Striped Black Hat

The Striped Black Hat is the most defensive member of the striped hat family, a set of four Common color variants that each carry different stats. The black version pairs +2.5 Max Reiatsu - the largest Reiatsu roll in the family - with +1% Melee Defense, making it the pick for players who want a bit of everything from an early head slot: casting resources plus physical mitigation.

Its +1% Melee Defense actually exceeds the Rare Wolfman's Helm's +0.75% line, one of several cases where VV: Ultimatum's Common gear overlaps the tier above. The rest of the family maps out as blue (+1 Max Reiatsu, +1% Kido Damage), green (+1.75% Kido Damage) and red (+1% Kido Damage, +4% Posture Regen), so black is the only striped hat without an offensive line.

Community documentation records no drop source, level requirement or equipment load for the hat. Like all equipment it can potentially roll one of the game's 13 modifiers - Sturdy (Melee Defense) or Voluminous (Max Reiatsu) suit it - but the Tailor's 400-500 Soul Token reroll fee outweighs a Common item's value. Replace it with the Uncommon Faded Beanie once you can afford 5 Medals at The Coach.