Mythril Fork (Final Fantasy IX)

The Mythril Fork is Quina's third weapon in Final Fantasy IX. Like all their forks, it deals random damage with Attack, as instead of using Quina's Strength stat as-is in damage calculation, it uses a random value up to Quina's Strength instead. Like all forks, it teaches the support ability High Tide, which lets Quina build their Trance gauge faster. As all of their weapons have High Tide, and it is impossible to de-equip a character of a weapon altogether, the high AP cost of mastering it is inconsequential. The Mythril Fork is used for synthesis.
==Obtain==
Marcus can steal the Mythril Fork from Ralvurahva during the time he is traveling with Princess Garnet. Zidane can later also steal it from Hilgigars, but by this time Quina has already exited the player party. The Mythril Fork can be bought for 4700 gil from Conde Petie, Black Mage Village (before going through the Shimmering Island portal), Lindblum (after returning from the Outer Continent), and Esto Gaza (before Desert Palace).
==Mechanics==
The Mythril Fork's damage dealt with a normal Attack is determined as follows everywhere but within Ipsen's Castle:
:Base = 42 - Enemy's Defense
:Bonus = (A random value 1 ... Strength) + (A random value 0 ... [(Level + Strength) / 8])
:Damage = Base * Bonus 
The damage is then modified by variables like Quina's row position and the enemy's Protect. Under Mini, Quina's Bonus would be 1. If Quina equips Healer, damage is converted to healing.
When in Ipsen's Castle, the stronger weapons do less damage than weaker weapons, and the Base part of the damage formula is altered to:
:Base = 18 - Enemy's Defense
Because damage with Quina's Attack is so volatile, using a randomized Strength to calculate damage, forks tend to have moderately high Attack values. Quina will still do more damage from front row than from the back row, but is not classed as physical attacker and so lacks means of enhancing their attack power via support abilities, though they do learn Counter. Quina will still do more damage overall when they have a higher Strength stat as the random value can roll higher results, and so leveling them up is not pointless. Instead of attacking, Quina can also defeat low health enemies with Eat, which is often the better ability to use whenever the enemy is within the HP threshold.
==Use==
If the player acquires the Mythril Fork at the earliest, by stealing from Ralvurahva, it will be Quina's strongest weapon for Cleyra's Trunk and the bosses in Cleyra, at which point Quina leaves the party for a time. The next weapon, the Silver Fork, is rewarded for catching 23 frogs at the marshes, but as only eight frogs can spawn at one time and it takes a moment for the marsh to refill, it would take some grinding to get when the Mist Continent marsh is the only one the player can visit. The Silver Fork can also be stolen from Tantarian in Alexandria Castle, and so if the player fights it on the earlier opportunity, they can get it for Quina for when heading to the Fossil Roo. However, Tantarian is a tough optional battle to take on, and so Quina might still do with the Mythril Fork for the party's excursion to the Outer Continent, which will have another marsh, making getting the Silver Fork more likely there if the player is partaking in the frog-catching sidequest.
Alternatively, the player can opt to keep Quina with the Needle Fork for its petrifying Add Status. As Quina learns abilities by eating enemies, they do not learn new abilities from weapons and so the only considerations for equipment are Add status properties and Attack Power.
The player should keep the Mythril Fork even after they swap it out, as it can be used in synthesis to make the Glutton's Robe after the party has access to a flying transport, a good endgame robe for Quina. As only Quina can equip it, the player only needs one Mythril Fork for synthesis.
==Gallery==
MythrilFork.png|Artwork.
Mythril Fork FFIX.png|Strategy guide scan.
==Etymology==
Category:Weapons in Final Fantasy IX