Ninja: Guide to Weapons and Armor

This guide is made to help you on choosing gear while leveling Ninja on Eden. It caters towards new players, omitting some niche but useful items that may not be the easiest to obtain or use. Eden tends to focus on certain level ranges, so I put extra emphasis on items in important level ranges, and also don't mention items higher than level 67 as people just don't EXP in that level range.
Bolded items are items I find to be very important to get.
Last Updated: 9-6-24.
My focus will be on specifically melee Ninja for this guide, I realize there are alternative weapon paths like Shurikens, Guns, and Ninjutsu Nuking, but those are advanced tactics I don't expect newer players to use nor would I really want them to use. Also while 2005 era Ninja was all focused on stats like Evasion to stretch Utsusemi shadows longer, we now know better and will focus specifically on damage stats while pointing out a few high quality Evasion items worth using.	
==Weapons==
====Katanas:====
* 1: Kunai
* 7: Wakizashi
* 13: Shinobi-Gatana - Good HQ since it'll last the entire dunes.
** 15: Gassan - Guaranteed drop from a force spawn NM so easy to get, not really better than a Shinobi-Gatana +1 though.
* 19: Suzume
* 24: Hibari
* 26: Busuto
* 28: Fukuro - Kinda expensive.
* 30: Nikkariaoe - Expensive and overvalued, but it's unbeatable in stats for 30 cap things specifically.
* 32: Kodachi - Great alternative to Nikkariaoe for much less gil.
** 38: Niokiyotsuna - Hard to get and not great stats, very skippable.
** 39: Ohaguro - Too rare to be a thing and AF Katanas are 1 level away.
* 40: Zushio - AF Weapon, easy pickup great for 40 cap.
* 40: Anju - AF Weapon, easy pickup great for 40 cap.
* 46: Yoto
* 48: Sai 
* 50: Buboso - Fantastic offhand and good to have around for 50 cap.
* 52: Shinogi - Expensive but you can ride Shinogi/Bubuso combo the entirety of Leypoint.
** 55: Hototogisu - ra/ex and iconic weapon but oddly not really better than Bubuso, skip.
** 57: Hocho - No way should you ever buy this to use to level Ninja, but it is actually good stats for the level.
** 60: Sairen - Too rare to be a thing you should get but it is good.
* 61: Kabutowari 
* 66: Kororito
* 67: Imanotsurugi
====Ranged====
*1: Orphic Egg - Pretty good if you can activate it.
*1: Happy Egg/Fortune Egg - Event only but good.
*1: Shortbow - Like every job, just using a ranged attack to 1 shot mobs levels 1-10 is the GOAT.
*7: Self Bow
*15: Rogetsurin - ra/ex but worth getting, especially if you don't have a good RSE sachet waiting at 30.
*30: RSE Sachet
*55: Lightning Bow
*58: Tiphia Sting
*63: Bomb Core
==== Shurikens ====
Shurikens are wildly expensive and advanced tech that I DO NOT recommend you do unless you have all the gear you need for max level and gil to burn.
* 18: Shuriken
* 28: Juji Shuriken
* 48: Manji Shuriken
* 60: Fuma Shuriken
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==Armor==
Please don't worry about getting small "Defense" upgrades like upgrading your level 7 Leather gear to level 8 Hachimaki gear, defense is not a specifically useful stat. Instead focus your efforts on getting items that have useful stats: Accuracy, Attack, STR, and DEX. 
*1: Bronze Cap
*1: Cache-Nez - Expensive but if you want to start gear swapping at early levels this is a strong item to swap in for Provoke.
*7: Leather Bandana
*8: Hachimaki
*10: Royal Footmans Bandana
*14: Cotton Headband
*20: Mercenary's Hachimaki
*24: Empress Hairpin / Emperor Hairpin - This item is so good for Ninja, giving you unrivaled offensive and defensive stats.
**39: Dobson Bandanna - If you can't get a Hairpin this is okay for a few levels.
*41: Voyager Sallet - Better offensive stats than Hairpin but no defensive stats, coinflip between these two helms.
**43: Walkure Mask - Buyable/cheap Voyager alternative.
*56: Ninja Hatsurubi - You can macro this in for casting Ninjutsu spells.
===Body===
*1: Bronze Harness or RSE Starter Body
*7: Leather Vest 
*8: Kenpogi 
*10: Legionnaire's Harness 
*11: Brass Harness 
*13: Power Gi
*25: Windurstian Gi - Decent defensive piece.
