New AN Equipment

[Neomage]

One thing I have notices about this update I find interesting, is the new gear that has been added to the Allied Notes Item Exchange. For Windurst specifically, four new items have been added: A set of Hat and Gloves for both Mage and Melee jobs.

Cobra Unit Cloche Rare/EX
[Head]All Races
DEF:12 HP+15 MP+15
"Magic Attack Bonus" +1
"Conserve MP" +2
Set: Increases Magic Accuracy
Lv 68 WHM/BLMRDM/BRD/SMN/BLU/PUP/SCH

Cobra Unit Gloves Rare/EX
[Hands]All Races
DEF:12 HP+18 MP+18
"Magic Attack Bonus" +2
"Conserve MP" +3
Set: Increases Magic Accuracy
Lv 68 WHM/BLMRDM/BRD/SMN/BLU/PUP/SCH

Cobra Unit Cap Rare/EX
[Head]All Races
DEF: 22 Accuracy +4
"Store TP" +2
Enimity -4
Set: Enhances "Counter" effect
Lv 68 MNK/THF/RNG/BLU/COR/PUP/DNC

Cobra Unit Mittens Rare/EX
[Hands]All Races
DEF: 13 Accuracy +4
"Store TP" +3
Enimity -3
Set: Enhances "Counter" effect
Lv 68 MNK/THF/RNG/BLU/COR/PUP/DNC

Each items costs 40,000 Allied Notes. I expect there are similar items for each of the other nations. Now what I am wondering, is because there is only a hat + gloves for each, does this qualify for a "set"? Or are there remaining Body/Leg/Feet pieces that are yet to be introduced? Since both of the Set effects can't be determined in the stats screen, we can't simply buy both and see what happens. Is this possible to figure out with .dat mining or anything?

[LadyKiKi]

Are there icons/pictures for these? I really want to know what they look like. (and the others)

EDIT: Don't forget in the highest tier assaults, gear has been released for maybe 2-3 slots only which also count as a set.
EDIT2: From what I read also, the bonuses apply like in the lower tier of the AN items. For example, the Iron Ram set, for each piece you equip after the first one, you gain one attack (and presumably 1 accuracy).

[Icemage]

I'm not really sure who would actually want to use these pieces of gear. Unless the set bonus is substantial (i.e. MACC+10 or Counter+5), the pieces themselves are pretty unimpressive.


Icemage

[ItachiKujata]

These look pretty nice...

{Rare}{EX} Iron Ram sallet
Head
DEF:29 HP+20 Enmity+5 "Magic Def. Bonus"+3 Set: Increases all elemental resistances
Lv.68 WAR/PLD/DRK

{Rare}{EX} Iron Ram dastanas
Hands
DEF:22 HP+20 Enmity+4 "Magic Def. Bonus"+2 Set: Increases all elemental resistances
Lv.68 WAR/PLD/DRK

[LadyKiKi]

These look pretty nice...

{Rare}{EX} Iron Ram sallet
Head
DEF:29 HP+20 Enmity+5 "Magic Def. Bonus"+3 Set: Increases all elemental resistances
Lv.68 WAR/PLD/DRK

{Rare}{EX} Iron Ram dastanas
Hands
DEF:22 HP+20 Enmity+4 "Magic Def. Bonus"+2 Set: Increases all elemental resistances
Lv.68 WAR/PLD/DRK

It was reported that the set increases not on the first equip, but only on the second. And it's a mere +5 increase.

A good alternative for those unable to get better gears, but for everything else, Crimson Legs and Feet combined (I know I know, who wears them anyway, the feet especially) will cover for all the resistance. Hands make a good alternative I suppose to PLDs unable to get Honam Hands, the head is a good replacement to those unable to get Bahamut's Mask or Aegishrhamrhamrelal (however you spell it, drops off Fafnir).

Apparently they look very pretty, although I have yet to see any in game yet.

