Essential Ninja Equipment Guide by Dibble

What no NIN gear guide?
Yeah, that's what I thought. Instead you have a list of all the possible gear that a NIN can wear. Awesome...

So, in the vein of this great guide, I decided to start a guide for NIN covering what special gear you really should have. By special I mean something with a worthwhile stat bonus, not just the next possible upgrade. Remember this is a guide; depending on your race or play style you might prefer different gear but this is a pretty good start! Please also note that this guide is aimed at people who are actually interested in NIN as a job; not for those who just want NIN37 for Utsusemi.

If you have suggestions please add them to the talk page and I may or may not add them to the main page. I'd like to thank Pantmonkey and Hernandezb327 for their great contibutions so far.

Red Hands, Blue Boots and Iron Rams
If you don't have time to get the uber hands (Ochimusha Kote / Ochiudo's Kote / Horomusha Kote) and/or uber feet (Sarutobi Kyahan / Fuma Kyahan), you'll need to go with the Iron Ram Chainmail Set. The more pieces of this set you wear the bigger the bonus, so the benefits of wearing an individual piece are limited. If you do have the pimp hands and feet, skip the Iron Ram gear.

Fourth Set
Fourth Haube Set could provide a very respectable, complete armour set for NIN or WS set. However, you do need to wear pretty much the whole set for the big bonuses. Also, unless you have the means to collect around 255,000 AN  Allied Notes at a significant rate (i.e. a 75 melee job) it will take a long time to get the whole set!

WS Modifiers
The two main Katana WS base damage modifiers are STR and DEX. Therefore, to maximise your WS damage (and enmity) you want to macro in as much STR and DEX as you can before you WS. Gear that adds attack is useful too.

If you have a separate WS build you can also macro this in if you lose hate, which will increase your damage and hopefully pull some hate back.

NQ vs. HQ
I'll only list NQ versions of gear and not HQ. While HQ is almost always better, it's often amazingly rare and stupidly expensive. If you can afford it, craft it, borrow it or even steal it then by all means do. Of note, however, there are a few items mentioned that are HQ, and these items are not expensive. Additionally, the Bone/Beetle +1 items only provide their beneficial stat if they are the HQ version.

Arhat's +1 and HNM
Arhat's +1 (or some argue, Yasha) can be key to an end-game Ninja for tanking certain enemies as NIN/DRK. If a Ninja is interested in doing HNM, or EG as a whole, he should plan on acquiring the two pieces (Arhat's Gi +1 and Arhat's Jinpachi +1). Additionally, he will need an Earth Staff (Terra's if possible) and a pair of Hades Sainti. It is highly recommended to do research on the topic beforehand as well.

The Guide
Below is a list of recommended gear per slot. Rare/Ex gear is in italics. Gear marked with "Haste", "WS", "Ninjutsu", or "Enmity" should generally be macroed-in as necessary. Gear marked "Luxury" are items are for people who have the time, money or ability to acquire the best gear, but these items are not considered essential no matter how good they are. Gear marked as a "Career goal" is an item that every Ninja should strive to eventually obtain, but that doesn't mean it's essential to being a good Ninja.

Weapons

 * Level 15: Gassan
 * Level 16: Mokuto +1
 * Level 24: Hibari +1
 * Level 28: Fukuro
 * Level 30: Nikkariaoe
 * Level 39: Ohaguro - Luxury
 * Level 40: Anju / Zushio
 * Level 41: Bokuto +1
 * Level 48: Sai
 * Level 50: Buboso - Luxury
 * Level 54: Muketsu +1 - Luxury
 * Level 55: Hototogisu - Luxury
 * Level 61: Kabutowari
 * Level 62: Kogitsunemaru - Luxury
 * Level 66: Kororito
 * Level 67: Imanotsurugi - Luxury
 * Level 70: Fudo x 2
 * Level 72: Mamushito +1 - Luxury
 * Level 72: Senjuinrikio - Please unlock the latent before seriously using.
 * Level 73: Perdu Blade - Career goal
 * Level 73: Shiranui - Luxury
 * Level 75: Tsukumo

Ranged/Ammo

 * Level 15: Rogetsurin (Ranged) - Luxury
 * Level 40: Junior Musketeer's Chakram (Ranged) - Pulling
 * Level 56: Bailathorn
 * Level 63: Bomb Core
 * Level 70: Mamoolbane - Luxury
 * Level 70: Fire Bomblet - Luxury
 * Level 70: Ungur Boomerang - Career goal

Head

 * Level 2: Cache-nez - Enmity
 * Level 14: Cotton Headband
 * Level 24: Emperor Hairpin / Empress Hairpin - Luxury
 * Level 26: Dodge Headband
 * Level 43: Walkure Mask - WS
 * Level 54: Silk Headband +1
 * Level 56: Ninja Hatsuburi - Ninjutsu
 * Level 65: Wivre Mask
 * Level 68: Fourth Haube - See notes above.
 * Level 70: Optical Hat - Career goal
 * Level 72: Panther Mask - Haste
 * Level 75: Walahra Turban - Haste
 * Level 75: Denali Bonnet - Luxury
 * Level 75: Arhat's Jinpachi +1 - See notes above.

