemon hunt and made in the "White Vestments" set in the bazaar with the same items as before.
It is now also the uncommon steal from Ultima in Trial Mode Stage 95.
==Use==
White Robes is a high-ranked mystic armor, giving 53 or 38 Defense depending on version and 10 Magick Power, as well as 100 HP and 66 MP in the Zodiac versions. It improves the wearer's Holy damage by 50%, and so is good against any enemies weak to Holy (like the various undead, and the superboss Zodiark) when used with a Holy-elemental weapon. The Holy spell is not very useful in Final Fantasy XII for its very long casting time and animation, but the Holy-boost works excellently with Holy-elemental weapons: Holy Lance, Excalibur, and Wyrmhero Blade; this is especially useful in the Zodiac versions where the damage cap is no longer set at 9999, so even the Wyrmhero Blade with its long Charge Time is useful as a weapon, especially with the White Robes to boost its damage further.
In the Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System version, each party member can only choose one job, and so the player is stuck using the weapons that the mystic armor users can naturally wield. In The Zodiac Age the player can choose two License Boards per party member, and it would be most beneficial to ensure that the character who will wield the Excalibur (Knight), can also use the White Robes by picking a suitable board combination. This is also beneficial for the Holy Lance-wielder (Uhlan), but the Wyrmhero Blade lacks a license and any character can always equip it.
Mystic armor offer magick-related bonuses that affect all types of magickal actions, from casting black magick to damage an enemy, to casting white magick to heal the party. Magick Power is also a factor when determining damage dealt by katana, staves, and maces. In the Zodiac versions, White Robes also offer HP, MP and Speed. HP is usually only gained from light armor, and Speed also affects damage from bows, ninja swords, and daggers, while also having a minimal effect on Charge Time. In the Zodiac versions, the Archer and Shikari boards that use the Speed-affected weapons do not unlock any mystic gear, however.
In the Zodiac versions, White Mage, Red Battlemage, Black Mage, and Bushi can equip the White Robes, and so the robes are only useful to look for if the player has chosen any of these License Boards for their party. In The Zodiac Age versions, after fighting Belias the player can choose two License Boards per party member; it is usually a good idea to pair jobs that use two different types of armor for versatility.
The White Robes is an excellent endgame gear with the right weapon and so is worth trying to make in the bazaar and look for in treasures.
Category:Armor in Final Fantasy XII