Thief: Guide to Weapons and Armor

category:guides
===Beginning Note ===
This guide is made to help you on choosing gear while leveling Thief on Eden. It caters towards new players, omitting some niche but useful items that may not be the easiest to obtain or use. Eden tends to focus on certain level ranges, so I put extra emphasis on items in important level ranges, and also don't mention items higher than level 67 as people just don't EXP in that level range.
Bolded items are items I find to be very important to get.
Last Updated: 8-26-24.	
==Weapons==
====Daggers: ====
Daggers don't really have use until 20+ because you need really want to be using a Sword to get access to Fast Blade. Off handing a dagger 20+ isn't a bad option, and 33+ you will begin main handing them full time.
*20: Decurion's Dagger
*25: Bastokan Dagger
*28: Archer's Knife - Great offhand since you should be primarily shooting your Crossbow at this level.
*30: Mercenary Captains Kukri - Great to have for Zi'tah and 30 cap.
*34: Windurstian Kukri
*38: Chiropetra Dagger - Upgrade off Archer's Knife for Crossbow spamming offhand.
*40: Marauder's Knife
*46: Bone Knife - The HQ is cheap and really good.
*48: Hornetneedle - Very fast offhand option.
*50: Corsair's Knife - This is probably gonna last you to 75, it's very good.
**56: Beetle Knife +1 - Alternative to Corsair's Knife if you don't want to put down the gil.
*60: Darksteel Kukri - Maybe mainhand this but Corsair's Knife is kinda GOATed. 
*62: Cermet Kukri - Maybe mainhand this but Corsair's Knife is kinda GOATed.
*65: Garuda's Dagger 
====Swords:====
Swords will be your main hand weapon of use until 33 when you get Viper Bite with daggers. Fast Blade is just too good, especially with Sneak Attack.
*1: Wax Sword
*7: Sapara
*10: Royal Archers Sword
*13: Scimitar
*18: Fire Sword - Think about HQing this, you use it for a while.
*24: Nadrs - Too hard to be worth getting but it looks cool.
*27: Gladius - Only good for 1 level, maybe skip.
*28: Mithran Scimitar
*30: Centurions Sword - Very good stats, main hand of choice for 30 cap.
====Hand to Hand:====
Some people swear by Hand to Hand until 15, I don't really get it and think using a ranged weapon and a sword is better.
====Ranged Weapons:====
*1: Shortbow
*7: Self Bow
*10: Legionnaire's Crossbow - Your first Crossbow.
*12: Crossbow - Very good HQ buy as you'll probably sync to this level a lot.
*20: Almogvar Bow
*25: Power Crossbow
*30: Zamburak - Very good HQ to buy as you'll use this at Zi'tah, your primary place to EXP.
*37: Rikonodo
*40: Thug's Zamburak - Great crossbow, 40 cap, you'll use for a while.
*50: Arbalest
*60: Heavy Crossbow
*63: Velocity Bow
==Armor ==
Something worth mentioning for Armor is you generally can ignore items that are just "Defense" stat upgrades, they have almost no value even in the best circumstances. Do not get hung up on upgrading your level 1 Bronze Cap to a level 7 Leather Bandana, it just is not worth the gil or time spent. Focus purely on items that provide beneficial stats like Accuracy, Strength, Dexterity, or Attack.
Also Thief is one job that heavily benefits from gear swapping. In theory you want to have:
# TP: Accuracy, Attack, DEX, STR.
# WS: DEX, STR, Attack, AGI (If you are stacking trick attack).
# Ranged: Ranged Accuracy, Ranged Attack, STR, AGI.
This guide is largely going to assume you aren't doing that, because honestly I know most people don't invest that much in leveling Thf. I would recommend, if you aren't gear swapping, to focus only on your TP set with Accuracy, Attack, DEX, and STR, the stats stay relevant even in your WS set and sometimes in your Ranged set so it just makes sense. Please do not full time AGI items like Drone Earrings when the primary use case for AGI is Trick Attack. I will still point out certain items that you may want to pick up for gear swapping, but it won't be extensive. 
===Head===
*1: Bronze Cap
**7: Leather Bandana - Skippable defense upgrade.
*10: Royal Footmans Bandana - This has AGI on it which translates into Ranged Accuracy, you will use this till 24+.
*24: Empress Hairpin/Emperor Hairpin - Very good ra/ex item that is worth camping.
*30: Noct Beret - Good for Ranged Accuracy if you can't afford Hairpin.
*30: Mercenary Captains Headgear - Good for meleeing and weaponskilling if you can't afford Hairpin.
*41: Voyager Sallet - You will use this to 75 if you have it.
*43: Walkure Mask - Buyable alternative to Voyager Sallet, good item.
*60: Patroclus's Helm - Strong item, hard to get.
=== Body ===
* 1: Bronze Harness or RSE Starter Body
** 7: Leather Vest - Skippable defense upgrade.
** 10: Legionnaire's Harness - Skippable defense upgrade.
** 16: Bone Harness - Skippable defense upgrade.
** 17: Lizard Jerkin - Skippable defense upgrade.
** 21: Beetle Harness - Skippable defense upgrade.
* 30: Mercenary Captains Doublet - Finally some stats that do things. 
