From what ive seen this gives +1 to counter, since nin have 0 trhey now have one. conclusion is based off of seeing lots of nin wear this (which if it werent for counter its not all that good) and several threads about "counter-attack ninja tanks". And yes since its not a triggered effect like the subjob earings and stuff its on all the time. also if it were to just enhance the counter ability it would say "Enhances "Counter" ability/effect" just like tghe siashi says "Enhances "Dual Wield" effect" rather than "Dual Wield +1"
Just wearing Counter+1 does not give u counter. Only reason i can see NIN/WAR use this is for the blaze spikes effect and atk+3. u must have Counter in your ability listing to even counter at all. +1 just means it gets an extra check to counter upon a stike against you.
I know you posted a long *** time ago but this is for all the people who will read this from now on. You do infact get the ability to counter from these. Tho it is a small amount of counter. I have read many a story of a nin/war countering at a life saving time because of this or the normal set that activates at low HP i believe.
Think math, If on Mnk sub or main, your counter is 0 or non efective, it you get a +1 item, isnt it now 1 for non monks and 2 for monks? if it was monk specific it would say Monk: Counter +1, like a few other things such as http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?fitem=4368 notice how it say SAM: Ranged Accuracy +7, that keeps it at SAM an not RNG, so it DOES give Sam/Nin Counter ^^ Also, it woulodnt say "Counter effect", notice how most things that say XXX effect, are spells. If it said Counter effect then Counter +1, it would be counter +2 wouldnt it?, the effect would be +1, in a mathematical sense... because it has to be somthing > 0 right? Also you gota think it wouldnt say just "Counter" Effect, sorry if im makin it sound like science class but... for ever Effect, there must be a cause yes? Yet, most the time the cause happens, the effect happens, so it would have to say BLAHBLAH Damage (Physical/Magical): "Counter" Effect, and since there is cause and effect, by all means of science, counter would be going off all the time, no? I mean cmon, name one game that went agains science!
If it was to add Counter it would say "Counter" Effect juss like the "Blaze Spikes" Effect thing beneath the "Counter"+1. Common sense would say it makes it better, like Treasure Hunter+1 blah etc you know the rest ppl.
Well, "Counter" +1 um, do you absolutely have to sub mnk to use that effect? Notice its not latent effect(trigger; hp, main or sub) so I'm assuming this works all the time. I've never seen a mnk or sub mnk wear this but I've seen dones of nin just craving this item. Would to nice if someone 'who has worn it'(not freaking speculating or word of mouth) could clarify if this does in fact give you counter