[ItachiKujata]

Of course they're not the best pieces for those slots but they're easy to get alternatives to the other gear... definitely useful pieces... and the MDB and elemental resist on them is just icing on the cake. I just got the Iron Ram dastanas and they do look nice... I haven't seen the head piece yet though

[Neomage]

Well, to me is seems that SE has been leaning more and more to solo alternatives. That is, thing that are not as good as group-obtained rewards(Abujerations, HNMs, EXP PT) but still decent for those who can not, or do not, want to participate in the events(Campaign, Low-Man Missions, "Mini" Gear(Like this stuff, not as good as Yigit or Zenith but soloable))

[Malacite]

The last 2 pieces there are actually pretty damned good for a MNK.

[IfritnoItazura]

The Iron Ram Sallet and Dastanas look to be competitive with Adaman set's head and hands, and beats out Gallant's head and hands for turtle style tanking in exp parties.

(Enter the standard disclaimer here that many believe today's PLDs should tank in DD gears, etc.)

For endgame use, even if the elemental resist from set is negligible, perhaps the MDB is still desirable? I mean, is there any gear in head slot for better MDB, or any MDB at all for the hands slot? Given that a Lamian Kaman +1 runs about 1.2 mil (on Ifrit) for MDB+2, having a combined MDB+5 from "cheap" gear can't be a bad thing.

May help someone to surve a Gigaflare or two so can actually have a chance to lot on Bahamut's Mask?

* * *

Edit:

Cobra Unit Cloche: Looks usable for BLM and SCH?
Cobra Unit Gloves: Usable by SCH, and maybe by BLM when resist isn't any concern at all.

MAB and Conserve MP together isn't a bad combination. They also come earlier than the Yigit set, so should be thought of as another couple of reasonable alternatives for BLM and SCH on the way up. (Especially since they are easier to get than the Yigit set. Probably.)

[Celeal]

I agree with IfritnoItazura. Both Iron Ram Sallet and Dastanas have their usage. Having alternative is a good thing.

[Mhurron]

Edit:

Cobra Unit Cloche: Looks usable for BLM and SCH?
Cobra Unit Gloves: Usable by SCH, and maybe by BLM when resist isn't any concern at all.

MAB and Conserve MP together isn't a bad combination. They also come earlier than the Yigit set, so should be thought of as another couple of reasonable alternatives for BLM and SCH on the way up. (Especially since they are easier to get than the Yigit set. Probably.)

I dunno, I think I'd still stick with my BLM AF hat and gloves.

[Neomage]

Well Yigit costs 20,000 Assault Points, and a player, if they do an assault a day(or four assaults every four days), can get that in about 15 days. On the other hand, this costs 40,000 Allied Notes, and a player of the Emblem II Rank(Emblem I is required to unlock this division of items) can get about 1000 AN a day JUST fron Campaign Ops. So it depends on how often people to Campaign.

[IfritnoItazura]

I dunno, I think I'd still stick with my BLM AF hat and gloves.

Old hat has INT, new hat has MAB+1. Either is fine, really.

Nuking IT's, I'd bet on AF gloves, but a non-endgame BLM75 soloing puddings may be able to get away with MAB for gloves instead of Elemental Magic skill?

Well Yigit costs 20,000 Assault Points, and a player, if they do an assault a day(or four assaults every four days), can get that in about 15 days. On the other hand, this costs 40,000 Allied Notes, and a player of the Emblem II Rank(Emblem I is required to unlock this division of items) can get about 1000 AN a day JUST fron Campaign Ops. So it depends on how often people to Campaign.

You're looking at it from the perspective of a Lv.75 player who can probably find people to static Assault with.

A up-and-coming Lv.65-ish players diligently looking to get gears ready for the final 10 levels most likely will have his shouts for level capped Assaults ignored. Counting on steady progress in Assault is pretty impractical for players without a static group, and especially those who don't have a Lv.75 job already.

[Cotners]

Although a few levels higher Igqira hands (if you cannot obtain better) are superior to Cobra hands and I would use AF hat over the Cobra head any day of the week.

[Akashimo]

I'd get the cap for whm and the hands for rdm myself.

For the mnk/thf kind hands are decent enough to get for both jobs.