Barette (Final Fantasy IX)

The Barette is an add-on in Final Fantasy IX for female party members. It teaches Chemist, which doubles the potency of potions; Cura, the second tier healing spell; and Gamble Defense, which randomizes the character's Defense stat for damage calculations but it can be higher than the character's base. The Barette gives a bonus to the wearer's Strength, Magic, and Spirit when they level up with it equipped and is excellent for level grinding Freya. It is made via synthesis and is also itself used for making another add-on. Wearing the Barette strengthens the wearer's Ice damage.
Like many equipment pieces in Final Fantasy IX, the Barette is based on an equipment piece from Final Fantasy Tactics.
==Obtain==
The Barette is an exceedingly rare treasure in Chocobo Hot and Cold; the player may complete the entire sidequest across multiple playthroughs of the game and never come across it. It is synthesized in Lindblum (second storyline visit onwards), Black Mage Village (before entering the Shimmering Island portal), Alexandria, Treno (after returning from the Outer Continent), and Daguerreo.
The Barette is also found in Ipsen's Castle's foyer .
==Mechanics==
The Barette provides 1 to Magic Defense. It gives a +3 bonus to the wearer's Strength and a +1 bonus to the wearer's Magic and 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. Strength is used for damage calculations and for HP growth, while Magic is used for spells' damage calculations and for determining MP growth. Spirit is a generally good stat that 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. 
The Barette is among the best Strength-boosting items in the game, alongside the Power Belt and the Dark Matter.
Wearing the Barette boosts the character's Ice damage by +50%, compatible with Dagger's Shiva and Freya's normal attack with the Ice Lance.
==Use==
The Barette is good for learning Chemist and Cura; Chemist is especially useful for doubling the amount of MP Ethers restore in battle. Gamble Defense, meanwhile, is a detriment and should not be equipped. The Barette is good for Dagger so her Shiva will do more damage, and for Freya for its high level up bonus to Strength as well as for other stats, and so she can do more damage with the Ice Lance; however, Freya spends a long time away from the player's party during the middle of the game.
Level grinding and min-maxing are unnecessary even when preparing for superbosses. As the best stat-boosting equipment become available at the end of the game, the best result would be to restrict EXP intake until then.
The Barette is needed in synthesis for making the Angel Earrings.
Beatrix can also wear the add-on, but the player should not equip it to her as she is a guest character.
Category:Add-ons in Final Fantasy IX