Essential Ninja Equipment Guide by Dibble

==Recent changes==
August 2012
This was a gear guide for NIN at 75 - it was supposed to be something anyone could aspire to. Obviously it won't be updated with new gear. Otherwise, enjoy what is effectively a history lesson.
I'm reverting this guide to my original purpose, please see the talk page for more info.
==What no NIN gear guide?==
Yeah, that's what I thought. Instead you have a list of all the possible gear that a NIN can wear. Awesome...
So, in the vein of this great guide, I decided to start a guide for NIN covering what special gear you really should have. By special I mean something with a worthwhile stat bonus, not just the next possible upgrade.
The aim of the guide is to help you gear your NIN with confidence from about 15-75. If you want to get into serious endgame tanking and HNMs you will need more specialised gear than listed here.
Likewise, "career" Ninjas might want to go that bit further and spend that bit more time and money. This guide isn't really aimed at you; this isn't meant to be a complete list of the very best gear. In fact, most of the very best gear isn't even mentioned. However, if you're interested in the very best gear you probably have your own opinions about what is and isn't the very best gear.
Remember this is a guide; depending on your race or play style you might prefer different gear but this is a pretty good start!
This guide should get you to 75 with a strong starting point. Where you go from there is up to you.
==Notes==
===Red Hands, Blue Boots and Iron Rams===
If you don't have time to get the uber hands (Ochimusha Kote / Ochiudo's Kote / Horomusha Kote) and/or uber feet (Sarutobi Kyahan / Fuma Kyahan), you'll need to go with the Iron Ram Chainmail Set. The more pieces of this set you wear the bigger the bonus, so the benefits of wearing an individual piece are limited. If you do have the pimp hands and feet, skip the Iron Ram gear.
===Fourth Set===
Fourth Haube Set could provide a very respectable, complete armour set for NIN or WS set. However, you do need to wear pretty much the whole set for the big bonuses. Also, unless you have the means to collect around 255,000 AN Allied Notes at a significant rate (i.e. a 75 melee job) it will take a long time to get the whole set!
===NQ vs. HQ===
I'll only list NQ versions of gear and not HQ. While HQ is almost always better, it's often amazingly rare and stupidly expensive. If you can afford it, craft it, borrow it or even steal it then by all means do. Of note, however, there are a few items mentioned that are HQ, and these items are not expensive. Additionally, the Bone/Beetle +1 items only provide their beneficial stat if they are the HQ version.
===Mission Rewards===
If your main job is Ninja, you'll know which to pick, so I left them out. Here's a list though: Suppanomimi, Rajas Ring (maybe Sattva Ring), Mirke Wardecors, Ethereal Earring (maybe Hollow Earring), and Ulthalam's Ring (maybe Balrahn's Ring). But, these are your choices to make, and if Ninja isn't your only 75, you'll have some decisions to make.
==The Guide==
Below is a list of recommended gear per slot. Rare/Ex gear is in italics. Gear marked with "Haste", "WS", "Ninjutsu", or "Enmity" should generally be macroed-in as necessary. Gear marked "TP/WS" can be used to gain TP and to WS. Gear with *** is an item that needs a that little bit more time or money to achieve but is well worth it.
===Weapons===
*Level 15: Gassan
*Level 16: Mokuto +1
*Level 24: Hibari +1
*Level 28: Fukuro
*Level 30: Nikkariaoe
*Level 39: Ohaguro - Luxury
*Level 40: Anju / Zushio
*Level 41: Bokuto +1 
*Level 48: Sai
*Level 50: Buboso - Luxury
*Level 54: Muketsu +1 - Luxury
*Level 61: Kabutowari
*Level 66: Kororito
*Level 70: Fudo x 2
*Level 72: Senjuinrikio - *** (need to break the latent)
*Level 73: Perdu Blade - *** (off hand)
===Ranged/Ammo===
*Level 15: Rogetsurin (Ranged)
*Level 40: Junior Musketeer's Chakram (Ranged) - Pulling
*Level 56: Bailathorn
*Level 63: Bomb Core
*Level 70: Ungur Boomerang - Evasion ***
===Head===
*Level 2: Cache-nez - Enmity
*Level 14: Cotton Headband
*Level 24: Emperor Hairpin / Empress Hairpin - ***
*Level 26: Dodge Headband
*Level 43: Walkure Mask - WS
*Level 56: Ninja Hatsuburi - Ninjutsu
*Level 65: Wivre Mask 
*Level 68: Fourth Haube - See notes above.