*30: Nanban Kariginu - Great for 30 cap and all the way to 40.
*33: RSE Bodies if they apply for your race
*40: Jujitsu Gi - Pricey but worth it.
**45: Brigandine - If you can't afford a Jujitsu Gi
*55: Jaridah Peti - You'll want to own this for Leypoint parties.
*57: Scorpion Harness - Great for high levels of Leypoint
*59: Haubergeon - GOAT, you'll use this to and at 75 forever.
===Hands===
*1: Bronze Mittens or RSE Starter Hands
*7: Leather Gloves
*10: Legionnaire's Mittens
*25: Federation Tekko 
*27: RSE Gloves if they apply to you.
*34: Ochiudo's Kote / Ochimusha Kote - You'll use these till 75, iconic but not fun to get.
**34: Horomusha Kote - Great cheaper alternative to Okote.
*There really isn't anything else, you'll likely be using Ochimusha Kote, Horomusha Kote, or Federation Tekko until 75.
===Legs===
*1: Bronze Subligar or RSE Starter Legs
*7: Leather Trousers
*8: Sitabaki
*11: Brass Subligar
*16: Bone Subligar
*17: Lizard Trousers
*20: Mercenary's Sitabki
**21: Beetle Subligar - If you get the +1 this is technically an upgrade over Mercenary's. 
*25: Bastokan Subligar - This is gonna last you a long time, I'd recommend investing in the Republic Subligar.
*55: Royal Knight's Breeches
===Feet===
*1: Bronze Leggings or RSE Starter Feet
*7: Leather Highboots
*7: Bounding Boots or Leaping Boots - Pain to get but very good for a very long time.
**11: Brass Leggings
**16: Bone Leggings
**21: Beetle Leggings
*25: Windurstian Kyahan - If you don't have Bounding/Leaping Boots these could be your boots to 75.
*29: RSE Boots if applicable
*39: Sarutobi Kyahan / Fuma Kyahan - BIS at 75, really strong item but not as strong while leveling as they are at 75. You'll need them eventually.
===Waist===
*1: Gold Moogle Belt - Event only item.
*7: Leather Belt
*15: Warrior's Belt
*40: Tilt Belt
*48: Life Belt - You'll probably just use this till 75.
**50: Swift Belt - Haste belts gain in value the more haste you get, it's not great for leveling but you'll need it at 75.
**65: Speed Belt - Haste belts gain in value the more haste you get, it's not great for leveling but you'll need it at 75.
===Back===
*4: Rabbit Mantle
*12: Travelers Mantle
*24: Nomads Mantle - You'll use this for a long time.
*40: Resentment Cape - If you are inclined this is a good item to macro in for Provoke.
*47: Jaguar Mantle
*55: Royal Army Mantle or Republic Army Mantle
*61: Amemet Mantle - You'll use it till 75 and maybe even at 75.
===Neck===
*7: Wing Pendant
*21: Fang Necklace - Invest in a Spike Necklace, you'll be using this probably till 75 if you are new.
*33: Peacock Charm or Peacock Amulet - Extremely good even at 75, but also very hard to get.
*59: Spectacles - Affordable alternative to Peacock Charm.
*60: Chivalrous Chain - Affordable alternative to Peacock Charm.
===Ring===
*1: Copper Ring - Skippable but if you want to fill the slot.
*1: Starter Nation Rings
*14: Mighty Ring - Very powerful rings for the level, you'll use these till 30+ at least but they do have consumable charges.
**14: Amethyst Ring - If you can't afford to use Mighty Rings the DEX+1 or DEX+2 rings are the choice.
*30: Rajas Ring - Not for new players.
*34: Venerer Ring
*35: Jaeger Ring
*40: Woodsman Ring / Sniper's Ring - Take the time to farm 2 of these up, you'll use them till and at 75.
*57: Toreador's Ring
===Earring===
*10: Optical Earring
*16: Bone Earring - Think about investing in +1s of these as you may use them a lot.
*21: Beetle Earring - Buy +1s of these, you can ride these to 75 to be honest.
*45: Tortoise Earring - Skip if you have Beetle+1s.
*55: Fang Earring
*61: Minuet Earring - Very good if you have a Bard in your party.
*63: Coral Earring
If you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out to Falaras in game or on Discord.