Coral Ring (Final Fantasy IX)

The Coral Ring is an early to mid-game add-on in Final Fantasy IX that everyone can equip. It teaches Insomniac, which immunizes against Sleep; Lancer, which allows Freya to damage an enemy and replenish some MP; and Man Eater, which improves damage against human enemies. The Coral Ring gives a bonus to the wearer's Spirit when they level up with it equipped and absorbs Thunder damage to the user.
==Obtain==
The Coral Ring is earliest obtained from the Festival of the Hunt when Freya Crescent wins. This is the most common outcome of the festival and so the player is likely to get it unless they specifically try for Zidane Tribal (Zidane must defeat Zaghnol) or Vivi Ornitier (the player needs to lose to Zaghnol) to win. The Coral Ring is the best reward from the festival and so the player can just let Freya win.
The Coral Ring is also synthesized in Treno, Lindblum (second storyline visit onward), Black Mage Village (before entering the Shimmering Island portal), Alexandria, and Daguerreo for 1,200 gil, a Lightning Staff, and a Rod. The player should already have a Rod as Dagger starts with it, and Lightning Staff is found in shops.
==Mechanics==
The Coral Ring provides 3 to Magic Evasion. The ring gives a +2 bonus to the wearer's Spirit when they level up with it equipped. When enough "bonuses" upon level up from gear have been accrued, the character gains a permanent stat increase. Spirit is a generally desirable stat to raise for all characters that determines the HP a character is revived at, the duration of expirable status effects, how often Regen and Poison tick, how frequently the character enters Trance and how many turns they get while in Trance, among other things. In fact, it should take priority. 
Wearing the headband absorbs Thunder damage to the character. If the character also wears a Black Hood or Rubber Helm or Thunder Gloves or Defense Gloves or Silk Shirt or Rubber Suit that halve Thunder damage, they will absorb half damage.
==Use==
It is worth getting the Coral Ring the earliest from the Festival of the Hunt. The ring is good for learning Insomniac for everyone and for absorbing Thunder damage. Lancer can be good for Freya and Man Eater is good in the early game as there will be some human bosses and enemies. Insomniac is good to learn for everyone to make Quina's Night usable.
The Thunder-absorption is good against enemy black mages, Grand Dragons, Ironites, Skeletons, Goblin Mages, Ralvuimago, and Lani, among others.
The level up bonus to Spirit means one doesn't have to stress if one accidentally levels up wearing it. However, level grinding and min-maxing are unnecessary even when preparing for superbosses. For those who do want to, however, the best stat-boosting equipment becomes available at the end of the game. It would then be wise to limit if not outright restrict any excessive level grinding until then.
Category:Add-ons in Final Fantasy IX