Steel Mask (Final Fantasy XII)

The Steel Mask is a mid to high ranked heavy armor helm in Final Fantasy XII that boosts the wearer's magickal defense by 32 (Zodiac) or 28 (original), Strength by 7 and Speed by 4. The latter makes it potentially good for those who wield weapons that take the Speed stat into account for damage calculation: bows, daggers and ninja swords. However, in the Zodiac versions, the heavy armor jobs don't unlock these weapon types. The Steel Mask is metallic for the purposes of the Magnetize debuff present in the boss battles against Vinuskar and Ultima, and is the "heaviest" with the largest penalty to speed in these battles among all the helms.
==Obtain==
===Original===
In the original PlayStation 2 version, the Steel Mask is sold for 8100 gil in Phon Coast and Archades. It is also rarely stolen from the Piranha.
===Zodiac===
In the updated Zodiac versions, the Steel Mask is sold for 8100 gil in Phon Coast and Archades. It is found as a treasure in Phon Coast's Caima Hills (70% chance to appear, 50% chance for gil, 50% chance the item treasure is the Steel Mask without the Diamond Armlet equipped), and in Tchita Uplands' The Highlands (30% chance to appear, 70% chance for gil, 50% chance the item treasure is the Steel Mask without the Diamond Armlet equipped). It is still rarely stolen from the Piranha.
==Use==
Steel Mask is a mid to high level helm giving 32 or 28 Magick Resist depending on version, as well as 7 Strength and 4 Speed. The strength bonuses make heavy armor ideal for frontline fighters, and the Speed boost minimally benefits those who wield bows, daggers or ninja swords; however, in the Zodiac versions, Archer and Shikari can't wear the Steel Mask. The effect of +4 Speed to the wearer's Charge Time is likewise minimal and not worth choosing over another equipment piece that offers more defense and strength.
Steel Mask is a good helm to equip over any inferior equipment the player may have on anyone who attacks physically, although a gun-wielder does not benefit from the strength-boost. It is a good equipment piece to buy from Phon Coast for use in Tchita Uplands and the Sochen Cave Palace; superior equipment is then available to buy from Archades.
In the Zodiac versions, Uhlan, Knight, Time Battlemage, and Foebreaker can equip it, as well as the Black Mage if they unlock Shemhazai; Steel Mask is only useful to buy if the player has chosen these License Boards for the party. In The Zodiac Age versions, after fighting Belias the player can choose two License Boards per party member and so more characters can benefit from heavy armor, as it is usually a good idea to match jobs that use different types of armor to bolster light armor jobs' strength, and to give more durability to spellcasters. Unlocking the helm for the Black Mage is likely not optimal, as though they gain access to the reflective Mirror Mail with it, Shemhazai is a late game Esper and likely better used unlocking something else for another job, and there is also another means to bestow Auto-Reflect in the game: Ruby Ring.
Category:Armor in Final Fantasy XII