The Poison Bombs are ammunition for hand-bombs in Final Fantasy XII. Hand-bombs cannot be equipped without owning some kind of bombs. Owning the Poison 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 poisoning the targets they hit, which makes them lose health passively.
Obtain[]
Original[]
The Poison Bombs are not bought from shops, but sell for 200 gil.
They are found in a treasure in Cerobi Steppe's Crossfield 
. It is a rare treasure with the Diamond Armlet equipped like all rare goods on the steppe. The player can come here early by taking a chocobo from the Tchita Uplands.
The bombs are made in the bazaar set "Noisome Incendiaries" alongside the Fumarole hand-bomb for 9,800 gil. The set is made by selling a Bomb Shell and three Fire Crystals. Bomb Shells are obtained from various bomb-type enemies, some of the earliest being the Grenades in the Zertinan Caverns and Bombs in the optional area of Barheim Passage. To get back to the passage after defeating the Mimic Queen, the player needs to complete the "patient in the desert" sidequest in the Estersand village, able to be completed after the events in the Tomb of Raithwall. Fire Crystals are obtained from various enemies, such as fire elementals. One early enemy that has Fire Crystals is the Dullahan in the Lhusu Mines.
Zodiac[]
The Poison Bombs set is sold for 400 gil in the baknamy merchant's shop in the Necrohol of Nabudis. The player could come here early after obtaining the Dawn Shard, but at this point the enemies inside would be very tough to take on; the player could beeline for the shop and then make their way back out.
The bombs pouch is found as a treasure in Ozmone Plain's The Switchback (80% chance to appear, 60% chance for an item, 50% chance the item treasure is the Poison Bombs without the Diamond Armlet equipped), Phon Coast's The Reseta Strand (70% chance to appear, 60% chance for an item, 50% chance the item treasure is the Poison Bombs without the Diamond Armlet equipped), and Tchita Uplands' Fields of Eternity (45% chance to appear, 30% chance for an item, 50% chance the item treasure is the Poison Bombs without the Diamond Armlet equipped), as well as in Trial Mode Stage 17 with the Diamond Armlet equipped.
They are still made in the bazaar set "Noisome Incendiaries" for the same items as before but now for a lower price: 3,280 gil.
Use[]
The Poison Bombs add 2 points to the hand-bomb's power. They have a 25% flat chance of inflicting a susceptible target they hit with Poison, which over time ticks away the afflicted's health. The bombs are likely not worth prioritizing for the ailment on its own, but as equipment can be swapped on-the-fly, the player could start with the Poison Bombs and then swap to stronger bombs/a different ailment-inducing bombs once the ailment takes effect. Using Poison Bombs saves a turn from the Black Mage using Poison.
Poison is one of the better offensive ailments, superior to the Sap status. Enemies who die by Poison do not affect the battle chain, but drop loot is based on the current battle chain.
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. However, getting the Hornito early from the Garamsythe Waterway can be a nice early game damage spike for them. 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.
Aletap Rumors[]
- Gained by defeating Mandragora
I was trying to make an herbal remedy, but I ended up making a bomb! Based on the ingredients I used, I'd say what I've got is something much like a poison bomb. Hmm? What did I use? Why, bomb ashes and a fire crystal. Believe me, you don't want to know what my remedy was for.
Nadjo, Apothecary
This description is incorrect: Bomb Ashes are used in the Oil-Soaked Incendiaries, which yields Oil Bombs; the item that yields Poison Bombs is Noisome Incendiaries, which uses a Bomb Shell instead.