** 30: Noct Doublet - Specifically macroed in for Ranged Attacks.
** 40: Iron Musketeers Gambison - Specifically macroed in for Ranged Attacks.
* 33: RSE Depends on race.
* 45: Brigadine - The HQ is really good but pricey, and doesn't last too long.
* 50: Rapparee Harness - BiS at 75, great body for 50, but not at all required for leveling.
* 55: Jaridah Peti - Great for leypoint.
* 57: Scorpion Harness - Your big boy till 75 body.
=== Hands ===
*1: Bronze Mittens or RSE Starter Hands
**7: Leather Gloves - Skippable defense upgrade
*10: Royal Footmans Gloves or Legionnaire's Mittens
*14: Battle Gloves - Welcome to your hands till 75.
*27: RSE Depends on race.
**30: Noct Gloves - Good for Ranged Attacks.
**52: Rogue's Armlets - Good for Sneak Attack.
**55: Jaridah Bazubands - Basically just Battle Gloves but if you want something new!
=== Legs ===
*1: Bronze Subligar or RSE Starter Legs
**7: Leather Trousers - Skippable defense upgrade.
**16: Bone Subligar - Skippable defense upgrade.
**17: Lizard Trousers - Skippable defense upgrade.
**20: Royal Footmans Trousers - Skippable defense upgrade.
*25: Bastokan Subligar - This is gonna last you a long time, I'd recommend investing in the Republic Subligar.
*47: Bravo's Subligar - Great starter piece at 75 too!
===Feet===
*1: Bronze Leggings or RSE Starter Feet
**7: Leather Highboots - Skippable defense upgrade.
**10: Royal Footmans Boots - Skippable defense upgrade.
**16: Bone Leggings - Skippable defense upgrade.
*7: Leaping Boots or Bounding Boots - Hard to get but they last till 75.
*20: Strider Boots or Trotter Boots - Don't get these if you're new but hey if you wanna go fast.
*20: Royal Footmans Clogs - If you can't afford/get Leapers.
*29: RSE Depends on race.
*30: Noct Gaiters - If you can't afford/get Leapers.
*60: Rogue's Poulaines 
*62: RSE2 Depends on Race
===Waist===
*1: Moogle Belts - Event only belts that you can only get during Easter.
*7: Leather Belt
*15: Warrior's Belt
*20: Key Ring Belt - Questable item with useful stats!
*30: Mercenary Captains Belt - Windurst doesn't get 1st a lot so this might be rare.
*40: Tilt Belt - Very cheap, very good, and you will use for any 40 cap thing so keep it.
*43: Swordbelt - Good for macroing in for Sneak Attack and WS.
*48: Life Belt - You'll never sell this belt, it's very good even at 75.
**50: Swift Belt - Great belt at 75, not so great for leveling.
**55: Speed Belt - Best belt at 75, not so great for leveling.
===Back===
*4: Rabbit Mantle
*12: Travelers Mantle
*24: Nomads Mantle - AGI for Ranged Attack and Trick Attack.
*47: Jaguar Mantle - First cape that actually does anything, but it's expensive so I'd skip.
*55: Royal Army Mantle or Republic Army Mantle
*61: Amemet Mantle - You'll use it till 75 and maybe even at 75.
===Neck===
*7: Wing Pendant - AGI for shooting!
*21: Fang Necklace - Invest in a Spike Necklace, you'll be using this probably till 75 if you are new.
*33: Peacock Charm or Peacock Amulet - Extremely good even at 75, but also very hard to get.
*59: Spectacles - Affordable alternative to Peacock Charm.
*60: Chivalrous Chain - Affordable alternative to Peacock Charm.
===Ring===
If you really want to you can invest in proper level DEX rings for swapping into for Sneak Attack, but please do not full time them past 40.
*1: Copper Ring - Skippable but if you want to fill the slot.
*1: Starter Nation Rings
*14: Mighty Ring - Very powerful rings for the level, you'll use these till 30+ at least but they do have consumable charges.
*14: Amethyst Ring - If you can't afford to use Mighty Rings the DEX+1 or DEX+2 rings are the choice.
*30: Rajas Ring - Not for new players.
*34: Venerer Ring
*35: Jaeger Ring
*40: Woodsman Ring or Sniper's Ring - Take the time to farm 2 of these up, you'll use them till and at 75.
*57: Toreador's Ring
===Earring===
*1: Cassie Earring - Expensive and advanced level stuff.
*10: Optical Earring
*16: Bone Earring - Think about investing in +1s of these as you may use them a lot.
*21: Beetle Earring - Buy +1s of these, you can ride these to 75 to be honest.
**30: Genin earring - ONLY use this for Trick Attack or shooting, do not full time.
**35: Drone Earring - ONLY use this for Trick Attack or shooting, do not full time.
*45: Tortoise Earring - Skip if you have Beetle+1s.
*50: Vision Earring - Good for Ranged Attack swaps.
*55: Fang Earring
*61: Minuet Earring - Very good if you have a Bard in your party.
*63: Coral Earring
If you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out to Falaras in game or on Discord.