Germinas Boots (Final Fantasy IX)

The Germinas Boots are an add-on in Final Fantasy IX that everyone can equip. They teach Alert, which eliminates back attacks during random encounters; Flee, which allows Zidane to use his turn for the party to instantly escape a random encounter; and HP+10%. The Germinas Boots give a bonus to the wearer's Strength when they level up with them equipped. They strengthen the user's Earth-elemental damage. The boots are made via synthesis and are themselves used to make a different pair of footwear.
Like many equipment pieces in Final Fantasy IX, the Germinas Boots allude to the equipment piece from Final Fantasy Tactics.
==Obtain==
Two pairs are found in the Streamside chocograph treasure, the first chocograph the player gets from playing Chocobo Hot and Cold. The player can do this the earliest after they leave Lindblum on foot the and head to Chocobo's Forest instead of Gizamaluke's Grotto. 
The boots are also found in Burmecia's residence : continuing left past the protection door, in the next room the party must walk slowly to reach the chest containing the Germinas Boots. Running will cause the landing to collapse and the chest will be lost.
The Germinas Boots are synthesized in Treno, Lindblum (second storyline visit onward), Black Mage Village (before the wares change after the party enters the Shimmering Island portal), and Alexandria for 900 gil, Desert Boots, and a Fork. If the player recruited Quina they will have a Fork, and Desert Boots are synthesized in Lindblum.
==Mechanics==
The Germinas Boots give +2 to physical Evasion and a +1 bonus to the wearer's Strength when they level with them equipped. When enough "bonuses" upon Flee from gear have been accrued, the character gains a permanent stat increase. Strength is used in damage calculations and determines HP growth.
The Germinas Boots boost the wearer's Earth damage by +50%, compatible with Quina's Earth Shake and Fenrir's Terrestrial Rage. The effect does not stack with other Earth Elem-Atk items.
==Use==
The Germinas Boots' best ability is HP+10%; the other two do not get much use. Flee was already part of Zidane's initial equipment, and Alert is just a nice bonus one can equip if they have the Magic Stones to spare from the "must have" abilities.
The Earth boost is best for Eiko's Fenrir.
The Germinas Boots are used in synthesis to make the Magician Shoes.
The level up bonus to Strength is among the weaker bonuses for an add-on, but 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.
Category:Add-ons in Final Fantasy IX