Snakeskin Hat

The Snakeskin Hat is an uncommon head armor that starts every battle with a charmed Rattlesnek on your side. Unlike the Rat set's Pinkies, which are weak rodents, a Rattlesnek is a more dangerous creature — meaning the familiar that joins you is a stronger combat ally from the opening turn. One free, no-action summon per fight from a single item slot is inherently efficient.

The head slot cost is the main consideration — stronger alternatives like the Nightmare Hat or Mangy Wig compete for the same slot. Worth taking if your run doesn't have a better head piece and you want a reliable early-combat ally every fight.

The charmed Rattlesnek acts immediately at battle start, drawing early enemy aggro and potentially poisoning or striking enemies before your cats have acted. On swarm-focused builds or in runs where Rattlesneks are especially effective against the current enemy types, this passive summon becomes a meaningful combat contribution each fight. Equip it on a cat who doesn't urgently need head armor for survival — the empty defense slot is the real cost, so heavier frontliners may want a Shield-providing head piece instead.