Mail Cap

A Mail Cap is a Hat-class headwear available throughout the Golden Sun series.

Basic Description by Game
A Mail Cap increases the wearer's base Defense by 23 points. As a common item, it can be bought repeatedly from Vendors for 2000 coins each and sold for 1500 coins each.

It is sold in armor vendors at Kalay and Tolbi in Golden Sun and at Yallam in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. In Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, they are sold in Te Rya Village and Border Town. In all its appearances, the Mail Cap can be equipped by all party members.

Analysis
In Golden Sun, Mail Caps are decent upgrades for any Adept with headwear equivalent to or weaker than a Silver Circlet, but is not recommended for Adepts with Iron Helms. When considering Mail Caps, the player should ensure that they first purchase other, stronger equipment at the weapon and armor Vendors.

In Golden Sun: The Lost Age, the Mail Cap becomes one of the many items available as soon as the player can explore the Great Eastern Sea. However, like many pieces of equipment, the wide availability of strong equipment means that the Mail Cap is almost instantly outclassed, the party's current equipment notwithstanding. Jenna and Sheba will most likely be equipped with the Artifacts Nurse's Cap and Clarity Circlet. The Mail Cap is only be a few Defense Points higher than those, and lacks the useful side-effects of both. Meanwhile, the warrior-style adepts Felix and Piers will most likely be equipped with Bronze Helms or Iron Helms. While Mail Caps are somewhat substantial upgrades from Bronze Helms, the player can easily gain headwear stronger than the Mail Cap at Champa. Not only is the Silver Helm available, but the player can also gain the powerful Viking Helm.

In Dark Dawn, Mail Caps have little practical use. Besides the variety of Artifacts the player has access to, such as the Prophet's Hat, Glittering Tiara, and Viking Helm, the player can also buy stronger Guardian Circlets for any mage-style Adepts in the same shop as the Mail Cap. In addition, in the nearby Teppe Ruins, the player can gain the useful Warrior's Helm for their remaining warrior-style Adept. The Mail Cap's only use will be as the starting headwear for Sveta. It will do nicely for Sveta's short availability in the Teppe Ruins, but will be outclassed when Sveta rejoins in the Belinsk Ruins. By this time however, the player might be able to replace the Mail Cap with a Glittering Tiara as a placeholder, depending on their equipment distribution. Once the player gains the Sailing Ship, the Mail Cap can be more easily replaced with stronger equipment.