*Level 70: Optical Hat - ***
*Level 72: Panther Mask
*Level 75: Walahra Turban - Haste
*Level 75: Denali Bonnet - ***
===Neck===
*Level 7: Wing Pendant
*Level 21: Spike Necklace - WS
*Level 33: Peacock Charm / Peacock Amulet - ***
*Level 38: Spirit Torque
*Level 59: Spectacles
*Level 60: Chivalrous Chain
*Level 65: Evasion Torque - Evasion
*Level 72: Harmonia's Torque - Enmity
*Level 72: Elemental Gorgets - WS ***
===Earrings===
*Level 10: Optical Earring
*Level 21: Beetle Earring
*Level 29: Dodge Earring
*Level 50: Velocity Earring
*Level 52: Melody Earring - Evasion Skill +5 when under Song or Roll.
*Level 54: Eris' Earring - Enmity
*Level 55: Fang Earring
*Level 61: Minuet Earring
*Level 75: Brutal Earring - ***
===Body===
*Level 13: Power Gi
*Level 16: Bone Harness +1
*Level 20: Mercenary's Gi
*Level 25: Windurstian Gi
*Level 40: Jujitsu Gi
*Level 45: Iron Ram Chainmail / Brigandine
*Level 50: Nokizaru Gi - Luxury
*Level 55: Royal Knight's Chainmail/Jaridah Peti
*Level 57: Scorpion Harness
*Level 58: Ninja Chainmail 
*Level 59: Haubergeon - WS
*Level 68: Fourth Division Brunne - See notes above.
===Hands===
*Level 14: Guerilla Gloves - TP/WS
*Level 21: Beetle Mittens +1
*Level 25: Windurstian Tekko
*Level 34: Ochiudo's Kote / Ochimusha Kote - See notes above.
*Level 34: Horomusha Kote - See notes above.
*Level 45: Iron Ram Mufflers - See notes above.
*Level 55: Jaridah Bazubands
*Level 68: Fourth Hentzes - See notes above.
*Level 72: Dusk Gloves
*Level 72: Rasetsu Tekko - Evasion
*Level 72: Enkidu's Mittens - Luxury - TP/WS
*Level 73: Hanzo Tekko
*Level 74: Ninja Tekko +1 - Career goal - WS
*Level 75: Seiryu's Kote - Luxury
*Level 75: Denali Wristbands - Luxury
===Rings===
*Level 14: Reflex Ring
*Level 14: Courage Ring - WS
*Level 30: Rajas Ring - ***
*Level 34: Venerer Ring - TP/WS
*Level 35: Jaeger Ring - TP/WS
*Level 40: Sniper's Ring / Woodsman Ring - ***
*Level 43: Mermaid's Ring - Enmity ***
*Level 49: Ecphoria Ring - TP/WS
*Level 50: Garrulous Ring
*Level 50: Shinobi Ring - Haste
*Level 54: Sun Ring/Grace Ring - WS
*Level 72: Ruby Ring/Spinel Ring - WS
*Level 74: Flame Ring/Thunder Ring - ***
*Level 75: Iota Ring - TP/WS
===Back===
*Level 12: Traveler's Mantle
*Level 21: Night Cape
*Level 24: Nomad's Mantle
*Level 30: Mercenary Mantle - Enmity
*Level 36: High Breath Mantle - Recommended to carry 2 at all times.
*Level 61: Amemet Mantle
*Level 70: Boxer's Mantle - ***
*Level 71: Corse Cape
*Level 74: Cuchulain's Mantle - Luxury - TP/WS
*Level 75: Cerberus Mantle
===Waist===
*Level 15: Warrior's Belt +1
*Level 38: Survival Belt 
*Level 41: Quick Belt - Haste
*Level 43: Swordbelt +1 - WS
*Level 44: Headlong Belt
*Level 48: Life Belt
*Level 50: Swift Belt - ***
*Level 51: Astral Rope - Enmity
*Level 54: Virtuoso Belt - TP/WS ***
*Level 60: Potent Belt - Luxury - WS
*Level 71: Warwolf Belt - Enmity
*Level 73: Scouter's Rope - ***
===Legs===
*Level 16: Bone Subligar +1
*Level 25: Federation Sitabaki
*Level 25: San d'Orian Trousers / Bastokan Subligar
*Level 45: Iron Ram Breeches - See notes above.
*Level 52: Ninja Hakama
*Level 55: Royal Knight's Breeches - WS
*Level 64: Arhat's Hakama
*Level 68: Fourth Schoss - See notes above.
*Level 73: Shura Haidate - TP/WS ***
*Level 75: Byakko's Haidate - ***
===Feet===
*Level 7: Leaping Boots / Bounding Boots - ***
*Level 16: Bone Leggings +1
*Level 25: Windurstian Kyahan
*Level 39: Fuma Kyahan / Sarutobi Kyahan - See notes above.
*Level 45: Iron Ram Sollerets - See notes above.
*Level 55: Jaridah Nails
*Level 63: Arhat's Sune-Ate - Enmity
*Level 68: Fourth Schuhs - See notes above.
*Level 72: Fuma Sune-Ate - Haste
*Level 72: Rasetsu Sune-Ate
*Level 75: Hachiryu Sune-Ate - ***