The Castellanos are the strongest ammunition for hand-bombs in Final Fantasy XII. Hand-bombs cannot be equipped without owning some kind of bombs. Owning the Castellanos means the player can use an unlimited amount, and bombs do not need a license to be equipped alongside a hand-bomb.
The Castellanos alongside the starter Onion Bombs are the only bombs that have no ailment or element. Though the preceding Water Bombs can still surpass damage from the Castellanos under optimal conditions, especially when used with the water-boosting Fumarole, the Castellanos are strongest bombs on their own and could be considered the ultimate hand-bomb ammunition.
Obtain[]
Original[]
The Castellanos are found in a rare treasure with the Diamond Armlet equipped in Cerobi Steppe's The Terraced Bank, Crossfield, and Old Elanise Road . The player can come here early on a chocobo from the Tchita Uplands.
The bombs are made in the "Devastating Incendiaries" bazaar set for 12,000 gil by selling three Bomb Fragments and Aries Gems, as well as two Frog Oils. Bomb Fragments are obtained from some bomb-type foes, such as as a monograph drop from the Bombs in the optional part of Barheim Passage accessed with the Barheim Key obtained from the "patient of the desert" quest in Estersand village after the player has the Dawn Shard, and from the Grenades in the Zertinan Caverns.
The player can get both Frog Oil and Aries Gems from Speartongues in the Zertinan Caverns. Frog Oil is a monograph drop and a rare poach, and Aries Gem is a rare normal drop. Aries Gems are also obtained from various other enemies, such as Bagolies in Nam-Yensa Sandsea.
Zodiac[]
The Castellanos set is not sold anywhere but itself sells for 8,000 gil.
The bombs pouch is rarely stolen from Dheed in Trial Mode Stage 67. The bombs are still made in the bazaar set "Devastating Incendiaries" for the same price and items as before.
Use[]
The Castellanos add 6 points to the hand-bomb's power, the most of any bombs, but lack any ailments or elements, meaning preceding bombs could still be preferable. As equipment can be swapped on-the-fly, the player could use ailment-inducing bombs until the desired effect sticks, and then swap for the Castellanos. The Water Bombs can be more powerful than the Castellanos if water damage is boosted via weather/terrain/equipment/enemy weakness, but they also have downsides against enemies that resist water and in weather that halves water damage, whereas Castellanos are consistently strong as much as bombs can be, as hand-bombs deal randomized damage.
Hand-bombs commonly see little use, as in the original version the other ranged damage options tend to be better, and in the Zodiac versions, hand-bombs are no job's main weapon, being secondary even for the Foebreaker. The bombs are only useful to procure in the Zodiac versions if the player is using a Foebreaker as a ranged job, which can still work better than a Time Battlemage with crossbows, especially in windy weather. This can also be situationally useful, as the Foebreaker cannot attack flying enemies with their hammers and axes. The Black Mage and the Machinist can also gain access to some late game hand-bombs, but they can already do ranged damage otherwise.