Golden Skullcap (Final Fantasy IX)

The Golden Skullcap is the penultimate light armor headgear in Final Fantasy IX. It can be equipped by everyone bar Steiner and Freya. The Golden Skullcap teaches the passive abilities Locomotion, which inoculates against Stop, and Power Up, which strengthens Amarant's Chakra. The Golden Skullcap is one of only two light armor headgear made via synthesis. It halves Earth damage to the wearer and strengthens their Water damage.
Final Fantasy IX was the first appearance the Golden Skullcap, which since appeared in some Ivalice games.
==Obtain==
The Golden Skullcap is synthesized in Black Mage Village after the events in Pandemonium for 15,000 gil, a Gold Helm, and a Golden Hairpin. The Gold Helm can be bought from the Mist Continent towns' weapon shops, while the hairpin is sold in Daguerreo and Ipsen's Castle.
==Mechanics==
The Golden Skullcap provides 2 Defense and 47 Magic Defense, mainly mitigating damage from magic attacks. It halves Earth damage to the wearer, but the only battle where this matters at this point is Lich in the final dungeon. It also strengthens the wearer's Water damage by +50%, compatible with Vivi's Water, Dagger's Leviathan, Quina's Aqua Breath, and Amarant's normal attack with Dragon's Claws.
==Use==
The Golden Skullcap is late game gear, only losing out slightly to Circlet in defensive power. It is the only gear piece to teach Amarant Power Up, and so is worth equipping it to him if the player is using him, as Power Up doubles the potency of his Chakra. Locomotion is also good to master to anyone who has yet to master it. However, the elemental properties are not very useful, and so if the character does not need the abilities the Golden Skullcap teaches, they can wear the superior Circlet instead as their endgame hat. Dagger is likely the one who can get the most use out of it by strengthening her Leviathan.
The guest characters from Tantalus can also wear the skullcap, but the player cannot see this in a normal playthrough.
Category:Armor in Final Fantasy IX