The Chaos Bombs are ammunition for hand-bombs in Final Fantasy XII. Hand-bombs cannot be equipped without owning some kind of bombs. Owning the Chaos Bombs means the player can use an unlimited amount, and bombs do not need a license to be equipped alongside a hand-bomb. The bombs have a chance of confusing the targets they hit, which makes them attack their allies.
Obtain[]
Original[]
The Chaos Bombs are not bought from shops, but sell for 700 gil. If the player sells them, they can never re-procure them.
The bombs are made in the bazaar set "Befuddled Incendiaries" alongside a Caldera for 17,800 gil. To make the set, the player will need to sell four Bomb Shells, three Books of Orgain-Cent, and seven Fire Crystals. All of these ingredients can be collected from the Great Crystal: Books of Orgain-Cent are obtained from Reapers and Bomb Shells and Fire Crystals are obtained Mom Bombs.
Zodiac[]
The Chaos Bombs set is not sold anywhere but itself sells for 2500 gil.
The bombs pouch is found as a treasure in Henne Mines' Crossover C (75% chance to appear, 50% chance for an item, 50% chance the item treasure is the Chaos Bombs without the Diamond Armlet equipped), Subterra's Penumbra - North (70% chance to appear, 20% chance for an item, 50% chance the item treasure is the Chaos Bombs without the Diamond Armlet equipped), and in Trial Mode Stage 58 with the Diamond Armlet equipped). To get to the optional part of Henne Mines, the player needs to obtain ten Espers and vanquish the Mindflayer, then talk to the geomancer in Jahara.
The bombs are also commonly stolen from the Helvinek in the Trial Mode Stage 51.
The bombs are still made in the bazaar set "Befuddled Incendiaries" for the same items as before but for a cheaper price: 3,800 gil.
Use[]
The Chaos Bombs add 4 points to the hand-bomb's power. They have a 25% flat chance of inflicting a susceptible target they hit with Confuse, which makes the afflicted attack their allies but they will lose the ailment if struck physically. The bombs are likely not worth prioritizing for the ailment on its own over the stronger Water Bombs or Castellanos, but using Chaos Bombs saves a turn from a White Mage using Confuse. The downside is that if the player continues to attack the same target, it will lose the affliction as receiving physical damage removes Confuse. The player could control the bomber manually and switch targets after the affliction takes effect to spread the ailment around, or have a Foe status:Confuse→Magick/Shades of Black gambit above the attack gambit.
Confuse works against Archaeoaevises in the Zodiac versions, who are immune to most other ailments, as well as against the Tyrant boss in Giruvegan.
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.