Neck

 * Level 7: Wing Pendant
 * Level 21: Spike Necklace - WS
 * Level 33: Peacock Charm / Peacock Amulet - Luxury
 * Level 38: Spirit Torque
 * Level 59: Spectacles
 * Level 60: Chivalrous Chain
 * Level 65: Evasion Torque
 * Level 65: Ninjutsu Torque - Luxury - Ninjutsu
 * Level 70: Ritter Gorget - Luxury
 * Level 72: Harmonia's Torque - Enmity
 * Level 72: Elemental Gorgets - Career goal

Earrings

 * Level 10: Optical Earring
 * Level 21: Beetle Earring
 * Level 29: Dodge Earring
 * Level 35: Evasion Earring - Luxury
 * Level 35: Ninjutsu Earring - Luxury - Ninjutsu
 * Level 50: Velocity Earring
 * Level 52: Melody Earring - Evasion Skill +5 when under Song or Roll.
 * Level 54: Eris' Earring - Enmity
 * Level 55: Fang Earring
 * Level 60: Elusive Earring - Luxury
 * Level 61: Minuet Earring
 * Level 75: Brutal Earring - Career goal

Body

 * Level 13: Power Gi
 * Level 16: Bone Harness +1
 * Level 20: Mercenary's Gi
 * Level 25: Windurstian Gi
 * Level 40: Jujitsu Gi
 * Level 45: Iron Ram Chainmail / Brigandine
 * Level 50: Nokizaru Gi - Luxury
 * Level 55: Royal Knight's Chainmail/Jaridah Peti
 * Level 57: Scorpion Harness
 * Level 59: Haubergeon - WS
 * Level 68: Fourth Division Brunne - See notes above.
 * Level 75: Arhat's Gi +1 - See notes above.

Hands

 * Level 15: San d'Orian Gloves
 * Level 21: Beetle Mittens +1
 * Level 25: Windurstian Tekko
 * Level 34: Ochiudo's Kote / Ochimusha Kote - See notes above.
 * Level 34: Horomusha Kote - See notes above.
 * Level 45: Iron Ram Mufflers - See notes above.
 * Level 55: Jaridah Bazubands
 * Level 68: Fourth Hentzes - See notes above.
 * Level 72: Dusk Gloves - Career goal
 * Level 72: Rasetsu Tekko +1 - Luxury
 * Level 73: Hanzo Tekko
 * Level 75: Seiryu's Kote - Luxury
 * Level 75: Denali Wristbands - Luxury

Rings

 * Level 14: Reflex Ring
 * Level 14: Courage Ring - WS
 * Level 34: Venerer Ring
 * Level 40: Sniper's Ring / Woodsman Ring - Luxury
 * Level 43: Mermaid's Ring - Luxury - Enmity
 * Level 49: Ecphoria Ring
 * Level 50: Garrulous Ring
 * Level 50: Shinobi Ring - Haste
 * Level 54: Sun Ring - WS
 * Level 72: Ruby Ring - WS
 * Level 74: Flame Ring - WS

Back

 * Level 12: Traveler's Mantle
 * Level 21: Night Cape
 * Level 24: Nomad's Mantle
 * Level 30: Mercenary Mantle - Enmity
 * Level 36: High Breath Mantle - Recommended to carry 2 at all times.
 * Level 61: Amemet Mantle
 * Level 70: Boxer's Mantle - Career goal
 * Level 71: Corse Cape
 * Level 74: Cuchulain's Mantle - Luxury - WS
 * Level 75: Cerberus Mantle - Career goal

Waist

 * Level 15: Warrior's Belt +1
 * Level 38: Survival Belt
 * Level 41: Quick Belt - Haste
 * Level 43: Swordbelt +1 - WS
 * Level 48: Life Belt
 * Level 50: Swift Belt - Career goal
 * Level 51: Astral Rope - Enmity
 * Level 55: Speed Belt / Velocious Belt - Career goal
 * Level 60: Potent Belt - Luxury - WS
 * Level 70: Koga Sarashi - Career goal
 * Level 71: Warwolf Belt - Enmity
 * Level 73: Scouter's Rope - Luxury

Legs

 * Level 16: Bone Subligar +1
 * Level 25: Federation Sitabaki
 * Level 25: San d'Orian Trousers / Bastokan Subligar
 * Level 45: Iron Ram Breeches - See notes above.
 * Level 50: Nokizaru Hakama - Luxury
 * Level 52: Ninja Hakama
 * Level 55: Royal Knight's Breeches - WS
 * Level 64: Arhat's Hakama
 * Level 68: Fourth Schoss - See notes above.
 * Level 73: Shura Haidate - Luxury
 * Level 75: Byakko's Haidate - Career goal

Feet

 * Level 7: Leaping Boots / Bounding Boots - Luxury
 * Level 16: Bone Leggings +1
 * Level 25: Windurstian Kyahan
 * Level 39: Fuma Kyahan / Sarutobi Kyahan - See notes above.
 * Level 45: Iron Ram Sollerets - See notes above.
 * Level 55: Jaridah Nails
 * Level 63: Arhat's Sune-Ate - Enmity
 * Level 68: Fourth Schuhs - See notes above.
 * Level 72: Fuma Sune-Ate - Haste
 * Level 72: Rasetsu Sune-Ate
 * Level 72: Koga Kyahan - Luxury - Ninjutsu
 * Level 75: Hachiryu_Sune-Ate - Luxury